A relaxing Sunday resting the reading before a couple of hours on my Little Paxton history before firing up Percy, my Reliant, and taking the girls around Little Paxton to the playing field. Then on via the A1 to St Neots Riverside park where there was much interest in the vehicle from enthusiasts and back when it started spitting with rain to watch some TV. The IRA are now targeting Gibraltar, the miners are now ending their overtime ban and the first anniversary of the sinking of the Herald of Free Enterprise is commemorated
A nice long and deep sleep last night and awoke feeling much more rested than of late. Stayed in bed and laid in nevertheless, reading yesterday’s Financial Times and today’s observer. Went down to breakfast in my dressing gown and then, after a nice fried meal, came back up to bed and finished my reading. After I was showered and dressed, I went to my office and worked a couple of hours on my history – the final part of The Corner Cottage and the start of Dial House, but I got bored in late morning and prepared Percy for an afternoon run. The sump has been leaking oil badly and so I tightened up the nuts and topped up the level. The engine started fine and so we were on for a journey, if the weather stayed fine. A nice lunch of roast chicken and then all into Percy for the trip. We went along Gordon Road to the playground, but drove around a few other streets, such as Hayling Avenue, to make more of a trip of it. Then over the bumps to park at the Village Hall car park and we parked and gave the girls goes on the swings and slide.
Debbie kept well clear of the roundabout after her accident last time. Feeling more brave, we drove on, down the A1, off at the A45 to St Neots and to the Riverside Park. There was an Austin 7 there and so we parked right next to it and got out so that the girls could have a go on the climbing frame. I walked back and chatted to a few blokes who had come up to look at Percy. One was a man who first learnt to drive in a Reliant like me, and then the next two owned the Austin Ruby and we talked about that for a while. It started spitting with rain and so it was all in the van and home via the High Street, Huntingdon Road and Mill Lane. I had a problem with my speedometer seizing up and making a mess of the cable and so we could not tell how many miles we had done in all. After this I watched a TV Arsenal vs Spurs soccer derby, the Antiques Road Show and then, after a sit-round tea in the lounge, I went out in the dark and fixed the speedo and cable, leaving the task of refitting it until another day. News today is of the battle against IRA terrorists extending to Gibraltar. Police and troops shoot dead three IRA suspects and defused a big car bomb. The terrorists were targeting a ceremonial parade next Tuesday. The miners have voted to end their six-month-odd national overtime ban, originally called to protest over the imposition of new disciplinary procedures. It is the first anniversary of the sinking of the Herald of Free Enterprise and the survivors and bereaved relatives are experiencing the bad memories all over again.