The finished Games Lawn many years later in 2002
The finished Games Lawn many years later in 2002

Taking delivery and supervising the laying the turf for the new Games Lawn until dusk, selling my Daimler and trying to work at my desk transcribing more history interview tapes as I appeared in The Trader newspaper today ahead of my Paxton District Council Ward adoption meeting. I also correctly sold Ladbrokes and Courtaulds shares into a strengthening market before they fell later. The Tories inadequately fund NHS needs with a poor rise in funds, start proposing the Poll Tax against protests from both sides of the House

An unsettled night, ending up by thinking of our problem of the nearby houseboat and the obstruction they continually create with their car outside our house. Then awake early and played with Diana until it was time to get up. For once the children had no need to go to school and we could take a relaxed view of the timing of breakfast. Showered and ready with the others for the meal, but only wheat flakes to eat. It was raining this morning, and hard at that, and I was concerned that we would not be able to get our turf today. I phoned the supplier and the turf had been stripped in the dry yesterday and ‘sheeted’ for the night against the rain, which was good. They were still planning to deliver the turves in late morning and so I called round the telephone weather reports to see what was in store for us. Then I called Pete and got him over, as we were in business. In the end, it stayed mostly dry for the rest of the day, but the lawn bed was pretty soaking, which made the surface difficult, even with planks. My other project for this morning was the sale of my Daimler. I had to call Marshalls of Cambridge several times and, in the end, Martin Hamblin came over to collect it and gave me a cheque for £28,500, just £1000 less than I paid.

I actually got one more call later on from a prospective customer, but the car was already gone. A late lunch, as Pete and the lorry driver unloaded, then, this afternoon Daniel helped Pete lay the turfs by wheel-barrowing some down to the bed from Willow Close, where we had to have them delivered (the grass verge was too wet to get the lorry down near the river). I tried to get some desk work done, but found the distraction quite compelling. The stock market was rallying again this morning and peaked around midday and so I took the chance and sold my Ladbrokes and Courtaulds shares, whilst the going was good. This took some organising, but my actions were vindicated, as the market fell again this afternoon. The markets are still very nervous, with oil company bids causing most interest. I went into St Neots this afternoon to pay in my car cheque into the building society. Daniel and Pete worked on until dusk at 4.00pm. After tea, I worked on transcribing most of the first side (1of only 6) of the Bunnage/Ruff interview, which was slow going. I also typed out the latest letter about the Godmanchester playground. I was in The Trader again today about my Little Paxton History, which keeps both pots boiling. I have my adoption meeting on Saturday for the Alliance candidacy for Paxton District Council Ward. Up late again tonight – this time watching a rending tale of a heart and lung transplant patient, who eventually died with septicaemia. News today of the government announcing ‘more money’ for the Health Service, most of which is taken up already by past year deficits. This had been attacked by Labour opposition politicians as inadequate. In the Commons, the Poll Tax debate starts with attacks from back bench Tory MPs, as well as from the opposition benches, but The Speaker would not let the rebels force a vote on an amendment to make Poll Tax payments vary with income tax bands. The Cleveland Child Abuse Judicial Enquiry ends with more testimony criticising local medical practitioners.