A visit to Biggleswade in the pouring rain after playing with Della when she came in to wake me this morning and then home via Sandy garden centre and Eaton Socon where we bought some gammon, free of the supermarket’s additives, and then St Neots for some large shows and boots. Fred Astaire died today, aged 88, four men appeared in court charged with possessing stolen M72 antitank rockets for the IRA, another with handling £9m-worth of cocaine and political talks are mooted in South Korea after recent riots
Awoken this morning by a combination of my morning tea and a bouncy Daniella, who sat in my bed with me for half an hour playing ‘peep-bo’, ‘sleeping piggies’ and other childish games, which I had not the heart to interrupt. It had been the warmest night so far this summer, quite muggy and humid. Rather late down to breakfast, but it was only wheat flakes to eat. Out to feed the doves at 8.15am and also briefed Pete about the planting I had done yesterday, and what I wanted him to do today. I decided to go out with Di and Della this morning to do some shopping. We drove in the Range Rover to Biggleswade and first stopped at Jordan’s for two sacks of layers pellets for the ducks and a bag of mixed corn for the doves. Then into the centre of Biggleswade, where it is always refreshingly-easy to park right by the shops. Just as well this morning, as the rain began to pour down again – what a June this has been! We went to the cake shop for a nice morning drink, but I had to eat Della’s chocolate chip biscuit as she did not want it. Then to the butchers and supermarket for Di’s shopping. I had to carry Della with her legs under each side of my jacket to keep the rain off and her nappy.
From Biggleswade to Sandy where we drop in at Bickerdikes garden centre for a mint plant. At the builders supply depot opposite, they did not have the ‘finial’ T-shaped scaffold brackets that I needed for the new mooring poles. On to Eaton Socon, where we bought £10 worth of gammon for boiling as ham. I had been appalled by the supermarket’s ham having flavour enhancer, preservative and antidioxin additives and wanted us to try cooking our own. As we needed to get some size 12 trainer shoes for Daniel, we then stopped at the discount shoe shop in St Neots. I bought a pair of size 11 work boots as well, that I had needed for some time. Home and tried to work in my office, but was too bored & depressed by the rain. No play in the Lords cricket test, or on the first day of tennis at Wimbledon. This evening I tested Daniel for his chemistry exam and then tried fishing, but did not catch anything. News today is the death at 88 of Fred Astaire, the song and dance star of the pre-war era and partner of Ginger Rogers. Four men have appeared in Bristol Crown Court charged with dealing in stolen M72 anti-tank rockets for the IRA. They were sent to Glasgow by British Rail’s Red Star parcel service. Another man appeared in London charged with handling £9 million of cocaine (60 Kg). Litigants trying to sue US manufacturer Eli-Lely over side effects of OPREN have had their costs underwritten by an anonymous millionaire and the 1500 people will now be able to pursue the action to its conclusion. South Korea’s President, Chun Doo-hwan, has agreed to a dialogue with the political opposition following the street rioting and political pressure from the US. They will not respond, however, unless one of their number is released from house arrest.