Debbie’s 1st day back at school – A good start to this cold, wet and windy day and use of our new bed and I had a full day screwing down floorboards but the continued heating problems are now the subject of an investigation but this did not put off Norma from visiting and I also heard from my Mum and Dad and will help them with their heating too. Banker’s wife, Jennifer Guinness is kidnapped for ransom and Benazir Bhutto has returned to Pakistan, amidst crowds at the airport scattering rose petals
After the first night in the new bed with Diana (which we celebrated in appropriate style) she awoke me with my morning drink as usual. I had slept soundly, but it had been a bit strange for Di. We need to get our morning routine sorted out. Di takes ages drinking coffee, using the en-suite and then only gives me 10/15 mins in it before calling everyone down to breakfast! We will try again tomorrow. Debbie goes back to school without any problems, but, due to the wild, wet, cold and windy day, Di leaves Della at home in Daniel’s care. Dan seems to enjoy his time at home with the family when he is banned from going out. Di’s Mum comes today and enjoys the time with Della. Dan & Di go to St Neots, but cannot tempt me to join them and the hall curtains stay un-chosen. I phone David Stokes this morning and discuss the heating faults at length. He is going to get the heating consultant to phone Eastern Gas and resolve the issue between them.
The other call I made was to Mum & Dad. Following their letter, we have decided to help them with a £800 bill for a new heating boiler. The whole day screwing down floorboards and did the eastern link corridor, central link room and a few odds and ends in the ironing room and nursery. The pool men were here to start brick laying for the surrounding walls and made good progress, in spite of the appalling weather. By 7.00pm tonight, too tired to carry on, I cleared up, read Debbie a Country Companion, and went to my office to get my paperwork in order. I have numerous things to do, but I listed all outstanding tasks. News tonight is of the kidnapping in the Irish Republic of Mrs Jennifer Guinness, wife of Mr John Guinness, Chairman of Guinness Mahon, the merchant banking offshoot of the Guinness family. They are demanding a £2 million ransom. Mrs Benazir Bhutto has returned to Pakistan, amidst crowds at the airport scattering rose petals. The crowds see her as a parallel to Mrs Aquino, who overthrew the Marcos regime in the Philippines. The US has had their latest nuclear test, even though it will lead to the end of the USSR ban and when there were 2 Greenpeace demonstrators in the close vicinity. US aircraft carriers are standing by, as Reagan threatens a further strike on Libya, after recent terrorist incidents. Barclays have reduced their mortgage interest rates to 11.75% from May 1st and are the first clearing bank to do so. We are pleased, as they are our mortgager. A vicar appeared in court facing 28 charges of sex offences against children today. Mr Jan Knos, 53, is of St Michael’s Vicarage, Hull. A black man has been shot dead in South Africa whilst, according to South Africa, preparing to petrol bomb an all-white school. Polling today in the Fulham by-election, with a high turnout, starts a spring season of elections with, this time, Labour firm favourites to win. After a Spanish governments claim that a Goya painting, up for sale from Lord Wimborne, was illegally exported, a private settlement was agreed today selling it back for half of the £8 million of its estimated value. The weather forecast is of continuing cold winds and even rain tomorrow.