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Full day working on the restoration of The Lady, walking to the Little Paxton School Fete before organising a riverside barbecue and opening up and closing The Hayling View beforehand and afterwards only to find that Diana had left her windows open and lights on watching TV as the gnats invaded! An almighty row before I heard the news revealing that Thatcher had nominated the hated Ian McGregor coal and steel industry butcher for his knighthood, along with many other of her cronies. More troubles and a huge car bomb in South Africa make her stance on sanctions ever more unpopular, for she now lags 9% behind Labour in the opinion polls
Awake to a warm and sunny day and, even at 7.00am, the temperature had risen appreciably. Showered, shaved, dressed and went down to unlock the house, open wide all of the French Windows, and then put out the garden furniture by the river. The family having already eaten by then, I took out my wheat flakes and milk and ate under the oblong parasol. Then I read my Financial Times and reviewed all of the saving information, as I will soon be making a few investment decisions. As I sat, two cuckoos flew across the meadow opposite, between willow trees and one called as they went. Di brought the post down for me to read, but nothing very important to act on. Then I resumed work on The Lady, paring away more and more rotten wood and getting more and more depressed about it. I had hoped to let it dry out this morning, but time dragged on and on. As lunchtime approached, I took a plunge in the pool to cool off (the temperature was 83degF inside and out) and then, when Di returned from shopping, we walked over to Little Paxton School for the Fete.
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Mum’s Birthday Visit – Throwing open the balcony doors on a gloriously warm and sunny day, working on The Lady and greeting the arrival of my Mum, Grace, with my Dad, Fred, on her birthday before a long session clearing up and cleaning the pool as a new USSR arms limitation proposal is tabled at Geneva, more international pressure grows against the South African regime as censorship is total and 2,000 people are detained. Inflation drops to 2.8% and Benny Goodman dies
Slept well and awoke to a nice morning and a welcome cup of tea. The weather was so gloriously sunny and warm today, that I opened and unlocked all of the balcony doors to keep the house well aired. Breakfast and then out to the doves. No concern, as after yesterday’s excursion the babies kept to their dovecote today! I moved Daniel’s boats and brought The Lady closer to the workshop, so that I could start work on the varnish. No trouble on the hatches, but the roof corner had developed some wet rot and so I took a long while digging it out and seeing the boat disappear with it! Near to lunch I took a swim in the pool, as I needed cooling off after too long in the sun at a sizzling 75degF. The pool was 82degF. Lunch, on the south patio, of salad and then a couple of hours after continuing my ‘dig’.
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To St Neots Shawes auction again today for hanging baskets and more bedding plants after saving my surviving dove chicks from marauding cats and then dragging Diana and her mother Norma into the pool on a warm day with even warmer water. Thatcher is now considering the Commonwealth report to implement South African sanctions, Labour expel Derek Hatton from their party and The US approve an extradition treaty to expel IRA terrorists to the UK
Despite my late night, I was smartly up and showered this morning before the tiredness could take over. Downstairs and to see a cat chasing one of my baby doves, who fortunately managed to fly out of the way and so I rushed out and picked up both juveniles and put them on the food table for the day. Then breakfast and, after, more time with the doves. They keep eating the bedding plants and any amount of lettuce is needed to keep them at bay. I then got out my materials and started filling the worm holes in a folding chair and the high chair. I moved a table to under the southern balcony so that I could keep an eye on the doves. At 12.00 noon we had a quick lunch and then Di joined me for a trip to town and Shawes Auction.
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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.