Sunny family day trip to London Zoo and lunch there after morning read before home to a riverside BBQ and then to clean out the ducks and washing the car with Daniel as 38 prisoners escape from the Maize H block

A beautiful sunny day with the barometer over 1030 and the sun overcoming the chilly morning air to make it comfortably warm. A reasonably early cooked breakfast, quick wash for us all and after reading the Economist report on the world economy (and the Sunday Times), we all set off for London. Our destination is the Zoo in Regent’s Park where we arrive at 10.00am in good time to park easily outside. Debbie is enchanted by the monkeys and a Parakeet called ‘Cocky’ that said “Hello” as she passed its house in the Parrots cage. Daniel is at the age where he objects to doing anything except playing with his computer and friends but I think he enjoyed it too. An excellent lunch in the formal zoo restaurant where the service is excellent if pricy and it makes a pleasant relief from the cafeteria which I have always found draughty and depressing. In the end, and after numerous Ice Creams and drinks we become foot-weary and return to the car and then home.

A pop out to get some charcoal and then we get out the garden table and chairs and have an excellent barbeque of hamburgers, tea, and sausages by the river. A few boats abroad today, lucky to have picked this warm interlude between the cold and wet weather of late. A short play on Daniel’s computer before washing the car together and cleaning out the ducks. We have to take to the dinghy to herd the youngsters in. It has been a good day for ducks with the fine weather bringing out plenty of people to feed them and enjoy the riverside aspect.

An evening watching the fifth episode of the television war programme entitled ‘The Winds of War’ with London depicted in the Blitz.

News today of 38 IRA prisoners escaping from the Maize, H block prison in North of Ireland, stabbing and shooting two prison officers. Tonight 10 have been recaptured. In Lebanon, all the groups involved in the fighting have agreed to a ceasefire this evening but shooting seems to be continuing. Piquet wins the Brands Hatch Grand Prix and gets important builders points for Brabham and brings his own position within two points of the leader in the world championship with only one race to go.