More work on the riverside lawn on a cooler day until I took Debbie horse-riding and then I was swimming again with the children later as Di cleans The Lady with little Della ‘helping’. The NUM are fighting the imposition of a 6-day week, Vauxhall receive a huge vehicle order from Thorn-EMI and a ruling of the European Court in Strasbourg has led to Britain being found guilty of human rights abuses by not allowing parents to challenge Local Authority care orders for their children. Kinnock wins soft-left support in Labour shadow cabinet elections.
A nice cool night and so we slept soundly with the French windows closed and our other window ventilation was sufficient. Awoke to my morning tea and sat for a while, stiff after yesterday’s exertions. Up, showered, shaved and dressed and the first to start breakfast at 7.45am. Out straight after to the riverside lawn and worked until late morning on the section above the boat harbour, where the earth is more peaty and pliable from disposition. Tired myself out and then went in at midday to take Daniella for a pre-lunch swim in the pool. She only wears 5 of the polystyrene floats on her waist band now and will soon be swimming with no help at all.
Steak and kidney pie and veg. for lunch, when Daniel unexpectedly joined us, after breaking up from school today for the summer. It was speech day this morning and he was let off at lunchtime. He went round to Jason Chamber’s house this afternoon, Di went down and hosed the outside of The Lady, and I did paperwork in my office, typing letters to the Darlows (the boat transport people) and to claim for a dish-washer repair. Also started typing our letter of complaint to Hunts DC about the sewage overflows, but could only finish half of it before it was time for an early tea. Then I took Debbie off to Fitz Farm at Offord for her riding lesson. She rode Rumpold and managed him quite well for a hard lesson, full of lectures and strictures. They do 5-day schools in the summer and I have put her name down, though Di was not very keen when I came back and told her. Out again this evening, moving more earth and in at dusk to lock up. This evening, Di did more cleaning on The Lady, this time on the windows. Little Della and Debbie both crept down and played on The Lady as Di cleaned. Daniel had Paul and Jason round, but I chucked them out at 9.30pm and got Daniel to put away his bike and clear up the pool area. News today is of the delegates of the National Union of Miners agreeing to oppose 6-day week working by more than a 2-1 majority. Now an individual membership ballot will be held. The NUM also agreed that all full-time union officials, including Arthur Scargill, will have to be re-elected periodically. During further testimony by Lt Col Oliver North, he said that the diversion of Iran arms-deal funds to help the Contras was a ‘neat idea’. Vauxhall Motors of Luton have received a £160 million order for 2 years-worth, 20000 cars, from Thorn-EMI in the largest car order of all time. A ruling of the European Court in Strasbourg has led to Britain being found guilty of human rights abuses by not allowing parents to challenge Local Authority care orders for their children and our laws may have to be changed. In the Labour Party Shadow Cabinet elections by Labour MPs, Brian Gould, their election campaign manager, has topped the poll. The results herald a move to the Tribunite soft left supporters of Neil Kinnock. A fine and sunny day today, but cooler than of late.