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Working further on my Samuel Jones Little Paxton history and then mowing the games lawn on a warm and sunny day before preparing for my talk to the Little Paxton Ladies Club about village history this evening. It was reported as the best turnout ever of their club with more than 40 ladies present and, by collecting many subscriptions, they seem to be restoring their fortunes. Big news tonight was of the bank interest rates up again to 8 ½ %,, there was a riot after inmates had to take down pictures of pinups. Lester Piggott loses his OBE after conviction for tax evasion.
A good night’s sleep, but it was Diana’s turn to wake me early today with my morning tea. Some time coming round and getting up and shaved. Opted to leave my shower etc for later and dressed in time for breakfast. Some toast and wheat flakes, then out to feed the doves and check the mole traps. Nothing to report and so spent the morning in my office, copying more information from the Samuel Jones files on land acquisition etc. Lunch and then carried on, after writing a few notes for my talk on Little Paxton History to the Little Paxton Ladies Club tonight. I was much distracted by the cricket on TV today, with England struggling to avoid defeat at the hands of a talented West Indies team. Eventually tea time and I had gone out to get some A3 pocket plastic wallets so that I could hand round photo copies tonight to make the talk more interesting. After tea, I showered, washed my hair and went off to the village hall. Their best ever turnout of 40+ ladies to hear me speak and they enjoyed it and hung around afterwards to ask questions and chatted. They collected a lot of money in subscriptions and I hope that it has got their club back on the rails.
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Writing up my history on the development of Riversfield, retrieving a duck from an owner’s dog’s mouth and struggling with mole-catching as I maintain the new games lawn in the absence of Di’s help and interest. A huge train explosion kills scores, injures hundreds and leaves 600 people homeless and the UK refuses to negotiate with Iran on hostage release.
Awoke early this morning and Di was upset that I made her get up and make the drinks, even though it was her turn. Showered and shaved before breakfast, then enjoyed my meal of eggs, bacon, mushrooms & tomato on fried bread. This morning I worked away on analysing the Samuel Jones files on expansion into Riversfield. Interesting to see how the negotiation went, but it took a long time. Out to see the ducks and doves. A dog ran into our garden and ran around with one of my ducks in its mouth and I extracted an apology from its owner and assurance that it would be kept on a lead in our vicinity in future. No more luck in catching moles today. The ground is still very muddy and the callipers seem to clog when striking – which they have done three times. Lunch, after persuading Daniel to vacuum and then clean the Range Rover. Back to work all afternoon and my task was about half complete by tea time.
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An abortive family visit to St Neots Riverside Park in the pouring rain after lunch together and then myself to resume some work on my history project. Six of the German miners were rescued from an air pocket, cocaine is washed up near Brighton and a third motorcyclist has been killed on the Isle of Man whilst practising for this year’s TT championships
A good night’s sleep and up early to make the morning drinks to give Di a treat. Little Della came down to see me and I got her mug of milk as well. Up to have our drinks in bed and then a breakfast of cereal together. This morning I read the Financial Times and catch up with the Investors Chronicle. It seems that others also believe that we have not seen the end to the economic slump and I will hold off of equities for a time longer. Also tidied up my office a bit, before Di and Daniel came and took me off to lunch at the Happy Eater. We had a nice meal and then we tried to go to the fair at the St Neots Riverside Park afterwards, but the heavens opened and it poured with rain, as it did several times today. Home to watch some TV cricket and golf and, after tea, I got down to some history work at last. I made some text changes to the section on the Paper Mill, adding sections on the building of Riversfield and then on the 1895 Spring Opening.
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Daniel to the nurse for his cut finger this morning and then on to see Bill Walston at Cambridge via Jordon’s at Biggleswade for grain and for Di and I to lose each other! The Thatcher/Reagan mutual admiration is the main story as he plans his retirement and near-misses are reported between passenger jets over Biggin Hill
A little more sleep last night and an early start to the day. Read a little before breakfast and then had a boiled egg (a little overdone again) to eat. Daniel had a badly cut finger that he has been nursing since yesterday and I told him to see the Doctor’s nurse this morning to get it sorted out. I finished yesterday’s journal and we locked up and rushed out in order to get to the Doctor’s surgery at about 9.00am, when they open. The nurse saw him, put on a few ‘stitches’ (adhesive strips) to pull the wound together, applied a finger bandage and then injected him for Tetanus. He will need a booster in 10 years time. She also gave him a sugar lump with Polio vaccine on as well for good measure, as his medical records pointed to the fact that all this was due. We dropped him at home and then Di, Della and I drove to Jordon’s at Biggleswade to buy some mixed grain for the doves and have our morning drinks there. On to Cambridge, where I dropped off the FOCUS text for Bill Walston at his Cambs Univ Press offices, where he seems to be a Management Accountant.