I was again concerned with the health of my Koi this morning and then spent the day fulfilling a photo-call with the Ramply family for the Express and working on my history of Little Paxton clerics, poor laws and charities. The dramatic inauguration of US President George Bush took place as more Boing air-liner faults cause safety concerns. 1,000 protesters support Viraj Mendis in Manchester after his deportation to Sri Lanka
I had a good night’s sleep after an 11.00pm retirement. After breakfast, I tended the fish was a bit concerned that they were not eating. The large Kohaku is the most worrying. At least the nitrite and ammonia levels are down to virtually zero. I then spent the morning working on my history until a late lunch at 1.15pm. It was a pork pie salad that I had to make myself, as Diana was off to Bedford buying wall lights and looking at furniture for the lounge. After lunch, I made my way to my ‘photo-opportunity’ to meet the Ramply’s and have our picture taken by the Express newspaper. Di was not back and so I took the Rolls-Royce which still had an exhaust leak. The photographer was late and so I chatted to Jack Ramply and his daughter-in-law, Helen, as we waited. After all this, I drove on to Southoe to see the people of Lees Lane council houses where the contractors were installing the new central heating and had been doing a bad job and upsetting them.
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Then-back to work on my church history before and after tea, completing the major part of the section on the history of the Parish, poor laws, and the organisation of charities. I still have this to finish tomorrow and then the section listing past vicars, rectors, churchwardens and overseers. I broke off at 10pm to write up my journal and drink a mug of Bournevita. The news today was of the dramatic speech and all-American parades and razzmatazz of the inauguration of the new US President George Bush. There was more trouble with Boeing airliners as two more incidents today lead to an engine and part of a wing falling off. There have been a dozen or more technical failures since the M1 crash and many of these were faulty fire extinguishers on the engine of several. In Manchester, about 1000 people have protested in a demonstration in support of Viraj Mendis after his deportation to Sri Lanka. He is now pleading with both Switzerland and West Germany to let him stay there as he fears his life in Sri Lanka. Inflation is up by 0.4% to 6.8% and Chancellor Lawson is damping down hopes of further tax cuts in the next budget whilst denying that those of last year led to the spending boom. Today was another cold day and I supplemented my underfloor heating in the conservatory with the fan heater and get the temperature above 65°F.