The Landscape gardeners clearing the lower tree branches and the sub Fire officer advising to aid my creation of The Hayling View whilst I compile my report for tomorrow’s BMMG, transfer across possessions from 39 Gordon Road and supervise the children. This as an IRA bomb is found in a Torquay hotel and a hand grenade kills 8 on an attack on a South African policeman’s home
Awake to morning tea and then the morning paper until breakfast. I pressed Diana for an early meal and then got ready, washed and dressed earlier than usual. By this time the landscape gardeners (Brian Tee and his son) had arrived with a circular saw and started to lop our oak. I got out the video and started a film, which will cover the whole of the process of house and garden conversion. To the office as the rain begins to pour and there to do a little work. Phone messages from Nigel Smith, who will not make the meeting tomorrow, and I check with Helen Gibbons and Bill Barrett and we are satisfied that Vice Chairman, Bill Unsworth, will chair the meeting. Then, with Diana, to carry across many of the possessions from Gordon Road to Willow Close and we break the back of the job. Then out to St Neots Fire Station and a meeting with Sub Officer Cox, who advises me on fire precautions for our new combined house. Home to lunch of ham rolls and ice cream to follow, then to the office to do a variety of industry correspondence, much overdue, before home to look for afternoon tea. The workmen had lopped and logged a number of branches by this time, but progressed rather slowly today with the showers and concern about the dangers of height. They did manage to clear a space and already there is more light and vision appearing, and tomorrow will see a landmark, in my estimation, of a view to the river. I drive into town to post my letters and then take a little time to view Shaw’s auction rooms.
There is an old cart and wheels that were of interest, but I will not be there tomorrow. Home to start my BMMG report and then tea of sausages with apple pie and ice cream, after some time with Debbie reading her a story and then Daniel supervising his revision for tomorrow’s exams. Then back to the office and the evening finishing my report and printing it out. Then to the ducks and safely fed and put away, but noticed Marilyn’s chicks were again alone and went over to find out that the mother died by entanglement in fishing line and so she has caught the chicks and put them in a run. We tried in vain to catch the last one, as the Aylesbury drake was frightening it away. I advised her on their care and feeding and then back to the house for the news and my journal. A bomb has been found in a Torquay hotel, or at least explosive traces, and there are further arrests in the anti-IRA campaign. The Chancellor rejects a call from the CBI to reduce interest rates and counteracts by a call for lower wage settlements. He will regret both in due time. In Beirut, Berri has offered to transfer the hostages to a western embassy, but the conditions seem too difficult, but the US administration clamp down on publicity and make no comment. In South Africa, hand grenade attacks on the homes of black policemen kill eight. On the stock exchange, the prices fall again, and there is renewed selling of electronics shares, which backs up my points in the BMMG report. The weather is forecast to become brighter and drier, but we shall see.