Reading about the oil rig tragedy as a hundred and fifty men were trapped screaming and roasting to death with no means of escape and hearing about protests from workers on other rigs about lack of safety measures offshore. Then attending to my own financial and domestic affairs with the timing of forestry expenditure for tax purposes a priority. The wet and unsettled weather cheered up for this evening as we joined the Rev Peter Lewis for the start of a treasure trail and a barbeques hamburger at the end. News of Britain’s huge arms deal with Saudi Arabia
A sound sleep and I woke early to find Diana leaving the bed to prepare our morning drinks. I was soon up earlier than usual and bided my time reading today’s Investors Chronicle and Financial Times before breakfast. The main story is of the continued shock over the oil rig disaster. It seems a hundred men were trapped, screaming, in the accommodation module, roasted alive with no means of escape and there is rising doubt over the wisdom of having the accommodation so close to the operational activities, such as gas compression. After breakfast, I briefed Joan and Pete on their duties whilst we are away on holiday and also continued my own arrangements. I then worked in my office this morning and afternoon, writing up my financial affairs and typing out the financial summaries. I spoke on the telephone to Alan Martin of Fountain Forestry in Wick, and Roger Brittain, my accountant, to try and optimise the timing of my forestry expenditure for taxation purposes. I also arranged a booking for the village hall by telephone for Thursday 6th August, and with the Redlands Management, for a chance to meet concerned and affected residents. It was late afternoon before I had reconciled my bank and building society accounts and could go to St Neots with Diana to do some balancing transactions and a little shopping. After tea and feeding the ducks and doves, we all went along to the Reverend Peter Lewis’s house in St James Road and then started a treasure trail around the village.
It was an interesting route, following local landmarks, which I found the easiest and ended up leading the bunch to the prize of a barbequed hamburger at the end of the trail, back in the Rev Lewis’s garden. I helped the Vicar with the barbeque and we stayed quite late chatting to the guests. The news continues on with the oil rig disaster, with the search now called off, with 150-odd dead. In a sympathy action and protest against safety standards, 150 women were flown ashore after resigning from work on three of BP’s North Sea rigs. In another tragedy, a minibus crashes on the M4 and two children die and 16 others are injured. Better news with Britain signing a £multi-billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia, as the US are slow to consider the contract because of the Jewish lobby. The weather, wet and unsettled for days, cleared up tonight in time for the treasure hunt and the forecast is for a fine-ish day for tomorrow’s Southoe Fete, which I will be formally opening.