- Details
Enjoyable start to Daniel’s 15th birthday, as he opened his cards and presents, with Della still spottier than ever with her chicken pox, and then to my office to clear a pile of mail, financial transactions and the huge task which is my history book. A so-called ‘Killer Storm’ 99mph winds today ripped down branches, whipped up spray from the river and demolished some of my fences and others locally but toppled Waresley Church Tower, shredded two airships in Cardington, killed ten people throughout the UK whilst over in the US, Reagan was issuing anti-UK-Labour party statements concerning defence policy and at home Thatcher meets Jewish dissidents
Awoken rather early by Di as today was Daniel's 15th birthday and he had his presents to open. I had hardly finished my drink and started to use the bathroom, when all the family rushed in, as Daniel had woken up and wanted to see what he had got. Besides the boat, I had got him a shaving kit (wet shave) to acknowledge his growing maturity (and ‘bum-fluff’ on his upper lip). Della had got him an Easter Egg, Di some more rechargeable batteries and Debbie a new Rubik Cube puzzle to replace the one he had worn out. Other relations had sent money and vouchers, which were highly appreciated by Daniel, though I would always like to see a thoughtful present in place of money.
- Details
Busy day helping Daniel to wire up his new Viking 17 and breaking off to welcome Di’s mum for lunch and then receiving a visit from John Lamb and then taking him over to Nigel’s Hail Weston House to review the landscaping operations whilst Daniel enjoyed his new boat and poor Della had her customary does of chicken pox but still retained her appetite. This as The Alliance rates second in the latest opinion polls despite Tebbit’s attacks, Kinnock visits the USA via Concord, paramilitary funerals are banned in Derry, Thatcher tries sabotaging the East/West nuclear arms limitation by linking progress to civil rights and. Lastly, efforts start to try and right The Herald of Free Enterprise
Awoken early by Di with the morning tea. Daniel had asked that we make an early start on the Viking 17, to finish the job of wiring the new electrics, so that it could be tried out. Down to breakfast. Poor Della has a good case of chicken pox, with spots everywhere, but she is brave and bearing up well. She wanted an egg for breakfast, as well as cereal and Di was able to use my new ‘egg-candler’ to ensure they were all right before cooking them. Daniel and I were out by 8.00am and well underway by 9.00. We put in the inside light, the horn, the tachometer and broke off at 10.00am for morning drinks. Nearly finished at midday, but not quite, and so broke off for lunch. Di's mum had been delayed by the A45 road works and was delayed and so I changed my clothes for lunch.
- Details
Early rain delaying Daniel and I fitting out his new ‘Little Lady’ but we worked together when the weather brightened up later after taking Debbie to an eventful horse-riding lesson and then planning my new conservatory and koi-carp pond when we receive news from Dad of Mum’s relapse with chest pains from a possible blood clot. News of Russian posturing on the eve of a Thatcher visit raising the prospect of France and the UK losing our nuclear deterrent if East West Arms talks succeed, management of the Caterpillar factory in Strathclyde win a court order to evict 800 protesting strikers and the court of appeal in London has made legal history by directly applying European Community Law directly in an equal pay case, but the defendant employers may still appeal to the House of Lords
Slept well until brought my morning tea and then sat out of bed drinking it. The rain has been falling and the window was wet, which was disappointing for a day when I intended to help Daniel fit out his ‘Little Lady’. I ate breakfast with the others. We had boiled eggs, whose yokes were almost blood red. Each spring the ducks find something in the river which has this effect when eaten. I made for my office after and, instead of doing any history work, read my books on duck husbandry and learnt how to construct a light box for viewing the eggs. I went out to the workshop and, gathering together some off cuts of thin marine plywood, knocked up a box of the right dimensions and then fitted a switch and light into it. By the time I had finished, Daniel had returned from St Neots, where he had his hair cut and helped Di with some shopping. I then surveyed his boat before lunch and helped him afterwards. We fitted the fender eye to the starboard gunwale and then took off the control panel to look at the wiring. A call to E P Barrus (via Walton Marine) gave us the information we wanted and so we cut out a hole for the tachometer with a fret saw and put it in place.
- Details
To Cambridge as usual but also to get some more Daimler repairs before collecting Daniel for a family lunch and then taking him after to look for boat parts at Harry Kitchener and then LH Jones and Ely Boat Chandlery before home to assemble more Quadro as the IRA’s bomb attacks are escalating, The British Army are attacked by a car bomb in Germany and the US accuse The Soviet Union of using laser weapons in Afghanistan. Back home controversy over the government ‘pulling’ a Health Education Council press conference on inequality for the rich and poor over treatment and the BAC Chairman threatens to pull out of the Four-Nation European Air Bus project unless grant aid comparable with partners is available
Slept well and was sound asleep when woken with my morning tea. Sat in front of the French windows drinking it and then sat a little longer listening to the radio, until I was rather late for breakfast. By the time I had gone down, the others had finished their meal and I ate alone. Read the paper after, for a while, and then got the Daimler out, ready for our trip to Cambridge. We missed the road works on the A45, as they had yet to start and went on to the Cherry Hinton Road to get Diana’s kettle fixed and then put the Daimler into Marshalls for another repair. Took the walk into Cambridge, which Di found a bit difficult and tiring and then met her parents for coffee at Eaden Lilley. Her father, Charles, was more friendly than usual and stayed and chatted a while. This morning, I spent time in Heffers book shop, buying Daniel a text book on ‘A’ level maths and then in the public library. In neither case did I find any books on building conservatories or fish ponds.