Collecting Daniel after school and disappointed with our Happy Eater meal after which the children brought friends home to play and then an evening at the poorly-attended Little Paxton School Association Barn Dance which we enjoyed nevertheless. The end of a traumatic week in the Houses of Parliament. In the Commons, guerrilla warfare over parliamentary procedural use detracted from any serious discussion of events and got the government off the hook as the recriminations over the Enniskillen dead is in full flow and I am keeping a close eye on the ebbs and flows on the Stock Exchange
After the late night, we did not get enough sleep and turned wearily to the task of getting Daniel off to school and Debbie to play with her neighbourhood friend, Amy. We stayed in this morning, on a calmer day, which was a little cooler than of late. I read the Saturday Financial Times, which is always a good source of considered investment advice, then wrote up yesterday’s journal. Worked a little at my desk this morning, but it was soon time to collect Daniel from the bus stop. I had previously fed the ducks and doves, getting two more duck eggs and noting that the baby dove was still alive and growing. Daniel’s bus was late and then we had the revelation that he had lost his new coat yesterday and neither he nor Diana had thought to report its loss this morning when they knew!
A grumpy meal at the Sandy Happy Eater, that was made worse by them serving me some rotten shredded carrot on my meal, that was removed with a considerable delay. It seems to me that standards these days are so poor and I make the point of tolerating embarrassment by pointing these things out, so that they try to amend them. Good quality control should have its own built in checks and not rely on such consumer disappointment to complete the feedback loop. Home without the shopping expedition for a new television that I had envisaged, as I was deciding what sanctions to apply for Daniel’s lack of consideration. Di took Della off to the Little Paxton Playgroup jumble sale this afternoon and I was left fielding a barrage of interruptions from Daniel and Debbie’s friends, who were coming to see them. Daniel seemed to ignore Steven Hicks and two colleagues, who were clambering all over The Lady in their enthusiasm to see how his boat was faring. (We had double moored it alongside The Lady to protect it in the flood). Debbie played with her new bus friend from Bydand Lane, who is two years her senior, but lacks friends there. I did do some work on my investment and income summaries, which I needed to update my financial advisors during the week. Also called the estate agents, Wooley & Harris of St Neots, for a brochure on Riversdale that has just come up for sale. Tea and then preparations for Diana and I for our night out at the Little Paxton School Association Barn Dance at the school. We made efforts to arrive on time at 8.00pm and were amongst the first to dance to get things going. In all, some 50 or so were there, including Headmaster Mr Jeeves, the school secretary, Mistress Mrs Rocket and Debbie’s old teacher and another male teacher helping the group. Most of the rest were parents. The two violinists, a guitarist and flute player (plus a Sitar!) played folk music and the main violinist schooled the dancers and called the steps and tunes. Between moments of unmitigated mirth, success, disaster (and injury of a minor nature) the multitude enjoyed the event and we were satisfied to have been seen in supporting it. A couple of the trimmest wives looked quite attractive on the dance floor and one male character, with hat, tee shirt, braces and ‘daisy-roots’ (boots) and a plastic straw in his mouth, added a theatrical touch. A pity more did not attend, as they may not have made much money in the end. The dances were both long and square dances, with the normal techniques of peeling off in rows, going under arches, moving round to change partners and ‘stripping the willow’. The latter is an ancient move where, with the couples in two rows – men and ladies on opposite sides, the ‘head couple’ advance, swing round in a circle by their right arms, then use each person in the row by their left arms to get down to the other end. All traditional moves that have probably prevailed for centuries, but still enable the dancers to touch, meet and get to know each other as a social dance. In a ‘ring’ dance, men walk their way round, dancing with each lady in a little step in between. If all works out safely, you end up with your own partner! Home late again and only to bed after midnight. No time to review the news in detail tonight, but it has been the end of a traumatic week in the Houses of Parliament. In the Commons, guerrilla warfare over parliamentary procedural use detracted from any serious discussion of events and got the government off the hook. Rumblings and warnings from the Lords, where several items of the government’s programme could be at least delayed or lost. The mourning for the Enniskillen dead is over and the recriminations in full flow, but the government avoided falling for the clambour for more draconian measures that could get the IRA off the hook. In the London financial markets, there was a modest recovery of fortunes, leaving all of us wondering whether to join in a collective buying spree, or stand on the sidelines. The danger is of a recession in 1988/9 that could see markets fall further after a short term recovery. Worrying days, but the wise keep a most liquid portfolio.