The family in 1988
The family in 1988

The family were still enjoying our Sunday breakfast, the Rev Peter Lewis’s family service at St James’s Church and the Priory Park fête and fun run despite the wet and drizzly weather. The East West arms limitation talks have started at summit levels in Russia, and the BBC are removing a cooling tower infected with Legionnaires’ disease and 30 right wing British skinheads are arrested in France after attacks on black people

Awoke to a wet and drizzly morning somewhat early, as a couple of boatloads of swearing yobbos were kicking up a row at 6.30am. Just shaved before breakfast and left the rest of my toilet routine until I had finished vacuum cleaning and washing the Range Rover. Of course, in between, I enjoyed my normal fried breakfast for a Sunday. The weather continued showery, with hot sunny spells interspaced. I am sure that the sun is yearly hotter and a risk to exposed skin, but I could possibly be wrong. It was a fine spell when we walked to and from St James Church for the family service, which was conducted with humour and interest by Rev Pete Lewis to a full church. It is a pity that the three parish and church calendars only permit this service to be held in months having a fifth Sunday (4 per year). Once home, we loaded up the Range Rover with a picnic and started to drive to Priory Park for a fete and fun-run (half marathon) finish, but the roads were blocked off for the runners and so we left the car at the Paper Mill and walked instead.

We enjoyed the fresh air, though it poured with rain. We watched a vintage car parade, a display of flying owls and a parachute drop by the Red Devils. The girls had two rides on the Round Table fun bus and we walked home between showers again. Rather shattered, I rested, watching TV this afternoon and then, after tea and tending the birds, I worked on my next FOCUS newsletter this evening. Stopped at 9.45am to update my journal, watch the TV news and chase Diana to bed. The main story is the East-West summit talks, which have started in Russia. No agreements yet, but the fate of improved relations seems good. A school caretaker has been charged with the 13 year old girl’s murder mentioned recently. The BBC are removing a cooling tower infected with Legionnaires disease and replacing it with an immune forced-air system. As the latest manifestation of our sick society, three Britons were amongst 30 right wing skinheads arrested in northern France, after rioting in an orgy of attacks on coloured people after a pop concert had been called off due to rain.