Sunday 22nd April 1984

Easter Sunday - Relaxing day creosoting Duck City and then working on landing stages as we hear of Old Bill’s sad frailty and of the Libyan diplomats being expelled

A long lay in with the kids kept quiet by Diana and then up in search of a cup of tea. A fine cooked and fried breakfast of my Sunday tradition and then washed and dressed in readiness for the day’s activity. A full 13 eggs from the ducks this morning before cleaning them out and applying a liberal coat of creosote outside and in with Debbie in close attendance. Then home to a mug of coffee and after to study The Sunday Times before a lunch of turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce washed down with a glass or two of Liebfraumilch.

After, to put on the Rover’s roof rack with Daniel and then, his friend Paul Kingham joining us, for a trip to the Wimpole Woodyard but finding it closed, home again. Then with Debbie in tow again to do a little bit on the landing stage before meeting Bill and asking him about his health. His sight has deteriorated badly and he is no longer able to drive or undertake any task needing detailed vision. I put his battery on charge so that his poor hut can have light and Debbie is pleased to get an invitation to visit him for chats – bless her! Eventually, after tea, I round up the ducks in the dinghy and put everything away before an evening’s television with Diana and Daniel watching ‘Chariots of Fire’. Then after our bedtime drinks – to bed. News today of the British Government’s decision to break off diplomatic relations with Libya and require that the inhabitants of the Peoples Bureau in St James Square leave within the next 7 days. An inevitable decision that should have been taken earlier but I disagree with residents of non-diplomatic status being allowed to leave without questioning.