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An Architect and Builder’s review meeting this morning to deal with the priorities in completing The Hayling View followed by the arrival of the telephone engineer and then some problems and frustration running my final security cables. This during a very cold and icy spell that freezes the river and as the European Consortium ups its bid for Westland and The Marquis of Blandford is jailed for possessing heroin
A lay in after a tiring evening and then straight to the shower room to get washed, as I was expecting visitors for an early meeting. Just time for toast and fruit juice before my builder, and architect, Mr Cheeseborough and David Stokes arrived for a site meeting. An hour and a half’s discussion, tour of the building and agreement on the form the new alterations will take – opening out of the downstairs shower room to the garden, new furniture and complete tiling of the walls and floors. Upstairs, the joining of the bathroom en-suite to the main bedroom, with high basin and cabinet to contain it. A problem emerged over the reversing of the stairs, as there does not appear to be room for the staircase the other way! They are going to take it out anyway and remove the surrounds to see how to proceed.
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A morning supervising the builders and afternoon working on my alarm system so as to be able to set it fully this evening for the first time as Michael Heseltine faces a huge challenge from the Westland Board and his Tory opponents and more trouble brews in the Middle East.
Difficulty in getting to sleep last night and so woke Diana up for some lovemaking, but then still had the same trouble. I find that whenever I work late into the evening, especially outside, I find the bedroom too warm, even when Di is freezing. Up and out to the birds after breakfast. One more duck egg (and only one) despite the new straw in their house. Intended to get down to my alarm system but, as it was the first day back for the builders, I kept an eye on them and barricaded all the link doors. They chiseled off all of the plaster next to the kitchen wall and around the stairs and then demolished the dividing wall to create space for our new master bedroom. By the time I had settled the builders, Joan was here and, with my tools and equipment in my office (now isolated by the stair work), I found it difficult to start. Di went to Bedford this morning and took the children and Daniel’s friends and I should have gone with them really.
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A poor night but a better start to the day with a fried breakfast to sustain me whilst I then wrote this journal with little Debbie accompanying me as she tries to write hers! Then a day working on my alarm system again as the children have friends around to play before ensuring the right rooms were emptied for the return of the builders tomorrow. This as the Westland European Consortium complains that their bid is being ignored, Libya threatens the USA and the NCB avoids the blame for underground fires in Leicestershire
A poor night. Too warm from the extra food we had last night and couldn’t get comfortable. Got shaved, washed and dressed as Di made the breakfast and then came down for a full English breakfast of fried bacon, egg, mushrooms and tomato. After, I settled in my office to read the Sunday Times and then write up my journal for yesterday. Little Debbie comes to join me, but couldn’t find her diary to write in it. Morning coffee and then out to feed the doves and ducks. The ducks had been up on our riverside land again, ferreting around, and I was in fear for my plants. But first I had to bring into the riverside shed two bags of layers pellets that Diana had bought yesterday to do it. Then the doves and they feed quite happily together and should mate next spring.
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The day working on my security system and caring for the children whilst Diana shopped and then the evening hosting a dinner party and trying not to be tantalised by Linda’s daring dress barely concealing her fascinating body. This as Heseltine turns Westland into challenge to Thatcher , Ulster Unionists failing to control the violence of their extreme members and emerging fears of Libya’s Gaghafi being behind European airport attacks
A fair night, with calls of nature disrupting the first part of it. Awake to morning tea, but had to find the paper and post myself at each end of the building. I will have to rationalise the letter boxes, once the building work is complete. Mr Cheeseborough had phoned last night and they will be starting as planned on Monday. Quickly showered and dresses for work, I took a cereal breakfast for a change, before getting down to work on the alarm system. First to straighten the shower room by stapling the two wires into the entry recess and then around the floor, under the candlewick carpet. Then to the playroom, where, by lunchtime, I had wired up another junction box in the corner and stapled wires in all directions; to the shower room, French doors and playroom/west hall door.