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Visits to Bedford and St Ives antiques auctions on a cool and showery day before and after a lovely time at the Holywell fete and Well-Dressing as The US hostages in Beirut are moved to avoid rescue and UK customs seize £14m-worth of heroin
A poor night’s sleep and awake early, it not getting dark until after 10.00pm and being light by 4.30am the next day. My morning tea and paper before a breakfast of cereal and milk. Back to bed to finish my reading and then a rush to get ready by 8.30am. Out to the ducks (10 eggs) and to feed the doves that are now incubating well, the indigo cock and grizzle hen taking it in turns. There are probably two eggs there by now. We load up the car quickly, lock up the house, and set off for Bedford and the Peacock auction. Diana dropped Daniel and I off and went to park the car so that we could have a quick look, but I had miscalculated and there was, in fact, plenty of time until 11.00am. Nevertheless, we looked at the small items and saw some computer diskettes worth bidding for and televisions as well. Diana had agreed that Daniel could have a full sized one for his room, to release the portable for her new ironing room. There was no furniture or other goods of interest to me and so, after some snacks at the refreshment room, we put in some written bids and, collecting the car, drove off to St Ives. On arrival, we parked in the old Cattle Market car park and looked in on the Ekins general auction.
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Some prominent press coverage for my ideas and then a cool and showery day spent scouring the Cambridge Antiques shops before a quiet evening with Daniel and his friend Gary as the TWA hostage crisis drags on and exhumed remains in Brazil are proved as those of Nazi war criminal, Josef Mengele
Awake with a start as Diana rose and I asked for my morning tea early so as to get on with some reading. I looked at my antique shops book and worked out the best route through Cambridge to see most of them. My morning paper arrives with printed apologies for the non-appearance of yesterday’s issue. To a breakfast of cornflakes and milk and then back to finish my paper. It seems that the Kode shares had slipped 7 yesterday to 2.08, as all of the electrical shares continue to fall sharply. Up, shaved and then to shower and wash my hair. Dressed and out to the birds. About 9 duck eggs and, surprise, a new doves egg laid in the bottom left pigeon hole, which is a blessing. To the office to quickly review the mail and make a few phone calls that were overdue. Then I notice a two page spread in Computer Weekly on PITCOM, putting my views for its reform. Flattering, but could be difficult with my PITCOM committee colleagues, although two were quoted as supporting me and only the Chairman, Ian Lloyd, against. Back to the house and out at 10.00am and on our way to Cambridge.
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Fine and sunny day working on investments and administration until Diana’s parents visited and then some property deals before Daniel arrived home safe and sound and then evening tea on the veranda as bombs kill 75 people in The Lebanon, two children in Frankfurt and at home Westland Helicopters looks doomed after Bristow takeover falls through
Awake to my morning tea and satisfied myself with the local papers as The Financial Times did not arrive today. Looking at my diary, I noticed that there was an important BOTMA meeting in London yesterday but, not being in my electronic diary, I missed it! Down to breakfast to find Daniel as usual and I made him give me back my front door key that I found missing last night. I also had found a carrier bag packed with goodies and he protests that he is not coming home tonight. A meal of toast and honey and then to read a dull post of stockbroker contract notes and other matters. Washed, dressed, shaved and out to the birds on a warm morning, forecast to turn wet later. 8 eggs, which would have been 10 if two were not trampled before they were let out. The doves seem to be nesting again but, when all came down to feed, I found they had not laid any eggs. To the office and there to check my Homelink Bank of Scotland and building society accounts and found them in order. Then I updated my investment summary with the children’s transactions before breaking off to have morning coffee back at the house. We sat on the renovated steamer and upholstered veranda chairs and ate coffee and biscuits from off of my butlers tray/table, which was very enjoyable in the sunlit front garden, overlooking the river.
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Working on my steamer chair, visiting St Neots auction to sell our eggs and then working with Daniel on his homework for he is very upset and thinking of ‘running away’ as a bomb kills three in Frankfurt and the TWA hijack goes on
Awake slowly to my morning tea, the paper and then down to breakfast of boiled duck egg and buttered bread fingers to dip in it. The meal well enjoyed and then back up to finish my paper before ‘Yesterday in Parliament’ came on the radio. To the bathroom, shaved and then downstairs to shower. Dressed and out to the birds. 12 eggs today, which is good and the 13th duck continues to improve in health. The doves begin to look as if they are nesting again as the hen stays in the dovecote during feeding time and I truly hope that theory is correct. To the office, after looking at my varnishing of the previous evening. The steamer chair is looking and feeling beautiful and now needs a wax polish. A busy time until coffee, looking at my accounts and balances. Barclays then phone and remind me that the children’s £82,000 is back from Treasury Deposit and I call Nicholas de Zoete to review his advice. The coffee and then to St Neots with Di. We drop off 18 eggs to the auction (the egg customer had called over the last few days and bought the other 30) and look at the goods, but nothing of interest. On to Abbey National and another fuss whilst trying to get my book balances to my liking. Eventually I put about £90,000 on each of my higher interest and cheque save accounts and then about £20,000 in the Gateway, who give me no trouble. To the bank to sign a form putting another £88,000 on treasury deposit overnight and pick up a new statement. Then back to the car and, Diana not returned, I popped into the Priory antiques shop. They had an upholstered folding mahogany veranda chair for £55 and, although it had been attacked by woodworm, I liked the style and bought it to add to my collection. Evidently it had come with a number of other chairs from a lady’s house, who was the descendant of a local well-to-do family. There are two similar chairs in poor condition, which I could get for £20, and the antique shop owner will bring them into the shop and tidy them up for Saturday. Home to unload and drink afternoon tea, whilst examining my chairs and then to the office for the afternoon. The weather outside pouring with rain, getting heavier as the afternoon developed and ending in a torrential downpour. An inch of rain must have fallen. Calls from Martin Isherwood, proposing a BMMG feature for Management Today and then to and from Gerard Chadwick of Vinters, Roger Brittain of Whitmarsh and Nicholas de Zoete progressing the children’s trusts and investment plans. In the end not much paperwork done today and I must now look to tomorrow for progress. I rushed back into town before 5.00pm to buy some Rentokil woodworm aerosol spray and cascamite wood glue and also to try to intercept Daniel and give him his waterproof. I missed him and it seems he had first been sheltering and then had thought of “running away.” He is under pressure to behave and work hard for his tests next week and is in rebellious mood.