Sunday 29th April 1984

Some time working outside on my landing stages on a cooler day before a drive around local villages and then hearing news of my Mum’s recovery but worries over their car as the barometer now falls and rain is expected

A good night’s sleep and awake to yet another sunny and clear-sky day. As I sit in bed I regret the boat being away for repair in such good varnishing weather. Still up for a breakfast of melon and mixed fried food and after to read The Sunday Times in the lounge as Diana had stripped the bed to air. I notice how chilly the morning is and, indeed, with a strong chilly wind the day’s temperature, though sunny, was only 10/15degC. This morning and again this afternoon I spoke to old Bill who seems a bit frail and shabby, but he had walked a half hour at each end of his journey from Bedford. For some of the time Debbie talked to him but she was put off by the noise of the mower.

Daniel and his friend Paul played sand-pits and computers and Debbie received a visit from Sarah and played with their bicycles and also rolled down the front lawn bank. I spent the afternoon making a start on the landing stage and made some initial progress on what seems to be a long job. Eddie is out mowing his lawn and competing in the smoky bonfire stakes and tells me that he is due to retire in a months’ time and has had enough of British Telecom cutbacks and changes. As the sun sets we have a rather nice but chilly barbeque of burger and sausage before Daniel and I clean out the ducks and wash my car. Then I take Diana for a slow drive around the local villages before coming in for a hair wash and bath to enable an early start in the morning. I phoned Mum and Dad today and learned that Mum is still making progress in recovering from her broken hip. They are both worried about their car and are writing to me to ask for help in buying a new one. The news today is of the wait until first light tomorrow for the search of the Libyan building in St James Square. The Barometer has fallen below 1020 for the first time since the sunny weather and there are forecasts of cloud and rain spreading across the country tomorrow.