To Bedford on a day that started misty but warmed up later and to the Peacock auction to no avail before again to Willington for plants before more time on riverside plot clearance and bonfires as well and more tussling with moles as I carry on studying the history of the Haylings and we hear of the thousands killed in the Mexican Earthquake, as many by the following 20ft tidal wave as the very shocks themselves

A fair night’s sleep, but awoken once or twice by a restless Daniella. Down to breakfast and then to read the paper a little slowly. A rush to shower, shave and dress before out to the doves and ducks. Only two eggs again, but the stray pigeon is getting daily tamer, but not yet ready to be caught and its owner contacted! When all set, out with Diana and Della to Bedford, where they went shopping and I viewed the Peacock auction. Nothing of interest, but I dropped into a hardware shop on the way to meet Diana for lunch and bought a new gutter end-piece that I had been wanting for some time, a new garden water tap that will hopefully take the hose fitting and two hose junction fittings – 22mm in brass – which I hope will both connect together the riverside garden water hoses underground and allow a branch pipe as well.

I met the others for lunch in Debenhams, arriving early for a coffee a bit tired and then having a nice dish of plaice, chips and garden peas. Away all to Willington, where we looked around the garden centre. Di bought a chemical toilet for Daniel’s boat’s Christmas present and then we chose five fine climbing clematis plants – spring, summer and autumn flowering and a like number of triangular wood trellises for us to put against our back garden wall. Also another potentilla – this time a rave pink one, which we do not already have. This new colour was evidently found growing as a stray in Scotland and has been much propagated since. Home, dropping Diana off at a friend’s house in Gordon Road for their social meeting before collecting their daughters from school. I started a good bonfire on Bill’s plot, carting a vast mound of branches and foliage from mine, cutting away the logs for firewood, and burning the rest bit by bit. The wind was slightly towards the houses in Gordon Road, but mainly along the bank and so, whilst quite smoky, I did not actually get any complaints! It took two full hours from 3 till 5pm to complete the task and clear up afterwards. Then to put up the trellises with masonry nails and I would have had time to plant all five clematis with peat and bone meal additions had Diana not warned me that a mole was active on the riverside garden and I had to break off after the second clematis and put down two smoke bombs in the failing light. Just time to clear most things up before it was very dark and I had to put away the ducks before I could not see at all. The days are shortening fast now and it is dark by 7.30. In then to examine Daniel’s school work and a frustrating time for both Diana and I getting him to do it correctly. My journal and then the TV. We dropped in on Bill Clark today and gave him the conveyance and solicitor’s covering letter, but I forgot the tape recording of my Hayling’s history. I also met Marilyn and spoke to her about Laurence Davis’s wife and she tells me that she has some old Haylings photographs on loan and is also in regular contact with Jack Witlemore’s widow as well; and so I may well get most of the information that I need. Main news today is of the thousands killed in Mexico with waves 20ft high destroying buildings not felled in the earthquake itself. Three hospitals were destroyed and several hotels collapsed, killing at least 10 congressmen. Dust and fire from broken gas mains were additional hazards. There was a heartening response from all of the people of Mexico City and, although the forces were mobilised, there was no looting or pillage at all. 21 story apartment blocks collapsed into feet of compressed concrete and as many as 1000 people could still be trapped. Back in France, both the Defence Minister and Head of Intelligence had to resign after a conspiracy to mislead the recent investigation has been virtually confirmed. In South Africa, Dr Busak, a black civil rights and political leader, is charged with subversion. David Steele gets a 6 minute standing ovation at the end of the Liberal Party Conference in a speech on the subject of preparing for government. The weather today had begun a little chilly and misty, but warmed up later in the day with some hazy sun. it seems that similar weather is forecast for tomorrow, but with a little rain possible in the morning. We shall see