Planing the rubbing strakes of The Lady to improve chances of navigating through Willington Lock and then varnishing the resulting woodwork twice today before taking Debbie to an eventful riding lesson. It seems that there will not be an enquiry into the anti-Wilson MI5 scandal as the government wants truth to remain hidden, an American is jailed for 9 years for smuggling cocaine into the UK, the US Irangate scandal grows and Carl Channell implicates Lt Col. Oliver North and others and Westland Helicopters is shedding 900 jobs after the Sikorsky takeover
A poor night, first feeling rather hot and sunburnt, then Di has several pains and problems. Eventually she moves to the spare room and we both sleep. A little slow getting ready for breakfast, but the rest of the family are even more sluggish. Little Della gets on well at mealtimes these days, out of the high chair and in a child’s seat, she holds her spoon properly and is now well behaved since we moved her on to the end of the table. I go out to The Lady and, before Daniel goes to school, get him to help me lower the roof off of its supports. Just as well, for it soon showers with rain, but the new paint and polish keep the boat safe. Swap all of the boats round at the moorings, so that I can moor The Lady at a low wall and get to her sides. I spend time planning the rubbing strake, so as to try to solve my width problems at Willington Lock, then scrape down the rest of it and sand to prepare it. By midday I was quite tired of the physical activity and so go in and watch the TV snooker, so as to wait for Diana’s return and lunch. Back out afterwards, complete the preparation, and manage the first coat of varnish before my afternoon cup of tea.
An early tea to eat then, for today is riding day, and we have to go the long way round by the A1 due to the Mill Lane road works. An interesting lesson. First, one girl rider (who has fallen before) has hysterics and refuses to mount up. Then another girl falls, but Debbie enjoys trotting Barbie around the field, both pony and rider getting used to the open air this Spring. Home to find Daniel has been swimming with Della, but has not started his prep and so go through his books with him and see that there is plenty to do. I go out to The Lady again, rather late, but can only find time to put another coat of varnish on the gunwale before is time to put the doves and ducks away, lock up the house and then settle down to watch an international England vs Turkey football match on TV. A dismal and drab affair, in a high wind and on a bouncy pitch, which ends 0-0. The England players are excused as feeling the after effects of the Easter football programme, but I do not know. The news tonight is of the political parties putting their houses in order prior to the June election. The Labour Party has dropped Sharon Atkin, a militant black woman member from the parliamentary candidacy for Nottingham East, after she had made disparaging remarks against the party. American financier, David Medin, has been jailed for 9 years at the Old Bailey for his part in a Mafia plot to flood Britain and Europe with cocaine. The row continues over the MI5 anti-Wilson scandal and speculation continues over whether there will be a satisfactory enquiry into it. In the US, political fund raiser, Carl Channell, has pleaded guilty to defrauding the US government of more than $2 billion arising from the Irangate arms scandal. He implicates Oliver North as well in his testimony. The ‘Herald’ enquiry goes on, with more horrific tales of passengers falling across the ship and through plate glass windows. Westland Helicopters says that 900 jobs may have to go at its Weston Super Mare plant, but has yet to give out plans for its main plant at Yeovil, Somerset, which is also threatened. So much for the Sikorsky rescue! The weather is cloudy and sun alternating.