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General Election Called – After I managed a little work in my office, I was carrying on working around Mr Larkin as he demolishes my old landing stage as well as using the dinghy to start cleaning The Lady’s hull and then taking Debbie to the saddlers for some riding boots and a crop. Thatcher comes back from Chequers, visits HM The Queen and calls a General Election, feeling confident of victory as the funerals of the dead IRA men take place today
A late night, an early awakening and it was raining, which event we had not seen for some time. Pleased that I had just finished my boat painting the day before as I got showered, shaved and dressed. Della had been awake during the night and kept Debbie awake in the bargain, so she was allowed to sleep in a little. All together eventually at breakfast and a meal enjoyed. To my office after, where I read a number of magazines from my in-tray, but it failed to get me in the mood for office work. The rain having stopped, I went out to see Mr Larkin and helped him demolish the old landing stage opposite No.39. Sad to see a very effective structure go in this way. He also dug out the outfall and expressed consternation at the task of coping with the spring, surface drainage, and occasional sewage that it composed. Pete and I salvaged and sorted a range of timber and scaffold poles and then Peter continued after I went in to lunch.
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Enjoying the nature whilst working on The Lady on a blissful morning before watching a dramatic film about Sobibor Nazi extermination camp, hearing of fighting at a London Sikh temple and of the mass demonstrations in West Belfast over the SAS killings but also of a better outcome for a record entry of some 20,000 runners in the London Marathon
Awoke early for this day of the week and shaved and dressed, having wanted to make an early start. It was sunny and bright, without much moisture or dew and the boat was calling. Di made me my fried breakfast quickly and I was out at 8.00am. Parts of the boat decks were damp and others dry and so I continued picking out the edges of the rear cabin roof and then had the two cabins ready for the main coat by coffee break. By lunch, I had completed this task, leaving the decking still to do. A nice chicken lunch (which both Debbie and Della ate all up) and then an agony of conscience as I decided that this afternoon I would do this work instead of us visiting my mother and father. No arrangements had been made anyway and we shall try to see them next weekend. It had been a blissful morning. The light breeze was still cool, but the warm sun, peace and sound of the bird song was delightful. Across the river, a sedge warbler, blackbirds everywhere and blue tits and sparrows making the most noise. Terns dived into the river for fish, cuckoos called and flew from tree to tree, and a crow and pigeons added their occasional calls. I think that I shall learn the calls of all the local birds to take most from these situations.
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Trips to St Ives Auction viewings, Jordon’s Mill at Biggleswade and the Sandy RSPB headquarters for bird song records, before a family Happy Easter meal at Croxton and then time painting Lady Martina’s cabin roofs as Di took Daniel to Coton to stay with the Skinners. The news is of the demise of the eight IRA men who were ambushed and killed with their digger bomb and of the Polish airliner crash near Warsaw airport, killing all 183 people on board. The Rolls Royce giveaway flotation is nine times oversubscribed as Thatcher and her inner cabinet are ensconced at Chequers relishing their favourable polls and planning their June election
Rather hot last night, but slept well enough and then awoken this morning by Di with a drink in the company of Daniella. Tried to keep her happy for a while, then eventually had to get up, wash my hair and shower. Dressed in sports jacket and dress jeans for breakfast, but was very late by this time and Daniel had already gone to school. Out to tend the ducks and doves after, also to get out the Range Rover, and then I locked and alarmed the house so that we could take the trip to St Ives. A fine, sunny and still morning, which was quite glorious. Once we arrived, I took a look around the general and antique auction viewings, bought catalogues, and then met the girls for morning drinks in the welcome cafe. A little longer viewing the antiques (an SHDC caddy spoon, which is of interest) and then we all met up in the car park at 11.00am for the drive to Biggleswade and Jordan’s Mill. Bought a bag of layers’ pellets and another of mixed corn, whilst the girls looked around the wholemeal shop, buying wheat flakes and other things. Back in the car and then on to the RSPB headquarters at The Lodge, Sandy, where I bought some records of bird songs and a log book, whilst the girls got some odds and ends.
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Debbie's 8th Birthday – Starting the day with Debbie opening her presents and ending with her birthday tea and swimming session whilst Larkin and Pete worked on the river frontage and me on The Lady’s lower rubbing strakes. White supremist conservative parties triumph in South Africa to grim warnings from black leaders, Ernest Saunders of Guinness and top jockey Lester Piggott are arrested in separate fraud enquiries, the Rolls Royce privatisation is hugely over-subscribed, more violence in Ulster and the Tories hold their own in Local Elections
Slept well and was awoken not only to my morning tea, but also with the girls coming in to my room to open Debbie's birthday presents. A wide range of gifts, which Debbie opened and Di listed, so that subsequent ‘thank you’ notes can be written with accuracy. Included amongst them was the Easter egg, previously due for my Mother and the sight of it was too much for Della, who demanded it and had to be sent to her bedroom until she cheered up. Then showered, shaved and dressed, but rather late down to breakfast, due to the disruption. Was very angry to find all the milk gone, so that I could not have my cereal. This due to Di’s lack of planning and Dan’s greediness, so I stomped out, drove to the local shops, and bought a couple of bottles and brought them back so that I could have my meal. Thus relieved, I could get started for the day and went out into the sunshine of another fine day to start work on the boat.