Late start to the day due to rain as Di took the kids shopping in Bedford but I then drove to Buckden to remind Richard about The Lady being transported to Norfolk on Tuesday. The news is of more friction between France and Iran but of Thatcher supporting the beleaguered US President Reagan as Yorkshire miners are threatened with dismissal, Geoffrey Archer’s libel case concludes and actor Alfie Bass dies, aged 71.
Slept well enough, though it was cooler than of late. Awoken to my morning tea and then my daughters in turn came in to see me. They were full of beans and quite a trial for a father with bleary eyes. Breakfast with the family, keeping order in my new position at the table. Then retired to my office to read the paper and the morning mail. Many computer journals to go through yesterday and today, but not much the wiser as a result. Then to my desk and finished sorting out the photographs for my scrap book and then sticking them in. Wrote a letter to Gladys Hazelton returning hers, given on loan, and then tidied up and filed everything away before lunch. It was raining this morning and Pete could not come and cut the lawns. Back-flushed the swimming pool filter before lunch as well, as it stopped drizzling at last. It was quite dirty and the cause of the trouble we have been having recently. Gave Daniella a swing in the back garden, whilst Di made a pork pie salad for me. She had taken Daniel and Della shopping in Bedford this morning with Deborah still at school.
This afternoon, I watch TV for a while where the sports programme was the Open Golf championships played in pouring rain. After tea at 3.30pm, I did start to get going. Della had a friend, Cary, to play and Yvonne joined Di to look after them. Debbie came home from school with her friend Helen and they enjoyed a swim with Daniella. I spent a while sorting out my shed and then drove to Buckden Marina for some plumbing fittings. I reminded Richard, the Operations Manager, about the boat carriage needed for Tuesday. Home to tea and then the evening in The Lady starting to take the water system apart and put it back together. The ducks and doves away and then in at dusk to my journal and the TV news. A principal story is of France breaking off diplomatic relations with Iran after another row. Thatcher is in the US for a day and went out of her way to praise the besieged President Reagan in return for his support during the UK election. At the Irangate hearings, John Poindexter’s testimony was greeted with scepticism, as he repeated that he had not told the President of the funds diversion to the Contras. Former Guinness Director, Thomas Ward, has been ordered to repay over £5m lost during the Saunders share support scheme. Miners striking over the revised disciplinary code have been threatened with dismissal in what could be a repeat of the miners’ strike. The final day of evidence took place in the Geoffrey Archer libel case, with vitriolic exchanges of evidence taking place. The case is adjourned until Tuesday. Actor Alfie Bass – the ‘Bootsie’ of ‘Bootsie and Snudge’ has died today aged 71. The stock exchange retreated from record levels today. More showers, cloud and rain are forecast for the next few days.