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The morning working on my history project, supervising work on our gardens and then this afternoon collecting a very unwell Ivy Bunnage and taking her to Vera Ruff’s house to talk about Little Paxton history. Tory health Secretary Moore refuses to consider more funding for the NHS or even an enquiry into NHS funding whilst the Chancellor is looking to make tax cuts and refuse more spending.
Slept well enough for a change and was in the bathroom just about to shower when I was called to breakfast 5 minutes early. It was the nearest to being ready for a week! Ate my wheat flakes, finished getting ready and then went to my office to read the paper and review the mail. A few small cheques to pay in and a bank statement. Di went off to St Neots to do the chores and I worked at my history, comparing the notes from the most recent transcript with others and starting to make notes for each house in the village. Before coffee, I also popped out to see Pete and put him right on a few things to do in the garden. Worked on until 12.30 when I went into the kitchen, put on the TV news, and made myself a salad lunch.
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The drive to a Rolls Royce dealer to see a Cornish Convertible but the condition was not of the best and so I made a low offer for them to consider, yet the good Silver Cloud II convertibles were worth far too much money too. This evening working on my Little Paxton History draft, hearing of much better news of the Liberal/SDP policy negotiations as Thatcher receives protests over the state of the NHS and Thomas Sopwith, creator of The Sopwith Pup is 100 today!
Awoke very tired this morning and most reluctant to get up. To breakfast dressed in my dressing gown once more and ate alone. Slowly showered and then to my office to read the morning mail and newspaper. Not much of interest, apart from a £79K cheque from the recent share sales. By 9.30 I had finished this process and Di was pressing to find out about the planned visit to view a Corniche convertible and so I made some telephone calls. One likely candidate in the weekend’s papers had been sold, but the Irthlingborough dealer had now got the walnut 1979 car in and we drove off to see that, whilst Daniella was kept happy at playschool. We found the place OK and put into action a plan to get good value for money. Though the car and colour were acceptable, Di avoided being too keen on the brown colour and I found fault with the body work and car service record.
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Waking up to doubts about the viability of competing with the Tories in the local election and then hearing shots from wildfowlers in the foggy meadows opposite before I cleaned and polished the Range Rover. Later to hear of progress in the SDP/Liberal negotiations. In Argentina, a rebel former Lieutenant Colonel, Aldo Rico, is holed up in a base 500 miles north of Buenos Aires and is facing government troops pledged to put down the revolt
A good night, though I started it with my mind full of plans for fighting the District Council Election. I had realised that the Tory Candidate would have the benefit of canvassers, knockers up, transport, clipboard staff etc., which would be quite daunting to compete with. This morning at 8.00am I was awoken by gunfire. The meadows opposite are used in recent times for shooting wildfowl at this time of the year and this morning’s poor visibility and fog meant that they sounded a bit close for comfort. Soon Diana arrived with my morning tea, but forgot the paper for some time. Sat there a while before coming down in my dressing gown for a fried breakfast. Quickly showered after, but the house was so chilly – this fog seems to drift and chill everything. I then made the decision to go out and clean the Range Rover ahead of its service next Friday. I gave it the full treatment, spending most of the morning on the inside alone, hoovering it out, washing marks off of the vinyl and cleaning the carpets thoroughly.
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A slow start after a late night transcribing Little Paxton History tapes and then breakfast in peace with the children at school before gathering the family together at the library and taking them to The Bridge Hotel for a nice lunch. Looking at lawnmowers for my new Games Lawn this afternoon and a seafood tea, sharing prawns with Debbie this evening. The local SDP/Liberal Alliance leaders accepted my election plan, poor news about Terry Waite but better news for the Birmingham heart operation babies
Loitered a little late last night in tiredness and exhilaration over finishing my Mrs Ruff/Bunnage interview tapes. Then slept soundly and was unwilling to wake up to my morning tea, particularly as it was Saturday! Last down to breakfast once more, but I did manage to wash my hair as well as shower/shave etc. Why our civilization demands such pedanticism is a mystery to me! Just wheat flakes for breakfast – I turned down the croissants, as the butter and marmalade made them too fattening. I still weigh in at 13st 9/10lbs. At least the absence of the children enables me to read the morning paper at the table in peace. It was the Investors Chronicle and the FT today and I could really have done with the IC yesterday, its publication day, and hope that my new mail order subscription will achieve that when it begins. It contained a few useful tips.