Collapse of the Ness Railway bridge and viaduct February 1989
Collapse of the Ness Railway bridge and viaduct February 1989

A warm and mild day in Paxton such that I cleaned and tidied the conservatory but there were storms, wind and rain in Inverness where a rail bridge collapsed. I carried on the tidying, with my office the next target, until it was time to collect Debbie from school and take her horse-riding, which she did well if slowly. Di took Della swimming and forgot the pancakes and then this evening to watch the HDC Policy Committee meeting at Pathfinder House. Edwina Currie agreeing at last to attend the Select Committee on Health and a new campaign to apprehend drunken drivers is launched with new laws planned as one in five accidents involved consumption of alcohol

I had not had a full night’s sleep when I was woken up at 7am and could hardly get up either and so Di and I pledged to have an early night tonight. There was no computer and so no history work today; and so, I did some important jobs that had been building up. First, I sorted the conservatory out. I put the two fish in the large tank with combined water volume to buffer extremes of temperature and to keep the remaining tank off the hot central floor area. They seemed happier with the company anyway and a cover eliminated the chances of them jumping out. I got the temperature down to 73 to 74°F in the end. The small fish in our pond are now very active and hungry and so looking very much better – even if they are a little shy. Having taken away the other tank, I then decided to clean out the conservatory, removing the builders’ dust and washing the floor. Another warm day and so I open the lantern windows for ventilation as the tank temperature stabilised.

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Then to my office, where I started on my desk and cleared out all the drawers. An overdue job which needed doing. Lunch with Diana and I carried on tidying this afternoon until it was time to get Debbie from school to take straight to horse riding. She always proves to be an old slow-coach in tacking Sundance up, but she rode well and was in full control of the pony walking, trotting and cantering and jumping over a low pole. Fiona was there, telling everybody that there was now a charge for using the school; 50p for half an hour (minimum) or £1 for an hour. I also arranged a lesson for Debbie at 4:15pm on Thursday and there may be some others learning then as well. I got home at 6pm for tea to find Diana out with Della at her swimming lesson and having forgotten that today was pancake day! Perhaps she will do some pancakes on another day. I changed and went off to the HDC Policy Committee meeting at Pathfinder House which experience provided a good background for the forthcoming meeting of Full Council. The news tonight was of Edwina Currie agreeing at last to attend the Select Committee on Health after being threatened with a motion in the House of Commons to compel her to attend. A new campaign to apprehend drunken drivers has been publicised; one in five accidents involved consumption of alcohol and now the law will be changed to make conviction easier. Storms, wind and rain in Inverness, Scotland, the Highland capital. A rail bridge collapsed, and the highest tide of the year is expected tomorrow. Another mild day today.