Back to house decorating and adjusting doors after the delay of morning mist despite also supervising Daniel’s homework as Debbie attends brownies. This as Danilof is released in trade with Zakharov, leaving the progress of East/West arms talks unimpeded, Labour pledge to remove US nuclear weapons from the UK and expel Derek Hatton and the eight Liverpool militants. The new Dartford crossing will be a Toll bridge after Thatcher refuses to invest government money, Sterling plunges despite Bank of England support and the missing Sheffield solicitor, Ian Wood, who killed his French girlfriend and child at Ughill Manor and absconded with £100,000+ of clients’ money, was arrested today at the top of Amiens Cathedral in France after being talked out of jumping
A good night’s sleep and rest and got straight up after my morning tea and showered and shaved, arriving downstairs before the others at 7.30am. A while afterwards reading the Financial Times, because a foggy mist was to take a long while to clear. A little time in the office, clearing my desk and paying overdue bills, until, by 10.30am the mist had cleared and the window sills had dried out. After coffee, I worked on the office windows, replacing single screws with dual screws to increase their resistance to forcing.
Then up the ladder, but only managed to gloss the baby’s window before lunch, although it did enable Daniella to return to her room for her midday rest. Salad and rolls for lunch again and, after a little time watching the news on TV, back out to gloss the southern kitchen window. By this time the sun was up and temperatures were again in the 70sF. The builders were progressing the wall today, but quite slowly, as Sid seems to be less than fit to do the job, with at least a back problem. A change of task to the office French window and first adjusted the catch and security bolts, before taking off the door and fitting and wiring in an alarm contact at last. Egg pie and peas for tea and then finished the office door, putting on the weatherboard and filling the screw holes, ready for sanding tomorrow afternoon. Dark by the time I was clearing up at 7.30pm and then checked Dan’s work and found him a briefcase to use for school. No Country Companion for Debbie, as she was late at the Brownies, and the late evening watching TV. News today was of the release of Daniloff, after intense diplomatic activity and this clears the way for progress on the Summit. Although the US are denying any deal, it is expected that soon Zakharov will be released in exchange for a few dissidents. The missing Sheffield solicitor, Ian Wood, who killed his French girlfriend and absconded with £100,000+ of clients’ money, was spotted today at the top of Amiens Cathedral in France. He was threatening to take his life by jumping, but gave himself up and will be extradited to face charges in England. A bizarre end to a bizarre story. Although the Labour Party has decided that all US nuclear weapons would be expelled when they take office, shadow defence spokesman, Dennis Healey, says that it is not inconceivable that there would be any left. The Conference confirmed the sacking of the eight ‘Militants’ at Liverpool, including Derek Hatton and Mulhurne, even though the Militants walked out of the closed session and refused the opportunity to speak in their defence. The TSB share allocations were publicised today, with a lottery applying to halve the public applications accepted and reduce the amounts allotted. The asset giveaway is thus mostly to staff and customers, but I should get a few thousand, which should double in value. The pound was under pressure in the foreign exchange markets today and the Bank of England intervened heavily and spent a lot of money trying to hold the pound up, but it still fell by nearly half a cent. A toll bridge is to be built to augment the toll tunnel at Dartford, as the government is reluctant to invest any money, regardless of the merits of the case. A few more fine days forecast and so it seems I shall see September out, completing the decoration of the house and must wait for my rest.