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I rose tired after last night with aching legs from an evening of energetic dancing and the rest of the family came to the table in their night things. Then I went off for a political meeting in Cambridge, dropping her off at Great Staughton for her special morning’s horse-riding hack on a friendly farmer’s fields and organising to put Sundance out with the other ponies kept there for a ‘rest week’.
The meeting had been called to for organisers to discuss the Liberal Democrat strategy for the forthcoming General Election for which it was agreed to target Cambridgeshire North-East for victory but I struggled to get them to unite against the Tories and cooperate with Labour. The afternoon and evening pasting cuttings of Little Paxton news in my scrapbook. It was a lovely day today – cool overnight but then sunny and barmy which made it very pleasant just to wander around the gardens this evening.
The Gulf Summit had gone well with accord on all points of current policy but others were resisting the US and Britain stance ‘reserving the right’ to invade Kuwait without the further endorsement of the United Nations
I was tired after last night; not only with loss of sleep, but also with aching legs etc., from an evening of energetic dancing. I was still the only one up and dressed for our traditional Sunday fried breakfast and the rest of the family came to the table in their night things. I tended the conservatory plants fish and doves and then took Debbie with me as I went off for a political meeting in Cambridge. I dropped her off at Great Staughton for her morning’s horse-riding hack. She had arranged with a riding companion and her mother to ride around the farmland opposite which was a special concession as a friend knew the farmer very well. I drove on to Cambridge and met representatives from four of the Cambridgeshire constituencies.
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Awake feeling a bit chilly, as the days are warm but the nights cool, to comfort poor Di as she was struggling with a period and finding the return home and organising the children quite a strain. Then a morning of paperwork, updating my journal and working on correspondence and financial matters. Later, once Debbie was home from her Saturday morning school session and Daniel from his eye test, I took them all quite late to a disappointing lunch with cold food and poor service at Tooks in St Neots Market Square. This evening, Diana and I went to the village hall for a barn dance featuring the Paragon Quadrille band of ancient and traditional instruments to celebrate our friend Eric Young’s 40th birthday.
News tonight of the eve of summit preparations for the Bush/Gorbachev meeting on the Gulf which seems to be going well. More women and children allowed out of Iraqi/Iran, but they tell of being interrogated to reveal the whereabouts of their husbands and fathers.
I was awake at 7am, feeling a bit chilly. We are now into a spell where days are warm but the nights cool and it is difficult to have the right amount of bedding as a result. Poor Di was struggling this morning. She is having a menstrual period and finding the return to home quite a strain, having to remember things and organise the children who kept forgetting their belongings that they need for school. I relieved her tensions by rubbing her tummy, back and breasts first thing and we had time to chat a little. I was therefore late down to breakfast and had to do my morning tasks after the meal. I then started a morning of paperwork, updating my journal first and then working on correspondence and financial matters. I wrote to our new gardener confirming his appointment and to the unsuccessful candidate as well. Lastly, I updated the job centre on what I was doing.
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A slow start to the day, feeling quite stiff after my practical work at Heronshaw so I got Daniel to do some gardening work to earn money as I hosted the morning’s political visits of Percy Meyer and Sally Guinea and received a decorator who I contracted to decorate the outside of The Hayling View for £2,200. I also interviewed two gardeners and chose Mt Tee.
After Di collected Debbie from her horse riding, I took them both over to Kimbolton Castle to join a St Neots Local History Society historical tour of the place conducted by our children’s English master and local historian, Mr Stratford.
More of the British women and children from occupied Kuwait came home in convoy today but were very sad and reluctantly left their husbands and fathers behind. It was cool and very windy today and it then rained after dusk which has been a rare occurrence lately
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I had a slow start to the day but was still down and ready in time for breakfast. I was feeling quite stiff after my practical work at Heronshaw but felt a little better after a shower and hair-wash before breakfast this morning. Some little time on my morning routine, but I still did everything including watering the hanging baskets, even though the weather had changed. Daniel did some gardening work to earn money as he needed it to be able to go out with his friends in the evening. His work on the lawns was less than perfect, but at least they were cut.
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After a refreshing bath and a couple of hours work on the shed supports, I collected Dad’s trophy from Harlequin in Norwich and drove on to Stanton, planning to cut Mum’s hedge. Unfortunately, she had trouble with her car battery and it took several hours to purchase and fit replacement.
Home in time for a late tea and chat with the family and then shaved and changed so as to go straight out to a meeting of the Little Paxton Parish Council, where I fielded some criticism of my recent FOCUS newsletter. Home quite late and tired to bed after a lot of exertion and a late night. It was noticeably cooler again today and that the glorious summer seemed to have come to an end at last.
I was up early again, after a fitful night, and then I treated myself to a nice large Heronshaw bath before getting going on the work at 8am. I was able to spend a couple of hours adding to the shed supports and then had to pack up as the weather was fine in Stanton to help my mother. Once all was away and Heronshaw was ‘put back to sleep ‘, I drove into Norwich and eventually found Harlequin without a map and arrived in time to catch Angie, the manageress, and collect the trophy. It had come out quite well and will be a very good memorial item. I drove on to Mum, stopping off for a McDonald’s hamburger on the way.
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