A challenging day of disruption to my illness recovery as I now suffer from the ‘flu with house heating still not working and a wife who wants to be away from it all rather than looking after me but I take comfort in reading Samuel’s diaries, watching some televised snooker and then spending time with all three children later when they come home. This as BNF are at the centre of several radioactive emission risk scandals and yet more jobs lost as our shipbuilding and defence contractors are left to close their doors, NASA halts all space flights over safety concerns and the UK tax office fails to answer 5m enquiries!
A settled night, after a first day up yesterday and then to have breakfast in bed of more porridge with brown sugar. Was still suffering from the flu and so opted for the day in bed. Also the central heating had still failed after yesterday and so the house was too cold to use. Diana went off to Cambridge this morning to see the contact lens man and so I had to suffer interruptions rom Joan as she briefed me on the various telephone calls and visitors that we had. Eventually, she arrived back after I had settled down in bed and had already read the daily paper.
Di brought a prawn salad for me and a chicken salad for her and we sat and ate them together at my bedside. She then declared that she was going out with her friends this afternoon and I was not happy about this as I could have used both the help and the company of her presence for once. It seems that she will do anything she can to avoid the house and get away from it – even when I am ill in bed and people call all the time and need attention. I go down to remake my own hot water bottles and jug of fresh water and see to my horror that the tumble drier has been pulled out and left with its sharp roller-wheels, cutting into the cushioned vinyl and no interest has been taken at all. I also locked the back door for security, which had been left open for casual callers to walk in. I watched the televised snooker this afternoon between ‘Hurricane’ Higgins and Steve Davis and saw Steve get the better of the afternoon session. Then I resumed reading Samuel Pepys of 1666 before the family get back later. At last a tea of grilled dover sole, but then an evening very much to myself. I did, however, see Della for a little while to do her favourite drawing, and also check Daniel’s schoolwork and read Debbie her story. The gas fitter did come today, but could find nothing wrong with the boiler. He intends to bring the technician on Monday to inspect the installation site, as he maintains that no more can be done. In the meantime, the boiler is still not working and the cold weather continues! News today is of the crumbling of the settlement deal in the teacher’s dispute, as the remit of the Burnham Committee to consider working conditions (rather than pay) is challenged by the National Union of Teachers. The negotiators call it a day and rest for the weekend. Today, the last day of February, saw more examples of the elderly dying of the cold and the weatherman have confirmed that it is the coldest February since 1947. But there is a chance that it will end on Tuesday/Wednesday next week. The daily average temperature has been -0.9degC below zero. John Denyarmk, a Polish Nazi, has been extradited from the US to Israel for his involvement in numerous gas chamber deaths during the Second World War. British Nuclear Fuels are again at the centre of nuclear safety risks, as an engineer’s report reveals that reactors at Calder Hall and Chapel Cross on the Solway Firth have a serious design fault that make them susceptible of even minor earth tremors. BNF have rejected the report’s conclusions. Relatives of three workers who died of cancer from Sellafield’s nuclear condition were paid compensation today. Vesper of Southampton have gone into receivership and 300 workers have also been made redundant at the Yarrow Shipbuilding yard. At Wapping, in response to TUC and EEPTU pressure, News International are starting to negotiate. The NASA enquiry announces no more shuttle flights for at least a year. The Tax Office delays are now attracting publicity and 5 million letters are yet unanswered. The Royal and Cricket tours go on.