Busy day monitoring my family illnesses, supervising The Hayling View Landscaping, writing computer industry articles and ten travelling with Daniel to the East Midlands ready for his first trip to Thormaid as Reagan tackles terrorists, France rues a rail accident and the UK government is under economic pressure
Awake after another poor night caused by the hot weather and, no doubt, Diana worrying about Della, who woke up at least once with her illness. Morning tea and a quick read of The Financial Times before down to a breakfast of cereal. Diana was still tending to the girls and so Daniel and I got our own meal and drank milk as it was in abundant supply. Out to the doves and ducks and a better morning for eggs as we collected at least eight. The doves carry on brooding, but I haven’t checked to see if the eggs have hatched yet. Out to the front gardens to see the landscape gardener, Mr Tee, and show him the scale plan that I had drawn of the planned gardens. A nice sunny morning, with little wind. Diana joins us to discuss the fate of the rose bushes and we agree to keep the Eastern boundary path for winter access. In then to the office and to return the phone calls logged on the answering machine. To Vinters, who tell me that they have received the local searches for the riverside land purchase and that contracts will now be exchanged for an early completion.
Then to David Tebbit about the article I’ve yet to write and that is needed now for the latest PCW survival guide. Then to settle down to write the article, which is entitled ‘Why Buy British – the long term consequences of not doing so.’ Much completed by lunch time and then the job finished by mid-afternoon. A good result and I send it off with a personal photograph for both PCW and the Health purchasing officers handbook, first class, hoping they will not notice the common text which is, nevertheless, very suitable for both purposes. Then to pay a couple of urgent bills and I had ran out of time. Daniel was home and I quickly packed, took a last minute film of the riverside garden to monitor progress on my return, and took off with Daniel in the Jaguar. A good drive to Castle Donnington, listening to the evening news and current affairs, before arriving at the East Midlands airport to check out arrangements for the morning. On to the Donnington Manor hotel, only ten minutes away, and to find our twin bedded room safely booked and ready for our things. Down for a drink in the bar (I allowed Daniel ½ pint of shandy) and then a fine dinner in the restaurant. Smoked salmon, then roast duck for me; fresh grapefruit and fried scampi for Daniel, and then he to the cheesecake and I to the strawberries for sweet. To bed, after the news at 9.30pm, but a poor night of heat and noise from unfamiliar surroundings. The news today of continued threats to terrorists from US President Reagan, of a serious rail accident in France at a level crossing, the government are denying still reports of a ‘U’ turn policy change on inflation vs unemployment etc. nothing new.