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Starting a sunnier and warmer day with a sore throat and cold as the ducks lay a record 13 and then to re-input my online transactions and complete my BMMG correspondence as old Bill visits his plot for the last time and South Africa defies UN resolutions
Awake with a sore throat and my cold well and truly started. I was up in the night for throat sweets and was grateful for the soothing effect of the morning tea. The morning paper, breakfast of duck egg boiled with bread fingers, and then the rest of the paper until, with 9.00am approaching, I was late. A wash, shave and shower and out to the birds. 13 eggs from the ducks (which included one left from yesterday afternoon) which is a record for this season and the doves are still tending their eggs. Strange to see how the doves now forage on the newly mown lawns, but come nervously to the bird table - I will be relieved when I have grown one or more hen chicks to preserve the line. To the office and to re-input my Homelink transactions, first and pay Robert Sayle and the Eastern Gas Board. The transfer from building society to bank has now satisfactorily gone through and enabled the process. Then to start sorting my papers again until Diana brings a morning coffee and then phones to say Old Bill is on his plot. I put the telephone on answering and go to see him. Poor chap, his eyesight continues to deteriorate and he is now registered blind; only partially seeing red images and unable to recognise me from a few feet away.
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A difficult morning taking calls from journalists and trying to make electronic bill payments but achieving progress on investment and property matters as Thatcher causes an uproar over possible plans to privatise the Royal Dockyards and the Lebanese Government resigns.
Awake somewhat reluctantly to morning tea and Debbie played all manner of tricks before bringing me today’s paper. Breakfast of toast as usual and, after finishing the paper, up and dressed a little slower than usual. 10 duck eggs again this morning as the ducks are back to normal. The doves seem to be satisfactorily incubating the eggs and there are two now. To the office and a difficult morning fielding a few phone calls from journalists and struggling to catch up on my bill paying. The Homelink service had rejected a couple of my transactions as it seems a minimum of £350 has to be kept in the account. I make my own coffee as Diana is struggling with the baby today and then manage a little correspondence and to complete the forms for selling 60,000 Kode shares and taking up £15,000 of rights with Barclays Bank BLC.
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Off to the Ekins Auction in St Ives after noting the new doves egg on a mild and sunny morning for £390-worth of successful bids for silver before home to learn of some very successful BMMG recruitment and to unpack our new garden furniture as the TUC supports a sacked miners' fund
Awake to my morning tea and finished reading the paper before breakfast. Down to a breakfast of boiled duck egg, which we all, except Diana, enjoyed as usual. Up to read my auction catalogue and make a few notes and then to get showered, shaved, washed and dressed. I find a shower manages to get me going rather more effectively than trying to wash down, though I enjoy a bath most of all, if I have the time. Out to the birds on a mild and sunny morning and the doves and ducks both feed well. The blonde Qualmond had laid at least one egg and, with the indigo cock, seems to be incubating conscientiously, which is hopeful. Eight only eggs from the ducks, who are only now getting back to a full feed. Strangely, one laid an egg and size of a pigeons today and I played a good joke on Daniel and Diana by pretending I had taken down the doves egg as a dead loss!
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A slow start on a gloriously-sunny morning and I cancel the next day's appointment to give me time to catch up on a backlog of messages and calls before off to Comart at Little End Road to pick up a repair and talk to John Lamb as Thatcher fields criticism for her Asian tour the bill to abolish the GLC is in the Commons
Rather groggily awake and morning tea on a gloriously sunny morning. A warm bedroom for once as I read the FT and then the morning post. Breakfast of cornflakes at last and then a shower, shave and wash. Out a little late to the birds and 8 eggs from the ducks, who are missing their regular rations. To the office and a daunting desk full of mail and journals to sort through. I get Di to cancel my Oxford appointment tomorrow to give me a chance. Then phone calls to Owles Hall and Nigel, but could raise neither and so spoke to Martin Isherwood, who was not able to enlighten me on the response to our circular canvassing membership. A long exercise sorting my mail into action and reading piles and, after grabbing a quick cup of coffee, back to work out my Barclays bank account balance and try to pay a few bills through Homelink. Unfortunately, due to lack of time, I abandoned the process at 12.10pm and whisked Diana off to Comart at Little End Road to collect my repaired VDU keyboard. We ran into John Lamb there (nearly literally) and had a pleasant chat before leaving. Down the A1 to Biggleswade and arrived just in time to buy a couple of sacks of layers pellets for the ducks.