A morning implementing key property and investment decisions and afternoon on the garden as over 500 people die in a Japanese 747 crash, a major speech is awaited from South African president Botha this week on his intentions and Clive Sinclair’s wacky C5 project crashes and burns
Awake groggy again after the holiday and wind-battering and read a book on Huntingdonshire Legends before up late for breakfast and even later to dress. Out after and to the office, where I telephoned Stokes to give the go ahead on letting the building contract, returned a call to Roger Brittain to arrange a meeting on Wednesday to agree my tax return and took a couple of other calls and started my reading for the day. Out then to see Pete the Gardener and then took him and our old mower out to Great Barford and the agricultural machinery dealership of Rogers Engineers. After being kept waiting rather a long time we put in our old machine and bought a new Hayter Harrier 2 mower for £349. It is much larger than our other and had a heavy iron roller that will help flatten our turves. Only being offered £40 for our Mountfield, we decided to get it fixed and to keep it as a spare.
Home and I to my reading as Pete proceeded to mow the front and riverside gardens and the new mower coped beautifully. I finished some reading, played with the keepsake for a while and then made myself a coffee and some biscuits, whilst waiting for a late lunch at 2.00pm. Diana served hamburgers and crumble/ice cream and then I went into St Neots to get the latest bank statements and top up Barclays from my Gateway account. As I arrived home the skies blackened and then torrential rain fell, which was good for the lawn. Thunder and lightning and then, later, fine sunshine and so I sat out a while and read today’s Financial Times. Inside with more reading and then tea with the family. Daniel had returned after a day out and lunch at Jason Chamber’s, and Debbie was at Amie’s for tea, but the rest of us enjoyed a fair meal. Out after to look around the gardens and pleased to see the results of the morning and subsequent rain. I can see that gardening is going to re-emerge as a hobby and take more time than previously! I feed the doves, put away and feed the ducks and then try to fit the new ship’s wheel to The Lady again. Unfortunately, the bush is still not right and I had to abandon the attempt. Despite the rain, The Lady did not leak again and I am pleased with the results of my waterproofing and the new furnishings. In to sit and catch up on my journal for these past two days and then to the TV news. The main story tonight is of the crash of the Japanese Boeing 747 in what is the worst air disaster in aviation history – 524 people were on board and must have died. Today’s crash makes 1985 the worst year for aircraft disasters with over 1500 people. The cause of the Irish 747 crash is still not known and the fact that this was caused by a door blowing out could mean more sabotage. In South Africa, more violence in demonstrations at University protests that had started as a peaceful process. A major policy speech is planned by S A President Botha on Thursday and citizenry and possible law reforms are expected. Nelson Mandela may also be released in a dramatic gesture. The rest of the world are expecting the end of apartheid rather than a tinkering with the system. Production of the Sinclair C5 was halted today against a background of weak sales and unpaid bills. More poor weather forecast for this week, although tomorrow will start sunnier with lighter winds and that may give me a chance to film the latest shots of the Hayling View project.