A Landau ride amongst many other rides during our Blackpool break
A Landau ride amongst many other rides during our Blackpool break

After some trouble with the hotel nursery, we eventually got the girls accommodated as we packed our bags and then set off for the Pleasure Beach for a morning of rides; the monorail, the Go-Karts and all else before a snack lunch and the long car journey home. Plenty of depressing problems upon arrival and then, the boiler and swimming pool back on line, I stayed up late writing. The TUC expels the electrician’s union, the postal strike spreads (but with some hope of talks) but the floods in Bangladesh are now estimated to have killed more than 550 with 20 million homeless as roads, railways and even the airport is swamped by water

Had an even better night sleep despite the mediocrity of our beds and room furnishings. Indeed, we laid in a bit late and had to rush down to breakfast to meet their early close of 9:30am for the end of the meal. We were again disappointed after our meal to find the nursery ‘full’ and unwilling for Della and Debbie to play there for the hour or so we were packing up our bags. I contacted the manager again and, though it was sorted out and they were let in, we lost 15 minutes and were angry again at having to complain. Once packed up, checked out and the car loaded, Di, Daniel and I sat and had a drink and then we all set off for the Pleasure Beach. A morning of rides. We all went on the monorail, which was very good for getting a view of most of the rides in this huge pleasure park.

Then Daniel and I had a go at the Go-Karts and Debbie the junior version. She had her foot hard down on the accelerator, not realising she could go slower, and roared around the track keeping up a good line and looking very impressive! Lots of other rides and then a snack lunch of hot dogs, burgers and doughnuts with drinks to match. This afternoon, we embarked on our trip home and the weather improved along the way from being windy and cool to still and warm. We got home at 6:30pm after getting a few supplies from the shop in Great Stukeley and I made the tea whilst I commission the house and pool boiler systems. Managed also cut the games lawn but then noticed that the sewage pumping station was overflowing into the river again which started off a few phone calls and impromptu inspection of the place when the crew arrived. All very depressing as a ‘Welcome Home’. Up to 10:30 PM catching up on my journal, the TV news and then to bed. The main story is of the TUC duly expelling the Electricians Union and also the remorseless spread of the postal strike but at least there is the chance of talks on the latter issue. The deaths toll from the floods in Bangladesh has risen to 550 but more are feared lost and 20 million are homeless. All the railways and roads destroyed are swamped and relief operations will face formidable obstacles. Even the capital’s international airport runway is under water.