Day entertaining the family and working on house, fitting that last of the curtain rails, as well as signing the Kode share transfer forms and then sitting up tired watching the news of the US raids on Libya and of another Royal wedding planned for July; Andrew and Fergie as five more die at Crossroads in South Africa in the continuing unrest
Up late last night as we had a power cut that delayed our retiring and setting the alarm and then I got up again when the electricity came on. Slept deeply and awoken at 7.00am with my morning tea. The boiler had come on and lasted for a full 2 ½ hours before going out. The electricity fitter that visited later still thinks it is a pilot assembly, but I am not so sure. Down to breakfast and the normal trouble in keeping order, before Daniel set off for the half day that marked his end of term. Rather late getting showered, washed and dressed, but made it before Joan arrived.
Then, until coffee break, making out a few cheques and reviewing the mail as Mr Cheeseborough had phoned chasing his next stage payment. As the building work was largely completed, I obliged and he dropped round later to deliver the replacement urinal and radiator valve. I also managed to start the curtain rails before lunch, but then Daniel arrived and I first played Chess Challenger with him and then took him to St Neots. We saw Roger Brittain to sign the Kode share transfer forms and then shopped for some accessories at the Handyman and a record at Woolworths. Home just in time for a shepherd’s pie tea (we had sole for lunch) and then quickly to do the last curtain rail before Della went to bed. She sweetly beckoned to me to put her in the cot and then we went through the normal routine of putting her chimes on and wishing her goodnight. I have now finished the last of the curtain rails and am quite relieved. The evening to finish off, tidy up, and put the ducks and doves away and also to put a roller catch on the stable door, which has been needed for some time. Quite worn out, I sank on the lounge settee. We saw today the damage wreaked by the gales, with fallen trees, fences and walls everywhere. At least nobody in the village was hurt. News tonight of American jets from the US 6th fleet being in action again against Libya, but they say it is not war. Four Libyan patrol boats and a missile base have been destroyed. They deny Soviet suggestions that they had provoked the action, even though they had deployed three aircraft carriers and the timing had coincided with Defence Budget wrangling on Capitol Hill. A High Court ruling ensured that a Labour NEC enquiry procedure had to allow witnesses to be heard on behalf of Militant and also excluded the use of evidence given in confidence. A Dutch court has turned down Britain’s request for the extradition of one Maze IRA escapee, but grant a request for another IRA member. Prince Andrew & Sarah Ferguson will be married at the Westminster Abbey on Wednesday 23rd July. Switzerland has ordered the freeze of all Marcos assets in an unprecedented recuperation of the impropriety of his plunder of the Philippines. 5 more people killed at Crossroads in South Africa – one of them a petrol-burned white policeman. Thatcher denied charges of trading shares, but she has held them contrary to the expectations of many. England lose the 3rd test and with it the series in the West Indies. A slight frost forecast for tonight, but a mild and windy day tomorrow.