Another fine but full day enjoying the family pranks at breakfast and then working myself on the house and caring for Della whilst welcoming the builders and two firms of carpet fitters before a poor lunch, barely re-heated, and a better dinner. This as Mum and Dad change the Christmas arrangements, Winnie Mandela is arrested in Soweto and an ANC bomb kills Christmas shoppers
Slept reasonably well in spite of a rather late time to retire. Woke to morning tea and the paper, but only had a little time to read the headlines before called down to breakfast. I had also listened to the radio, dominated by a religious ‘thought for the day’ before 7.30am. Breakfast of toast, fruit juice to the accompaniment of the playful children’s pranks as usual – they seem to get worse and worse at meal times as, now that we are spread out, it is the main social occasion. Then to the shower room and my morning shave and shower, untroubled by the others, who use the bathroom only. Dressed and to my office to sort out my papers, whilst waiting for the carpet installers to come. I read a number of computer journals and then put away bills for future payment, group the numerous BMMG correspondences in one pile, and then put aside the bank statements and other information for later. I write to Mr Robertson, my Scottish lawyer, to acknowledge the receipt of the deeds to Thormaid and query the whereabouts of the Fountain Forestry Management Agreement.
Mr Cheeseborough of Aldridge & Cooper phoned to check if everything was alright and Daniel’s friends then started their calls again. Then both lots of carpet layers turned up – St Neots Carpet Co., in a crazy hurry as usual, to lay a green carpet in the new nursery, and The Carpet Scene, in a better disposition, to fit two carpets to each of the bathroom and shower room. When they had finished, I fitted the indicator bolt to the shower room and then it was time for lunch. A poor affair of yesterday’s sausages, pork, rolls and butter, but at least I managed to persuade Di to heat the sausages up in the microwave oven, which made them at least palatable. After this, Di took Daniel and Debbie to Huntingdon to see a film, whilst I looked after Della and tried to fit bolts to the bathroom and guest room doors at the same time. Not a great success, but with Joan here all day for a final clean (before three days off for Christmas) we managed between us. I fed Della her lunch, but I drew the line at a dirty nappy for which Joan did the honours. Eventually, Di returned with the kids and we had a better tea of chops, vegetables, with pie & ice cream to follow. I left it late to feed the doves today and they were very hungry. I think it is better for them, though, to walk, fly and peck around all day before getting it too easy later on. The ducks had laid 2 eggs last night and I got them safely in again. This evening I got Daniel to help me in with the double bed and mattress from the garage. We put it in the guest room, against the possibility of my parents staying over Christmas. Dad phoned today and said it was not likely as Mum’s hip is playing her up and she feels ‘self-conscious’ about it. They also wanted to change the days from Christmas Eve to Boxing Day, which was checked later with Di as being OK. Then to clear up my tools and finish fitting door stops and door bolts before settling down to open my alarm components from C-TEC and check them out and then start updating my journal. News tonight is of the bailing of Winnie Mandela after yesterday’s arrest, but she has pledged not to comply with the bail conditions. News also of an ANC car bomb, killing 7 adults and children during their Christmas shopping. The estimate is of record retail expenditure of £17 billion-odd. This is obscene and offensive when you also realise that there are also a record number of homeless down-and-outs in this divided society of wealth and squalor. The Westland battle goes on, with the Westland Board calling for more details of the European rescue bid today; and with stories of Libya’s involvement in the Sikorsky/Fiat alternative. Swansea Football Club has been saved from bankruptcy at the 11th hour, to head off the first football league club failure in 20 years. The weather, fine today, is forecast to rain tonight and cold weather will spread by next weekend.