Time divided between working on my inheritance administration and spending time with the children whilst the builders undertake necessary demolition and the Tottenham riots account for 230 police injuries ahead of the Tory conference
I awake to my morning tea and seem falling victim to my poor back as I tried to sit up in bed. A cold morning and rather chilly as I take a shower and contested the occupancy of the bathroom with other members of the family. Breakfast as usual and then out to the doves. The birds appreciated the more substantial offering of pigeon mix and ate enthusiastically and well. In then to the office and I managed to connect up the computer after finishing my written notes of guidance to the Heritage Trustees. After coffee with Diana, I managed to use the word processor and made a start on typing it in. Across to lunch of salad and ice cream after and, declining Diana’s offer of the baby to play with, I went back and had finished my typing and printing by 4.45pm. In mid-afternoon with the builders percussion hammers breaking bricks from the wall, I did take a break and walked Daniella around the garden.
The day, though cold, was bright for the most part, but in the early evening the sky turned prematurely dark and the heavens opened for a rainstorm. Tea and then time with Debbie and Della reading to them before supervising Daniel’s homework to my satisfaction. I sorted out some old magazines this evening, watched a country programme on TV and, after feeding some very hungry ducks (I forgot them this morning and Pete had to let them out) came in to settle down for the evening. The builders noise was as a result of them removing a few brick courses to insert lintles above the sites of our new dining room and lounge windows. I expect them to remove the rest of the bricks tomorrow and install the windows. News throughout today was about the Tottenham riot. It has emerged that, in the worst of the recent riots, 230 police officers were injured last night and one policeman killed by machete and stab wounds to the neck. A shotgun and handgun was also used by members of the crowd. Local community leaders are blaming the police for insensitive policing, leaving the ill woman for 45 minutes instead of calling an ambulance with their radio. The Conservatives are starting their conference tomorrow embattled by criticisms of their performance on law and order and employment. A further problem is the serialisation this week of Sara Keays revelations on the Cecil Parkinson affair with imputation about Margaret Thatcher’s lack of judgement. Two Britons are jailed in Nigeria for an offence of stealing an aeroplane that seems to be a diplomatic retaliation on the Biko affair.