Casting off on The Lady on a mild but dull day following early brightness after reading Daniel’s school reports and ringing my first dove chick. Cruising through Buckden and Brampton to moor at Godmanchester for a fish-and-chip dinner as the miners fear Coal Board threats and sanctions and Mount Pleasant sorting office is back to work but planning a strike ballot
Awake and my paper already arrived and so an early morning read whilst drinking my morning tea. Down to breakfast of boiled duck egg with buttered toast fingers and then up with relief to get washed and dressed, dodging Joan, who by now had arrived to start the days cleaning. Out to the doves to feed them and also managed to attract the attention of the grizzle hen and so all were away from the dovecote. I put the ladder up and looked at the baby dove and managed to insert ring number 3571 onto its left leg with some trepidation and so I hope it stays on. Then to the ducks and to retrieve 12 eggs, which is also good. Inside to find the post arrived and with it Daniel’s end of Spring term report from Kimbolton. I run through it with him and we find him improved in most aspects, but still pretty average overall. Daniel then off on his bike around Paxton and me to get the toolkit from the boat and make a start on adjusting our balcony windows. A long job, but with the sun shining brightly, an enjoyable and satisfying one. Eventually, lunchtime and all to eat rolls and fillings with ice cream to follow. We decide to cast off on The Lady in mid-afternoon and so I phone Miss Eadie of Vintners at 1.00pm and give her two hours to organise arrangements for a Thursday exchange of contracts. Then a couple of hours preparing the boat and loading up all manner of provisions and clothes for the trip. Eventually, all ready and I agree to phone Vintners tomorrow to check the progress. Both TV and stereo are installed aboard and so with our pressurised hot water and central heating it is a home from home! We cast off at 3.15pm and, after a circle turn around Paper Mill lock Island, we cruise downstream and Daniel takes the helm as I deploy the lifebelt, fenders and flag masts.
The sun goes in of course, but the wind drops and the temperature is mild enough. Through Offord lock after our first drinks and much ado as Diana steps on Daniella’s fingers and accuses me of pushing her deliberately. We stop at Buckden Marina and fill up with 15 gals of diesel, water and a new gas cylinder, which I manage to leave behind outside the office when we take off. I also buy two new maps of the Ouse, spiral bound now for the first time. Through Brampton lock on a still evening and on to moor at Godmanchester. The Lady cruises well with much less noise and smoke than last year and the water is genuinely hot again as an aid to usage in the galley. All to the fish and chip shop and plaice for Diana, Daniel and I and chips only for the girls. After to play on the swings with them until in to write for a while before the news and television detective films with Daniel. News tonight of the Tory party disciplining its student members after they had gone on a drunken rampage. Earlier they had replaced Ted Heath as a life patron and have been recently criticised for right-wing tendencies of its leaders. News also of stories that over half of the Scottish NUM members are to lose their jobs over the next few years, but the Coal Board dismisses the stories as pure speculation. The NUM overtime ban was officially called off today. Now it will be seen whether the Coal Board will truly consider a list of miner’s grievances. The Mount Pleasant sorting offices are back to work, but a strike ballot has been called and late night negotiations seem to have reached a compromise. Princess Margaret has been smoking again during public engagements. The barometer up at 1018 tonight and set fair.