Sunny and Showery day for the visit of my parents, Fred and Grace Broad, and the trial drive in my new Range Rover as Russia announces their latest diplomatic sanctions against the US and the execution of ‘spy’ Adolf Tolkachev whilst the UK is preoccupied with the level of pension and benefit increases and the Labour and Liberal/SDP alliance parties settle their policies and appointments
Snuggled up together on a cold night and then slept well until woken by Di with my morning tea. Sat in bed reading the rest of the Range Rover owner’s manual and made myself late for breakfast. A couple of croissants heated in the microwave and a little fruit juice to wash them down. No FT today, probably because of a dispute or breakdown, so I started to work outside for a while, until coffee. Then the gas fitter arrived and made my hair stand on end with his handling of the Moffat cooker. Why is it that they are always so sullen and resentful? By the time he had left, Di was back from her first trip out in the Range Rover. I had checked its identification numbers and ascertained that its engine is a high compression version, with fuel injection.
By now it was time for another salad lunch and then Mum phoned to tell me that they planned a trip over this afternoon. Still had time to go down to the slipway and assemble a trestle out of scaffolding and brackets. I fixed on the cable and tried to haul up the winch a little, but it seemed quite stuck. The river is coming up again and in normal years would be flooding by now, but it has been so dry in recent months, that it is only moderately high. Spent a while moving some of our timber up out of the rivers way and will have to saw it up into logs with Pete when I get time. Tired, in to get a cup of tea, as Di had gone out for a while, and so watched a little snooker on TV until my parents arrived. Mum seems to have recovered from her recent fall, but is still dragging a leg and finding movement difficult. The girls come back with Di and enjoyed playing with their Nanny and Grandad. Then I took Dad for a walk round the gardens and a trial drive in the Range Rover and he liked it. I took my life in my hands and, taking down the barrier, drove the wagon into the outer garage and breathed a sigh of relief when the asphalt remained undamaged. A nice tea and then they left, after not staying too long, with Mum a little tired. This evening, Di and Dan watched the TV, riveted to the latest episode of Dallas that saw hero ‘Bobbie’ raised from the dead to suit the programme directors. In between, I arranged for ½ cubic metre of ready-mixed concrete to arrive in the morning. Elsewhere, the Russians announce their latest response to the US diplomatic expulsions. 5 more US diplomats must go and also Moscow is withdrawing 260 local employees from the US Embassy in Moscow and the Consulate in Leningrad. Meanwhile a Soviet citizen, Adolf Tolkachev, was executed for spying for the West. The Labour Party National Executive Councillors have ruled against the choice of Les Huckfield, a left-winger, as the new candidate in Merseyside and insisted on a Kinnock supporting moderate instead. A meeting of Liberal MPs agreed a nuclear defence policy tonight and this seems likely to heal the breach with the SDP. A new OPEC oil quota deal has been agreed, but it may only stabilise the presently sluggish oil market. The DHSS has announced a 2.1% increase for pensions and other benefits, in line with the low point of inflation and the opposition condemn them as paltry. After today’s changeability and mixture of sun and heavy showers, tomorrow is due to be much colder, after a clear night and windy too.