Family visit to St Ives on a misty and drizzly day before lunch at the Tempsford Happy Eater and then a chance for me to clear my desk of the backlog as Diana helped with the village fete which was crammed into the village hall because of the weather. This before Diana and I to the cinema with Daniel babysitting for the first time and as four Commonwealth teams are now boycotting the games and more to follow over Thatcher’s stance but a compromise is reached over the Orangemen’s marches
Slept soundly and awoke to my morning tea. The weather started misty and drizzly today and continued in that pattern and, so much for the weather forecast of yesterday! Had a little lay in this morning, as the children did not have to go to school (Debbie only goes Monday to Friday and Daniel is on holiday). Breakfast of wheat flakes, after shaving and showering even later than the others. Then the entire family in the car, after I had read the morning mail and newspaper, and off to St Ives for the general auction.
I picked up a list of lots for 10p and then met the others for a morning coffee in the nearby café. Debbie then elected to stay with me, as we looked around the auction in earnest, before taking a walk around the antique shops and book and toy shops. Deb spent 45p of her 50p pocket money on a sticker book and I bought another folding chair for £60. It has the original carpet-like upholstery, which is rather faded and worn, of course. We all met by the old market and took off by car through Huntingdon and back down the A1 to Little Paxton. Lunch at the Little Chef, rather than the Tempsford Happy Eater, so that Di could go to the Little Paxton village fete afterwards, but, as it continued to drizzle and the event was crammed into the village hall instead of on the playing fields, she did not enjoy it, but only saw it as her duty to go. I turned to my paperwork, clearing my desk of mail, writing a couple of letters and paying half a dozen bills in turn. I had a tea of tinned sardines and mackerel, but had to eat most of them myself, as Debbie had some and then declined the rest. Continued with my work, before clearing up my office and putting the doves and ducks to bed. Then showered and shaved again and took Di to the cinema in Bedford to see the film, ‘A Room With a View’ which we both enjoyed. For the first time Daniel babysat for us, now that he has reached the legal age of 14, even though he was not feeling too well. Indeed I felt a bit sick with a tummy ache, which could have been the excess of tinned fish, but it did not spoil the evening. Home by 10.30 and to bed by 11.00 very tired. The misty showers continued into the evening and on our way home. News today was of a total of 4 African teams boycotting the Commonwealth Games, with others set to follow. A compromise was reached between the RUC and Orangemen over the Portadown march route and ‘Boy’ George is to appear in court over drug charges.