Leaving for our boating holiday on The Lady after a trip to Bedford to collect Daniel’s BBC micro and locking up and securing The Hayling View before our voyage to our favourite stopping place in Godmanchester. Now 11 Commonwealth countries have pulled out of the forthcoming Games with more expected to follow
Slept well and woke to my morning tea a little later than normal. Wandered around a little, before reading the morning paper and mail at the front door. Breakfast whilst not having dressed and then up to my shower and shave after. Got Di to cut my hair, which had become quite long and then washed it after. Soon Di took Debbie for her last day at school this summer and then we got ready to go to Bedford.
I was waylaid by Mr King, my Gordon Road tenant, who showed me round the house, gave me his keys and paid most of the amount owed on termination. Quickly fed the doves and hurried back to the others, who had wondered where I went. We soon arrived at Lurke Street car park, had morning coffee together (with biscuits and other drinks for the children) then I went over to Peacocks. Nothing I could not live without! Rendezvoused back at Debenhams for lunch and, as I was early, I collected Daniel’s BBC micro from the repairers on the way. Home after and the long task of preparing to take off on The Lady. I started by getting up to date on my paperwork, stacking away the mail, replying to a few items, and filing the results. Then to carry down all of the things that we use on The Lady – domestic items, tools and finally clothes and food. Lastly, I reversed on to Bill’s moorings, emptied The Lady’s water tanks and filled up with fresh water. Once the girls had collected Debbie from school, I locked up the house, set the alarms and we took off. I switched off the swimming pool heating and filtration system and put the winter cover on to keep both people and debris out. A fine evening, though dull, but at least the breeze had stopped. We locked through Buckden, then Brompton and moored in our accustomed place at Godmanchester riverside playing fields. After the children had stretched their legs, we walked over to the fish and chip shop to buy our tea and ate it out of newspaper wrapping at the causeway. The ducks and geese on the grass kept us company. Some time playing cricket with Daniel, then, with the girls to bed in the front cabin, the rest of us watched Robbie Box’s last episode on TV, until Daniel went to bed in the saloon and I wrote up today’s journal. England beat New Zealand in the second one-day test match to square the series one all so far. The African front-line states pull out of the Commonwealth Games and now 11 countries have joined the boycott and many others are now expected to follow.