Windy day with a chill in the air visiting the St Ives auction viewing and marvelling at the old cattle stalls which are no longer used before this afternoon spending time with my children, wiring my garage with a PIR light and extending Di’s ironing lead as floods kill boys in pot-holes and culverts
A sound sleep after tumbling with Diana for a while and then woken up early with my morning tea. I came round whilst listening to the radio programme ‘On Your Farm’ and was very interested in their story of young farmers and agriculturalists studying at the VSO (Voluntary Services Overseas) college to help the world food shortages by spending time there. I admired the altruism and generosity of these people, who believe the problems can be solved, if only someone actually does something about it. Then breakfast of toast & fruit juice as normal and to quickly scan the day’s paper and mail. We had the Inland Revenue tax demand for over £1/2m on Thursday and since that, gilts have fallen, which is a pity. All the papers full of Westland and Heseltine and the story dominates the business and political news.
They seem to think the Sikorsky bid will be thrown out now and the European solution accepted, but I still feel there is a long way to go with the management, workforce and most shareholders still in favour of the US deal. Washed, dressed and out to the birds, rather earlier than of late in view of our plans for the day. A bit windy today, with the chill back in the air, but bright and sunny all the same. All ready and so off to St Ives for their Saturday general auction and viewing for Tuesday’s antique auction. As we drove there, we saw the extent of the flooding in the Huntingdon and St Ives areas, with most of the river plain under. Odd to see this, as the river is going down at the moment in Little Paxton, but a combination of river management and tides must have done it – St Ives gates are open and the river must be tidal upstream at the moment. It had begun to rain again as we arrived and I quickly bought a catalogue before we settled down in the café opposite for morning coffee. The girls started a day of misbehaviour and, although they have got colds, it is really a quite inexcusable battle for attention between them. A poor old auction and little of interest amongst the antiques. There was an SH/DC desert and table spoon, but both embedded in groups of other Fiddle Pattern examples and I will not bid for them unless they are very cheap. Most interested in a range of water colour pictures of the Great Ouse by Winter and Frazer and I might well bid for some of these to complement my others in the enlarged house. A little shopping after, before on to the Little Chef for lunch and then home. I went back to St Neots for some shopping and then came home to spend the last hour of daylight rewiring the garage and connecting up a Passive Infra-Red light. This amazing device detects human beings and automatically switches on a 100 watt outside light when they approach. It doubles up as a courtesy light that looks after its own switching and also as a security light to frighten away prowlers. Unfortunately, I have to install it a little too high because of the up-and-over garage door and its detection range is rather limited. Inside to tea of pilchards and then to put a new and longer flex on Diana’s iron, so as to obviate the constant need for an extension lead. Then to read Debbie another edition of Country Companion (this one on The Village Pond) and to see her to her prayers and into bed. We are all agreed that she can try Sunday School and Diana will approach Pat to take her with Amie. Then to my journal, the rest of my paper, and the TV news. Both sides in the battle for Westland are confident of victory on Tuesday, but sources from the City agree with the European hopes. Floods have plagued much of Britain and a boy potholer was killed when a boulder was dislodged by the floodwater. In Glasgow, a 10 year old boy was lost in a culvert and undoubtedly drowned. Last night a horrific crime took place as an intruder broke in to a house, sexually assaulted and killed a 9 year old girl, as her parents slept in the next room. Airport security is stepped up again in a new security alert, as an Israeli Minister is due to visit Britain. The weather is forecast windy, showery and cold again tomorrow, but I hope to be inside Earls Court with Daniel for the Boat Show. Interesting today to gaze again at the old livestock pens that frame the Ekins general auction site. The majority of the old cattle market has been cleared away in recent times and replaced by a bus terminus.