Cruise in The Lady from the Old West up the Cam to moor up at Midsummer Common, Cambridge, isolated aboard from the outside world, where the children enjoy playgrounds, Daniel gets a working stereo and the Fair and I visit Vinters to sign contracts for buying 7 Willow Close and shops to start my antique silver collection
Awake first at 6.00am and so I put on the kettle and lit the gas and waited for it to boil. A much chillier morning and soon, as the children and baby woke up, I put on the central heating, which was a blessing. All up to our morning boat routine and then breakfast, after which the children played on the swings until departure time. A steady cruise down the Old West River, with a much more temperate wind. Then up to 6/7 knots past Popes Corner as we cruised up the River Cam. Stopped at Upware for me to call Miss Eadie of Vinters to discuss our house purchase and then on through Bottisham and Baits Bite locks, paying a toll of £3.65 for the passage. It came on to rain as we neared our destination in Cambridge, but moored on Jesus Green as it stopped and the kids descended on the playground again, whilst we changed and prepared for our outing. First to the Wimpy for lunch and then to Vinters, where we signed contracts for our house next door and the matter seems done.
Daniel and I to Dixons to change his personal stereo for new (being faulty) and also to buy another set of headphones for our portable video and television. Also two new 180-minute VHS video cassettes for our camera. Then to an antique silver shop to enquire after the start of a collection and bought four fiddle style forks – three of 1806 and one 1828 – but then to buy some books from Heffers and to see that the trouble will be in finding desert forks, knives and spoons, but we shall see; and at least I have started. Back to The Lady and Diana stays with the baby and goes to the launderette, whilst I take the children to a fairground that has set up on Midsummers Common. A long session of drinks, food and rides and several prizes won for the children. Back to The Lady and the late evening studying my silver and learning more of it from my books. Late to our bunks with no television or contact with the outside world and we shall have to rely on a mourning paper for a news update. The barometer fell to 1000 tonight, which is an even greater fall than yesterday.