Preparing for Debbie’s birthday party on a blissfully warm and dry day by collecting the Bouncy Castle from Biggeswade to erect it with John Law and then rushing off to St Ives for a Town Crier interview and back for a St Neots Riverside Restaurant lunch before the 25 party guests arrived at 3pm which I videoed. A Priory Doom meeting and then relaxed after a tense ad exhausting week. The ACAS ferry talks fail, a gun battle in South Beirut with 65 dead and no news of Terry Waite and John McCarthy, the missing Britons even though three French hostages are released
After another late night, I was slowly up and dressed in sports trousers, blazer and tie for the day’s work. Wondered around a little this morning and then was sent to St Neots Tool Hire to pick up a ‘bouncy castle’ for Debbie's party. The Biggleswade branch had forgotten to bring it there and so I had to take the Range Rover down to Biggleswade to collect it. John Law helped me assemble and inflate it and it was quite a sight. Had to rush off to St Ives after, to be interviewed by Julie Hamilton of The Town Crier newspaper. We drove to Huntingdon and then Little Paxton to get some photographs and Julie also promised me a front page spot for next week on the strength of it all. I had to take the Rolls Royce, as Di was using the Range Rover for last minute shopping for the party. I came home in time to take Diana’s sister, Sue, and the rest of my family to the St Neots Riverside Restaurant for lunch. Back after and the final preparations for the party before the guests started arriving at 3.00pm. The boat moorings cars had parked in the turning bay and so we moved one before the 25 party guests started arriving. I stayed to help with their reception and to take a video film of the start of the party and then went to Priory Hill to attend a meeting of Priory Doom, which was quite good.
Back to film the party’s end and clear up afterwards. John helped me deflate the bouncer and I tried to take it back, but the hire place was closed up. This evening, we all relaxed, quite exhausted from the tension and efforts of the week. The news tonight is of the breakup of the ACAS talks on the Ferries dispute. Writs are flying and the threats as well. Developments in the Middle East, as battles break out with gunfire interchanged by rival Moslem Militants in South Beirut. More than 65 dead and 100 injured are the casualties. Three French hostages are freed by negotiation and speculation reigns on whether or not they had been held along with Terry Waite and John McCarthy, the missing Britons. Today had been a warm and dry day, which was a blessing for Debbie's party and her 25 invited guests.