Writing up Comart Review Minutes and chairing Byte Shop Review meeting with a stinking cold and then home to hear of Thatcher still holding out against GCHQ unions and also of the miners being on the warpath

Early to rise and an egg for breakfast. My cold has got much worse and I start the day depressed and debilitated. Success first thing in completing the Comart Review Meeting Minutes and, after the mail and some fun with overhead projector repairs, we start the all-day Byte Shop Review Meeting. A good meeting of advancement of the three year plan and general review of the business. Disappointment in the field over the month’s results because of management changes and adjustments but a strong recovery. Concern though on the control of stock and debtors with Manchester the worst culprit. We finish in late afternoon and I struggle with the meeting’s minutes for most of the evening – Diana having again forbade me from returning home early!

The builders have almost finished the fireplace and it looks really nice. No further work on the balcony and I am not very happy about the ladders left in position. The ducks lay another 9 eggs today but no news yet of our market price. News today that Mrs Thatcher has adamantly refused a compromise with the GCHQ unions. Len Murray predicts that the workers will get their union one day. The continental lorry drivers blockades get worse and the miners are unrepentant about Mr McGregor’s fall. After my meal (a ‘TV’ dinner) and the television news, off to bed to write up my diary for these past two days. My cold is still pretty bad and I am pleased to settle to sleep.