Another working day on The Lady applying varnish to make her look the best ever with Paul visiting Daniel such that they both enjoyed his boat and the pool. Planning for the dredging and river work to commence as Thatcher and France’s Jacques Chirac have talks and agree that keeping their nuclear deterrent is paramount despite US/USSR disarmament and the Caterpillar factory workers near Glasgow end their plan occupation as redundancy still threatens
A long night’s sleep and Di slayed in until 8.30am and delayed the family’s start to the day. Morning tea and then showered, shaved and dressed in my work clothes for breakfast. Not ready yet and so I sat in the lounge with the week’s local papers, cutting out items for my Little Paxton scrapbook. Called to a nice fried breakfast and then went out afterwards to start work on The Lady. It had been a fine night, with very little dew, which was just as well, as I had not covered up the boat. First wiped over the superstructure to mop up the drips of condensation in the misty early morning, then used the time while it dried to scrape and sand off the sliding door panels. Then the start of the long process of using the mahogany coloured Ronseal varnish to redden up the faded woodwork and harmonise and deepen the varied colour patterns that had been making The Lady look scruffy. A task that lasted before and after coffee, lunch and afternoon tea. By then I had finished applying over a litre of varnish over the last two days, as the woodwork looked the best it had ever been.
Still another coat needed for the starboard side in the morning. Another dry, warm and still day and two more forecast, which should see the superstructure done and much besides. Daniel had his friends Steve and Paul around today and they enjoyed his boat and swimming pool. Debbie went to her Brownies church parade for St George’s Day. Spoke to our neighbours about our dredging and piling work and now wait for the start tomorrow. Am planning the height of the quay-heading 3ft above low water. The news today is about the IRA ambush of the Ulster Judge and his wife. Speculation is rife about how the terrorists were able to know the Lord Judge’s movements, but the Irish government have denied reports that there must have been an intelligence leak from the Garda to the IRA. The sad death today of John Silkin, the 64 year old former Labour government Chief Whip. He was already retiring and was not going to contest his seat at the next election. Talks in London today between Thatcher and the French Prime Minister, Jacques Chirac. Discussions were centred on the forthcoming US/USSR arms talks, where both Thatcher and Chirac want to keep their nuclear weapons. We must hope that they cannot snooker the chances of an arms deal that would remove cruise missiles from Greenham and Molesworth. The workers in the Uddington, near Glasgow, Caterpillar factory have voted to end their plant occupation and accept the terms of a negotiated redundancy settlement over its closure. It seems Sir Monty Finniston is due to take over the plant with a company setting out to make all-terrain vehicles.