Daniel’s Birthday Party – A full but blustery day after an unsettled night as we took Daniel and his (male and female) party guests swimming at The North Herts Leisure Centre, to McDonalds in Letchworth and then showed them a film before I drove them all home as a Hovercraft accident at Dover kills one passenger with another missing, The Anglo/Irish talks proceed and 40 people die in clashes between Muslims and Christians in The Lebanon
A milder night and I felt a bit too warm, but could not tell if this was the reason rather than my having another cold coming on. Awake to morning tea with a dry throat and knocked over my bedside glass of water to wet everything. Before and after a toast breakfast, to read the FT, with not much of interest, although Kode shares have risen to 200p. Up and dressed and out to the doves. They had been strutting all over the paths and lawns foraging and came straight to the table to eat a fair measure of seed. I have now moved the table at least half way across the riverside garden and they still come, though on a windy day, such as today, they swerve towards it. A strong but mild wind from the west. I feed the hungry ducks and obtain 12 eggs and they continue to lay well. In before 10 and the guests start arriving for Daniel’s party day. First Jason Chambers, then Paul, then Ruth and Venetia to follow individually and nervously, before finally Jonathan Bloom arrives. Poor Gary was ill with a cold today and his mother would not let him come.
I popped into town to pay in dividend warrants totalling £1,300 from I/L gilt edged securities and Jaguar shares. We also had a reply from Mr Poynter today that thanked us for our offer and advised us that he had commissioned somebody to search for another mooring plot for him in place of it. In two cars we all set off down the A1 for the North Herts Leisure Centre and changed to have a splendid swim. Ruth and I took turns to look after Debbie and the four boys swam and played. I also wrestled the four of them and we all enjoyed the waves that were simulated every 15 minutes. Upstairs after for some drinks and on to the Letchworth McDonalds where I managed to order them all some food and drink and we found places to sit. Back home and they all settled in front of the video recorder to watch Startrek III and I joined them as Diana prepared a birthday tea table with sausage rolls and cake with candles. After the film they all went in, but were too full to manage it all. Debbie managed to spill her drink as normal. I watched the end of the England vs Ireland rugby match, where Ireland just won and won the Triple Crown as well; and then a re-run of the Grand National. The children played upstairs and we ate some tea before I loaded them all up and took them home – Jason to Little Paxton; Paul to his Nan’s in Eyresbury; Jonathan to Great Garsden; Venetia to Hartford and Ruth to Thrapston in Northamptonshire. Home by dark and to read the first part of Genesis to Debbie and then some children’s poems; both from our old books. A quiet early evening catching up on my journal and the news. The main story is the crash of a hovercraft into a breakwater at Dover, as a 20ft wave, driven by 30mph winds, smashed into it. One passenger was killed and another missing as about 30 were thrown into the water. Greece accepts a £1 ¼ billion compensation package and all seems set to allow in Spain and Portugal. The Anglo-Irish talks between Thatcher and Fitzgerald take place again on Northern Ireland. Talks between the USA & USSR took place over the shot US Intelligence Major. 40 people die in a Southern Lebanon battle between Muslims and Christians, but a British hostage was released after it was realised he was not an American diplomat. Scottish liberals have voted to remove all nuclear weapons and close all American bases if elected. At Aintree a 50-1 outsider ‘Last Suspect’ won the Grand National. The blustery weather of today is forecast to deposit rain tonight and become a bright day tomorrow and continue mild, which is a blessing