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St Ives Antique Auction and to win my 150-year-old Warboys Fen heron before more time with Daniel and, particularly, Debbie as she names our dove chick but tragic news of a fire at Bradford football ground killing more than 40 spectators and more demonstrations by the blacks in The Londion Borough of Newnham and South Africa but Sikh extremists organise a wave of bombings, 28 in Delhi alone
Awake to my morning tea after a much better night. Up to breakfast of cereal and fruit juice and then back to read The Financial Times. The morning post brings the Economist and Investors Chronicle and I get turned out by Diana before I finish as we are running out of time. A quick shower, wash and shave and then out to the birds. 12 duck eggs and the dove chick is beginning to grow some feather quills. To St Ives and to park near the market car park and, Diana goes out for a coffee and to shop, whilst I look around the showroom exhibits for Tuesday’s auction. A lot of silver again, but mostly roundware. I am also thrilled to see a 150+ year old stuffed heron, shot over Warboys Fen and several furniture items that could fit in my enlarged house. Away at midday and we collect Daniel in St Neots before lunching at the Happy Eater. We agree that Daniel can take his personal stereo to Alton Towers tomorrow and he is in a good mood and we all enjoy the month. Home afterwards via Peacocks in Bedford to check my bids, but my bid of £11 for an antique box was overbid to £26 and so I did not succeed.
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Most of the day parenting our children and helping Daniel with his homework but still time for some Industry calls with the MD’s of ICL and ACT and press interviews with Jane Bird as we play back my video of Debbie’s birthday party to some ill-behaved friends as Thatcher lectures her party faithful in Perth and the Staffs outbreak of Legionnaire’s Disease claims its 33rd fatal victim and a Swiss swimming pool roof collapses killing 12 people
A very unsettled night. Della cried at bedtime, then after an hour of sleep and again when she woke up. Although that was all, it happened to correspond with the times I was awake and I thought it was the whole night! Some time with ‘Management Today’ before breakfast and then, after, with the FT to read. Washed at 8.30am whilst listening to the report of yesterday’s parliament proceedings and then out to the birds. Up by ladder to the dovecote as all 4 doves fed and I was pleased to see the chick still had the ring securely on and so I reckon things will be fine. To the ducks and another 13 eggs. The office and a full mail of computer magazines and other correspondence. A Cardiff Doctor of Research requests a supporting letter for his selection as a Conservative MP, and a £2000 cheque from BP, which is much needed for ready cash. To collect Diana and then off by car to Bedford. Morning coffee and then we look around the Peacock sales rooms. A few things catch my eye and I put in a bid of £11 in advance for a large antique wooden box. Diana found the salesroom rather depressing, with elements of sadness over the goods being sold and them being parted from their owners.
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Day visiting our architects to discuss our Hayling View creation after some work at home and before some quality time with Daniel and Debbie as Thatcher courts more controversy over GLC abolition, the Public Order Act, and rating policy and Reagan in Lisbon over his Nicaraguan exploits and all for not involving the Russians in our V E day celebrations
Slept well and woke nearly free of my cold. A toast breakfast and The Financial Times after. Washed and shaved and also a shower and hair shampoo after Di had cut my hair last night. Dressed and out to the birds. Full house of 13 duck eggs and the doves were too good at incubating the chick and so I couldn’t put a ring back on this morning. To the office to read my mail and details of the Wooley and Harris riverside plot for £5250, which I think is too much. Back to the house and off to Huntingdon with Di to the offices of Headley Stokes to see David Stokes. We pore over the plans together and I brief them on the changes we need. We hope to have the plans out for tender in a month and to get the builders started within two. We then had half hour to look round the shops and I spent time in each of the antique shops, but found nothing of interest. Lunch in the riverside café, which was pleasant enough, but the lady was moaning to her daughter all the time about the injustices of life! Home by car and, after dropping Diana off, across the common to spend some time in the auction rooms, but nothing of interest. Then the market (likewise) and to buy a couple of magazines from the newsagent before driving home. Some time in the office and then afternoon tea. After, I managed to tempt the doves from the dovecote and put the ring back on the chick, which was a relief. Amazing to see how fast the bird grows and the ring only just fitted.
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VE Day Events commemorating the 40th anniversary of VE day dominate the news with the Royal family circulating unrecognised amongst near millions in the streets but fighting and arson in the South African townships is worrying as was the Legionnaire’s Disease outbreak on the South Coast and a family row at home with the children and our new baby
Awake to morning tea and then The Financial Times and a rather long lay in bed reading as the breakfast is delayed. A boiled duck egg for breakfast and then back up to finish reading, but ducked out as the girls troop in noisily! Washed, dressed and out. 12 eggs today and the doves are well. To the office and the morning updating my electronic diary and then the Prestel Stockwatch portfolio record of my share holdings. Lunch of ham rolls and cream doughnut and ice cream to follow before back to finish my catching up and reading today’s computer journals, but nothing of interest. In late afternoon I scaled the ladder again. The squab is growing fast, but has shed its ring and I’ll have to put another on in the morning. Calls from John Lamb (and I exchanged greetings with Peter Smith for the first time in a while), Bill Barrett and Martin Isherwood, I also spoke to Nigel Smith, who will be calling this weekend (he says). Tea at 5.00pm and after, time with Daniel, pressing him to some maths, history and biology prep. Then Debbie reading a story. All this followed an incredible trauma after tea with all the kids playing up. Diana smacked the baby to make it lay still, which worries me.