Lazy start to the foggy, frosty and cold day cuddling up with my daughters, reading the Sunday papers and enjoying a full breakfast in bed before a rush to St James’s Church for the family service, forgetting the poor ducks in their hutch as we went straight on to visit my parents for my Dad’s belated birthday visit. Back home to an evening paying bills and transferring funds whilst listening to news of another major plane crash, a South Korean 707 over Burma, the Iranian sheltering in their French Embassy after their Paris bomb attack is released, the savage murder of two old ladies in England, the Haiti election abandoned after Duvalier’s armed gang of supporters killed 17 and beloved comedy actress Irene Handl has died, aged 85
Slept well after a chilly start to the night and some trouble over getting Diana to warm my feet up!! Lay in a little until 8.00am and then Debbie came in my bed to join me and cuddle for a while. Then Daniella did the same thing and I chatted to her so that, by the time breakfast of fried egg, bacon, mushrooms, tomato & bread was ready, I had not even got washed and dressed. Back to my bed to read the Sunday papers (The Observer) but only just managed to read it before it was time to rush a shave and shower and get ready in my best suit for the church family service at 11.00am.
Had a little trouble with Daniel getting him to wear something suitable. He dressed eventually in his dark grey jacket and trousers, with a tie I had lent to him, but he protested all the way. Locked and alarmed the house, as we intended to go straight on to lunch afterwards. I had no time to let the ducks out and feed the doves and so, presumably, the former stayed in their hutch all day without food or water, which is a shame. It was a frosty and cold morning, but the church had warmed up quite reasonably, there having already been a service at 9.30am. We sat in the front pew and Debbie was chosen to light the first of the four candles for Lent. Della was wriggling and fidgeting something terrible, but was quiet at least. Two babies cried incessantly throughout the service and seemed to scream all the way out as well! I thanked the Rev Peter Lewis for his loan of a photograph and we set off in the Range Rover for our lunch at the Croxton Happy Eater. Poor Debbie had begun to feel cold, shivery and ill by now, wanted no lunch, and so I began to fear for our plans to visit Nanny and Granddad, but we pressed on afterwards, with her in the back seat with Diana. In fact, Di did some geography revision with Debbie on the trip, because Debs has some more examinations tomorrow. Once we had arrived after 1.45pm, Deb bucked up a bit and played a word game, ‘Scrabble’, with the others, whilst Dad and I chatted about taxation affairs. My parents seem well enough and we all enjoyed the visit. Dad had lost well over a stone and seemed much thinner and more sprightly. Mum is in no pain, but we do wonder about Freda and her leg. Exchanged presents. We gave Dad some car cleaning goodies for his birthday and they gave me a nice barometer/thermometer/hygrometer set, made of turned wood casing, which is the best present I have had for a long while. The journey home in the dark, as the frost seemed to be in the air again, despite forecasts of cloud. Home to put the girls away early to bed and then I spent the evening paying bills and calculating fund transfers, which was quite a job. News is of a second major air crash. This time a South Korean 707 disappeared over Burma and the 115 people on board are feared dead, as it appears to have gone down into the sea or thick jungle. After four months holed up in the Iranian Embassy in Paris, an interpreter was allowed to go free by a Magistrate. His refusal to answer questions in July to answer questions about the Paris bombing had led to a break in the two countries diplomatic ties. Two horrific murders of old ladies in England today, in two separate incidents, when they were beaten to death by supposed intruders looking for money. In Haiti, voting in the first free election for 30 years has had to be abandoned, as armed gangs rampaged, killing 17. These attackers were supporters of banned ex-premier ‘Baby Doc’ Duvalier, whose candidates had been banned from taking part. A mob of 50 killed at least 10 in one incident and a Dominican photographer was shot dead & a US cameraman shot in the stomach, despite pleas for mercy. London Airport was fogbound today, with most incoming flights directed to other British airports and many motorways suffered pile-ups. Showers and freezing weather forecast for tonight will add to the problem. Actress Irene Handl has died, aged 85, after a distinguished career as a female character actress