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Finishing off and then occupying the newly improved rooms in The Hayling View on another mild day and entertaining Daniel’s friends for meals after they help clean my Jaguar as further rioting takes place in South Africa and the tussle continues over Westland Helicopters.
A good night in our new surroundings. An earlier night as well and so woke less tired than in recent days. Down to breakfast in the dining room and then showered and dressed so as to get an early start on floorboards in the ironing room. A fair start on this, as I nearly got half way. The floorboards were really cut about here and Mr Cheeseborough had been using nails again and so I had to take great care. At about 10.30am, out to the birds on another mild morning with a slight s/south westerly breeze. The doves continue to feed well, but the new hens still look frail to me and have yet to build up a good store of flesh to last them the colder weather. No eggs from the ducks and their hutch gets daily more disgusting in the absence of fresh straw. Back to my labours after a mug of coffee and I just manage to finish the floor by lunch. Diana had prepared a nice chicken and choice meal using her new oven, hob, vision utensils and heated trolley and we each chose our vegetables from the dishes. Stephen Hicks was with us again for lunch and he, Jason, Gary and Paul had ‘helped’ Daniel clean my Jaguar in the morning – but I have yet to look at their handiwork.
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Another day of building work and carpet fitting as I joined in again, screwing the floorboards down before taking the family for a Little Chef lunch and then a family tea later in the new dining room and evening tidying up our new bedroom. This as six black South Africans are sentenced to death for burning a Councillor and 90 Greenham Common protesters are arrested out of 3,000 who surround the base holding hands and European aviation firms are not giving up on Westland helicopters
A reasonable, but short night, and dwelt with my morning tea somewhat shattered. Late down to join the others for breakfast for my slice of toast and drink of apple juice and again had to intervene with the kids to save my rug. Pulling the table away from Debbie, I was unaware that she had the coffee table back to front with her legs tucked in it and so pulled her onto the floor and covered her with her orange drink. Waiting again for St Neots Carpet Company and filled in by putting more window bolts onto the breakfast room window frame. Swept up after and then received the 8 fitters, who said that the rubber layers only needed sanding down for fitting of the vinyl on Monday. Two decorators this morning putting up wallpaper and three builders on the tiling again. They also sealed and grouted the kitchen tiles, so it will only require decorating after the vinyl is laid. We stayed in all morning due to the disruption and I planned out my attack on the floor of the ironing room and drilled and screwed half of it down.
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Busy day for the builders with me also fitting some security bolts and devices as Diana and I drive to Bedford for some household goods and then eat in McDonald s leaving Della in the car. This as Westland Helicopters looks to team up with Sikorsky of the US instead of European partners and a new coloured TV is given to my Mum and Dad, their first!
Tired this morning after another late night and so the breakfast was ready before I was. Down to have a bowl of cornflakes in the lounge, as the breakfast room was still drying. Flew off the handle with the children over them not avoiding our rug whilst eating breakfast. As I washed, I already started to notice the effect of the water softener, as the amount of soap needed to create a lather starts to decrease. Out to the doves and ducks to find the weather very mild again, though a little rain in the air. Then to await the second visit of the vinyl fitters, who scrape/sand down the floor and apply another coat. As the centre of the building was thus occupied, I had to open up the front door of the new building and suffer both the builders and decorators on the carpet. Although this green hall carpet is due to be replaced, we still have to use it until February. Four labourers arrived to carry out the old, blue, cast iron bath and then to lug in a new white one. Then Cheeseborough, Evans and one other set about securing it and starting the tiling. The idea is to tile before washbasin and toilet are fitted, so that the tiles need not be cut.
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Very energetic and arduous day fitting the water softener, screwing down floorboards and dealing with contractors and suppliers and so shattered by the end of it and too tired to tend the ducks. A tragic air accident kills 250 Middle East Peacekeepers and two men are found not guilty of murder after police were not properly identified in uniform but the Law Lords rules against the government for exceeding its powers
Asleep very tired and then awake with a fair share of aches and pains for my recent efforts. Down in time for breakfast and then to wash and shave before the kids took over the bathroom. Ready in time for the painters for a change and I let them in the top way. They have done a fair amount, but still have the bulk of the landings, the playroom, kitchen and hall/utility area, to do besides the baby’s bedroom to boot. Then Mr Evans to do the final plastering, Mr Cheeseborough to do the tiles and then, to our joy and relief, the carpenter turned up and was able to fit the stable door and the steps and skirting around the kitchen/playroom area. I went out to feed the doves, let the ducks out, and after starting to fit the water softener, Diana wanted to go to St Neots in a hurry and so I downed tools and left with her. It did give me the chance to get the tools and parts that I wanted – a 1 ¼” combination drill for the floorboards, washers for the water softener hoses, more chub door security bolts, a light socket for Daniel’s room and several other things.