Thatcher at Enniskillen the year before
Thatcher at Enniskillen the year before

Debbie was off by minibus to Whipsnade Zoo on Samantha’s birthday trip and we still had a succession of visitors to use our gardens and swimming pool before I played and beat Daniel and Gary at Croquet . This evening, my meeting to which I invited Mr John Leivers, Lands and Planning Manager for Redland to meet 40-50 local residents at the village hall and he was grumpy at first but warmed later. More IRA murders today and Thatcher struggled to justify her defence of South Africa repression on Australian TV and had to cancel her latest walkabout for fear of security breaches. The US as the Shuttle engine test was put off today after an engine valve failure.

Slept well and did not want to wake up for an early breakfast, which was needed to get Debbie off for her day trip. She was going in a minibus with some friends to Whipsnade Zoo, to celebrate the birthday of Samantha. It is the only trip that the poor girl is getting this school holiday, as her parents are not very attentive. Debbie was collected and brought back, but Daniel had a succession of visitors today. First, Holly came for the day to play with Della, then Gary this afternoon, when the three went swimming. Then this afternoon, Helen came by with her three children – Jenifer, Allison and Thomas, who all enjoyed a swim, even though Helen had hurt her back. I made some calls this morning to progress my Rolls Royce repair and conservatory plans, read the papers and mail and liaised with Pete over the gardening. Lunch and then the boys had me out setting up the croquet pitch and I then beat Daniel and Gary, 2 games to nil. I carried on in my office, going through the Little Paxton Aviary deeds and preparing the papers for their return to the owner, which is overdue.

I watched a little cricket on TV. Graham Gooch, the batsman and latest of four England Captains for this Test series, was out cheaply and the team slumped for 200 for 9 by the close, which is another disappointment. Late this afternoon, I went to St Neots to do some building society transactions, then went on to Beeson Close to collect the Village Hall key for tonight. After tea, I went off to organise the event. I had invited Mr John Leivers, Lands and Planning Manager for Redland, to answer questions from Little Paxton residents on their plans for the Headquarters Building and Gravel Pit Road. Some 40 to 50 people turned up and the meeting was very worthwhile. The turnout surprised Mr Leivers, who was a bit grumpy at first, in response to the residents questions, but all were at one by the end of the meeting. Home by 9.00pm, then my journal and the TV news. The main stories today were the murder of two men by the IRA who had just left a police station. Thatcher in Australia is pressed hard by a TV interviewer on sanctions for South Africa and then breaks off the interview before the end in obvious bad humour. Her planned walkabout was cancelled later in the day, for security reasons, as the demonstrators follow her around. Bad news for the US as the Shuttle engine test was put off today after an engine valve failure. The return to space of the Shuttle by September is now no longer possible. Today was a fine and warm day and we all enjoyed it.