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On a fine, sunny, humid and warm day, a trip to Cambridge for both the family and our French guests and then back home with Daniel’s friend Gary so that they could both swim and play with the girls until they were exhausted. The winter covers off of The Lady today and our first trip around the island as a trial. Encouraging signs for the forthcoming East-West Summit, UN peace-keeping forces in the South Lebanon complain of an Israeli ‘scorched earth policy’, funerals and convictions in Ulster, and more Guinness revelations with £5m unaccounted for.
Slept well and woke to my morning tea on a mild and misty morning. Showered, shaved and was the last down to breakfast. A large table with Natalie & Caroline joining us. They ate some toast and us some Rice Crispies with various drinks to taste. A little more conversation, though not much and soon it was time for the girls to leave for their day trip. Debbie joined Di to take them to the village hall and off they went on a trip to Cambridge. It was our day to visit that city as well and we took the Daimler and dropped it off for a 1,000 mile service. A long walk into the city centre and we first had our morning drinks at Eaden Lilley’s coffee shop. Di’s parents were looking after Katherine and Della and Debbie enjoyed playing with her a lot. Daniel then went off to find his friend Gary and they rendezvoused with us later at the Copper Kettle.
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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.
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Difficult day recovering from my eye injury as it was not comfortable to read but I made up stories for Debbie at bedtime and she was first to use the pool as Daniel went off in his boat. Gales In Zeebrugge broke the lines securing the wreck and delayed recovery of the bodies and it is the eve of last-ditch talks for Reagan with the USSR for an arms deal but the Russian space craft finally docks with the space station after problems are surmounted
A sound and comfortable night during which I slept well. This was a relief after all of the problems and worries of yesterday. Laid in bed a while, listening to the religious programmes on the radio and also farming programmes reporting the distress of dairy farmers due to the milk quotas. Then showered and shaved and got down to the breakfast table in time to help Daniella avoid a tantrum. It was fried egg, bacon and tomato and fruit juice to drink. Debbie’s friend ,Amy (and her family), were away for the weekend and so Debbie could not go to St Neots evangelical church. I offered to phone Mrs Rocket of the Little Paxton C of E Sunday school, but Debbie did not want to go there today. A restful morning resting without doing much. The TV and any reading make my eye irritate.
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Planning my new conservatory and viewing the St Ives antique auction on a cold and blustery day before a family lunch before home to allow Daniel access to his boat after the flood water was receding and a relaxing evening planned before Debbie accidentally injures my eye and we spend the evening at Hinchingbrooke casualty department. The news of the callous execution of two young reservist policemen in Portrush and of an official at the Irish Embassy in London being caught producing forged passports for Arabs for £15,000 each
A much better night’s sleep started with a cooler bed and more comfortable circumstances. Awake to my morning tea, showered and dressed in good time, then in to my office to re-sketch my plan for the new conservatory, so as to be able to send a copy to Marston and Langinger for them to advise. Managed this and was ready with the others when it was time to leave for St Ives. The long process of locking up and alarming the building, then off in the Range Rover with Di driving so that I could review the morning paper and mail. More brochures from the conservatory manufacturers and some, interesting. I am wondering whether a classical design would be more appropriate for our house – or something more modern. Arrived in St Ives and parked in the converted market and walked in on a cold and blustery day.