A poor night and a tired start to bright and sunny day receiving Charles Frost and Frank Gadsby to resolve the new conservatory fish pond designs before I ordered the pond liner. The Soviet Union endures a major political shuffle, Britain and Iran resume diplomatic relations, the Gibraltar killings were decided as being ‘unlawful’ and Kinnock and Hattersley are on course for re-election in the Labour Party leadership election.
Thrashed around a bit last night and was then was very tired when it was time to wake up this morning. Breakfast in my dressing gown again and then some time watching the overnight Olympic coverage before I got washed and dressed. I went out to help with the ground work this morning, receiving visits from Charles Frost and Frank Gadsby and discussing the remaining construction problems with the fishponds. I have now managed to get the pond liner ordered with the actual dimensions left to the cutting and at the end of the waiting time. They are excavating the deeper of the two pond sections today and existing footings were in the way of the outer edges of the pond which will be a bit smaller as a result.
We used today’s excavation earth to top up our moorings upstream of the dovecot which had remained too low since we filled it after it was campshedded. Another bright and sunny day with a sun hot after a slight frost overnight. Did not manage to get any other work done except the week’s press cuttings this evening. A couple of more Ward queries today which I dealt with – the dustcart was dropping glass fragments on the road, and lorries were parking outside Mrs MacNey’s in Gordon Road. The news tonight is of a significant political reorganisation in the Soviet Union. The USSR president, Andrei Gromyko, the veteran Foreign Minister is to retire and for other senior figures have been dropped from the Kremlin leadership. At the Olympics, Linford Christie the sprinter has been cleared of drug taking and can run in the British sprint relay tomorrow. Worse news for the judo bronze medallist Carys Brown, who was found guilty and was disqualified with his medal forfeit. Britain and Iran are to resume diplomatic relations after all of the bitterness of the past disputes. In Gibraltar, the inquests on the IRA deaths were decided today by majority verdicts of ‘unlawful killing’, by 9 to 2 after 8 hours deliberation. Labour Leader and Deputy Neil Kinnock and Roy Hattersley are on course for re-election after gaining the majority of the union block votes. During the US space shuttle flight, their cooling systems were faulty and the astronauts are suffering temperatures at about 30degC but all else is fine