A mixed day of activities, mending and adjusting bikes and then cycling around Paxton talking to others about Parish Council issues with ‘dog-fouling’ on the playing field being the controversial issue. Also getting advice on keeping parrots with the ‘African Grey’ a favourite. Thatcher and colleagues are stressed over IRA killings of forces personnel, The Nepal earthquake toll has risen above 900 and the new pub hours start today with no break between lunch and evening drinking sessions.
Awoken early this morning by the burglar alarm at 6.00am, which chose to go off by accident. I really am at a loss to know why it keeps doing this, as there is no accompanying sounds from any of the detectors each time. This adds plenty of time to read this morning’s paper and get ready for breakfast. Had French toast again, which was nice. Went into St Neots with Diana and the girls after, dropped them off and then went on to Marshalls of Bedford to get the replacement parts for the Range Rover repair. Back to St Neots and coffee together at 10.15am, then we all did our own shopping. I bought some pigeon mix, a dynamo set for my bicycle and a few other things. Also did the rounds of bank and building society and then we met up and went home. Soon lunchtime and then I worked on my bike and eventually managed to fit all the bits together. Daniel and I also repaired Debbie’s bike. Daniel had previously managed to make 5 holes in the new inner tube with the five levers, which caused all of the confusion. Later on, I peddled off around Paxton, visiting Mrs Ruff, Mr Searle and Mr Baxendale. The first two on the history of The Birches (now Little Paxton Aviary) and I took the chance to ask about talking birds and we agreed that an African Grey would be ideal for my conservatory. It now seems that Mr Baxendale is happy with the new bungalow next door and does not want to involve the Enforcement Officer over the residential caravan and felled tree and I was inclined to take the same view. Home in time for tea. This evening, I then worked on Diana’s bike, adjusting and servicing it and it is really of good quality and in quite good condition, despite being slightly rusty. It has a lot of features that modern bikes do not have.
A brief meeting with one of the builders quoting for my conservatory base-work and then the rest of the evening on phone calls on a burning Parish issue. It seems the 5 Parish Councillors present for the Amenities Committee decided against the implementation of the two main measures that would stop dogs fouling the playing field, because of cost and difficulty of enforcement. I made a few phone calls to others and ended up with a right crisis on my hands, due to the fact that this decision would not be reviewed, as normal, by the full Council because of the holiday break. At least the men responsible for the playing field, Martin Mawer, and the Parish Chairman, Alf Cousins, are on my side and there is some hope that the matter may yet be deferred and come before the main Council meeting. The news today is of another IRA bomb that killed an off-duty naval officer in Belfast. Thatcher and her colleagues are in a spin and refusing to rule out internment, although most realise that its reintroduction would be counter-productive. More likely are changes in the ‘silence’ rights of suspects, as it is the IRA threats to witnesses that make convictions so difficult. The earthquake death toll in the India/Nepal border has now risen to 900. Stock exchanges around the world fell back today. Today was the first day of the new pub licensing hours, with there being no break between lunch and evening drinking sessions.