Daniel helping me with the housed painting before going off for his hair cut and new pair of shoes after which Debbie seeks to share Daniel’s ‘friend’ Claire as The British Coal Chairman sounds in conciliatory mood but Labour want BT and British Gas re-nationalised and Paris and Chile survive terrorist attacks with General Pinochet lucky
Slept well and had to be woken with my morning tea and I was quite sluggish at first. Listened to the latest disasters on the radio and then went into the shower and also shaved before dressing. Down to breakfast and had wheat flakes and an apple juice. A little time reading the paper, then out to feed the doves, before collaring Daniel to help me with the house painting. Bored of just holding the ladder, he climbed up, as I held it, and did the brushing down of the old loose paint, before I took over and put on the new stuff. Made good progress until his friend Steve came and we stopped and had our morning drink.
After, Di took Daniel into St Neots for a haircut and also bought him a new pair of shoes for £40 – more than I would normally spend on myself – but he now has feet larger than mine! I carried on and got the second coat on the gable by Daniel’s room and then settled down to rest, waiting for my lunch. As they were late, I also made myself a pot of tea and watched the lunchtime TV news. More work this afternoon and evening, taking down the guttering above the south balcony, brushing off the old paint, filling up the holes of bird nests (which were many) and putting on two more coats. Also refitted the guttering and adjusted it properly to let the water run away, instead of lying there. The most difficult job was getting above the link building roof to the gable, which we did by laying a ladder with stand-off over the apex and crawling up gingerly. I will miss Daniel’s help when he goes back to school on Wednesday. Daniel spent more time with Claire today and so did Debbie, as she insists that Claire is her friend as well and so she goes over as a ‘gooseberry’, which does not please Daniel very much. Although the swimming pool is in its last few days use, they did not swim, as Claire is having a period. Once Deborah had returned from her latest visit to Claire tonight, I had cleared up and put the ducks away, I sat and watched a TV nature programme and shared two pears with her. We got just four from our riverside pear tree this year, which lasted just two nights. Just managed to update my diary before the news. News today is of rising antagonism between the US and USSR over the arrest of the US journalist, Nicholas Daniloff. The American administration hawks are baying for retaliation, but I hope that moderation will prevail and that it will not be allowed to hold up the Summit plans. Sir Robert Haslam, new Chairman of British Coal, has announced his plans for reconciliation and to consider the reinstatement of certain miners dismissed during the strike. He has gone above the NUMs head and made a pay award to miners without consultation. The Labour Party has announced plans for renationalising British Telecom and British Gas. At the inquest of the Manchester air disaster, it was revealed that the faulty engine combustion chamber was due to be tested the following day. There was also some confusion caused by lack of water points close to the aircraft. Dr Robert Runcie has visited the crossroads squatter camp and was horrified by the squalor there. No electricity or proper sanitation lead to smells, filth and disease. Archbishop Tutu has blamed apartheid and the Archbishop of Canterbury has called for an end to this system. They prayed for reform at the threatened church and then more formally at the Cape Town cathedral. A terrorist bomb has exploded at Paris City Hall. General Pinochet of Chile narrowly escaped death in an ambush that left five of his bodyguards dead and injured his left hand. 10 guerrillas opened up with machine guns, rocket launchers and other weapons. Opposition to his regime is growing and eight people died in a two-day protest in July. Pakistan opposition, Mrs Benazir Bhutto, has been released by the government one day before a court appearance aimed at securing her release. Prime Minister Thatcher opened a new Nissan factory in Tyne and Wear and was greeted by Japanese leaders. Pity she cannot back the British car industry, as this expansion will be at the expense of Austin Rover. Last month’s registrations showed record imports. After the sun of the last few days, chilly northern winds are rising and the nights are getting colder, with temperatures down to 4degC.