A good day of progress for carpenters, decorators and the glazier and then lights despite deteriorating weather and preparations for our traditional bonfire party and managed a long fireworks display as a big US battlefield communications contract is lost to France despite Thatcher’s intervention and a three year British Rail investment plan is announced but no progress is reported on US/USSR arms limitation talks
Rain and wind overnight, which will dampen a few of the nation’s bonfires tonight! Up early, showered, dressed and out to next door to light the fire and replace the plastic sheeting protecting the second bedroom. Back to have breakfast to find that the family had slept well last night. Daniel and Debbie off to school at last and so no problem in letting the builders start. They arrived with white dust cloths and I helped them to cover all that was left in both bedrooms. They were surprised and pleased to see that the wardrobes were already down and only had to carry the sections downstairs and out of the way. The carpenter finished the playroom doors before starting on the new dividing stud partition, and the decorators worked on and finished the new sitting room and undercoats for the two new bedrooms. The glazier came today at last and did the guest room balcony windows so that they can keep the weather out for the final decoration and carpeting this week.
Later we had lunch of my prawns that had escaped my attentions in the freezer for a couple of days. This afternoon I went out to set up the lights for the bonfire party. Flares lighting the garden path, coloured bulbs along the dividing hedge and a 100 watt bulb jointly lighting up the bonfire area and Bill’s house. We set the latter up with cold and tid-bids and are all ready for the festivities later on. John and Brenda arrived at 5.00pm and brought David and Becky, their children. Paul and Gary were also along and we had a nice tea. As the children played Monopoly, Di put Della to bed and I showed our guests around the building site. Then at 7.00pm we light the bonfire and started a long firework display. In after for coffee and then the task of cleaning up before bed. Additionally, we had to clear out the kitchen before tomorrow and worked well into the night. News tonight of the loss of the big US defence contract for a battlefield communications system to France, despite Thatcher’s overtures to the Americans. Investment plans announced for British Rail to span the next three years and no progress on pre-summit talks on arms between the USA and Russia. The weather stayed fine, but very windy tonight and the barometer is bouncing down and then up like a yo-yo. Let’s see what tomorrow brings.