My Hayling View moorings once infilled and landscaped
My Hayling View moorings once infilled and landscaped

Landscaping the moorings with Daniel before and after the splendid christening ceremony at Hail Weston Church and following party where I became godfather to Kate and Ashley Smith. The election campaign continues with Sunday rallies and the Fiji crisis continues

Very late to bed, but still awoke early with the bird song in my ears. Windy this morning, but it died out during the day. Late last night I had a shower and so I just shaved and dressed in my working clothes before breakfast. Sat and caught up on yesterday’s Financial Times whilst Di fried us all some breakfast. I am weighing in at 13st 5lbs again due to the diet and physical exercise I have been having of late. Spent the morning landscaping the boat harbour and insisted that Daniel either join me at work or revise some more maths for his forthcoming ‘O’ level this week. He did some of the latter, but felt he ‘knew it all’ and so joined me by the river.

After struggling with the physical work, I got him in old trousers and jumper & gloves and he started painting the steel sheeting whilst I carried on. In at 1.00pm for some soup and bread and then a rush to shower and dress in my best suit for the christening. Took out the Daimler for the event, arrived at Hail Weston Church in style and then took my place as a Godparent to Kate and Ashley Smith for the ceremony. A nice service with Kate really enjoying the attention. To Hail Weston House after, where Nigel had laid on drinks, titbits and then a buffet meal for 40 in a marquee on the lawn, which was nice. It was good that the wind had dropped by now and the weather was fine for all the children to play on the lawn by the swimming pool construction. Pity they were boisterous and indulged in mud fights. Daniel was twice the size of the other children, but they all chased him and he was quite a centre of attraction. Rather too much alcohol and food and then wearily home. Daniel and I then went out and completed the boat harbour, putting in two mooring posts, a line of paving stones, and steps up the bank. By dusk we had done and came in. I have five boats mooring here tonight, as the boats upstream have come down in anticipation of the river work and dredging to take place next week. News today is of the last Sunday rallies in the election campaign, with all three parties playing to the people and the media. It seems that the opposition parties are still catching up the Tories in the marginals, which makes for an interesting finish. Fiji’s deposed Prime Minister has come to London to seek an audience with the Queen, but she has declined to see him on the advice of her Fijian Governor General.