Tired and thus slow to let the builders in today and then disappointed with their tidiness, though they are getting the work done. Much organising today and helping to look after Della at lunchtime and then Daniel for his tea and following Chemistry studies. Brent Council heavy-handed treatment of the Beckford girl’s social workers is an issue, and the Queen celebrates Downing Street’s 250th birthday with all of the surviving prime ministers but Delhi has suffered another massive chemical scare with hundreds affected
After a late night, another good night’s sleep, but I was again reluctant to wake up and must get some early nights soon. I lay down again after my morning tea and then was rather late getting washed, dressed and shaved so that, after breakfast, the builders had arrived before I had got the house ready for access. Indeed the decorator was the first at 7.45am and I did not let him and the plumber in until 8.00am. These tradesmen forget sometimes that the ‘building site’ is a home and people are trying to live in it. Eventually to tour the house, opening up, and taking up the carpet pieces in the link building. The plasterer started work in my office and so I took my papers downstairs to the lounge and sorted through them. The post arrived, several catalogues of alarm and security equipment and a bevy of computer industry journals, and I made phone calls to Eastern Gas (to inform them of the difficulty to expect over removing the boxed in, but redundant gas meter), Bill Barrett (to make arrangements for tomorrow’s BMMG meeting) and Brittains (to say that I was OK for the dining room carpet to be fitted today). I then heard from Jarogate to the effect that their Friday press launch had to be cancelled due to lack of journalists (thank goodness!) and because this then freed me up for Friday, I decided to go into town with Diana.
First to the Post Office for Diana’s family allowances and I kept Della occupied in the car, which made the task rather easier. Then on to St Neots for Diana’s slimming club and I dropped her off whilst parking the car (only 1lb lost today!) Reunited and then to the gift shop to collect a large quantity of Royal Dalton Lambert ware. The poor assistants were struggling with a microcomputer stock-control system, which revived memories of the Byte Shop problems of yesteryear! On to the dentist for Diana again, with Della experiencing the environment and then coffee at the Cross Keys coffee bar; Della eating an almost complete piece of fruit cake. Home to find Brittains fitting our beautiful red carpet and then lunch of pie cooked by the oven on an automatic timer. This afternoon surveying the building work, tending the birds and also properly securing the hob hood to the worktop – Smallbone had done a pretty poor job in this regard and I reckon that they could have done a lot better had they followed the installation instructions. Tea with Daniel of ham rolls and doughnuts and then an early evening testing him on chemistry and then sweeping out and hoovering the link building. I also cleared up the new shower room and put the door on and cursed the poor housekeeping of the builders. A day of plastering and plumbing. News tonight of Brent Council dismissing three Social Service Officers after the report on the Beckford girl’s death. NALGO, their union, will call other officers out on strike. The Northern Ireland Secretary, Tom King, has apologised for controversial remarks that the Irish Republic, “had given up the cause for the unification of Ireland,” after a bad lapse of diplomatic relations. After the two long days of EEC Minister’s Meetings, modest progress was made on the voluntary restriction of the use of National veto's on EEC policies, but it was a frustrating time with little achieved. In the US, Robert McFarlane, the National Security Adviser, has resigned after clashes with the Chief of Staff, Donald Reagan, which is a pity because he was a moderate and peaceful voice. In India, another appalling chemical gas leak in the centre of Delhi led to widespread panic and evacuation of one of the most populated areas. 340 people were treated and 62 detained in hospital. A remarkable proposal by GEC to take over Plessey today was declined by that company, who in turn offered to buy our GEC’s digital telephone exchange interests. Scotland’s national football team qualified for the World Cup by holding Australia to a 0-0 draw. The Queen tonight celebrated No10 Downing Street’s 250th birthday with past Prime Ministers, Harold Macmillan, Harold Wilson, Jim Callaghan, Alec Douglas Home, Ted Heath and Margaret Thatcher. Forecasts of more mild weather with plenty of rain to boot.