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Hot and Humid day with Daniel, working on The Lady before rain as riders die in the British Motorcycle Grand Prix
A day that started hot and humid but gave way to increasing cloud until the evening became quite wet with heavy showers. Daniel helped me to fit the strips to The Lady and she was well trimmed by the time we had finished. Unfortunately the rain prevented me from varnishing the results and we must now await a drier day. Daniel was quite good company, swapping juvenile jokes and full of horseplay. I notice he is an old 11and growing up fast.
Our plot neighbours came down for the day and their daughter joins them for the first time in a year. I notice how she has grown up and is quite attractive sunning herself next door. Between times I watch the television sport and see the British Motorcycle Grand Prix. There is one accident which is too horrific for the television to show and I fear that two motorcyclists are dead. They would not comment on their condition which I take to mean they are trying to inform their relatives first. Tonight I have cleared out my workshop in the rain and also reorganised my toolbox. As the evenings gradually reduce, I expect to spend more time inside.
The news tells us that July has surely been the hottest since records began to be reliable in 1659. There are cases of Typhoid for some British Holidaymakers returning from the Greek Islands and the roads this weekend have been full of traffic and cars of holidaymakers travelling to the West Country and other coasts. The pound is thankfully falling on the foreign exchanges against the dollar because of speculation that US interest rates are due to rise.
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Annual appraisals, BMMG preparations for Meeting with Minister and evening painting The Lady as speculation is rife over helicopter crash
A much cooler morning, but the temperature rose to mid 80’s again in the afternoon. A good day’s work at the office with wide-ranging interviews with David Fear and Derek Morgan, completing an annual appraisal with the latter. Whilst difficult without June, I was able by communication with the BMMG secretariat to complete a survey of attendees for Wednesday’s Minister’s meeting. Council member John Marshall of Gemini has agreed to stand in for Vice Chairman Nigel Smith and assist with the presentation. We will number a delegation of some 15 or so and will therefore have every chance of being influential.
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Thunder storm flooding the storm drain and huge hailstones falling on The Lady, newly-varnished, and sad news of June’s father dying
A day that started hot but clouded over after lunch until a great storm broke in the evening. Today I had managed to close the sliding roof on ‘The Lady’ and had painted the fore cabin roof and was in the middle of the sliding roof when the storm started. A good wind and then lightning, thunder and driving rain from the west. Then very large hailstones of a size that, whilst sheltering in The Lady, I was fearful that they might break the glass windows. A comprehensive job then, on my wet paint!
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Another hot day enjoying working on The Lady, collecting prints and visiting boatyards
Each day seems hotter than the last but, at least today, storm clouds brought blessed relief in late afternoon, although the storm passed over without rain. Today, with The Lady’s sliding roof still back, I applied four coats of varnish on the central cabin exterior. Last night I had prepared and scraped the wood and so, in spite of the heat, it was quite easy going. Temperatures must have been close to 90degF by lunchtime when we went to St Neots.
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Struggling without June and receiving NEDO officers for the BMMG before an evening working on The Lady as my ducks thrive
Another day at least as hot as yesterday, with a similar sticky humidity. A working day without June but other office girls rallied round to open the mail and take dictation. A mid-morning appointment with Mr Malcolm and colleague, the Secretary of the Electronics EDC of NEDO. A long meeting this until lunchtime, whilst I explained my views and those of other Micro-manufacturers on behalf of the BMMG. The BMMG is adamantly opposed to anything less than the equalisation of duties on electronic components and microsystems.