With the family by the river in Little Paxton
With the family by the river in Little Paxton

A very warm and sunny day at home making my own breakfast, sailing on the river and watering my lawn and the hanging baskets and then lunch in the back garden with the girls who had invited friends swimming in our pool before I organised a barbecue by the river and played ball until going swimming the girls. Then an evening on my Little Paxton history as TUC president Norman Willis makes an appeal to the electricians union for unity in vain.

Was awake very early this morning and heard the dawn chorus and some rowdy anglers on the other river bank making themselves heard as well. I closed the curtains and dozed off a little before getting up quite early to get showered and dressed in time for breakfast. I sat and read today’s newspaper for a while, but had a bit of a headache. Made myself French toast for breakfast and was upset with Diana for not doing it for me. Head still rather groggy and so I took the sailing dingy up and down the river a couple of times. The breeze was up and the sun was getting warmer all the time and so I watered the flower baskets and got the sprinkler going on the games lawn as well. Did a little work on my history this morning, but mostly read the post and paper until a cup of strong coffee got me going.

Was pleased that Di got some salad sandwiches, as I was not very keen on jostling for service in any of the ‘fast food’ restaurants. We had the lunch in the back garden with the girls, who were swimming with their friends both morning and afternoon. Resumed my work this afternoon, with the weather getting hotter. Made the decision at 4.30pm to get the barbeque out and have some barbequed sausages and hamburgers for tea. Had a nice meal down by the river and then played ball with the children until I got rather hot and tired and so I went swimming with the girls, whilst Diana cleared up the things from the garden. After my swim, I managed to work all evening on my history chapter on the Mills, nearly finishing the work and printing much of it out as well. The news today is of a reconstruction of the murder of Marie Wilks in Hertford, with a policewoman taking her place and re-enacting the scene in the hope of jogging passers-by memories. The latest political national opinion polls have the Conservatives well ahead of Labour at 48% to 36%, with the Democrats on 9% and SDP 3%. TUC President, Norman Willis, makes an appeal to the electricians for unity behind the TUC’s rules, but there is little chance. The Turkish landslide that has claimed so many dead may have also killed a car full of Britons and two more British cyclists. Three British geologists are flying out to help, as the rescuers keep getting beaten back by more landslides. Another warm, hot and sunny day comes to an end and I go to bed quite late, as my history text prints out automatically with the cut sheet feeder working well.