A fine and busy day for me working on my investments, taking Di to the new Cambridge Grafton centre, and then returning to carry on painting and helping Daniel with his homework and reassuring Debbie a Diana hosts her friends overlooking the sunny riverside gardens. East/West arms control still heading the news with the LibDems narrowly coming out for a non-nuclear defence policy and sporting expulsions dominate the back pages
A reasonable night and awoke to my morning tea on a misty morning. Showered and shaved, also washing my hair, and once dressed, walked out to take the morning air. It was very mild for the time of year, and still. Caught up with Daniel and got him to clear up very untidy room and then we all enjoyed a boiled duck egg (except Diana) with toast fingers to dip in. Daniel and Debbie to school and I worked at my desk for a while, sorting the pile of papers and reconciling my bank and credit card accounts.
Then to hear from Gerard Chadwick, who had not received the TSB papers to sign and so I made them all out again, only to find that he got them in a later post! We therefore set off late to Cambridge and, once there, found that Simpers had not finished renovating the boat cover either. Drove to the Grafton Centre by the back streets, as the city centre car parks were already full, with the cars queuing. Di enjoyed the shopping there, after we had sat in the ‘open air’ café for morning coffee. The whole area is under cover of a glass roof and now that the day was warm and sunny, I found it a bit stuffy and claustrophobic. Lunch at Debenhams and then to the car in the integral car park and drove home. We stopped at the builders supplies merchant on the way, but could not get the cornflower coloured Dulux gloss paint that we wanted. Once home, Diana’s friends arrived to sit out with their young children in the sun and watch over the riverside gardens. After a mug of tea, I went into the back garden to wipe the window frames on the upper floor and undercoat the patches already painted with preservative primer yesterday. Then made two weatherboards and secured them to the lounge French windows before glossing the windows in Debbie’s room and the bathroom. Stopped during the proceedings for a tea of cockles and plums to follow. As I worked, Daniel kept coming for advice with his homework and then to check his efforts afterwards. Sat with Debbie for a while to settle her for the night and heard of her fears of being stabbed by a strange man and I hope she will not now have that dream again. News today was made at the Liberal Conference, where a motion calling for a non-nuclear defence policy was narrowly carried, despite opposition from David Steel and the party leadership. A passionate debate took place, but left the Liberal Party as the only party to pursue nuclear disarmament. There is increased optimism today that the US/USSR Summit will go ahead, but Soviet Foreign Minister, Eduard Shevardnadze, criticised the Americans for continuing underground testing and pursuing ‘Star Wars’ when Russia favoured ‘Star Peace’. Israeli war planes have attacked South East Beirut in the Lebanon, bombing allied Palestinian targets. Thatcher has expressed concern at the disqualification of Luton from the League Cup yesterday, but she and her ministers know nothing of the game. Geoffrey Boycott has been sacked by Yorkshire Cricket Club, after 24 years of service as the internecine strife continues. How this once-great cricket club could come to this ridiculous outcome, I would never know. Fog forecast overnight, but then the fine weather to continue.