A good night at the Huntingdon riverside park moorings, despite the nail wound in my foot not yet healing, and then a look around the town before setting off through Godmanchester, Hemingford and Houghton locks until we chanced across the Chambers on Dawn Treader, unable to pass under Offord bridge. The boys took Di and the The Lady through and back to Paxton as I stayed with Debbie and The Little Lady and walked her to a challenging horse-riding session in which she did very well. Home to clean the pool and then rest, very tired, until roused for Di and then to hear the election news. The Tory press (and even US President Reagan) are winding up the campaign against Labour who are gaining on The Tories, Chase Manhattan follows Citi Corp is writing down Third Wold loans and starting a banking crisis, Townsend Thorensen is under increasingly bitter attack at the Zeebrugge enquiry over its sacrifice of safety to profit motives and he Irish referendum comes out in favour of stronger links with the EEC
Slept well at our Huntingdon riverside park moorings and ensured that the boys also settled down to an early night as well. Slickly into our morning boat routine. Di made the drinks today and the heating cut out itself by thermostat after an hour, as The Lady was well warmed by morning sunshine. Breakfast as usual and it is an irony that we become settled into a boating routine, just as we are enjoying our recreation to the full. All soon ready for a walk into Huntingdon to look round the shops and the girls played at both the riverside adventure playground and the conventional playground inside the ring road, as I rested my foot and sat on a bench. My nail-wound is as painful as when it was first done a week ago and soon I shall have to see a doctor for help, if it does not improve. Coffee, and then I looked around the reference library as the others tramped the town centre. I found nothing much of interest in the inspection copy of the Cambridge Structure Plan, now in the local history shelves, which I had adequately studied before. Lunch at the burger bar with the children. By letting the boys have a separate table with Debbie and Della and us on another, we seem to avoid much of the mealtime trouble. Back to the boats and make ready to set off.
The Chambers cruised by with Dawn Treader and Mrs Chambers had been allowed out of Hinchingbrooke Hospital, after being kept in overnight for observation with her constriction of the bowel complaint. We locked through Godmanchester with them and then cruised on steadily in the fine sunshine, enjoying the trip. Up through Hemingford and then Hartford, dropping in at Buckden Marina to visit the chandlery. A few ice creams and purchases. Later we were ready to lock through Offord lock and found Dawn Treader again. This time they were unable to get under the bridge, needing a lofty 8 ft 2 ins, and had to turn back. By now, we were a little later than we planned and so, once through, we left the Little Lady moored for Debbie and I, and the boys took Di and The Lady on home. For Debbie had a riding lesson booked at Fitz Farm and she dressed in her boots, hat and crop and I walked her there. This week she had Rumpold and had to take him out for a road hack, walking, trotting and cantering on the grass verges. Despite his misbehaviour, she was not allowed a leading rein and therefore well-earned this week’s mint surprise. The walk back to the lock, and then home by a long cruise on the small boat. Debbie steered for much of the way and managed quite well. Secured and laid up The Lady and then had a late tea of bread and cheese, before working on the swimming pool, cleaning the filters and starting up the heating. Sat exhausted in front of the TV and then perked up a little with Diana, as we were together in a double bed for the first time in a week. The news highlighted the latest opinion polls, which saw the Alliance support falling below 20% and Labour some 8% behind the Tories. The Tory press are responding to this by trying to emphasise defence as the main issue and US President Reagan has helped Thatcher’s cause by making public criticisms of Labour’s policies. In the international exchanges, the pound sterling has dropped by 2 cents and the London Stock Exchange is marking time for further poll news. Chase Manhattan has followed Citi Corp in writing down its third-world loan book and the trend seems likely to catch on, with unpredictable implications for certain British banks. Townsend Thorensen is under increasingly bitter attack at the Zeebrugge enquiry over its sacrifice of safety to profit motives and makes an appeal for a more balanced hearing of the facts. 24-year-old David Jenkins, the man who shot Carolyn Myland dead at Hitchin Lister Hospital, has been charged with her murder. The Irish referendum comes out in favour of stronger links with the EEC and Australian Premier Bob Hawke called for an early general election there for July 11th.