Fine and warm day on early morning paperwork before visiting markets and shopping in the morning and constructing my dove cage in the afternoon and evening as British Foreign Office advises British subjects not to travel to India as riots grow in more than 20 cities leaving 145 dead. Back home treasury rates are easing but unemployment still rises for adults on seasonal trends
No appointments or plans during this first working day that Daniel is back at school and so I arrange to go out later on for some shopping. First to wash, dress, eat and get to my office for soon after 9.00am, and to power up the telephone system where I find few messages. Out with the bank statements and treasury deposit slips so as to update my present cash position and reconcile the account. I settle outstanding bills, pay Diana £1,000 for expenses reimbursement and calculate that I need £22,500 back from building societies to my current account. By the time I had finished it was lunchtime and Diana prepared a poor lunch of sardines and bread which I ate! Off then to St Neots parking my car near to the cattle grid that separates the town from the common. For the first time I dropped into Shaw’s the auctioneers and was intrigued to see the auctions of fruit and vegetables, furniture and other materials. A good array of traditional flat-capped Huntingdonshire farming types and their vans parked around and some very good bargains of market garden produce for those willing to spend the time bidding and settling. ‘Chips’ of apples selling for a £ and all in good condition too.
On then to the Gateway Building Society and an upset over the withdrawal due to a 7 day rule over cheque clearances. In the end, the assistance of the Manageress who will ensure the monies are paid to my bank account on Monday. To the bank for £100 cash and then pet shops in the arcade and the high street where I bought bowls, food and grit for my doves after seeing little of interest in the market itself in Market Square. On then to Fishers hardware shop in the square where I buy wire netting, wooden softwood battens, staples, nails, rawlplugs, brackets and much else to build a bird cage and then home to start the process. All domestic foul have to be restrained for at least a week to develop their knowledge of home ground and territory prior to removing their constraints. I had done the same thing with my ducks and now it is the doves turn. I spend the afternoon and early evening constructing a magnificent structure with feeding hatch that can be slipped onto wall hooks and completely cover the wall cote. Later I phone Dad and he will be buying three pairs of doves from Stanton on Sunday and bringing them over and so I must put it up tomorrow. News tonight of growing riot in India with more than 20 cities under curfew and 145 dead. The British Foreign Office advises British subjects not to travel there and major British travel operators postpone holiday packages. The miners call for more support to their cause, but debate begins within the NUM as the executive debate the latest developments. Interest rates are falling in the US and also the treasury rates are easing here, as I have seen, but unemployment still rises for adults and on seasonal trends. The weather continues fine and warm in this Indian summer.