Fine and sunny but cold day recovering from a headache and then enjoying two local antiques fairs without Diana but then told at short notice about Daniel’s school parents evening so we have to rush off to hear the story of lack of effort and then fall out over how to deal with him about it. This as several disastrous accidents dominate the news with another fairground collapse injuring 19, 11 children being washed out to sea, drowning four boys, and a youth party fire killing two more!
Awake with a headache again. Morning tea doesn't really clear it and I read the business news from yesterday’s Sunday Times as there are no papers today. Breakfast of toast and fruit juice as poor Daniel has to race off to school, which does not close for this Bank Holiday. Showered and shaved quickly and then dressed and out to the birds. The 13th duck was waiting outside the duck house, having missed the boat last night and I feed all 13 together and collect 10 eggs. Also to feed the doves, but I will wait for a mild day in a couple of days’ time until trying to ring the chicks. Out and away to this morning’s antique fairs at St Neots Priory Centre and the Eaton Socon Jubilee Hall. Diana opts not to come and spends the morning at home. A reasonable selection of stands and many visitors as the Bank Holiday morning drew on. I buy a Victorian mahogany butlers tray and also a wooden linen box from the Priory Centre, first having looked at the silver and all else and decided on my purchases. The folding tray/table was only £14 (they first wanted £18) and was a snip, even though it had a rail and a bar missing. I brought it home and was pleased to disassemble and examine it. I will have to decide how far to go in restoring it and put it to immediate use for tea, which we had whilst watching ‘Little Lord Fauntleroy’ in the television lounge. After, Daniel shocked us by revealing that the Kimbolton 2nd year day pupils parents evening was tonight and so we change and rush off to the school. A steady job for 90 minutes grilling and interviewing 10 teachers and getting a consistent story of Daniel’s lack of effort and need to try harder. He seems to be improving, however, even though it is from a low base.
Home to find Daniel has not done the washing up (as asked) nor has thought to put the ducks away or got his things ready for the morning. Worse then to find Di chatting in reassuring terms to him about his teachers comments, rather than leaving it for me to give him a rocket. An argument as Di clears up and I to my journal and the television news. It has been a fine, sunny day today, but the wind is still cold, although moderating to make a fine, crisp evening. A couple of disasters today as first 19 people are injured, one seriously, in another fairground collapse – this time of a chair-o-plane ride. Also four boys are drowned after a huge and freak wave washed 11 children into the sea off of rocks at Lands End. A youth party in Pinner, Middlesex, also ended in tragedy when two died in a house fire – rather a traumatic Bank Holiday. The weather forecast is for cloudy and wet weather to come.