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Dragging the moorings for weed growth after arranging booms and then a nice meal by the river as I fished and Daniel cleaned his boat on a very muggy and warm day. The Cleveland ‘abuse’ row continues, Wimbledon champion Boris Becker lost to an unknown Australian, David Steel the Liberal leader insisted again that his party must merge with the SDP and more riots take place in South Korea
A poor night’s sleep again. Too warm and muggy for most of the time and then the night was over. Sat listening to the radio with my morning tea, too tired to do anything else. Eventually up, showered and dressed and found I was not then the last one down to breakfast. Melon to eat again, which we all enjoyed, though each still had another dish afterwards (wheat flakes for me). Read the morning paper and reviewed the morning mail, before Di left with Della to do some shopping in town. Then I went out and did a little work – made up a boom from two timbers and tied it up outside the boat harbour to stop debris from floating in, then made up a drag from two hand sickles and a piece of sheet and dragged the weed from off of the moorings.
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Through the rain to Little Paxton County Primary School to give several talks to the pupils of the history of the village and then home to catch a nice roach fishing and to tend the doves and ducks. Justifiable over the Cleveland District Council’s (Teeside) decision that 200 children need putting into care because of ‘child abuse’ by their parents and Thatcher’s controversial Poll Tax is in the Queen’s Speech.
Rather a late and then restless night as the weather is getting warmer. Awoke quite early and washed my hair as well as showering and shaving. Dressed in corduroy trousers and best sports jacket and then packed my file and notes needed for my talk to Little Paxton School pupils. Took my umbrella, as it was drizzling and walked to the school to arrive by 9.15am and to meet Mrs Barlow, Debbie’s teacher. I was shown to the music room, where a screen was put up and I talked through 25 or so slides on the Little Paxton walk to the first class, telling them all about the historical significance of the buildings and features, and incorporating many stories to maintain their interest. I was given a cup of coffee in the staff room and then gave the same talk to a combined audience of two more classes. Rewarding to see how the little children enjoyed the talk and I answered literally dozens of questions.
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Mostly at home today working but visiting dentist and the garden centre in Eaton Socon later and noting that my old Comart building still displays that name despite the news that it is being merged under the Kode Computers name. Also taking Debbie for her horse-riding lesson on Rumpold and then listening to the Queen’s Speech for the opening of parliament with the worrying rumour about schools charging for extra-curricular lessons.
Awoke to my morning tea and was too slow to escape Daniella, who played in my bed a while pretending to be a ‘baby lion’. Eventually ready for breakfast. We had a rather overdone boiled egg each, which meant that the yokes were rather too hard to dip the toast fingers in. Rather cross at breakfast because Diana and Daniel were against my plans to stop the illegal cycling on the footpath past our house and so I decided that it was not worth bothering if they were going to cycle in defiance! Read the morning paper in the lounge, reviewed the morning mail as well. A press release from Kode – Comart is to be no more as they are merging it with Kode Ltd to be Kode Computers Ltd. Ian Nickson becomes Technical Director, Murray Dolan Service Director and Bob King of Kode becomes the Managing Director. It had to happen one day, but it is sad nevertheless.
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A better day for working and catching up in my office, buying 40,000 shares in Rolls Royce, as Di took my Range Rover to Cambridge with Della and then my first fish for a while, a nice roach. George McRobbie, my forester for Thormaid was in the news defending our plantings in the Highlands, there is civil unrest in Liverpool and Leeds, with youths attacking and injuring police and then an actual police death in Belfast as the Civil Service unions are divided over taking industrial action
A good early night and sleep afterwards, but woke quite early to the birds singing and the morning sun. To the shower earlier than usual and washed my hair as well, because it was getting a bit greasy. To my office then for half an hour before breakfast, as managed to start work on my papers in good heart. Breakfast with the others, then briefed Di on a few jobs that I wanted her to do and then let her go in the Range Rover to Cambridge for her normal Tuesday trip. I settled back into my office and worked the rest of the morning. I reconciled my credit card account, querying a transaction by phone, then typed up letters to Fountain Forestry, Alf Congers and the Clerk to Little Paxton Parish Council on a number of issues. This morning there was no play in the test match and it was abandoned as a draw. More rain at Wimbledon as well and so there were no distractions for my work. Made myself a fine salad lunch with the start of the ham that we had bought and cooked yesterday. It had been in the oven all evening and was cooked just fine. Went through to the lounge to relax afterwards and see the news and was surprised to see a news item showing my forest in Caithness and including an interview with George McRobbie of Fountain Forestry, defending the latest attack by the RSPB on the plantation of parts of the ‘Flow Country’.