A calmer and more conciliatory family day with Daniel pledged to wear slippers to protect his long-suffering toe during which I went out to clear the gutters, downpipes and dovecotes and restoring water to the moorings before time in front of the Tv for today’s stories. Crime incidents are rising and detection rates falling in this divided society, a 17-year-old mental patient is to be sterilised, a million schoolchildren misses half a day’s lessons today, the government implements hasty legislation to fine airlines for bringing in refugees to Britain and Sir Michael Havers is all set to try and appeal in the Australian MI5 case
A deep sleep and then reluctant to awake at the usual time. Daniel had stubbed his toe a couple more times and is now pledged not to run around the house and to wear slipper at all times. Showered, shaved and ready for breakfast, at which we all had to spoon cereal from a large serving bowl and pour milk from a jug. I have now banned the large and cumbersome cereal packets and bottle of milk from the table. A sunny, if cool day, forecast to turn cloudy and wet later and so I went out after breakfast into the grounds, to do a few jobs that needed the dryness that the last few says sun and drying breeze had given us.
First, I cleared out the dovecotes from layers of nesting material, droppings and the few maggots that thrive on the mess. Then I went up the step ladder and cleared out all of the downpipes underneath the balconies that had been blocked with last autumns leaves and the winters dove droppings. It was then time for a salad lunch and, after watching the 1.00pm news, I went up the ladders again to clear out and unblock the roof gutters and high downpipes. I could reach most of them by putting the step ladder on the balconies, and the rest with the aluminium extending ladder. Also put up the second house martin, paper-made, nest box and the bat box and I hope that both are soon in use. Later, I went out again and started installing the extended water pipe to the moorings and had switched the water back on before I finished. When Daniel came home from school, I overcame his laziness and reticence and went through his homework schedule. As it was near the end of term, he had not been given much and I had to extend it with some extra work. Out again until dusk, putting the ducks away and then came in and went through a book on musical instruments with Deborah. She has a bad cold and now I seem to be getting one too. Then to my office, sorting my papers and writing an action list, before writing today’s journal and then settling down in front of the TV for tonight’s news stories. The main news is of the release of official crime statistics that show incidence of crime up 7% (on average) and the success in detecting the criminals down to 1 in 6. There are now 7 crimes every minute. The increase is blamed by police chiefs on credit card use, wider car ownership, unemployment and the acquisitive society. With law and order a close concern of the electorate, these figures show the governments performance in a poor light. Appeal Court Judges have decided that a 17 year old, mentally retarded girl, must be sterilised to avoid the risk of having a baby, through a low sense of responsibility. Mental health activists are against it. More than 1 million school children missed half a day’s lessons today, particularly in London. The government is to lodge appeal in the Australian MI5 case, according to Sir Michael Havers, the Attorney General. Members of the VDM (the mine workers splinter group) have rejected a 10% pay offer. The House of Commons is debating the ‘immigration carrier’s – Liability Bill’ that would fine airlines for bringing refugees to Britain. The government has introduced this bill quickly and the opposition say with undue haste, in view of the effective exclusion of asylum for political refugees. A teenage girl, who suffered avoidable brain damage as a small child, has been awarded £ ½ million damages.