Daniel enjoys my dinghies and outboards as a distraction from school before I go over to St Ives and spot a fine bronze weather vane and some SHDC spoons for my growing collection before a fine tea of prawns with Debbie and some evening boxing on TV as the Norland ferry runs aground avoiding a coaster
Awake this morning to a day with clear blue skies and a rising barometer. I tell Daniel about the purchases yesterday and he is very pleased about the new motor. His friends are coming round today to clean the dinghies and so he goes out to move the Blue Peter from The Lady’s davits to the garden plot, but ends up in a muddle with one craft adrift and unable to start the motor on the other. Diana is angry as he becomes late for school and I go out to help him. Back to bed for breakfast and then to catch up on two days journal. The news in the meantime has been that England football clubs have been banned indefinitely from all world matches (which I think is too harsh and precipitate an action) and the England national team may not be able to compete in the World Cup. The man trapped in the well, Romanus Girenas, was sadly found dead at the end of a herculean effort to save him. Enoch Powell’s embryo, Bill, was frustrated by its opponents after a ding-dong procedural battle and the weekend sitting of the House of Commons was therefore averted. The government is backing off a little from some of its controversial legislation and have decided not to press ahead with the scrapping of rent controls.
The Electrical Share ratings of the stock exchange have fallen sharply and will lead the whole market down this summer if no better news emerges, but the Kode shares have stayed constantly at 215p, which suggests there is a buyer at that price building up a holding. A little late to finish my reading and preparation and out to the birds at 9.15am. The doves all flew down and I checked the dovecote and found the two eggs safe and warm – although one is dented and cracked slightly. The ducks lay 12 eggs, but the sick duck staggers ever more and loses its balance and so I let it go into the river where it can at least swim. Off with the girls to St Ives and the viewing day for Tuesday’s antique auction. A number of good things, including a Victorian folding oak child’s chair, a bronze and large weather vane, and a straight half set of SH/DC 1840 silver tea spoons. Whilst studying the antiques I lost track of the time and missed an old wooden dolls house in the Saturday general auction, which was a shame. All to the car and back home to collect Daniel and then off to the Little Chef for lunch. The food fine, but the service slow. Home after and the afternoon seeing Daniel off on his boat picnic trip before settling down to sort and catalogue the new chandlery and start to pack it away. Tea of 1/2lb of prawns shared with Debbie and then back to work until dark, with much still to do. This evening, to watch the world featherweight boxing championship fight between Ireland’s Barry McGuigan and the holder, Eusebio Pedroza of Panama. An exciting fight, over the full 15 rounds and Barry wins in true style. Late writing up my journal and to bed at midnight. The weather fine today, but a bit damp later and it’s going to be cloudy and cool tomorrow, with some more rain. News today of the North Sea ferry, Norland, running aground after taking evasive action from a coaster.