Debbie dressed for the party
Debbie dressed for the party

To the Rev Peter Lewis’s family service at St James’s Church after an early visit to Willington Garden Centre with the girls and then home to host a big summer party with 7/8 cars bringing lots of guests. The ladies and girls enjoyed the pool and the men the croquet and bowls lawn. Four Britons are feared dead after a catamaran sinks off the South Coast, two men are shot dead in South London and 30 die as a jetty collapses in Malaysia where 1,000 peop[le were queuing for a ferry

I found the bed warm again last night and then discovered why – Di had got a hot water bottle in there! This morning, we got up at quite an early time and all ate breakfast together. I decided then to go to the Willington Garden Centre and took the two girls along with me. Found out it did not open until 10.00am on Sundays, but I hung around and they let us in early anyway. Whilst I wandered round, first the girls played hide-and-seek along the long entry gangway and then I took them to see the sheds and summer houses and they played on the little children’s playground, which they enjoyed. Home in a hurry for 10.15am and then, as Di’s parents got the house ready for the party, we went to St James Church for a family service. We walked there and back and got there early for a change. Not a large congregation, because of many being away on holiday, but the Rev. Peter Lewis did his best to make a good service of it. Once home, we helped in welcoming the family guests. Food, chairs etc had been layed out on the lawns and inside The Hayling View and all of Di’s family had been invited. The cars completely filled our drive and were about 7/8 in number, as many relatives had responded to the invitation. We gathered, chatted, had drinks together and wandered about.

Then a buffet lunch and, after, I played videos for the company, of old family weddings and events, which were much enjoyed. The party then split, with many of the ladies and girls going swimming in the pool and many of us men playing croquet and bowls on the games lawn. The weather improved, after the showers that had come earlier. We were left with Chas and Chrisula, who joined us for tea on the lawn and then I played Chas for a late bowls match, as the children swam and Di & Chris cleared up. A long task for me to clear away all the outside chairs and games equipment and then I locked up and sank into a chair in the lounge for my journal. The news today is of the return of a church envoy from the Lebanon. The Bishop was trying to find the whereabouts of four missing men. The Iran/Iraq clashes still continue, as the UN Secretary General remains optimistic of a settlement this week. Four Britons seem to have died in the sinking of a catamaran off of the South Coast. Two men have been shot dead in South London. The BMA supports moves to use animal organs for transplants, but I remain sceptical of this sensational way of repairing human ailments. 30 people were killed as 1000 passengers queued for a ferry in Malaysia – the jetty collapsed. Long delays for British holidaymakers at airports for flights to Majorca and Menorca. Mrs Thatcher could not resist commenting on Church of England Synod discussions on the admission of women to the priesthood, and spoke in favour of women priests. She is now jetted off to Singapore and has held mutual admiration talks with Lee Kuan Yew. More cloud and showers are forecast for tomorrow.