A lazier dull, humid and subsequently damp day spent warding off insects as I managed to so some housekeeping on the summer house and duck house before taking Daniel fishing aboard Aquabean and surviving a fuel crisis. This as thousands of Nationalists march to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Internment, a knife attack kills one young woman and injures another and a pilot lands on the Champs Elysees in Paris today, as a protest, during a time when it had been cleared of all traffic for a film sequence.
Awoke to a dull and humid day, with an unusually large crop of insects and thrips causing a deal of discomfort. Breakfast cooked today, in line with tradition, and Debbie and Della joined me in having some fried bacon. Then I got Di to cut my hair before having a shower and dressing. A lazy day, first reading the papers, then feeding the doves before having morning coffee on the folding chairs on the front lawn.
Then I managed a little effort and cleared out the ducks and refilled their hutch with fresh straw. Also cleaned out the summer house, removing the traces of food from the floor (as I keep the duck and dove food there). Time for lunch and I helped by carving the roast beef, which was a bit tough this week. Still, we enjoyed it washed down with a half bottle of Rose D’Anjou. The afternoon watching the sport on TV. Particularly the motor racing, which was live from Hungary, as the first time a Grand Prix has been held in Eastern Europe. Tea and then I took a present to Marilyn for looking after our ducks and doves recently, before taking Daniel off fishing. We took Aquabean instead of the dinghy, but unfortunately the weather deteriorated and it started to rain. Did not stop us live-baiting for chub for a while, but did not catch anything. Home during a break in the rain, but ran out of fuel en route and we had to put ashore and get the dinghy for a tow back! Back safely and a quieter end to the evening after putting our things away and locking up. News today is of demonstrations by thousands of Irish Nationalist supporters, marching in Belfast on the commemoration of the 10th anniversary of internment. An Ulster minister, Mr Scott, has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the Anglo-Irish pact, in spite of recent Protestant protests. Police Officer Stalker, in charge of the Ulster RUC enquiry, has been cleared of all charges and this will be made officially known tomorrow. At Gatwick, in a ‘fast-food’ restaurant, a worker attacked three people with a knife, killing a young woman and seriously injuring a man. The Queen’s visit to the heart hospital for a check-up is still being described as ‘very routine’, but she has to climb to the top of a lighthouse tomorrow, which will be quite a test. A pilot landed on the Champs Elysees in Paris today, as a protest, during a time when it had been cleared of all traffic for a film sequence. Nigel Mansell was third today to Brazilians Senna and Piquet in the first Hungarian Grand Prix, but keeps his championship lead of 7 points. Today’s poor weather will remain unsettled for several days yet, according to the forecast.