A typical Sunday, working on The Lady, enjoying a fried breakfast and Sunday lunch and time spent with the children as Debbie enjoyed church with the Law’s and Daniel, Steve and Gary messed around on Aquabean and then swam and watched videos with Clare and Heather. News that the cabinet is wanting sanctions to save the Commonwealth but Thatcher overruling them despite the South African regime making children apply to go to school and excluding ‘agitators’.
Very tired after yesterday’s outings and so slept soundly and straight away after retiring. Woke to find Di gone to drink her coffee and so got out of bed to chase her up. The normal shower etc., before down to my Sunday breakfast of fried egg, bacon, mushrooms and tomato. Out to the doves and managed to catch both pairs of nesting parents off their nests and so ringed their young – two squabs in each nest. To The Lady and removed the cover and lowered the starboard side down and off of the jacking timbers. Hoisted the port side up in similar fashion and scraped and sanded the boat side and runners ready for varnishing. Morning coffee in the kitchen with Della, who enjoyed the company.
Daniel had Steve and Gary for the day and they spent the morning on the boats. Unfortunately, through lack of care, they damaged Aquabean’s engine and I will have to refit the starting cord before they can use it again. Debbie went to church as usual and enjoyed it. Lunch of roast lamb, which was full of meat and very nicely done with mint sauce. This afternoon, the mist cleared and the sun came out and I managed to get two coats of varnish onto the port side. In between, I watched the British Grand Prix and Nigel Mansell fought off a determined challenge from his senior team mate – Nelson Piquet – to win the race and go top in the Formula 1 drivers’ championship. Later, I cleared up and did my chores, before coming in at dusk. This afternoon and evening Clare and Heather first came swimming in the pool and then watched a video film with the boys in the lounge. News today was still all about South Africa, as Zola Budd and also a swimmer were both ruled as ineligible to compete in the Commonwealth Games, but it is too late to stop the black African boycotts, as Tanzania and Kenya are now out as well. There are rumours of Thatcher’s Cabinet favouring sanctions as a means of averting the split-up of the Commonwealth, but she normally steamrollers any alternative counsel and gets her own way. She speaks out yet again today against sanctions. The latest South African restriction on black people’s rights is to insist on all black pupils having to apply for permission to go to school, with ‘agitators’ being denied access to learning processes. After today stayed dry and became warm later, tomorrow should be very similar.