Reassuring Diana over the loss of her cheque book and bank card
Reassuring Diana over the loss of her cheque book and bank card

Wet and mild working day on personal finance and computer industry affairs whilst dealing with the aftermath of Diana’s loss of her chequebook and card as  a child-killer is convicted and the miners struggle on in a losing battle to retain their funds

Awake to my morning tea and after rising to the toilet, back to bed with The Financial Times before up to a breakfast of honey toast and fruit juice. The family are there normal selves with the children arguing good-naturedly. Daniel and Deborah opened their advent calendars for the day as usual, eating the day’s chocolate having finished their breakfast. In bed to complete the paper then Diana reveals that she has lost her Giro chequebook and cheque card. A fair panic to try to inform the National Giro Centre in Bootle, but the phone lines are engaged for half an hour. Di eventually gets the message through and a reassuring return phone call that gives the news that she is not on risk for any third party’s fraudulent use of them.

I feed the doves and ducks; the first seeming quite full and the second now getting in the habit of morning as well as evening feeds. I hope that the ducks will, therefore, soon get back to lay. A coffee with Di who is more settled about her loss and then to the office for a day’s work. I get down to clear a few papers from the desk and then start reconciling my investment records and bank statement. I now have to hand the BT transaction slips and we received the bulk of the refunds. Lunch of omelette and ice cream flaked with chocolate to follow. Back quickly to the office and phone calls with Export IT about literature and participation for a stand in Frankfurt, John Lamb of Comart on a variety of matters, Martin Isherwood, who seems set for Comart, Modus and BMMG PR business, and Roger Brittain, my accountant, who advises me on the tax treatment of children’s trusts. I key in the changes to my running computer summary of investments and income, then break off for a tea of Kirsh with potatoes and sprouts. Back again to print out my investment summaries and clear away my papers after finishing my bank reconciliation. Home to a bath and hair wash and after to relax with the television and my journal. News of the conviction of a long standing child assaulter, Colin Evans, for the death, after sexual assault, of four year old Marie Payne. The scandal is his almost perpetual record and previous introduction to babysitting by a social worker. Also of the warm talks with the Russian. Thatcher gives another interview to say she will not change direction. The NUM sequestrators give up for the time being the pursuit of fines in Luxembourg. The day ends with me watching a dramatized film on the death of President Kennedy. The weather, milder, but rainy.