A better day after a good night’s sleep and the children all enjoying the swimming pool today which reached 77degF and then the two French exchange students arrived to stay. Religious leaders in South Africa sponsor protests against imprisonment without trial and the occupying Libyans are defeated in Chad and lose huge amounts of equipment during their unseemly withdrawal from an arms dump and the airport. Clyde-side Govan shipbuilders win £50m orders but Harland & Wolf have to lay off a 500 Belfast workers after another 800 recently
Another good night’s sleep and then awoke to my morning tea, getting showered and shaved so as to get down in good time for breakfast. A boiled egg with toast fingers and then cereal to follow for the children. A bit milder this morning and the swimming pool even warmer at 77degF. The children opted to go swimming after breakfast and took to it like ducks to water. I got in trouble with Diana, who had planned to take the girls shopping in a well organised day ahead, but I helped them in and out and made sure that the pool toilets were dried out and their swimming costumes and towels hung up to dry. I then confined the girls to the playroom, Daniel went down to his boat, and I waded my way through today’s crop of computer papers, circulars and post.
Di came back and delayed lunch, which was finally served at 1.30pm. The children swam again after and then played this afternoon. I helped to keep Della happy and then, once she had gone off to sleep for an afternoon nap, I went back to my office and started to write a general letter of further reply and enquiry to those conservatory companies who have sent brochures and information. Back to look after a grumpy Della (who had woken up) whilst Di finished making the tea and then took Debbie and Daniel to collect our two French schoolgirls from the Riverside car park. They all returned and there started a rather difficult evening. The girls knew no more English than Daniel knew French and both he and they were quiet and shy. I took all of the conversation myself at the dining table, then got Debbie to show the girls round the house, and Daniel to show them around the gardens. The French girls stayed in their rooms mostly tonight, writing home to tell of safe arrival and then retiring at an early bedtime, which we encouraged. News today is of open disobedience in South Africa by religious ministers and black leaders over the legalisation to outlaw protest at the imprisonment and detention of people without trial. A bureaucratic disaster today by the Attorney General’s office, with regard to the English fans under deportation order to face trial for causing the Heysel Stadium deaths in 1985. The High Court allowed warrants to be quashed after evidence had expired through not being presented within 2 months. An amazing defeat for the Libyans occupying the north of Chad, as a small Chadian expeditionary force overwhelmed a spectacularly armed Libyan airport and arms store. Nearly 1 billion dollars-worth of equipment is seized, as ill-trained and badly disciplined troops are overwhelmed. News in the shipyards as first Govan Shipbuilders on the Upper Clyde wins a big order for £50 million-worth of ships for the National Shipping Line of China, safeguarding nearly 2000 jobs. Worse news at Harland & Wolff, as they have to make 500 of their Belfast workers redundant, after recently releasing a further 800 already.