Fiona has become much more obliging at the stables, leading Della on foot for her first hack today
Fiona has become much more obliging at the stables, leading Della on foot for her first hack today

Organising my boats and trailers with Daniel on another mild and sunny, if breezy, day ready to sell one boat and trailer via Percival’s of Horning next week. Then  trimming the lawn and commissioning the Rolls Royce now that Daniel is using the Escort.

Fiona has become much more obliging at the stables, leading Della on foot for her first hack today and we re now planning transport and arrangements for Debbie on Sundance this Spring                                                                         

Another mild and sunny day today, even though that breeze was still blowing. I went through my morning routine and then opened the lights in the conservatory to give it some ventilation. I updated my action list and identified a few outside jobs and, Daniel being home with Diana and gardener Pete, I decided to get them out there to help me reorganise the boats and trailers. We pulled the "Little Lady" on its trailer and across the games lawn so that I would not have to drive the Range Rover over it and then I towed the boat around to Willow Close. The we took the other trailer (that we had brought back from Heronshaw) down to the river and managed to get Daniel's speedboat on to it quite easily. We kept the 20HP mariner on this and put the 50HP Mercury on the Little Lady so as to sell them as an unwanted combination. All this took some time but I was glad that we did it as it was the first chance the weather had allowed it to be done. I telephoned Percivals brokerage of Horning and arranged for them to take it into their yard on next Saturday morning.

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Whilst I was out and about, I tried out the games lawn mower and it worked perfectly and so I went ahead and trimmed the lawn, gathering a good half dozen containers of cuttings as I went. My other outside job was to start the Rolls Royce and try it out. I had to use the battery charger to get the battery up and then, once started, the automatic transmission would not engage until the car was warm and, even then, it slipped. I went for a ride in it and then twigged that it was the loss of automatic transmission fluid and so I went to the shops and got some to refill it and this seems to have solved the problem. This effort was prompted by Daniel making greater use of the Escort so that we need to use the Rolls Royce. I am arranging for it to be serviced by P & A Wood of Great Dunmow, Essex, as I am losing confidence in the Bedford garage.

I was visited this morning by Gerald Carpenter, the former Diddington farm manager, who had been intrigued by my mentioning him in FOCUS and had called by to pick up a couple of copies. After lunch, I finished off with the Rolls Royce and then went with Diana to get Debbie from school and take her and Della riding. Fiona took Della out for her first hack, leading her on foot, and Della thoroughly enjoyed it. This evening, Diana and I sat down and planned the outings for Debbie on Sundance this Spring. I have now got to arrange the transport and will discuss this with Fiona tomorrow.