A fraught outing with the girls to Eaton Socon garden centre and then back to work in the riverside garden as the flood levels subsided and then a sandwich tea in the summerhouse with Daniel, Gary and Jason all joining the family before Daniel was sent to revise some Physics for tomorrow’s exams. The Druids and hen the Hippies celebrate the Solstice at Stonehenge. More trouble in South Korea, Gorbechev criticises the US over arms control and the are two large drugs raids seizing hashish and cocaine
Awoken a little early by Di and the two girls, who brought cards and small gifts for Father’s Day. Sat in bed and read yesterday’s paper for a long while, rather too tired to get up and dress immediately. Down to breakfast in my pyjamas and dressing gown, but was rather disappointed in the fried breakfast. Small mushrooms and thin, shriveled-up, bacon rather spoilt the meal. Soon shaved & washed after, dressed and out to feed the doves. I noticed that we only have three of the original flock now, and none of the second flock, the rest being ones that were born and bred at Little Paxton. Decided to go to Eaton Socon garden centre to get some stakes, cable ties and a few more plants and asked if the girls wanted to join me (Daniel had plans to go off by boat with his friends). Rather regretted asking them at first – the delays, tears and general fuss at doing anything was quite a strain to bear – but it was enjoyable in the end. We had an ice cream and the plants I bought were Box for completing my hedge. Home by 11.30am, having dropped Debbie off at St Neots Evangelical Church for her church service (the Laws are away again).
A little late to put the ducks out, but it gave the anglers opposite a rest. Not that they caught very much (an eel & perch) as the river is still in flood and very muddy. Still, it was down a bit and still slowly falling, which meant Daniel could put the Little Lady back into the harbour and David could bring his cruiser back onto the lower moorings. Marilyn’s daughter, Caroline, was down to help. She is back from Plymouth College for the summer and is much more self-confident and assured for her experience of being away from home. Soon it was time for lunch, but I did manage to start planting the shrub replacements for the front bed first. A nice meal of turkey and roast veg, ate simply in the breakfast room. Sat for a while in front of the TV for the teletext news. The weather today, though dry, was quite humid & warm and exhausting. Out again and spent the afternoon planting a row of 5 standard HT roses beside the front path and did a good job of it as well. Then Di served us all a sandwich tea by the summerhouse. Daniel’s friends Steve, Gary and Jason all joined us for the meal and Debbie & Dan helped carry the goodies down. We were fortunate to just miss a heavy shower – the only one we had today – but it cleared up so that I could plant a half dozen Santolina Incana shrubs by the river and re-fashion the sloping bank as well. By 7.00pm, I told the boys to clear up and got Daniel back in his room to do some physics revision for tomorrow’s exams. I came in exhausted as well, locked up the house & alarmed it and then sank down in front of the TV writing my journal. News overnight was of the Druids holding their dawn summer equinox service at Stonehenge, with the Hippies allowed to complete their own celebrations three hours later. Scores of exuberant Hippies were arrested for not waiting and trying to jump the fences, but police pronounced themselves satisfied with the outcome and it is hoped that conflict can be avoided in future years. An Edinburgh supermarket has had food cartons laced with Paraquat weedkiller and broken glass. More trouble in Soul, South Korea, with police and demonstrators clashing again. Gorbachev of the USSR has spoken out against Western progress on arms control and allows multiple candidates for elections for the first time. Drugs also make the headlines as a British drug gang is arrested for smuggling hashish in and out of Spain. Police in London found over 50 kilograms of cocaine in another unrelated raid in London.