Struggling with The Hayling View’s plumbing and heating teething problems but liking the new balcony rails fitted today and making my £1/2m CGT tax payment as Heseltine looks to be losing in his Westland battle, Western powers complain about Iranian searches of ships in the Gulf, and fortress-like Molesworth plans are released
A poor start to the night, as I could not get to sleep. In the end, I got up and turned off the power supply to both boiler pumps and this removed the unpleasant noise. I do hope that the electrician comes soon and completes his work. The plumber here at 8.00am this morning and too early for me, as I was still having a shower. He put in the new radiator pipes, but had to drain the east wing boiler in the process. Showered and dressed and then along to my office to see what they were doing. As I worked, the carpenter was joined by Mr Cheeseborough and they reversed the staircase. He broke the news to me that the hall to kitchen door will have to be moved to accommodate the end of the staircase – there is not enough room to have a turn in the staircase, either top or bottom. This will mean more dust and disruption in the kitchen and poor Di did not take the news very well.
I spent the day on paperwork, sorting out recent correspondence and answering it, updating my investment/income summary and estimating my new tax position for the 1985/6 tax year, and getting up to date on all my outstanding bills. I phoned Elm Leisure to agree to the landscape gardening costs and ask about tiles for the shower room. Also called Roger Brittain, my accountant, and Nicholas de Zoete, my stockbroker, to make arrangements to realise about £550,000 to pay my capital gains tax bill and also meet bills for the rest of our alterations. Quite an effective day, but worked on into the evening and had no time for anything else. When I fed the doves this afternoon, I noticed how gusty the westerly wind had become and also how much the river had been coming up. It is covering the neighbouring plots again and we are pleased that we raised ours during the landscaping. Debbie stayed home today as her nasty cough continued. News tonight of growing pressure for the government over the Westland affair. Leon Brittan was under parliamentary questioning over his communications with British Aerospace. The 9% Fleming holding was bought up today – probably by US interests, but the meeting has been deferred and will now be held in the Albert Hall on Friday. Opinion polls amongst Conservative MPs are all the vogue. The majority support both Heseltine and Thatcher’s handling of the affair, but also reduce his chances of the party leadership. Iranian navy ships are searching US and British ships in the Gulf and both governments are angry about this breach of international maritime law. Plans for the Molesworth nuclear base were released today. There will be 600 more Americans there, plus a further 150 doing administration for them at Alconbury. There will be watchtowers, bunkers and a second ring of security fencing and CND criticise the plans as turning the area into a Colditz-like fortress, and I agree. The weather forecast is for more wind and showers tomorrow. The engineers came to fit and weld the balcony rails into place today and they really finish off the house nicely. I am thinking of a new porch for the main front door and of blocking up the other one and using the rear entrances for my office.