Home to the very different experience compared with our time on The Lady and to progress some outstanding matters before we were inundated by Daniel’s friends as Thatcher’s South African deal is rebuffed at the Commonwealth Leaders Conference and 100 Hong Kong British soldiers are sacked after a brawl on the Queen Mother’s 86th Birthday
A poor night. After the softness of the boats cushions, our bed seemed hard and uncomfortable. Di left for a spare room in the middle of the night and we both slept OK after that. Awoke to a fair day and quickly took advantage of the shower room to wash my hair and showered in relative luxury after the boat. Breakfast in the kitchen and how large and commodious the table seems after the confines of The Lady.
Out to the doves and enjoyed feeding them again to see the condition of the flock. Later, a boy brought us our baby white dove, which had fallen out of the nest. To my office, where I made a number of telephone calls to progress matters that had been languishing whilst we have been away. Reassured Mr Cheeseborough, our builder, that he would get his final cheque today; contacted Mr Armstrong, the rocking horse manufacturer and restorer, and heard that he now has two for us to view. Managed to organise a service for the Jaguar tomorrow to coincide with our visit to Cambridge, which was a bit of luck. Before lunch Mr Tom Chaplin arrived and we reviewed my river frontage for an hour and a half, so that he could quote me for a compshedding and dredging job. Lunch and, after, several hours of catching up on the mail and reading countless computer journals. Hordes of Daniel’s and Debbie’s friends around, making all manner of noise, until I lost my patience after 5.00pm and asked them all to leave. Tea, then Daniel helped me to clear out the swimming pool, which will be ready for use tomorrow. Then a pleasant hour fishing with him by the ‘sewage’ island. The news from the Commonwealth Leaders Meeting is of an offer by Thatcher, which is still not sufficient for the others. They battle on into the evening, after a few sanctions that she offered are seen as derisory by India’s Gandhi. They were a ban on all new investment in S Africa, on exports from S Africa of coal, iron and steel and on the promotion of tourism in the country. The mystery of a missing family seems to be resolving itself into a murder enquiry, with the husband killing his wife and step-daughter, then faking his own suicide by leaving clothes on a beach. Killers of two young women are being separately sought in both London and Manchester. US President Reagan has launched a new anti-drug campaign that will involve compulsory tests on a range of government workers in sensitive positions. Over 100, a company, of guerrilla soldiers on duty for Britain in Hong Kong have been sacked after a brawl injuring two officers and refusing to cooperate in an investigation. The Queen Mother celebrated her 86th birthday at Clarence House, thronged by admiring crowds and children, who welcomed her with flowers and gifts.