Big decision to transfer my work across from the Comart Communicator to the Apple Mac today
Big decision to transfer my work across from the Comart Communicator to the Apple Mac today

A little restless, after allowing an arch Tory to chair the village hall committee last night, though hopefully for the best. A long work session today sorting and selecting old computer discs for transferring onto the Apple Mac and then, after lunch, reorganising my office and removing the Comart microcomputer after its long service. More work on the Games Lawn, completing two thirds of its top dressing and an hour aboard The Lady drying the bilges. Grilled trout for dinner and an HDC Policy Committee meeting tonight. In the Chancellor’s Autumn statement, he announces £2 billion more for the NHS but Lawson has to admit his forecasts were way off course. Israel’s right-wing Likud party seems set to win today’s national election after their recent violent excesses.

A bit restless last night, thinking about this arch-Tory that I’m letting take over the chairmanship of the Village Hall Committee. Even so, I think it is best that there are the widest possible number of people in the village who are rooting for the community. I just hope that he will be receptive to increasing the amenities and improving the Village Hall. Awoke early at 6 AM and trying to delay Diana’s departure downstairs but I found out that she was having a period! ‘Relief’ on my own and then up, showered and dressed well before breakfast. I went to my office for an hour and worked on the new computer. Breakfast of ‘French Toast’ then a chance to sit and read both the morning mail and then the newspaper, which was quite relaxing. Then a long work session, sorting through my old computer desks and selecting and copying those that had to be transferred onto the new regime. It was quite trying but I got there in the end.

Lunchtime, with Pete having spent all morning mixing huge pile of top dressing and Joan recovered sufficiently to carry on with the housework. Della off to ‘Rising 5’s’ as usual and the tears and nervousness are now a thing of the past, thank goodness. After lunch, I took the ‘Bull by the Horns’ and rearranged my office, putting the Apple Mac on my desk, the laser printer on the filing cabinets and removing entirely the Comart  microcomputer to the spare room in its component parts. It had been in use since I retired in 1984 and, I suppose, it is the first time I’ve not had one on my own computers in my work environment for a decade! An unholy mess but then a very tidy and efficient office as a result. Out to the Games Lawn where I spent a couple of hours spreading the huge pile of lawn top-dressing and, when I had finished, I ended up with two thirds of the lawn complete. We are out of bails of peat again and I must get some urgently. Then an hour on board The Lady bailing out the bilges. It was not that she had a leak (indeed my re-glazed windows are perfectly weatherproof) but that I want a condensation-free atmosphere inside before we put the winter cover on. Indeed, the bilges had dried out entirely before I drain the engine and water system and I liked it to be left like that. To my office and time for a few frantic phone calls before tea. I chased Frost and Co about the conservatory re-design and (more by hope than judgement, in my view) they still plan to begin the installation next week. I heard from Tricia Bridges-Palmer, a keen SLD activist, today, and we discussed a common interest in the PR side of local politics. The children home and time for tea (grilled trout for me with the children enjoying a cheek each) and then I shaved and changed after ready for my HDC meeting this evening and sat ready, writing up my journal whilst waiting in hope for Colin Howard to arrive for his 6pm appointment. I was surprised to get a phone call at the designated hour and he soon came around to deliver some more of my maps nicely framed. At this evening’s HDC Policy Committee meeting, I met Terry Hayward of Buckden and reassured him about our FOCUS’s. The meeting itself was a bit uneventful with only Jim Lomax, the Labour Leader, making much of a debate if it. Home via Percy Meyer’s house and time to catch up with today’s news. The main story is of the Chancellor’s Autumn statement, wherein he announces a £2 billion increase for the NHS to try to take the wind out of the sails of the Tory rebels and it seems that the government will just avoid defeat. Lawson had to admit his trade gap, inflation and other forecasts were way of course. After the recent fire bombs and government retaliation, the Israeli right-wing Likud Party seems to be set to win today’s national election.