A still day of warm sun and cool air makes for perfect conditions to sit out and watch the doves with Debbie kept happy in the absence of Daniel before taking her to church after which more time painting my gates before settling down to watch Steve Cram beat Sebastian Coe for 1500m gold in the European Athletics but spoiled by news of a private plane crashing into an airliner at Orange County Airport, 100 Belfast prisoners starting a hunger strike but the baby swap case is resolved by genetic tests.
Another good night and awoke with Diana again and we lay together a while before getting up. Daniel still away, Debbie rather missed him this morning and played with Della rather better than usual. Down to breakfast of fried egg, bacon, mushroom & tomato and only after found the organisation to wash and dress. Out to the doves on a beautiful morning – the nicest for some time. No wind, a warm sun against the cold air, made it utopian to sit out by the dovecot, watching the fantails feed. Then to the back garden and applied a coat of matt black Berlin paint to the undersides of all three gates, before turning them over. Time only for a cup of coffee as I worked, because soon I had to take Debbie by car to St Neots Evangelical Church in Cambridge Street.
I left her at the bottom of the drive and she skipped off happily enough. Back to paint the upper sides of the gates, where I had missed, and then it was lunchtime. We did not use the dining room today, as Daniel wasn’t here, but the kitchen instead. Chicken and sausages was the fayre. Another couple of hours on the gates after and then I settled down in front of the TV for the last day of the European Athletics Championship. What a terrific session as, after a few initial disappointments early in the afternoon, Steve Cram led the way from Sebastian Coe for gold and silver in the 1500 metres. Then, after a weak Ovett dropped out of the running for the 5000 metres, Buckner struck out and got the gold instead. Only a bronze in the 4x100 metres, as the Eastern Europeans showed their superior technique with the baton, but a thrilling success in the 4x400 metre relay, as the British team overcame the injuries of two of the regular team by bringing in the reserves and still winning, even after one of their number lost a running shoe at the start of his leg. Daniel returns with Steve, and joins us for tea of jam scones. Then they go swimming with our girls. Another coat of black paint for the gates and then the long process of cleaning up and putting everything away. Then inside, the doors locked and perimeter alarms on, and a relaxing few hours in front of the TV. Two excellent documentaries – one on the South African, Africaans Nation and another on the Artic bear. News only from teletext, but the drama very apparent of a mid-air collision near Orange County, Los Angelis, as an airliner carrying 53 people crashed after colliding with a private jet. This is not the first time this has happened, as the American’s, jealous of their use of private planes, always resist controls on private planes near to major airports. In Belfast, prisoners more than 100 in number begin a hunger strike. Now, Manchester Chief Constable, James Anderton, is risking an enquiry into his associations and use of police transport, as those Labour Councillors close to Stalker, get their own back. There are also stories of Stalker’s enquiry into the Royal Ulster Constabulary being incomplete, as RUC Chief and Deputy Chief Constables were not interviewed under oath, as Stalker had planned. The baby swap case is resolved by the results of definitive tests and the babies have to be swapped back to their true mothers. After today’s better weather, the barometer drops again and cloud later takes over from the sun. Tomorrow is forecast cloudy, with spots of rain.