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Working with Mr Larkin on the finishing touches to my river frontage and taking Debbie for her Ely Cathedral Service today as Iranian relations with Britain deteriorate, a bevy of tragedies hit the country and the polls still have Thatcher winning the election comfortably
Awoke early again after a more reasonable bedtime. The wind was up this morning, but it started dry and fine. A slow routine, but made it to the breakfast table with the family. Decided to go out in my working clothes first thing and, after feeding the doves, Mr Larkin arrived early and I tackled him about the pipe lengths and problems of them passing adequately through the sheeting. We worked on it together and he put on a couple of split pipe lengths as collars, which seemed to work. Carried on moving mud for most of the morning, as Larkin finished dredging our boat harbour entrance and trimming the sheet piling to the right length.
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A loud morning chorus today as I continue to try and train the house-martins and then work with Pete on the mud pile, before Larkin resumes dredging along our frontage and I install better water supplies. Thatcher’s opinion poll lead over Kinnock is still narrowing, the Foreign office is flying home British nationals from Iran, eight die in gold-mine clashes in South Africa but the 17,000 rail workers sacked for striking are re-instated but more strikes are planned
A little late to bed last night, but was still woken up at 6.00am by the tremendous noise that the birds make at this time of year. Di brought me my morning tea early and I sat in bed and watched the bright day outside whilst I drank it. Up and ready a good half hour before breakfast and so I went out to do a few chores. First I got out the ladder and got up to the eaves where the house martins are trying to build a nest. Cleared the mud away and then took the ladder round the house to look at the dovecote. The eldest chick is fine, but the smaller one is dead and so I turfed its body out. Checked the pool and had to put some more chlorine in it. Poor thing is being rather ignored at the moment and I decided to switch off the heating for a few days.
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Preparing and attending my accountants meeting this morning, agreeing with Mr Larkin to undertake more dredging, wiring up the summer house and listening to the Thatcher government trying to defend National Health waiting list delays and of the plight of Tamils on the Jaffna peninsular
Awake and up very early this morning after a late and alcoholic night. Wanted to work on my financial summaries ahead of my accountants meeting this morning and so showered, shaved and dressed quickly and spent an hour at my desk before breakfast. The morning meal with the family and then back to work, listening to the radio at the same time. Glad to type a lot of the contents into the computer, but it was an impossible task to finish it and so I broke off for coffee and made my way into St Neots to see him at 10.15am. Chatted for an hour, reviewing the status of my tax affairs and identifying the outstanding action necessary on both sides and then drove home amidst more showers, some heavy. Reviewed the progress of gardener and riverbank contractor. Pete was being pursued by the doves, who were eating the new bedding plants until they were fed some seed and lettuce.
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Renewing the glass in the summer house as Mr Larkin eventually gets a handle on our spring water problem, then to the riding stables with Debbie and to talk to Little Paxton school about my forthcoming history talk before some time with Nigel putting the world to rights. India aid boats to the Tamils were turned back today and the Tory’s election lead is narrowing according to the opinion polls.
After a late night, was awoken at my normal 7.00am rising and drank my tea before going through the customary ablutions. During this process, I heard the engine noise of the digger and found that the JCB was gone by the time I had got down at 7.30am. I had arranged for Pete to be there by 7.00 and so he was able to let the driver out and clear up the mud from the path and road as it made its exit. Pete worked all day in the end, as the weather meant that it was not suitable for his other job. He is obviously rueing the physical and onerous nature of the work, as he asked for a pay increase on the strength of the work! I worked from after breakfast until lunch re-glazing the summerhouse. The original erection had been done without putty in the windows and, after replacing the broken window, I felt that the rest ought to be properly done.