Weighing in at 13st 7lbs today as the river rises from the snow melting and then on to St Ives for the Auction viewing where I place a few commission bids before lunch at Starburghers in Huntingdon and then home to hear news of an overwhelmingly successful SDP/Liberal merger vote at Blackpool as Arabs stage a 3500-strong torchlight procession
Had an active start to the night and then slept the sleep of the just until I was awoken by Diana and Daniella with my morning drink. Very slow to rise again, shower and dress, but I was pleased to note my weight down to approximately 13st 6lbs. Strange that our electronic scales do not seem to register 13st 7lbs and alternate between 13st 6lbs and 13st 8lbs – it must be the conversion electronics from kilogram’s as they resist 10st 7lbs. Down to breakfast somewhat late again. Poor Daniel is suffering from headaches and feeling ill and so we decide that he should stay in the warm instead of coming out with us today. Read a little of the Investors Chronicle, but it was soon time to set off for our morning trip to St Ives.
Fed the birds and noticed that the river was coloured and nearly over the landings, with the water from melting snow. The drive to St Ives, which I did by the A45 and cross country route. I could not help thinking about the salty slush on the newly cleaned underside of the Range Rover. Parked on arrival and started our normal routine (me to get the auction catalogues and us both to meet in the Welcome Cafe for a drink. Only this time the Welcome Cafe was closed, which distressed us, as we wondered why. A cold and drizzly day, which was not too pleasant to be out in. I looked around the auction showrooms and picked out a couple of items and put in commission bids. Then I walked around and looked for motor accessory shops, but found none. Then drove the girls over to Huntingdon and we had lunch at Starburgers, which is far better on service than the Wimpy. Then found two accessory shops and bought a variety of things; two ramps, a combined fuel can/tool box, and then a range of tools to go in it. We drove home in mid-afternoon and then I filled the tool box and completed the construction of an access trolley kit. Put the birds away and saw the river lapping even closer to the landings, but not yet over, then, after tea, I reversed the Range Rover up the ramps and changed over the old rusty strip for a new one, working well into the evening. In late and slumped down to write up my journal and listen to the TV news. The main story was of an overwhelming 5 to 1 vote for merger by the Liberal Assembly in Blackpool – 2099 to 385 - and now next week’s SDP meeting in Sheffield is awaited. The miners presidential ballot is also complete, but the count will be held over the weekend. The betting is that Arthur Scargill has won with a reduced majority, but we shall have to wait for confirmation. A depressed Police Constable from Buckinghamshire goes missing with the keys to the police station’s armoury, but he is safely found. This leads to calls for reconsideration of policies that leaves a single officer in charge of a police station. More demonstrations by Arabs in the occupied territories, but these are peacefully done and received. It took the form of a torchlight demonstration by 3500. Reports of a series of brutal attacks make a depressing end to the news broadcasts and it seems that no violence is too much for some of the sicker members of our society.