A great pall of smoke from the fired oil wells in Kuwait
A great pall of smoke from the fired oil wells in Kuwait

Apart from a valuable couple of hours spent briefing my new gardener, the day was occupied laying out the text and changing and printing out the results of my new FOCUS newsletter versions so that Percy could then proof-read and distribute drafts for comment, missing the Kimbolton School Society meeting in the process.

News of Major making a flying visit to Kuwait City now that the Crown Prince is back in occupation with the skyline masked by a great pall of smoke from the fired oil wells

I got Di to wake me with a call me early today and was up, showered, hair-washed and dressed well before breakfast. Then to the conservatory to tend my plants and fish and to still leave time to update my journal before the first meal of the day with the family. I was quickly down to work on my FOCUS this morning, laying out the text and changing and printing out the results.

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I had achieved a certain amount by 10.00am when Mr Medlock, the potential gardener, came to call as arranged. I was a couple of hours with him, first sitting in the conservatory asking him about his past jobs and experience and conducting an interview; and then walking around the garden whilst he identified the plants and explaining how he would look after the garden and approach the job. It was a long time, but I felt time well spent if he could come and perform this task for us. I resumed my work on the FOCUS's in the afternoon and evening and was running into time problems trying to complete the work before the deadline In this respect, Percy responded to my call for help and came round to proof read the results and then delivered the consultation copies to our more active colleagues on his way home.

I had to miss the meeting of the Kimbolton School Society, being so busy, and did not even have time to send my apologies. All is now agreed on the long-term Gulf cease-fire and Major makes a flying visit to Kuwait City now that the Crown Prince is back in occupation. The sky-line is masked by a great pall of smoke from the fired oil wells and the environmental damage is horrific.