Active day landscaping during which I moved turves and paving stones but ended up with a strained back before taking a relaxing bath and then to my journal and the TV news which told of a municipal crisis in Liverpool with NALGO falling short of striking over government interference and of the amazing story of Mexican babies that survived the earthquake in their cots. This, as police in South Africa used teargas to prevent a parade of blacks joining the funeral of a 10-year-old boy and of the two French security agents arrested for spilling the beans on the Rainbow Warrior attack
A better night’s sleep and then up to my morning tea and paper. Breakfast as usual and then back to my room to finish reading whilst the children got ready for school. Debbie is fully recovered and back with the others. At 8.30am washed, dressed and out to the doves. Della came along and we fed them well. A strange sight today as the blue cock ousted the indigo cock for the white hen’s favours on the dove table. Now that the weather has improved they seem to have nearly finished their moults and may try another brood before winter. Then to start work. I had decided that, as the weather was fine, I should prepare for the arrival of the builders tomorrow by starting the back garden new house patio. I set too, removing the turf in a quarter circle of radius 7ft and, as I did so, I filled in the border gap between the rest of the lawn and the path. Then patched up a few dry and bare spots before saving the rest of the turves. I managed to take the unwanted sections of crazy paving apart and stack the broken paving stones by the garage.
As I was digging out the foundations for the patio, I ricked my back, but managed to rest a while on one of my steamer chairs before resuming. Breaks for lunch (rolls, tomato with ice cream to follow) then a tea later on of grilled herrings, which were very nice. By dusk I had broken up the old paths, dug the foundations, and cleared up. Then to hose all of the garden plants, put the ducks away, before staggering inside with my strained back to collapse into a hot bath. This soothed it considerably, but I had to make three attempts at getting out! Then to shuffle down to the lounge, update my journal, and listen to the TV news. Main story tonight is of the Liverpool municipal crisis, but with a decision tonight by a NALGO vote not to strike, it seems that tomorrow’s indefinite strike is off, but there may be a one day of action anyway. Rescue workers in Mexico City are still digging and finding people alive, 5 days after the earthquake. 5 are saved today, including 3 babies. 60 babies have been found so far, saved by their cots. The trial goes on of a man accused of starving his three year old daughter, Heidi, to death. The NCB has yet another plan to reduce output and pits, but will not confirm any figures. The news comes as Ian McGregor was in China, a fact criticised by the miners. Today also 50,000 teachers walked out at lunchtime today and many more school children were sent home. New Home Secretary, Douglas Hurd, declined a clamour for more manpower and expenditure by the police as maximum security precautions are planned for the Conservative Conference. More teargas in South Africa as the police tried to disperse a parade of blacks that tried to join the funeral of a 10 year old boy. Two French secret service agents have been arrested in Paris for telling on the DGSE’s involvement in the Rainbow Warrior’s sinking, which was an honest action, but seen in France as treachery. The first day at nursery school today for Prince William, as a barrage of photographers recorded the occasion. Today’s fine weather is due to linger for a few days as we get a stable anti-cyclone for once.