Back to School – Debbie starts her first day as a school ‘Junior’ today as I tour the garden and appreciate the successful plantings before taking Diana to Cambridge where, after coffee and before lunch, I hired a dinner suit and Diana looked for a dress for the forthcoming ball. A good purchase of a battery drive TV and VCR for both house and boat, some fire extinguishers and then back home to find Diana wanting to go off with friends for her tea and Daniel skimping on cleaning my car before a better evening swimming in the pool with friends. Neil Kinnock addresses the TUC, full details emerge of the SS Admiral Nakhimov tragedy with hundreds dead or missing and more repression in South Africa
Another good night, but Di got up early to get Debbie ready for her return to school and her first day as a ‘Junior’. All ready for breakfast and Debbie was quite keen on going back and we made jokes about ‘Mum being nervous’ to take her mind off it. Then I waved them away and fed the doves to be ready for Di’s return. I am using a long wire feeder now to stop the nine from climbing all over each other, but they are still a bit wary of it. A couple of Erith Hire cruisers had moored opposite last night and seemed to be full of schoolboys on a trip with a couple of adults. A walk round the garden looking at the shrub beds whilst waiting for Di and noticed that, as well as the shrubs, the dahlias are flowering well – strong plants with flowers of all colours.
Nearly all of the landscaped garden shrub plants took, but there are two or three, killed by last winter’s frost, that will need replacing this autumn. Off to Cambridge with plenty of competing traffic on the busy road. Parked at the Round Church car park and met Di’s parents at Eaden Lilley’s for coffee. Split up after and, while Di was looking for a dress for the ball, I did some chores, before going to Moss Bros to hire a dinner suit. Missions completed, we met back at the Copper Kettle for a roast beef lunch and then went back to the car. Stopped at Chubb Fire Security offices in Newmarket Street on the way home to collect 2 x 3.5kg BCF fire extinguishers, which cost me £150-odd + VAT. They are supposed to put out all fires without causing mess or damage and so will be good on both home or boat. Also bought a new TV – a Ferguson 14” – which will be kept in the playroom with our second video recorder and can also be used off of 12 volt in the boat as well. A row on the way home, as Di insisted in going off to see her friends on our arrival, instead of making my afternoon tea. Then Daniel did a very poor job of cleaning my car, before dodging off on his bike and I got him back, sent his friend home, and made Dan spend a couple of hours with me making the Jaguar perfect. A fine sight it was when we had finished – fit for our night out on Friday and also to put in to be sold soon. Then we joined Claire and Heather in the swimming pool and dispelled our bad humour by playing ball and wrestling with them. We swam until dark with the pool light on and then came in so that I could lock up and put the evening alarms on. I managed to update my journal before the news. News tonight is of five people found in a burning house, being previously strangled by an intruder during a dinner party, and police are investigating. Neil Kinnock, the Labour leader, addressed the TUC Conference with a tough speech that not only criticised the Tories and promised economic plans for more jobs, but also told of the need for hard work, sacrifice and unity and the lack of the existence of soft options, but still got a standing ovation. The full scale of the Soviet Black Sea liner sinking became clear today. The Admiral Nakhimov sunk with 79 known dead and 319 still missing. But many hundreds were rescued and searches are continuing. The nuclear inspectorate, NIREX, got into the Elstow site today and started drilling tests, but arrived later, after the protesters had gone home, to do it, which left them very angry. More repression in South Africa, this time limiting attendance at funerals to 200 mourners. After rain tonight and cloud tomorrow, the next few days might be fine and warm.