An active and productive day getting up early and applying two coats of varnish to The Lady and signing papers for the sale of my Kode shares before a morning visit of Norma and Auntie Bob and an afternoon visit and ‘swim’ of Linda and her children before alone to complete the long process alone of locking up and putting the Hayling View ‘to bed’ later. This as Chernobyl Caesium radioactive contamination halts the movement and slaughter of sheep in North Wales and Cumbria for 21days, 200 Hippies are arrested as they make their way to Stonehenge and the courts are dead set against the Miners again
A better day for me, but poorer, in terms of the weather, for everybody else. Woke early and, not waiting for my morning tea, got up, shaved, showered and dressed. Then my drink and (half an hour early) chased up the children to get ready and clear up their rooms, before unlocking the house perimeter and feeding the doves before breakfast. A plain cereal breakfast and then tidied the papers on my desk to check for anything urgent and get the Kode sale contract papers for all to sign. Di went off to shop in St Neots and did some chores, whilst I made a start on sanding down the canopy varnish, ready for the last two coats. At 10.30am, after I had made and drank my own coffee, Di returned and then received her mother and Aunt Roberta for a visit.
‘Bob’ had been recently and seriously ill with liver disease and was noticeably skinnier. She has also supposed to have given up drinking, the underlying cause of her problems. Good to see her much better now, as I stopped by for a chat and to say ‘hello’. They enjoyed their guided tour of the house and gardens and then it was time, after they left, for us to have another salad lunch. I had been listening to England’s test match vs India on the radio as I worked on the boat and Di was not pleased when I brought the portable TV down to watch the game over lunch. Worked on this afternoon, applying two coats of varnish and Di had Linda and her two daughters after school to go swimming with her and similar offspring. What a fuss Linda made about getting in the water. Admittedly the fresh breeze made the air temperatures of the mid 60s seem even cooler, but the pool temp was over 81degF. I dropped by to net off the debris from the pool surface from today’s breeze (it was coming from the east and the adjacent Hawthorne tree) and helped a little. Linda looks so nice in her swimsuit and very attractive, but is a real let down on anything physical, which probably extends to her sex life as well! Once Dan was home, I ‘helped’ him do some schoolwork and revision, but was working again after tea, taking apart our medium-size oak carriage table and starting to repair the split top. The long process of cleaning up, before in to lock up and put on the alarm, feeling somewhat irritated at having to tidy the pool area and close all of the curtains. Today the neighbour’s son called by with a list of his hours worked – 26 hours – which I paid at £1 per hour, even though the hours were somewhat exaggerated and took no account of his ‘stoppage’ times. In the news today a further nuclear scare, as all movements for 21 days are banned on the movement and slaughter of sheep in North Wales and Cumbria after nuclear contamination from Chernobyl caesium. High nuclear radioactivity, if it does not drop in the three week period, will lead to certain sheep being destroyed. More draconian security laws in South Africa. 200 Hippies are arrested, as police cut off a large convoy destined for Stonehenge, in further attempted curtailment of their summer solstice celebrations. In another victory for authority, the High Court has ruled that the National Union of Mineworkers 1946 agreement for exclusive representation rights is not legally enforceable. Another dull and windy day is forecast for tomorrow – which I still find unusual – and perhaps a few thundery showers may moisten the garden at last.