I heard the good news that the Norfolk boat that interests me has a lower air draft than thought making it an ideal next choice for us
I heard the good news that the Norfolk boat that interests me has a lower air draft than thought making it an ideal next choice for us

Snow had been falling in Northern England and been moving southwards, but I enjoyed a sound sleep at home as the rain poured down lay in as Debbie was at home ill all day, being sick, and only Della was going to school. Then the day sorting out my Christmas Card list when I heard the good news that the Norfolk boat that interests me has a lower air draft than thought making it an ideal next choice for us.

A couple of frustrated calls from Mum over administration delays but I attended a very smoky Liberal Democrats meeting this evening which went on for far too long. The Ambulance talks break down so that the dispute will carry on over Christmas. The cruelty of the first forced repatriation of the Vietnamese boat people still rankles but new Tory MPs are upset by the 140,000 Hong Kong people being given right of emigration to the UK

We were later to bed, but I had a good night’s sleep as the rain poured down, many inches of it. We had a lay in this morning as only Della was going to school. A day of work at home, reading mail, answering correspondence and getting my Christmas Card list sorted out. By the end of the day, I had produced about 20 of them, printing them on my laser printer. I had great news this morning from the Norfolk Yacht Agency who revealed that the new boat has only a 7’10” air draft (bridge clearance) which would allow it to cruise all over the Great Ouse and under its fixed bridges as well as the important ones in Norfolk.

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Debbie was at home ill all day, being sick, but seemed to have improved as time went on. I had a couple of distressing calls from Mum; he delays on administration (though nothing unusual) seems to be frustrating her. Also, she attacked me for not doing certain things which a could not yet be done or ones I did not realise that she wanted me to do. This is so upsetting when at a distance. This evening, I had to collect Della and the Law children from school as Di was busy with Marilyn. Then later I was at the Liberal Democrats meeting in Eaton Socon, which started late and went on too long in the smoke-filled room.

The news today is of a breakdown in the latest ambulance talks with no more money offered by the authorities and no concessions made by the drivers. It will now drag on past Christmas. In the row over refugees and Hong Kong, the cruelty of the first forced repatriation of the Vietnamese boat people still rankles but then new Tory MPs are upset by the 140,000 Hong Kong people being given right of emigration to the UK. Snow is falling in northern England and is moving southwards.