Mum recovering from her heart operation at Papworth
Mum recovering from her heart operation at Papworth

Daniel to play at the Blooms whilst we take the girls to the swings in the cold before visiting Mum in Papworth who is struggling to recover and then an evening TV session about Charles I as the sterling and exchange rate crisis preoccupy the government

A better night’s sleep and I awake to morning tea and the holiday brochures to scan. It seems that it could be cheaper to book direct and better to take the Jaguar over and go by ferry. I retrieve The Sunday Times and finish reading them before and after a fine fried breakfast of duck egg, fried bread and bacon. Mr Stephen Bloom comes to collect Daniel in his Range Rover at 10.00am and takes him off to spend the day with his son, Jonathan. Dad tends the doves and ducks and then plays with Debbie. A grand lunch of turkey with a new bird roasted today – they still had them left after Christmas at a good price – and after, I tend the fire, catch up on my journal and continue reading. The ice and flurries of snow without have curtailed hopes of car washing. Then a walk with Diana, Debbie and Daniella to the local playing field and swings, and a cold walk it was too.

Interesting to see the grounds of the old post office developed with two bungalows and a shame to see old Little Paxton spoiled. Back to try to put the ducks away, but the fishermen opposite were packing up and throwing their bait which attracted them. Then Marilyn was feeding our ducks with hers and so, despite waiting until dark, I was unable to bring them in at all. I spent time in at the office and found the Hoare Govett Stockwatch system up and running. You key in your portfolio and, when the prices are updated each day, you automatically get a revaluation. However, most of my stocks did not seem to get valued properly. A tea of prawns bought yesterday and then, after the holiday programme on TV, I set off to collect Daniel from Great Gransden. He has had a fine day playing computer games (he won at Computerised Monopoly), using the dinghy to break the ice on the Bloom’s pond and tobogganing in the icy snow. I linger to drink a whisky and water with Mr Bloom – he works for Trivector and we have some mutual acquaintances. Being in the computer industry, he seemed to have heard of my exploits. Straight to Papworth afterwards and pleased to see it was so near. Nearly an hour with Nanny and Grandad before we left in time to see my ‘Sword Divided’ program on BBC. Mum has been feeling sick today and not been eating much. It seems to be the number and type of tablets and they took one blood test today and will take another tomorrow before deciding whether Mum will leave. Back to my program and the poignant scenes of Charles I ‘trial’ and execution. News tonight of speculation on the government’s attitude to the exchange rate crisis. They appear to be struggling to find the best posture consistent with their ‘hands off’ approach and might well countenance more base interest rate rises to prevent the inflationary effect of a falling pound. This will be a disaster to economic growth and employment and I guess the market will be nervous tomorrow. Another major gas scare in London today – at Piccadilly. The cold weather is fracturing the mains. The BMA criticise charitable health agencies for inadvertently investing in the tobacco industry as Princess Margaret is allowed home after her lung tests.