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Daniel’s Birthday A good day for Daniel as he opened his presents and then his friends arrived for an outing to Letchworth swimming pool joined by Debbie and Emma too but their birthday lunch out somewhat spoilt their appetite for his birthday tea later. Seven police officers suspended after a suspect denied medical attention and died, Gartcosh steel mill closes today together with the 26th coal mine since the coal strike and two trees have flourished
Slept well and woke first on the first day of the school Easter holidays, which is also Daniel’s birthday. Di brought the drinks up to our room and Dan & Debbie joined us whilst he opened his cards and presents. Apart from a building society bankbook with £200 in from me, a host of £10 and £5 vouchers from everybody else. Breakfast and then we get washed and dressed and I rested in the lounge to review the mail and update yesterday’s journal. Daniel’s guests started arriving for the outing – first Steve, then Paul and lastly Gary. Also Debbie’s friend, Emma, came as well. Off in two cars to Letchworth swimming pool, where they swam and I sat it out for once. It is three weeks since my doctor’s appointment and no news from the specialist.
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Full day of activity, working on the Hayling View radiators, trying to choose new curtain material and submitting four dozen duck eggs into Shawe’s auction. Some timber purchased, some transactions and a Little Chef lunch before Diana takes the girls swimming and I relax with Daniel putting up cabinets and then watching Dallas on TV when he gets home. 32 more killed in South African unrest and a big UK clamp down on soccer hooliganism but the main news is of continued US strikes on Libya.
Still tired this morning after Monday night’s power cuts, but caught up on some of the sleep anyway. A slow start to the day, competing with the girls for use of the bathroom. The plumber arrives this morning and fits the replacement urinal and the last radiator. Whilst he does this, I put on the thermostatic valve tops and then turn each of the ones in the house so that they can be operated easily from the front. The swimming pool men are here today rendering the sides of the blocks to form a smooth curve. Nothing much in the morning mail and so out to the ducks and doves, who are quite hungry (only) 8 eggs today. Then to get ready a lot of jumble for Shawe’s auction, before relaxing with the family in the playroom with a mug of coffee.
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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.
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A cold and very windy day which prevented our cleaner and gardener from staying to work and there was debris everywhere in the strongest gales for 50 years which killed five people from falling trees etc. as the government launches a weak anti-smoking campaign, Eros is back in Piccadilly after restoration, OPEC talks collapse in Geneva and Libya and the US exchange missiles
Awoke on a cold morning, despite the heating being on. Gale force winds increased to storm force during the day, made venturing out unpleasant and let droughts pervade the house. Broken branches rained down and our gardener could not work out and the cleaner went home to look to the safety of her caravan parked outside. Breakfast of toast and fruit juice and then I get showered, shaved and dressed, so as to start on clearing out the house. I took apart our old desk and got it carted out to the garage, took down all of our rubbish and then put everything we did not need up in the loft. The plumber and builder arrived early and had replaced the split tank by mid-morning and the decorator hung around for most of the day doing a few finishing tasks to complete his work on the inside of the house.