Budget Day - The completion of my carved oak furniture to our satisfaction after a trip to St Ives auction with several bids accepted before lunch at The Southoe Bell on a day that started brightly but continued overcast and damp and then to hear Chancellor Lawson’s budget speech which favoured the rich but hammered petrol and tobacco as Jacques Chirac is invited to be Prime Minister of France and Swedish police charge Olof Palme’s assassin
A lay in after the latish night and then had my morning tea in bed. Up in time for breakfast and then a shower and shave to get ready quite early. To the Hi-Fi and listened to several nice tunes on the compact discs and then out to the car to take Di and Della to St Ives. Arrived by 9.30am and so half an hour to look round the auction showroom before it began. Collected a catalogue for 50p and then joined Di in the café opposite for a morning coffee. I bid successfully for an oak joint stool from Hove (£40) and an old poor-condition mahogany carriage table for £30, which was a bargain if it were not for the work it needs.
Met Diana at the car and then did some shopping. Della came with me at first and I took her to an antique shop, where I bought an old folding child’s chair, that I think could be mahogany, if it were not for the colour of the wood. Back home by car and, with Della asleep in the back, we stopped at the Southoe Bell for a lunch of homemade beef soup and roast pork to follow. Then to spend the rest of the day working on the carved oak bedroom suite. Filled the worm holes in the ply to keep track of them for the future, varnished the ply to further seal it, and then put the mirrors and supports back onto the dressing table. With all of the furniture I cleaned it with Colron, polished with beeswax and then sprayed with woodworm killer, just in case. Ended up with a splendid set, which both Di and I love. Tired later to lock up the house and garage, before some time in front of the TV for the news. I listened to the Budget speech on the radio this afternoon and heard Nigel Lawson’s effort, which was pitched to please the Conservative Party voters. However, a penny off income tax – now 29p in the £ for the lowest band. Plenty on tobacco, but nothing on drinks. All income tax allowances up in line with inflation. Petrol prices up by 7 ½ pence. A new increase in job subsidy schemes will tinker with the unemployment figures. But the addition of Capital Transfer tax relief on lifetime gifts will be of dramatic benefit to the rich (including myself). Stamp Duty on shares is halved and there is a new tax incentive to invest £200/month in shares for each adult. President Mitterrand summoned Jacques Chirac to the Palace and asked him to form a government this evening, but he has to consult his right-wing colleagues. The Swedish police seem to have found and charged Olof Palme’s assassin, an extremist and right-winger. A milder day today that saw some sun earlier, but overcast and damp tonight. Forecast is for tomorrow to be the same in reverse.