More work on my Reliant after meeting Connie Morris in St Neots buying the paint and then jacking it up to remove the wheels for restoration before on to the riding stables with Debbie who rode Flint who was quite a handful. The children broke up for their half term holiday today. The Ford workers have accepted the latest pay offer and now Land Rover have last-ditch talks to avoid a strike. The Midland Bank has lost half a billion pounds affecting the stock exchange and more trouble in the Middle East as a US Lt Colonel is kidnapped and Neil Kinnock sees injured Palestinian youths in the refugee camps there
Slept well last night and woke slowly. Rather late down to breakfast, collecting my newspaper on the way. Read it afterwards and went through my mail. Only thing of interest was my Reliant Club member’s card and last newsletter. A sad tale within it of somebody’s two Reliant vans being destroyed in a fire, but more encouraging news of a range of spares that could be available. Later this morning I drove into St Neots to get some more paint from the motor shop, and Exchange and Mart, and some petrol for the car. I met one of my old ladies, Mrs Connie Morris, from North Lodge, in town and chatted to her for a while. Home and then sprayed my Reliant mudguard again, before and after lunch. Then I jacked up the back of the van and put the ramps underneath, then jacked up the front and got Daniel to help me remove the front wheel. Black hammerite smooth paint was used to paint this wheel and fittings, after thoroughly sanding them all down.
Soon it was time for tea and then off with Debbie in the Range Rover to Offord for her riding lesson. She was on Flint and both him and all the other ponies played up today and the lesson was rather difficult. Home to a little more spraying and then I disassembled and cleaned the headlamps glass and chrome strip and only had time left to do my journal and scan the local papers for press cuttings. No work of note on my history at all today, as I found the car much more interesting. I tended the ducks and doves today, Pete being not working, and the children broke up from school today for their half term holiday. The news today was of the Ford workers voting by over 2 to 1 to accept the latest negotiated settlement, which is a relief to the Ford Motor Company. Over at Land Rover, there are last minute talks to avert the pay strike due on Monday. The Ulster row goes on, with Sir John Hennon, Chief Constable of the RUC, hitting out at John Stalker’s claims of shortcomings there as untruths and exaggerations. The latest unemployment figures show a slight increase in absolute terms, but a decrease when seasonal adjustments are taken into account. The Midland Bank reports a £1/2 billion loss, after third world debt provisions of a whole £billion. Now Lloyds figures are awaited and still there will be more money to provide as these debtors get more set on defaulting. The stock exchange slips back after several days rise. Lt Col William Higgins, a US Officer in the UN force in the Lebanon, is still missing after being kidnapped yesterday and there seems little that Reagan can do. Neil Kinnock is in the Palestinian refugee camps on a publicity tour and there are more pictures of injured youths.