A good walk to the childrens’ playground in Hilgay after a troubled start and then upstream on the River Wissey on a fine and windy day to moor with the mud weight on a lake at Wissington for some sailing on our Blue Peter before mooring at the head of navigation at Stoke Ferry for refreshment and a chat with the day boat operator and then crusing back to Hilgay for the night. News of the fate of American hostages in the Lebanon and of Sir |Geoffrey getting nowhere in talks with South Africa’s Pik Botha and the Scottish Council withdrawing Thatcher’s invitation to the Games
Slept well, but another unsettled night for Diana, who refused to get up and make the drinks. In the end I put the kettle on and let the girls loose on Di, who grumpily did the honours. Our normal boating routine with cereal and toast for breakfast, then we all walked up to the top of Hilgay hill to the children’s playground. The weather started cool, windy, but at least the sun was warm to make up for it. The children enjoyed the exercise, with even Daniel playing ‘follow my leader’. We visited the village stores on the way back and bought some papers, ice creams and other bits and pieces, including a good 50p guide book on the history of Hilgay, which proved very interesting. Then we set off upstream on the River Wissey, stopping at the wide stretch at Wissington that formed a lake.
We rigged up the Blue Peter for sailing and I got aboard and tacked to and fro with some accomplishment. All this time a mud-weight made a satisfactory mooring method. We had a nice lunch thus isolated from the shore and then I tried fishing, but the water was too deep and the weather too windy. Then upstream again and we struggled under low bridges, with the canopy right back, to eventually stop at the head of navigation at Stoke Ferry. We had an afternoon refreshment at the café there and then I had an interesting chat with the man who runs a small day-boat hire fleet and heard of his exploits on behalf of the Sea Cadets in the past. Back to Hilgay for the night, managing to catch three fish before dark. News today is of American hostages held in Lebanon, but of the US administration refusing to give in to the terrorists’ demands. Terry Waite manages to get a further American released in some behind-the-scenes diplomacy. More fighting has taken place in Beirut, as this poor country continues on its divided and fated course. Sir Geoffrey Howe is having lengthy talks with Mr Pik Botha, the SA Foreign Minister, and it seems that he is making little headway and that this is a last-ditch effort to avoid failure. Norman Tebbit wants to vary unemployment rates in different parts of the country in another unfortunate aside that upsets the maximum amount of people with the minimum benefit. Teachers pay negotiations for this next year are in difficulty again. Controversy continues at the Commonwealth Games, with the local Scottish Council withdrawing an invitation for Mrs Thatcher to visit the games; but England won a further 7 gold medals. In today’s Grand Prix, Nigel Mansell came third and managed to extend his points lead in the world driver’s championship. The end of a fine, but windy day and a bright start is forecast again for tomorrow, with rain later.