Working on the moorings and swimming in the pool on a very warm and humid day and organising a barbecue by the river to take advantage of it. Then more earth shifting all evening as Daniel and Jason went off in their boats until late, worrying their mothers. The Liberal/SDP merger talks generate more friction but the members will settle the issues in a ballot. Three US soldiers are killed in an explosion in Bavaria, and Cleveland Social Services are under siege due to their child-abuse doctor referrals with 20 court cases pending
Was fast asleep this morning when Di woke me with my morning tea. It had been a hot and humid night and I had shed my pyjama top to keep cool. To the bathroom for a shave and then I rounded up Daniel, Debbie and Della and took them swimming in the pool to cool off. This early in the morning it was still 70degF outside the pool and was to become more than 80degF later. In to have our fried breakfast, which Di had cooked perfectly for once. After this I went down to the riverside and put on the two remaining mooring post caps, despite Daniel nagging me to take him to get some petrol. I gave in afterwards and filled up his 5-gallon tank on the understanding that he would clean the Range Rover and polish the Daimler for it. He then cleaned the Range Rover until Jason arrived and then they played on their boats all day.
After a coffee on the front lawn, I resumed the chore of moving earth by ‘Bill’s shed’, making this area flat as well. With an hour before lunch, I jumped into the swimming pool again, playing at a ball throwing game with Daniel and Jason until our last call for lunch. A necessary relief from the heat and humidity, as the temperature was in the 80’sF by this time and still cloudy and humid at that. A nice lunch of roast lamb and I then returned to the riverside, just upstream of the boat harbour, to move more earth and flatten off a whole area there. In late afternoon, it was time for a barbecue and I was not very keen on breaking off, but Di and I eventually did it between us and I had to eat 4 pork shish kebabs, as nobody else wanted them. This evening I continued earth shifting, but was upset by Daniel and Jason disappearing in their boats again and not returning until 9.30pm. Daniel was supposed to polish my Daimler tonight and forgot and Jason’s parents were looking for them as well. Di was worried that something had happened, as he is normally expected back by 7.00pm. Kids! The SDP/Liberal Alliance row continues to develop, as Bill Rogers criticises David Owen over his stance and 80 SDP candidates write to SDP President, Shirley Williams, complaining about the biased nature of the ‘anti-merger’ ballot questions. Liberal President, Des Wilson, publishes a book full of criticism about David Owen’s moody and dominant attitude during the campaign and David Owen himself repeats his pledge not to join a merged party, even though David Steel appealed to him to change his mind. I am sure that this mess will be rectified by the SDP membership voting to merge anyway. A dynamite explosion has killed three US soldiers at an army base in Bavaria, Germany, and many more are seriously injured. The Cleveland Social Services Department has said that some of the child abuse cases had come from social worker referrals, but has also confirmed that this number is small and that most arose from the referrals by the two controversial hospital doctors. Court cases come up tomorrow, as 20 parents try to get their children back. More contaminated food has been found at a second Edinburgh supermarket, as somebody seems to have a grudge. No rain today and tomorrow should also be bright and dry, if there are no thunderstorms. The games lawn is drying out again and I hope for two dry days to be able to get on it.