Trying to be sociable and patient as Diana's family staying
Trying to be sociable and patient as Diana's family staying

Day of tolerating my parents in law as I try to get work done but I am successful at auction and repair the outboard motor for Daniel as the Russian premier looks to reform his planners

Awake to my morning tea, the paper and breakfast in bed and rather long over all of them. As Diana went with her parents to drop Debbie off to school, I to wash, dress and shave, being somewhat put out by my parent-in-laws return, uninvited, to help with the washing up. It was well intended, but quite disruptive to my flagging attempts to get out on time. The birds and to discover that the two dove eggs were destroyed and the incubation ended. One egg missing and the other broken and discarded on the dovecote ledge, which is a mystery. I can only suspect crows/rooks or the avid attentions of the other cock doves that disrupted the mating pair. Only 7 eggs from the ducks as well on a poor morning. At last I set off for St Ives and the auction, pausing in St Neots to collect my pass books from the Abbey National and pay in this morning’s dividend from Ladbrokes. I arrived in St Ives and parked the car in the old cattle market car park, arriving at the auction just too late for the first few lots. A long day, successfully bidding for the Victorian mahogany curtain pole, six SH/DC tea spoons and a single SH/DC table and desert spoon each, contained in a mix set selling cheaply. As a folly I also bought a contemporary silver goblet and paid £180 for the large bronze weather vane that will look grand on my house, if only I can mount it safely.

Lunch at the Chinese takeaway of my customary chicken soup and egg fu young, eaten with a poor wooden fork and much slurping. I also looked in on the Norris Museum, but only the exhibits and not the library. Later to collect my lots, load up and pay by cheque, as I am now well known to the auctioneers. Home by 4.30pm, but my intentions for a half hour in the office somewhat disrupted by 15 mins of satiating my Mother-in-laws curiosity about my acquisitions, 10 mins of receiving Marilyn’s sympathies over the fate of my wounded duck (injured in fact by the over amorous attentions of her drake) and then an exchange of pleasantries with my Father-in-law at Gordon Road. My phone messages returned between 5.00pm and 5.30pm – not a very auspicious start today to our guests stay, but I must be friendly and tolerant towards them (!). I supervised Daniel’s homework and then let him assist me fit the spare parts to the 2HP Evinrude outboard motor. I had purchased these parts from L H Jones of St Ives today, after buying the motor at the Ely auction. We completed the task and took both powered dinghies out for a cruise between showers. The new motor works, but is still in need of adjustment. In after to clean my new silver purchases, catalogue them, and prepare a number of offerings for sale at the next silver auction. Then to bed tired and without opportunity to catch up on the day’s news and current affairs. I did notice reports, however, of the Russian Premier shaking up the Soviet planners with some very frank remarks that seem to set the basis for Eastern Block communist financial reform. We shall see.