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I stood and remembered the dead of two world wars this morning and the countryside was quite for once and then the family over to see Diana’s parents and her brother Chas’s family for lunch before home to hear of the reaction to the South African jailing of a journalist as John Travolta dances with Lady Diana at President Reagan’s party
A good night’s sleep, settled into the routine of our house whilst the building work continues. A couple of aspirins before I went to bed, and awoke still with my sore throat, but nothing serious. Down to breakfast of fried egg, bacon, sausage and bread, which was a nice change to the fruit juice and toast of the rest of the week’s deprivation. Then to first read yesterday’s FT, and, when that was finished, today’s Sunday Times, but I did not finish this until 10.00am by which time Di was getting quite frustrated with me getting in the way. Up to the bathroom where I washed my hair, shaved and then sank into a large bath of water for a further half hour. A lovely serene and relaxing experience, which came to an end with a procession of visitors knocking on the front door. Up, dressed and out to show a neighbour where he could put some earth and then to feed the ducks and doves. A cold and breezy morning as I changed the doves seed supply, sodden with the overnight rain. One egg from the ducks last night, which is as many as we are getting lately. I had put on my best sports jacket and trousers this morning and there was no time to do a great deal else before it was time to visit Mr & Mrs Jackson for lunch. As there were no friends to play with, Daniel had played wrestling and cycling with Debbie and then computer racing with me, which was a nice family time. A fair drive to Bar Hill, stopping for petrol on the way and with little traffic to hold us up. Arrived in good time and some wine before settling down to a meal of roast beef with Di’s parents and also Chas and Chris, who were up for the weekend. A nice dish and surroundings and welcome experience with our house in dust and rubble.
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Return of the noisy and messy builders after a better night and then off to Jordon’s Mill in Biggeswade for our duck and pigeon food where our friends have rebuilt their mill and are milling flour and should be back to milling pellets in three weeks as Charles and Diana now wow the Americans and Kasparov beats Karpov in the World Chess Championships
A better night and soundly asleep when Diana brought the morning tea. A slow start by reading the paper until breakfast of toast and fruit juice. More papers and a quiet time in the lounge before it became apparent that the builders were working again this morning. First the plumber wanting to get in next door and then banging noises revealed the presence of two labourers under the direction of Mr Cheeseborough. They were chiselling out the plaster from behind the old units on the right and, after removing the cooker from the other side of the kitchen, they chiselled that out too. Then they used the hammer drill to carve their way down to the ducting. The plumber was connecting up the automatic washing machine next door and so we ended up with only the sink unit against the wall and a re-commissioned gas cooker in the middle of the kitchen! Leaving the labourers to clear up, we set off for Biggleswade and first dropped off at Jordon & Addingtons Mill to get some layers pellets for the ducks and mixed corn for the doves. To my surprise Marilyn was the customer in front of me and remarked on the progress we were making with our house conversion. The mill will be partially back in action this weekend and milling flour in a week. Pellets should be on stream in three weeks. Although the fire was very bad luck, it has meant that they are now equipped with the most up-to-date and efficient plant going.
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Morning alone in Bedford for the Peacock’s Auction after I woke with a poor chest with my infection and dust inhalation and then the afternoon working whilst the builders continued their messy work before an evening playing with Daniel and then supervising his homework and classwork. This as domestic legal disagreements are eclipsed by the plight of the journalist who interviewed the ANC leader being jailed for three years by the repressive South African regime
A restless night; hot with the poorly adjusted heating and throat gulping from my infection and the dust. Awake after some sleep to morning tea, but slow to rise, being tired and weary of the dust and building work. Down to breakfast in the lounge with the others and then, it being close to 8.00am, I quickly showered, shaved and dressed so as to be ready before the builders arrived, and then collected the mail and read the papers. More cheques for government stock interest – several thousand pounds worth – and a hand written note from Bill Unsworth asking me to attend two BMMG meetings to let them know what I am prepared to do from now on. Across to see the building work and then fell to sorting out the outer garage with Mr Cheeseborough. We cleared out the carpets that were for scrapping and rolled up those to send to the auction. Argued after with Di, who wanted to go her own way today rather than come to Bedford with me and so I fed and tended the ducks and doves and then set off on my own. I stopped at the Willington Garden Centre on the way in the expectation of having a coffee in their camping centre, but it was closed for the winter. I looked around the plants and books, but saw nothing that I could not live without. On to Bedford, where I parked close to Peacocks and walked to the auction centre.
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Slow start from Diana on a very busy day for the builders with the close full of their vehicles during which Brittain’s were found to be much more reliable that The St Neots Carpet Company before a delightful school visit to see Debbie’s work before ballet and now Daniel does better in his Maths and Physics . This as two Sikhs are arrested for downing the Air India Jumbo Jet and the cabinet agrees the forthcoming budget details but Kenneth Baker only gets half of his bid for housing renovation
Awake at 7.00am to find Diana still laying in and so kicked her out of bed to get the drinks. Up then and quickly dressed as I heard the plumber next door. Too late to see him and he had already connected up the two radiators in the new bedrooms without thermostatic valves. Back to get showered and shaved and then breakfast in the lounge. Di had not buttered the toast and so we were all balancing plates and butter on our laps, which was a bit of a disaster. Out to the house next door, leaving Di to get the children off to school and I cleared out the guest room for the carpet company and carried on working in Debbie’s room to fit the electrics to the new wall unit. Most of the morning at this task and eventually finished it and fed some rather hungry doves. I tackled Mr Cheesborough about the radiator temperature valves and he referred me to the drawing which seemed to indicate that only some radiators were to get those valves and so I will have to query this with the architect. Out then with Diana to St Neots leaving St Neots Carpet Company to fit the two bedroom carpets. I was not very impressed with their fitters – one had an evil grin and a gold earring and looked like either a pirate or a gypsy. Brittains had called to fix a curtain pole today and showed much more concern and care and I think we will use them for the remainder of the carpets.