A sunny day after early morning mist and a busy one after an unsettled night with Peacock noise starting off with catching up with administration and cleaning the barbeque before watching England beat Pakistan in the second one day test running and then Daniel hosted his friends for a swim in the pool. The evening joining Nigel and Lynne for a meal at Ye Olde Plough" at Bolnhurst after which we heard that Della had done very well with her school work
Up a surprising number of times in the night to go to the toilet and I put it down to a combination of drinking too much in the evening and the coolness of the night-time air drifting through our bedroom. The peacock has taken up a regular roost in the large oak tree outside our windows and calls regularly throughout the night which is rather disconcerting. Breakfast and a "piggy-back" for Della in the usual way and then out to do some chores. The day started cool and misty before the sun came out in mid-morning and so I not only did the filters and fed the animals, but also gave the pool a good clean and then tackled the barbecue.
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This has been congealed with fat for the last few years and, whilst the heat of the barbecue keeps the cooking area germ-free, it has been rather dirty and unpleasant overall to use and move around. I dismantled it and then, using oven-cleaner brushed in to the fat, left the pieces in the "butler's" sink to soak whilst I got on with some paperwork. Lots of investment cheques to pay in and account for and our new cheque books for the Norwich and Peterborough Building Society arrived to day for us to start to use. After lunch, I worked on at my desk compiling request for quotation for my Range Rover parts and boat-shed timber and then faxed them off for a response to the suppliers concerned. Diana was away to St Neots to do some shopping and complete my chores at the same time and then Daniel arrived from Norwich, seemingly pleased to be home and chatting freely.
His friends came round later and they swam and played in the pool just like old times. He seems to settle back at home so easily after being away; much more so than ever I did after leaving home. I struggled to finish off my faxed letters and then relaxed in the lounge for an hour, watching England beat world champions Pakistan for the second one-day test running to go two up in the series with three matches remaining. Then a rush to get washed and shaved in time to take Diana out for the evening for dinner with Lynne and Nigel. We arrived to find the gardens of Hail Weston House in dust and dirt as they had just finished the foundations for his new garage/outhouse building.
We chatted for a while and then left in their Range Rover for a restaurant that was new to us; "Ye Olde Plough" at Bolnhurst. The venue was good enough but the evening went a little slowly. Nigel is going through a very busy phase of being involved in too many ventures all at once and this is taking its toll on them both. They are also having horrendous people problems with their Tensor staff. Home about midnight and almost straight to sleep. Debbie and Della both brought home their assessments today and Della has been doing exceptionally well; scoring straight 'A's in all three of her assessed subjects and this after her time off with the broken leg! Debbie has been slipping a bit and I need to spend some time helping her with her science subjects.