Diana still ill and now not wanting to go to the Barn dance on a day when I had to undertake the shopping and meals as well as attending to the post-installation defects in my driveway and show lots of people around my riverside lawn landscaping . HM The Queen completes her historic visit to China with Prince Phillip’s ‘slitty eyes’ gaffe forgotten or, at least, overlooked.
Awoke early to tea from Di, on a morning where each week Daniel has to be earlier to leave for school. There is no Kimbolton School bus from Little Paxton and Dan has to walk to St Neots on Saturdays. I got dressed in my old clothes and, after breakfast, went out to start moving stray tools from the inner garage to the riverside workshops. Whilst doing this, I found my pliers and offered to help Diana put on a new ironing board cover – what a job it was – as the cover was not the correct one for the board and we only accomplished it after a 1 ½ hour struggle. Could not do much for lack of energy and so changed to take the girls to town to meet Daniel from his school bus and do some essential shopping.
Di left by the side of the house to avoid the neighbours. She has been ill for a couple of days and, now well, wishes to miss the barn dance tonight, to avoid further upset. Whilst waiting for Dan, set Di off to get the shopping, but had to do it myself, as she could only shop effectively in supermarkets, which take up too much time. I found no difficulty with the bakers and grocers shops. All together and so off to the Croxton Happy Eater, which is now taken over from Tempsford, because of the better service and facilities. At this time of year there is less traffic along the A45 than the A1. Home afterwards and I started work on the asphalt drive, with flat shoes, tramping down high spots and edging with a lump hammer and filling in the holes with more of the dust from a bag the contractors had left. Broke off to bring back Daniel and Deborah from St Neots by car (as they had walked there together and got tired). Then Nigel arrived to see the results of the land clearance and agreed that Robin had done a good job. Back to my tamping, interrupted again by neighbours, Chris and the Norfolk woman, who I took over to show the games lawn area as well. Tea called and we had bread and jam and, as it got dark after, I let Daniel in the garage to try to mend his bicycle, before his friend Paul called by and showed him a new computer game until late. I was tired tonight and almost fell asleep as I read part of a Country Companion to Debbie. I laid on the settee in front of the TV, relaxing, until the TV news came on in mid-evening. The main pictures were of the Queen in a carnival atmosphere, put on by the Chinese, as she completed her visit to China. A very warm send off at the end of this historic visit of a first British Monarch to China. The appalling gaffe by Prince Philip appears to have been forgotten or, at least, overlooked. He had said, "If you stay here much longer, you will go home with slitty eyes." To 21-year-old British student Simon Kerby during the visit! Back home, the stark realities of more sectarian killings in Northern Ireland, as the funerals were taking place of the last victims. The Cheltenham Gold Cup trophy has been stolen in Ireland from its incumbent owner. The England hockey team have made history by getting through to their first ever World Cup final, after being a goal behind with a minute to go. We had rain last night, again today and it is forecast to be damp overnight, before getting brighter and colder tomorrow.