The Hayling View Gardens flood and we prop things up and drive around the flooded roads on to Cambridge for shopping as gale force winds and heavy rains lash Britain
Awake after another good night and I read several days of Samuel Pepys as the post and paper are slow to come this morning. The opening curtains reveal widespread flooding of the valley and the river still rising. I finish my breakfast, wash and dress so as to go out fairly early. First to clean out the doves and feed them. They are quite hungry and appreciative of the attention after two days. I toy with the idea of letting them out this morning; the sky is blue and the sun shining with this easterly aspect protecting them from the fresh westerly wind. I decide against it after talking to Diana as I would not be able to supervise them properly with our weekend chores listed. I let out and feed the ducks and by now the water is lapping around the legs of their hutch. Debbie is out in coat and boots to help me, but falls over backwards whilst wading through the submerged grass and gets soaked! I then spend time and effort carrying the loose timbers to the old riverside gardens and storing them above water level.
Also bringing in the garden table and chairs and stacking the barbeque and materials upon it. Lastly I put up the lawnmower and a lot else onto tables and leave things ready for the flood to do its damnedest. Then inside to drink two cups of coffee and read the morning paper and post from both houses. More computer journals and copies of my BMMG press releases with which I am well satisfied. I start to read The Economist, but time runs out and we load up the car, await Debbie’s arrival and then set off to St Neots to collect Daniel. To The Happy Eater for lunch, but Daniel is far too full of himself and cannot behave. Then off via Sandy towards Cambridge. Diana is furious that I drive this route as she sees Irena Little and anticipates more virulent letters from my ex-mistress. I didn’t see her, but I regretted the lack of thought as we went off to the RSPB Lodge at Sandy to shop for Christmas presents. I buy a House Martin’s nesting aid with which I am well pleased. To Cambridge and a fair walk from car parking place because of the Christmas shopping congestion. With Daniel I manage to buy my new journal notepaper and I leave him to play in the computer shop whilst I find another book on pigeons. We meet up with Diana in Mothercare and buy her brother a £250 voucher to help him shop for his firstborn – due in January. Home, stopping for petrol at £1.86p a gallon on the way. The flood is still high and we drive round by Eaton Meadows to avoid the Paper Mill Ford. A fine tea of prawns, which Debbie also enjoys, followed by digestive biscuits and stilton cheese. The evening reading my pigeon book and catching up on these last two days journal. News today of an arson attack on a working miners house. Also of the CND conference in Sheffield and plans to resist, by non-violent means, the establishment of the second UK cruise missile site at Molesworth. Oxford Circus underground station was disrupted by fire yesterday and they were cleaning up the mess today. Gail force winds and heavy rain continue to lash England.