After a better night’s sleep, I felt much rested and sat in the conservatory feeding my fish and sorting out the morning mail before getting down to my ‘institutions’ chapter despite being interrupted by three visitors, who I still helped. I finished this chapter before tea and I was scheduled to go to a planning meeting and Diana to a meeting of the Brownies, when Daniel failed to catch the school bus home and spoiled our arrangements. I still went ahead with my planning meeting and said my piece on the School Lane flat development but could only get three councillors supporting my view and so the matter was overruled. News of yet another train crash with two dead and 52 more hurt, blamed again on lack of investment, as the East West arms talks open in Geneva today
I had decided to retire early to bed last night and then slept soundly until woken at 7am this morning and I felt much rested as a result. I was up and ready for breakfast and afterwards to sit in the conservatory and feed my fish while sorting out the morning mail which was quite a relaxing experience. I got straight down to work on my ‘institution’s’ chapter of my Little Paxton book, but I was soon interrupted by a total of three visits from Percy Meyer, Charles Frost and a lady from Priory who wanted to use my photocopier to organise some petitions against the dog fouling nuisances. I had another visit from Doug Young with whom I worked out some artwork for the Parish Council Newsletter as I had promised to do. I managed to work for the rest of the afternoon and then finished off my chapter just before tea. I was due to attend a planning meeting this evening and Diana a meeting of the Brownies at the school. We were upset to find, therefore, that Daniel did not come home on the school bus and poses a problem as we had no way of picking up him from school. I had to attend this planning meeting and sat through a number of highly controversial planning applications which quite filled the Council chamber with members of the public. I had to wait until about 9 PM to speak my peace in a rather warm atmosphere. I did not make a particularly good job of it but the committee were intent on approving the School Lane flat development regardless. Still three members voted against which was something. About half a dozen little Paxton residents were there and was bitterly disappointed as I was.
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Once home, I told Daniel off and then watch the TV news. The main story today was of yet another train crash – this one in Glasgow – making three in recent times and to within the last 48 hours! The government are under pressure on the grounds of lack of investment and priority for safety. Two have died and 52 were hurt in this latest crash. In the opening statements of the East/West arms talks in Geneva today, the West are seeking large reductions in Soviet tanks and Russia wants Western aircraft to be reduced.