India’s Premier, Rajiv Gandhi, defeated in a state election in Haryana province.
India’s Premier, Rajiv Gandhi, defeated in a state election in Haryana province.

The last of my earth shifting sessions on a warmer day after sleeping heavily with my cold and then to complete the paving stone walkway with Pete’s help and then a late morning swim in the pool to be ready to greet Charles and Norma who join us for lunch. I arranged a BBQ for Di and the children after they had left and then sat in the summer house writing and filing as the embers died down. The news tonight is of the ultimate escalation of the Iran/British diplomatic expulsions, unemployment falls to under three million as the stock exchange falls, another US newsman is kidnapped in Tehran and Gandhi loses a Haryana state election

Slept heavily with my head cold and was awoken after 7.00pm with my morning tea. Showered, shaved and dressed slowly, but still the first down to breakfast, checking on the children’s bedrooms on the way. Had a slice of melon, then of toast and marmalade, with apple juice to drink. In my old working clothes, out to the riverside to do the last of my earth shifting. Used most of the rest of the pile of topsoil to bed in a row of paving stones that extended the main path and steps down to the riverside moorings. Also got Pete to help me carry some paving stones down to complete the path right by the river and past our new moorings. In feeding the doves this last day or two, I note that our first Little Paxton ‘grandchild’ is doing well.

This Dilute Indigo chick was born of two doves (a blonde qualmond cock and blue bar hen) born themselves at Little Paxton. I now consider the doves well settled with more broods on the way. Worked hard until about 11.30am and then took a swim in our pool, as I was all hot and sweaty from the exertion. Still ready to greet Di’s Mum & Dad as visitors when they arrived at 12.30. Di had spent the morning at Play School again with Della. She says that Daniella does not want her to leave her alone, but I think that she likes to be a helper there. Took all our company to the Little Chef in Little Paxton for our lunch. The service was a bit patchy, but we enjoyed our meal and our guests liked being chauffeured in the Daimler. Once back in Little Paxton, I dropped off Di, her mother and Della to the playground for a play and walk back, and Charles and I drove home to watch the test match. In this second England vs Pakistan cricket match England won the toss, batted and did well on the first day. Showed Charles around the gardens and he enjoyed the landscaping and shrubs. Once my ‘in-laws’ were gone, I got Di to help me get out the chairs and barbeque and cooked the family burgers and sausages by the river and we all had chock-ices to follow. Had strong words with Daniel, who kept upsetting the girls and disobeying my requests. He had been swimming with them beforehand and that also ended in a row & tears for the girls. After this, Di bathed the girls, told them stories and got them to bed before going her ironing, Daniel revised an hour each of physics and history, and I took the local papers and my journal down to the summerhouse. The glowing embers of the barbeque (which I was keeping an eye on) kept me warm like a brazier as I cut out and referenced Little Paxton cuttings from these last two weeks. It was dusk by the time I had written my journal and fed/put away the ducks and doves. Daniel had left his boat’s interior light on last night, flattening the battery, and so I helped him connect the charger to restore the charge overnight. The weather was warmer today and the rain just about held off during daylight. The news tonight is of the ultimate escalation of the Iran/British diplomatic exchanges, where all British diplomats, save two, are withdrawn from Tehran, and all Iranian diplomats, save one, are withdrawn from London. Unemployment has dropped below 3 million for the first time in recent years, with a record one-month fall, which seems a little more than the opposition claims are due to statistical manipulation. Another American newsman has been kidnapped in Beirut. India’s Premier, Gandhi, has been defeated in a state election in Haryana province. The stock exchange had a bout of profit-taking today after the recent euphoria.