Time this morning attending the family, the doves, ducks and then the pool, which was suffering from the intensive use of yesterday, with all of the chlorine used up before a little more time fishing on the dinghy on a fairly last and relaxing day as news emerges of 31 dead and more than 200 people seriously irradiated as the result of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant disaster and the Sarah Lambert seducer is charged with ‘procuring intercourse with fraud’, which is a strange offence.
A much better night than of late, though it was quite chilly. Morning tea and, before I had finished reading the morning paper, breakfast was ready. Restricted myself to two croissants and no toast or cereal, as I am 14 stone at the scales recently, then up to shower, shave and wash my hair. Dressed with the door locked, as by this time it was 9.00am, with the builder around finishing the remedial points. Out to the doves, which were quite hungry and, on checking with the pole cote, saw that the Dun Hen (who was the one that was rescued from the pool and other neighbour’s gardens etc) was rearing a single chick, which is quite hopeful.
Out back to the pool, which, after yesterday’s mass swim and the high 83degF temperature levels, had lost all its chlorine and needed more chemicals. Then looked after Della, taking her out to help me feed and let the ducks on the river, and then a session on the tree swing, which she really enjoyed. In to a cup of coffee and to see the girls go off shopping and Daniel collected by Gary’s family to stay with them for a couple of nights. I then settled down to watch the 3rd England Test Match vs New Zealand and one down in the series. Rain spoiled much of the day’s play, but not before Ian Botham had come back with a bang, taking a wicket with his first ball, two in the first two overs and then three in all, after the main strike bowlers had failed to trouble the batsmen – a real ‘Boys Annual’ event and hardly credible. Spent most of the day watching this match on TV, but when rain intervened, first started to dismantle the antique pine window seat in the garage and then, after a kipper tea, went fishing on the dinghy. I moored almost opposite, under a willow tree for shelter, and caught a number of dace and rudd, but nothing of size. Back across at dusk to feed and put the ducks away and lock up, before TV for the news and second half of a dramatic film on the lives of the Apache Indians. Not the most productive of days, but I enjoyed the leisure and why not? The news tonight digests the official Russian report into the Chernobyl power plant, which links together 6 unbelievable human errors, which led to the disaster. The report also lists 31 dead, 200+ seriously irradiated and many others affected in long-term and minor ways. John Stalker, persecuted Manchester Deputy Chief Constable, has denied all charges against him and referred to rumour, gossip and innuendo as being the currency of the day. Harry Phibbs, Editor of the Conservative Students Association, has resigned his post and made a formal apology after being threatened with a legal injunction by the Tory central office. Joseph Henson, who had taken Sarah Lambert away for the weekend, has been charged with procuring intercourse with Sarah by offering a phoney job and several other offences of deception. A huge glacier in Alaska is starting to move quickly after years of inactivity, damming a fiord and leading to flooding of forests and farmland. Ian Botham’s wickets today broke the record for the most test wickets of all time – 367 in his career so far. After today’s drizzle and dull weather, more rain is forecast until Saturday.