A contrasting cool, damp, breezy day that still started better as I let Diana go to Bedford with Daniel to pay for his computer repairs and stayed in my office to work hard on my outstanding administration before remembering, this time, to take Debbie for her riding lesson on Patchy. This as the TUC hears protest motions about Murdoch’s treatment of the Print Unions, the UK government introduces visas for black commonwealth countries, the aftermath of the Los Angeles air disaster rages with over 70 dead and now a large Soviet ocean-going liner, SS Admiral Nakhimov, with 1,000 people on board, has been sunk by collision
Slept well again and slept on until Di brought me tea in bed. Read yesterday’s Observer’s business news in bed and noted that I must invest in more National Savings Certificates, now that the limits for this form of tax-free investment has been raised. Quickly shaved and showered, dressing in time for a modest bowl of cereal (my weight has risen to 14st 1lb with too much eating recently). What a contrast in weather this morning as I venture out to feed the doves. After yesterday’s beautiful start to the day, today was raining, with a cool, damp breeze from the north-west. To my office and the start of a session working on administrative matters.
An easy task with the bank statement and then I filled in my National Savings forms and worked my way down my action list with telephone and pen. By lunch time, Di has returned from Bedford, where she had taken Daniel for another £24 computer repair at my expense. We had a fair meal and then I watched the TV news, before remembering to take Debbie for her riding lesson this time. It was still a rush, but we made it and she rode Patchy in the school and went over the basics again. Home to continue my chores and also went out to adjust the newly-painted gates and grease them to open and close easily. A modest tea of salad and ice cream and then Clare and Heather came round and I persuaded Daniel to join them at the pool edge. He ends up swimming with them until well after dark and we eventually get them out at 9.30pm. A tiring end to the day, which was full of rather difficult chores that had been stacking up for some time. But still my jobs list remains long. News tonight is dominated by today’s opening of the TUC Congress and it, in turn, was dominated by demonstrations and speeches in support of the print unions against Murdoch in Wapping. The Print Unions won a motion in criticism of the TUC leadership and in censorship of the Electricians Union over cooperating with Murdoch and replacing the printer’s jobs. The TUC Conference is off limits to Sun and Times journalists, who have to cover it from a room in the Grand Hotel. In less controversial mood, Conference supported a motion in favour of statutory secret ballots for union officers and decisions. The UK government is introducing needs for VISAs for visitors from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Ghana and Nigeria to ‘ease immigration problems at ports of entry’, but political opponents see it as open racialism. Pictures of the Los Angeles air disaster are now available and the death toll has risen to over 70. There is criticism of the efficiency of the air traffic controllers, after the experienced men had been sacked by President Reagan in an industrial dispute. Many, including myself, are also critical of the anarchy formed by the independence of private US pilots and planes. In a major Russian disaster of ‘Titanic’ proportions, a large Soviet ocean-going liner, SS Admiral Nakhimov, with 1,000 people on board, has been sunk by collision with a cargo ship and rescue efforts continue. In South Africa, the government has announced that 9,337 people are actually in detention, more than previously admitted, and a violent day sees petrol bomb attacks and a major bombing in a Durban supermarket.