My Rolls Royce Corniche Convertible was still being worked on by Alec Norman today
My Rolls Royce Corniche Convertible was still being worked on by Alec Norman today

Taking Daniel and Della for a shopping trip to Bedford between sessions playing bowls games lawn; the bowls now being of multiple colours. Alec Norman garages was still working on my Rolls-Royce, I looked at buying a bicycle today and then collected Debbie from her day at the riding stables summer school. The IRA injure more soldiers in a German bomb attack, with Tom King breaking off his holiday to review these daily atrocities. Jordan has withdrawn any payments for West Bank work, saying it was now for the PLO.

Slept well, after retiring to bed with Diana for once. Although the night was hot and humid, we were lucky to have our bedroom with French windows and a through draft from windows at the other end. Di was up to wake me again, as Debbie was due to go horse riding again for her last day on the week’s summer school. Down to breakfast of boiled egg this morning and then an hour or two at home before our trip to Bedford. I scanned the morning’s papers and then went down to the games lawn and beat Daniel at 4-ball croquet. Remembered to pay Pete and Joan before we left and then went first to Great Barford, where our supplier of swimming pool chemicals seems to have closed down permanently, which is a pity. Then to Alec Norman Garages and I found the Rolls Royce still being worked on and now they have to call for sub-contractors to do an air-conditioning top up and have got to test drive the car. At Bedford, we bought Daniel a new pair of trousers and then had a salad lunch at Debenhams. It was very warm today and quite humid and these department stores cannot cope with the conditions and their shops are almost unbearable.

I then took Daniel to Halfords to look at cycles and then off to Peacocks Auction Rooms, where I put in a bid for an old ‘Gentleman’s Roadster’ for £11. A rendezvous at the car at 2.00pm and home by 3.00pm. I just watched the televised cricket, where England were fighting back for once, against the West Indies. Tea time soon came and then I played Daniel at bowls after. I had driven out this afternoon to collect Debbie and then buy some more bowls from Sportscene in Sandy, with coloured labels. Daniel & I could now play four woods each, which makes it more interesting. Debbie had a friend, Emma, to stay tonight, for fun. News today is of yet another IRA attack, as three soldiers and a woman painter were injured by a bomb in West Germany. Northern Ireland Secretary, Tom King, has broken off his holiday to discuss security with his forces. The attacks and consequent funerals are now occurring daily. Mrs Thatcher can only criticise their antics from her place on tour and is now being kept well away from any protests. Jordan has withdrawn all payments for civil and government workers on the West Bank, saying that it was now for the PLO to pay for the government under the Israeli occupations.