Taking both Debbie and Daniel to the doctors after a poor night, more carpentry to adjust internal doors and the successful sale of my Kode shares for £2 each! This as Olivia Gwendolen Channon dies from a drugs overdose at an Oxford exams party, Bishop Tutu intervenes in South Africa and England win against Poland in the World Cup
A poor night and I was not sure of the reason for it. Could have been the lack of bedclothes we had because of the warm start to it, need for a toilet call not addressed, or even concern about the baby dove that was on the verge of death yesterday. A bright dawn and I took some comfort from seeing it and hearing the dawn chorus of singing birds. Early to shower, shave and dress, then down to a poorly cooked boiled egg, which was almost hard boiled! Di took both Daniel and Debbie to the Doctors this morning and poor Daniel came off worst. He has more medicine for this sinus trouble and has to avoid swimming for 2 weeks to allow it to clear up! The Doctor was not concerned about Debbie’s rashes at all. I resumed my ‘internal door surgery’, trimming the door and cupboard doors in the box room and then the cupboard doors in the ironing room. Strange to be able to actually open our airing cupboards at last. Out to the doves and found the young dove dead, as predicted.
Still, the larger chicks on the wall-cote, our first successful brood, are just about ready to leave the nest. Nicholas de Zoete phoned and told me that he had managed to sell all of our remaining Kode shares at £2.00 each, which is a lot better than the 60p they were fetching last summer. By the late afternoon I had finished the internal doors and the carpenter, who came today, finished the balcony doors. He has not cured the sticking problem, however, and I think I am a better carpenter than he. I also put up our coat hooks and barometer and thermometer in the bedroom at long last. This evening I bullied Daniel into doing his homework before his friends came round for a trip on the boats and then I settled down to clean out the swimming pool – a quite long and complex job as the sun beat down. A better end to the weather, after the rain of this morning, but tonight will be cold and tomorrow cloudy. News today is of the conviction on conspiracy of the IRA bomber, Patrick McGee, and four others and we now await the sentencing, which is bound to be an exemplary one in view of the nearness of killing the Prime Minister and her colleagues in the Cabinet. All television channels broadcast their own in-depth analysis of the IRA bombing plans and the background to how Patrick McGee was traced and arrested. Trade Minister, Paul Channon’s, daughter was found dead this morning after a party in Oxford to celebrate the end of her exams. Five students are being questioned on drug-related offences, but her death is still a mystery. Bishop Tutu is now trying to intervene in South Africa between the two black factions in the riot-torn townships, as the ‘Eminent persons group’ predicted the loss of millions of lives if there were not negotiations between the black and white communities. The two Alliance leaders (David’s Steel and Owen) agree to differ on the replacement of Polaris, but pronounced that there would be no split in the Alliance as a consequence. Late this evening, all eyes were on the England soccer team past midnight, as they played their last game of round I, live on TV, against Poland. A win would make them certain to go through to the second round…. In the event an electric performance from twin strikers Beardsley and Lineker put England 3-0 ahead by half time and put cheer into the hearts of people throughout England.