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Boring administrative and planning but unexpectedly dry day with a few phone calls and some time with Daniel and his homework as the government now plans to sell off British Gas, a N.E. England colliery closes without a review the US faces protests in Madrid over Nicaragua whilst at home five boys die in accidents
Awake without a headache for once and to read the morning paper. Breakfast of cereal for a change from the dry wholemeal bread and then a shower, shave and change. The ducks (10 eggs) and doves and the up on the ladder to see the nest. One egg had not hatched, but the squab is growing and I put on ring number 3572 and will check it in a day or two. A nice sunny morning and not so cold, but the cloud thickened during the day. A morning updating my computerised investment summary and taking a few phone calls from John Lamb, Bill Barrett and Lawrence of Computing. Lunch of rolls and butter and then back to work; finishing my updates and printing out several copies. A tiring, boring, but valuable day’s work ahead of my meeting with professional advisers soon. I also updated my pocket diary with antique fairs, boating trips and other dates and will transfer this to my computer diary tomorrow. A little time with Daniel and Debbie tonight. Debbie had a couple of friends round after school and never tires of incident. Nanny phoned from Cornwall and chatted to her on her birthday. An early tea and down to work with Daniel on his prep. I had spoken to him this morning about his work and he seems to be making a fresh effort tonight. To bed with him at 8.30pm, which is his new time, and then an evening writing and watching the TV.
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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.
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Debbie’s Birthday Party Some time working outside as my cold improves slowly and then to help prepare the garden for Debbie’s party which goes well with Diana organising lots of games and Debbie opening lots of presents as Reagan visits that German cemetery, the Staffordshire Legionnaire’s disease is pinned down to hospital cooling towers and this week’s VE celebrations
Awake and my cold at last seems to be improving. I need the morning tea to wake up, as I am still groggy. I finish off yesterday’s Economist and read the business section, then down to my Sunday fried breakfast. Nice, but disappointing that Diana couldn’t keep it hot on a chilly morning. After, quickly washed, dressed and out to The Lady, where I finished yesterday’s job of putting on and sealing the starboard rubbing strake. I was to fix on my new fire extinguishers, but rather lost energy. I put them on board, however, and scrapped an old one and brought in the 5lb CO2 extinguisher for the house. I spent the rest of my time surveying the 15x9’ workshop and working out what it would take to put it up on 2’ stilts, spaced 3’-6’ apart. In at 12 o’clock to scan The Sunday Times and watch the Weekend World on TV. Both preoccupied with the results of the Economic Summit and conclude that the USA get nothing from the others and could well call for protectionism. All out to the Little Chef for lunch and good service as usual. Back and I tidy up the garden and polish the slide in case of use this afternoon. Diana has prepared the rest of the house and the party starts at 3.00pm and I take video pictures of the whole event.
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Lower key domestic day catching up on my financial reading, looking after my doves and ducks and looking around Biggleswade for flat silverware until back to work on The Lady and enjoy a fine tea of herrings as Daniel enjoys blending in by wearing his new black blazer, the French stall the GATT meeting and Price Charles and Lady Diana wind up their Italian tour with a visit to Venice
Awake for morning tea and, the baby crying, I offer to play with her for a while and so Di changes her nappy and brings a bottle. Down to a breakfast of boiled egg and then up to the paper again. Until 11.00am reading the FT, Investors Chronicle and Economist, then up, washed, dressed and out to the birds. From the 8 ducks I managed to get in last night I get 6 eggs, which was interesting. Up by ladder to the dovecote and find that one of the eggs has hatched and they are still incubating the other. I will have to ring the new chicks in a few days’ time. All then off to St Neots to collect Daniel and do a few chores. After some warning, the children behave well in the Happy Eater and Daniel really appreciated wearing his black blazer today as he feels far less conspicuous. On to Biggleswade for an hour looking round the shops.