Virgin's Atlantic Challenger sinks today
Virgin's Atlantic Challenger sinks today

A day shared between working with my gardener on my new Hayling View project, buying more plants at Eaton Socon,  juggling investment funds and then starting on my BMMG work before Debbie alone shares a meal of prawns with me and we hear news of Virgin’s Atlantic Challenger foundering and South African President Botha disappointing expectations of real reform

Awake to morning tea and the paper, but today there was too much news to read before breakfast and I returned to finish it off. Only ready by 9.30am and then out to the birds, but the wind was nearly too much for the doves. I had to shelter the bird table from the wind with my body to prevent the seed being blown away. To the ducks, but only 5 eggs, which was a disappointment. I chat to the gardener and tell him about the moles, but there is no sign of them today. We agree to get the anti-mole smoke pellets and try to scare them away as before. He tries to cut the lawns with a closer trim, but there are far too many bumps and gaps and so we will keep it long this season until it thickens up and evens out. To the office then and I watch the test match on the TV whilst I open todays mail and read the computer papers. Several securities certificates to file away safely, and a few calls to make as well. No sign of Bill Clark by lunch time and he was due to see me today about the sale of his plot. I hope he is well. After lunch I drive to St Neots and take a look around Shaw’s auction rooms. A long wait until my lots and so onward to Eaton Socon and the riverside garden centre. No anti-mole supplies, unfortunately, as there has been a rush on them. A good look round and the shrub varieties are getting more familiar. I have decided to get some standard roses, Boston Ivy for the dovecote wall, buddleia to attract the butterflies, and another leylandii to complete the hedge.

By the time I returned to the auction they had sold my lots. To the bank and building society to do more funds transfers and then I could post a batch of letters that settled all outstanding bills. Then home in yet more windy and showery weather to continue my office work. The test match lost most of the afternoons play to the weather. Time before tea to type up a couple of letters cancelling some banking and communications services and also to make a start on my BMMG work. Tea of prawns, which I shared with Debbie and cheese to follow, then back to the office to complete a two page memo of instructions on BMMG matters to the secretariat. A little time in the garden, then inside again. News today of the capsize of Virgin’s Atlantic challenger within 140 miles of completing the record attempt. It seems that bad weather may have defeated them and the nine crew ended up being picked up by a banana boat. South Africa’s President, P W Botha, in his major speech today, announced a willingness to negotiate reforms, but fell well short of black and international expectations. The mortgage interest rates of the building societies was recommended to fall by 1 ¼ % today to 12 ¾ % and many of the investment rates will also fall. A national rail strike now seems inevitable as BR ultimatums will lead to dismissals and then strike action to protect their jobs by the other NUR members. Better weather forecasts tonight of the wind dying down over the next 24 hours and warmer, sunnier weather, spreading this way.