Fine, sunny but rather colder day for me to complete both inside and outside work whilst I received a visit from an excited Nigel with news of the Abbot and monks of Buckden Abbey listening to his offer to buy their Manor of Hail Weston! In the House of Commons today, Tam Dalyell is ordered to leave after accusing Thatcher of lying over the Westland Affair as Kinnock has more supporter elected to the Labour Shadow Cabinet, a 200 mile fishery exclusion zone is declared around The Falklands Islands and £206m is raised to start work on a Channel Tunnel
A little late to bed last night and longer still to get to sleep. An early call and sat up in bed, drinking tea and watching the sun climb above the trees and early morning mist. A finer day than of late, sunny, but also rather colder. Breakfast of toast and marmalade and then out to do some work. I got the Range Rover out for Di to go to town in and then got on with cleaning up Bill’s shed and doing a few chores on my list. Screwed on the bath panel with chromium cup screws, mounted a ladder to put sealant round the frames of the last two windows, and then (forming wooden stand-offs) drilled and mounted the trellises back on the garden wall to retain the clematises. Di came back and I got Pete to clean the new car, vacuuming, shampooing and polishing it. As I was finishing off, an excited Nigel came by. He had been visiting the Monks of Buckden and had discovered that they might have the Lordship of the Manor of Hail Weston.
It is now for the Abbot and Bishop to discuss. We came in to drink some coffee and chat a while and after he left, it was time for lunch of salad again. Tinned pears and ice cream to follow. More chores this afternoon, but soon it was time to take Debbie horse riding. Di and Della came along to watch and they were provided with a good display by Debbie. She was riding Emma and did so beautifully. Home and, after tea, I went out to fit locks to Bill’s shed and have now crossed the last four jobs off my list. Daniel was staying with Steve tonight and Debbie had Amy to stay as well. All recovering from colds. The news today is being made back in the House of Commons, as Tam Dalyell MP is ordered out of the Chamber after accusing Thatcher of lying over the Westland affair. It is only now that the Defence Select Committee has reported and is highly critical of the government, that the debate could take place. The new elections have taken place for the Labour Party Shadow Cabinet and Kinnock’s hand has been strengthened by more right-wingers being elected. The government have declared a 200 mile fishing zone around the Falkland Islands, due to depletion of fish stocks by Russians, Bulganain and Argentinian fishing boats, and this will be a further irritant to relations in the South Atlantic. The Channel Tunnel Consortium has raised the £206million needed to start the work, after a deal of arm twisting to get the £70 m needed from the British Institutions as their share. After today’s finer weather, more rain is expected at sunrise and tomorrow is forecast as continuous rain and gale force winds to boot!