Interior of The Lady after varnishing and renovation
Interior of The Lady after varnishing and renovation

Over to Buckden to see The Lady after a late start to a milder day with a thaw starting too late to save lots of cancelled sporting events before a family lunch and to read after a dish of herrings for dinner as black Senator, Jesse Jackson, is refused permission to visit South Africa by the Botha government

A late night watching an Alfred Hitchcock thriller film and so tired this morning when I woke up. I read a little Pepys, 1666, whilst awaiting the paper and then down to breakfast before back to bed to read The Financial Times and Investor’s Chronicle. Rather late to get washed and dressed and then out to feed the doves, release the ducks (3 eggs) and collect the post from the office. Plenty of journals, including my coverage in Computer Weekly over next week’s LAN seminar. Out by car to St Neots and, dropping off Diana, Debbie and Daniella for ballet, I drove on to Buckden Marina to see The Lady. Richard, the manager, was not there, but I saw the boy and looked over the boat. What a good job they have done so far! The varnishing is complete and looks good with the toe rails and rubbing strakes a particular transformation.

The decks are well painted and hull cleaned and anti-fouled. They have yet to fit the heating, davit ropes, safety cables, new canopy wheels, but I must slow them down if I wish to keep the boat in the workshops and out of this freezing weather until March. Back to St Neots where I buy two large herrings for tea and some cockles for tomorrow. I missed the bank, and the building societies have yet to change their investment rates. We rendezvous with Daniel and then all together to The Happy Eater for our normal Saturday lunch and the children were well behaved for once. Diana wanted to go shopping to Huntingdon after, Daniel to his friend Gary and Debbie and I home to rest, so we split up and went our several ways. In front of a roaring log fire, I,  reading before and after my dish of herrings for tea. News this evening of the American arrangements for a show-biz spectacular, which they call inauguration; black Senator, Jesse Jackson, is refused permission to visit South Africa by the Botha government; a man has been charged in Scotland with the army payroll theft and murder. The worst of the freeze seems to be over, but we must watch the thaw. It did put paid to the international rugby programme today and only ten football soccer league games were played. Welshman, Jones, loses tonight in Birmingham to the American boxing WBA champion, Curry, in the fifth round with an upsetting cut to his nose and eyes.