A better day for Della means that her doctor’s appointment is cancelled and Debbie’s chance to be in charge for the day is ruined when Daniel refuses to play ball but I do not find much of practicable interest at Peacock’s auctions as Thatcher stubbornly opposes South African sanctions and Uganda is plunged into civil war and Ian Botham is scoring sixes and breaking cricketing records in equal measure
A better night’s sleep for all and, though improved, Daniella wakes up still the worse for wear. Deborah prepares the breakfast and calls us all down and is appointed in charge, bossing us all about and making me wash, shave and dress before reading the paper. Unfortunately, as Daniel resists this new found authority, their loud arguments threaten to wake the baby who has returned to bed and Diana brings a dramatic end to the experiment. This brings to mind Daniel’s rudeness and intolerance of yesterday and we decide to ban him playing today and also from using his computer, which comes hard. I resume my work for time, after tending the birds, and look after Deborah as Di goes to the shops. All together for coffee break as the first of the builders visit to check out the circumstances prior to tender. After, I decide to take them all to Bedford for a McDonalds lunch and half an hour to look round Bedford. I make for Peacocks auction room and find no furniture of interest, but do see a London builders hand cart and also a large river launch – both of antique interest.
I would love to get the boat, but Daniel (who would use it) is getting so spoilt that I fear I cannot. An afternoon and evenings work until I finish my tax and financial correspondence and clear up outstanding mails and reading. This still leaves my BMMG work for Monday. A much cooler day today and the barometer has fallen sharply. An overnight thunder storm made lots of noise, but it was only later today that we got some scattered showers. After booking a doctor’s appointment earlier, Diana cancels it when Daniella makes an improvement. News today of an MPs claim to be in danger from reprisals over his enquiries into Johnson Matthey’s affairs. Mr Sedgemore claims to have discovered two frauds, but the accused, Mr Hopka and Mr Sipra, deny it. In Woking a man named ‘Dr Death,’ or Sidney Noble, was arrested after a period on the run after a number of sex and drug offences. Thatcher, at the US rendezvous of international conservatives, fails to meet Reagan, who is recovering from his operation and sees Vice-President Bush in a rag-tag and bobtail assembly. She is still opposing economic sanctions against South Africa as apartheid supporting emergency regulations. In Uganda, a second front is opened in what is becoming a civil war, but in India, Ghandi has reached agreement with moderate Sikhs over their claims for self-determination, and the position has been endorsed by a majority of Sikh leaders. More UK building societies are reducing mortgage rates by ¾ %, but investment rates are not forecast to fall until September. Ian Botham became the first post-war cricketer today by hitting more than 60 sixes and also scored the seasons quickest 100 today in only 49 minutes. He went on to score an undefeated 138. With 9 more sixes this year he will beat the 1935 record of Arthur Wellard. Another showery day forecast for tomorrow.