Hayling View Smallbone Kitchen once fitted
Hayling View Smallbone Kitchen once fitted

Up early to unlock the new house for the builder to start demolition of walls when they discover the well which stops work but I lead the quest to find the right real oak kitchen for us and home in on Smallbone and visit their showrooms in St Albans and like what I see whilst Diana attends the doctor for tests and I get some lunch. The Russians make substantial offers in the arms reduction talks and police victim Cherry Groce’s son is allowed bail after surrendering to tend to her as she recovers but there is trouble brewing as Labour’s Kinnock is overruled about supporting the miners who have been fined but the TUC votes otherwise.

A sound sleep all and then brief read of today’s papers, saving my back again. Out in my dressing gown to unlock our new house and the door to Bill’s plot, so that the builders could make their early start. In no time they had knocked a large section of wall down in what was my office yesterday! Breakfast, a wash and shave and then out to feed the doves. Another fine day, but a misty start and slightly chilly as I stood outside. Then to the office and I made up a list of the seven real oak manufacturers from the Ideal Home Kitchen Guide magazine and phoned each one to ascertain delivery, country of origin and arrangements for viewing. A long process and ready for coffee at 11.00 and to discuss the results of my survey. Eventually homed in on Smallbone of Devises and, after speaking to their St Albans designer, agreed a campaign to visit their showroom and view this afternoon and receive him here tomorrow for a design appraisal.

By this time the builders were running into trouble with their excavations for the link foundations. They had struck and burst through a square bricked aperture with domed brick covering, which seemed to be an old well. This was a revelation as my brief researches into the history of the area have revealed no previous dwelling here, although there were supposed to be 2/3 cottages and a pub around here some time ago. We phone for the architect and also the chief builder, but I have to leave them to it as we set off after lunch on our trip to view kitchens. First to Bedford and to view some German made units, which were nice from outside, but had horribly moulded plastic drawers. Then on to St Albans and I was very pleased to see the more traditional crafts used in the Smallbone oak range. Good design, accessories, and a particular strength was the matching ‘Dog Kennel Dresser’ that we can use to extend the design into the breakfast room. Diana is not totally happy but, being so confused and overwhelmed with choice until now, she is pleased to compromise on a design that I feel will go well in the house. Home to let Diana shower and, whilst she visited the Doctor’s clinic for a ‘well woman’ cervical smear test, I took the girls to town to buy some food for tea, take Debbie to the toilet, and pay todays Gilt cheques into the Abbey National. They have still not sorted out my higher interest account problems and are rapidly taxing my patience. We collect Di and arrive home to find Daniel’s friends in the house. The evening has turned very warm and I realise that only the Jaguar’s air conditioning has shielded us until now. Diana cooks the sausage rolls I bought, whilst I take video pictures of the building work for our heritage tape. We then sit out on our steamer chairs and eat them, after which the children play tag, chase and swinging on our garden tree swing. We then sit out until it was virtually dark, when I came in to check Daniel’s homework and discuss the kitchen details with Diana. TV and news today of a set of good offers from the Russians in the arms negotiations talks. It seems that they may be offering up to half of their nuclear arsenal in cuts for a curtailment of the star wars project. A special Western summit is planned for Reagan to discuss the details with his NATO allies for October. Cherry Groce, the victim of the Brixton police shooting, is still stable and her son, charged with a shot gun offence, is, exceptionally, allowed bail on compassionate grounds. The Labour Conference touched on the behaviour of the police today, but the main highlight was a defeat for a move for separate black sections. Main low point was the TGWU’s decision to back Scargill on Wednesday on the reimbursement issue. The weather forecast is for a warm night tonight and another fine day tomorrow, but it will get cloudy with the odd shower as the front moves south east. I hope they get the footings in before any rain starts.