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Preparing the swimming pool and gardens for Della's 7th Birthday Party and then playing with my new Weatherfax system by picking up signals from Bracknell. I was far too late to bed, but it had been a more physically-relaxing day.
I rose very stiff after the last couple of days exertions and was slow to dress and get up. The family found my appearance quite a revelation after the dirtiness and scruffiness of late. It had been raining overnight but cleared up early and so I was able to go out and clean the swimming pool ready for Della's party. I also swept the drives and generally tidied things up and everything looked much better as a result. Then some time trying to commission my weather fax system and it went well really, even though there was much to learn and absorb.
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I worked for much of the day and finished commissioning the Reliant and then and erected the short-wave aerial on the southern gable of the house to be ready to try out the Weather Fax system on the personal computer. After this, I was absolutely shattered and so sank into a hot bath to soothe my aching limbs.
I had stayed up fairly late last night and went straight out this morning to get some more back-axle oil and petrol for the Reliant. Then, without washing or shaving or changing clothes from yesterday, I went back to work on the old van, intending to finish the dirty jobs this morning and then have a bath. In the end, it took most of the day to top up the tank and oils, complete the greasing and then adjust the brakes. The old rod brakes had worn transfer points and linkages and so I had to free off as many as possible and tighten them up before stripping down and loosening the Girling brake hub of the nearside wheel. Even then, I could not get this wheel to brake well without binding but did the best I could.
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With Daniel and Steve Bloom not available on time for a boat trip and the weather unsuitable, I called it off and stayed at home after all and worked on the Reliant to get it working.
The weather was changing for the better at last with the sun making an appearance and the gardener not working on Fridays, I also had to tend the fish and birds and took pleasure in feeding the peacock.
With Daniel not telephoning me last night and, in the absence of Steven Bloom who was busy, I was short of crew and could not go to sea. Also the weather was still very unsettled and not really suitable for the trip. In the end, Daniel phoned this morning and arrived after lunch which was far too late to be of help. I decided to work on the Reliant instead and, by removing the dynamo brushes and cleaning off the commutator, I got it to charge the battery again which was the last obstacle in the way of getting everything working.
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The Rolls Royce trip to Great Easton after seeing Debbie off to school after her rough ferry trip to Boulogne and then some time with Steve Bloom sharing navigation software. Then off to off to the village hall to chair a joint meeting of the Parish Council, Village Hall Committee, and local residents on the subject of the proposed extensions to the village hall.as a combined Parish Meeting. I made the decision not to try to get the boat round to the Great Ouse as the weather is too unsettled at the moment.
I was due to take the Rolls Royce over to Great Easton today and so my plans revolved around this. We were up at the usual time and then saw Debbie off to school on an unsettled and showery morning. She had enjoyed her school trip to Boulogne yesterday but found the trip by ferry a bit rough in the southerly winds. I had expected my Range Rover to be ready this morning, but it was delivered home later in the day. Steve Bloom came round to say that he could not manage the weekend for the boat trip, but I showed him the Reliant and Rolls Royce between the showers and managed to copy the Wayplan Software for him. Di arrived back around 12.30pm and we went straight off to deliver the Rolls Royce.
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