Diana went to Cambridge as usual on a cool but sunny and dry day as Mr Larkin and Pete worked on the moorings and I worked outside on The Lady before taking Debbie on a challenging riding lesson on Edwin. The Tories still ahead in the election polls but their lead will narrow, the rebel government in Fiji has surrendered under pressure of the authority of the Queen’s Governor General, who refused to swear them in, and an injured women in hospital was shot dead there by her former attacker
Early awake to see Di up and making the morning tea. Nice to see Di down to 10st 5lbs, her slimming target weight, though my offer of a new wardrobe for her takes over at 10stone. The radio, an old paper and my drink, before getting washed and dressed early enough to check up on the tidiness of the children’s rooms. Normal breakfast and then out to feed the doves and see Pete about what to do. I carried on working outside most of the morning, supervising the charging of the boat batteries and taking nails out of salvaged timber from the old landing stages. No sign of Mr Larkin until lunchtime, when he brought a Kango hammer and started knocking in the boat harbour piles. A poor distraction for Pete who, finding the movement of clay spoil to form the summerhouse foundation rather hard going, kept stopping and chatting for most of the afternoon.
I made my own beef and ham & egg pie salad lunch, then worked a while in my office on my investment summaries, which is a job rather overdue. Mrs Watson today saw me about her daughter Samantha (an old class mate of Daniel) who needs help on Little Paxton history for her geography GCSE. At 4.30pm, after an early tea (more salad!), I took Debbie horse riding a day early. She was given Edwin, who she rode very bravely, but he unseated her at the end, which was a shame. Home to feed the birds and put things away, and screwed on The Lady’s front window restraints and checked over her systems. Everything AOK. Today was cool, but sunny and dry for most of it. Di had gone to Cambridge as usual, even though I stayed at home to work. The evening was spent watching England draw 1-1 with Brazil at Wembley in an international football match, which was of very good standard, if disappointing result. The news full of election coverage again. Labour and Conservatives have launched their manifestos, which have few surprises. The Tories are still as much ahead in the polls, but, with all three groupings getting scrupulously equal election coverage on TV, the lead will undoubtedly narrow over the next three weeks. A terrible incident as a woman, injured by a man and being attended in hospital, is shot dead in the ward. Carolyn Myland’s death has led to a man being apprehended. Former Tory MP, Keith Best, is in court on the BT deception charges. In Fiji, the rebel government has given in, acknowledging the authority of the Queen’s Governor General, who refused to swear them in. He has agreed to show clemency to the rebels, and the previously elected government has been released from house arrest