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A quite fine day but the coldest day of the Autumn so far after frost overnight extending into the morning continued with me having to act with regard to Ian and Margaret James and their On-Site Training disputes and problems whilst also tussling with my house alarm witing problems and pond air conditioning icing up.
A difficult joint meeting of the Parish Council and Village Hall Committee this evening, chaired by me in the continuing absence of Chair Alan Cromack, but a successful one and a drink together in the Anchor pub afterwards.
A mounting row today over the Hazeltine comments that were critical of Thatcher's leadership, at last the EEC has agreed its GATT negotiating position on reducing agricultural subsidies by 30%
I managed to put the worrying call from Ian James out of my mind and got off to bed and to sleep reasonably well last night. Was up at a reasonable time this morning and, after breakfast, I decided to act on the On-Site Training problem. My first call was to John Creswell with whom I compared notes over Ian and Margaret James. Though quietly confident, he has been quite laid back until now and was not a great deal of use as events had come as an equal surprise to him. I agreed a course of action that would mean counselling and encouraging Ian to take over the central organisational role, determining the other necessary organisational roles and ensuring that his wife took one of them and toed the line.
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After a poor night irritated by Diana’s new hair oil and some heating malfunctions, I was a bit slow to rise but then got out to work on the lawns and compost heaps on a bright and sunny day. A Chiltern Radio interview over the Poll Tax cuts and then poor news from Ian James that seemed terminal for my training company investment.
I had trouble sleeping last night. Firstly, Diana decided to come to bed with her hair soaked with some oily and smelly concoction which irritated my nose and throat all night. I should have been suspicious when she covered the pillows with a protective towel! Then the heating seemed to stay on all night, and it seems that the house heating circuit comes on with the conservatory heating which is annoying. We shall have to get the engineers back to have a look at the controls. I was therefore a bit slow to rise but still made breakfast due to having already had my bath and hair wash the previous night.
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We managed to facilitate Debbie's 21-mile hack on a fairly cold but fine day with some emotional scenes when she was tired and struggling later but she successfully rode with Sundance in company with Charlotte as I dropped them off and collected them later. The small boys returned to help with my lawn gardening, applying pest killer and fertiliser, and Daniel was home to appreciate our roast beef dinner.
The news today in Britain was of the continued speculation about the Tory party with several opinion polls suggesting that Thatcher should go. US Secretary of State, Baker, was in the Gulf where his troops gave him the message that they wanted either to get on with it or come home.
Di woke us up early this morning and then did not get up early enough herself to make us our fried breakfast before Debbie and I left for Great Staughton. I got up, dressed, and had a bowl of cereal before we set off and arrived at the stables soon after 8.00am. I helped Debbie get Sundance in from the field and then found a horse box and coupled it up to the Range Rover ready to try to load Sundance. He was difficult as usual to get in and Debbie far to nervous and tentative, but luckily there was another older girl there who pulled him in as I gave him a smack from behind. Debbie eventually got the rest of his tack ready and we drove to Meagre Farm to get there by the time we said of 9.00am. I stayed to help Debbie get Sundance groomed and tacked up and she set off with Charlotte Pigg and another rider before 9.00am. They were due to try the long ride to Grafham Water and then to ride right around it before coming back again - a total distance of 21 miles.
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Most of my 44th Birthday spent gardening on my lawns but some nice presents and cards to wake up to before Debbie set off for school and Di and Della joined me for a visit to Willington Garden Centre for supplies. Later a Birthday Tea with four candles as we plan to take Debbie and Sundance for a hack with Charlotte Pig for a long hack around Grafham Water the next day.
The news is of Michael Hazeltine joining the public criticism of Thatcher's leadership style after the resignation of Sir Geoffrey Howe and certain back-benchers are asking her to go, but will she?
I was tired this morning as, not only I had I got to bed late, but I did not sleep very well even then. A little lay in and then Di wanted me to get up to be with the girls at breakfast for my card and present opening. I had a good few cards and had not been forgotten, though Daniel was still asleep and gave me his later. After I had eaten breakfast and got washed and dressed, I wrote up yesterday's journal and had a visit from the electrician who finished installing the last light in my office. Then, after Debbie had left for school, I took Della and Diana over to Willington Garden Centre where I was successful in finding the Autumn Toplawn that I had been looking for to treat my lawns against earthworms and leather-jackets. We had coffee and spent too much time there for Diana's liking as she wanted to go supermarket shopping.
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