Family colds prevailing on a cold and windy day whilst I tamped down our asphalt drive and Diana did some shopping and got flowers for my Mum in Bury hospital and then lunch with the family and, later, a cinema trip with Diana to see ‘Mona Lisa’ in Bedford. The Syrian row continues but sad news as British TV producer Alan Stewart is killed by a land mine after interviewing rebel leader, John Garang and the International Red Cross give up on South Africa where they cannot work any more.
A settled night, after investigating a few noises due to the wind, and then awoke to my morning tea. Down to breakfast of toast and the remainder of my fresh honeycomb and then, in my old clothes, out to do some chores. Another windy and wild day, but the rain held off until later. I managed to go around the entire asphalted area, tamping down asphalt dust into the blemishes and filling the area around the bricks and gravel drain to improve the finish. This took until coffee break, which Di got for me, as she did not go out shopping until later. The girls are nursing the after effects of colds at the moment and are slow to get going in the morning.
Then she went off in the RR and organised some nice flowers to be sent to Mum in Ward F4 of the West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds, as well as got a few items for our tea. Felt tired after my last few day’s exertions and could not do much else before Di came back and it was time to go to St Neots. Collected Daniel in the market square, bought some plumbing fittings from Fishers and then set off for the Croxton Happy Eater. Very crowded today, with lots of families on their way to visit relatives during the school half-terms. Still managed to get served efficiently and were soon home, as the weather deteriorated. Watched Great Britain lose to Australia at Rugby League on the TV, but also fitted the new Cistern miser control valve to the urinal. Tea and then, with the children to bed, took Diana to Bedford to watch a British film called ‘Mona Lisa’. A rather risqué, but dramatic rendering of the ins and outs of London’s red light district. Home at 11.30pm and to bed late, with no time for TV or journal. From radio broadcasts, the international ramifications of the Syrian diplomatic rebuff reverberated, with many threats to Britain emanating from the Middle East. Another ETA bomb in Spain claims its victims and a tragic accident in Southern Sudan, as a British TV programme producer, Alan Stewart, was killed by a rebel landmine, after an interview with the rebel leader, John Garang. It had been long-lain and forgotten. The International Conference of the Red Cross has had a vote of delegates excluding South Africa from its meeting and this repressive state has already retaliated by asking all Red Cross officials to cease work and leave South Africa. This is a double motive, as they have much to hide.