4000 die on Doña Paz that collided with Tanker MT Vector
4000 die on Doña Paz that collided with Tanker MT Vector

Back to normalcy as I get Pete to start edging the games lawn, Emma and Holly come round to play with Debbie and Della whilst Daniel worked on his revision for four hours before experimenting with trying to communicate via mains electricity intercoms. Thousands killed in an horrific ferry sinking in the Philippines as Germany and the US consider measures to relieve the depression and BP is taking over Britoil

My lateness to bed has become a habit just recently and I am continually tired as a result. Still, managed to get up in time for breakfast with the others; showering, shaving and washing my hair as well. Settled down with the paper afterwards, waiting for Pete to arrive and then briefed him on what I wanted him to do with the new games lawn. He was to start the process of edging and ditching the surrounds and made a little impact, but not much, being a slow worker. Joan, meanwhile, was busy tidying up and cleaning the house, besides finding time to tend Della from time to time. Linda had brought round Emma and Holly to play with Debbie and Della and they got on well. The novelty was that they had not played together for a long time. Soon time for lunch, then, this afternoon and evening, I worked on my financial affairs, having received more contract notes from my stockbroker this morning.

The stock exchange rises steadily, with pre-Christmas optimism, strength of sterling and gains in New York and Tokyo, but I am satisfied to have sold out many of my equity stocks, as the risks are still high. My work took me a very long time and I also had my bank and credit card accounts to check, after a Christmas spending spree. I worked until late and had no time for my journal or the TV news. Daniel worked 4 hours on his school revision today and spent the rest playing with his micro computer, trying to communicate via mains electricity intercoms. Debbie did some ‘work’ this evening, so as not to be left out, as Diana has got her some work books for this Christmas period. During the day Daniel had also got bored and at one point was playing with the girls on a glue and powder drawing game, which was quite nice, but funny to see – him being miles bigger than the others. I also heard from Mrs Mavis Stuart of Post Street Godmanchester, whose purpose was to ask if I had any objection to parts of my letter/s being published in her letter to the newspapers. I had not. It seems that these were only referred to in the meeting last Thursday, but that the letters will be circulated to Town Councillors in time for them to consider the matter at their January meeting. The news is evidently of a horrific disaster in the Philippines, as a ferry sank in flames after colliding with an oil tanker, killing at least 1500 people and possibly up to 3000. It is the biggest peacetime shipping disaster since the sinking of the Titanic and could be worse than the 1503 lives lost then in 1912. Germany has rejected OECD advice that the West German economy should be expanded, saying that ‘No further measures were needed on the economy’. This does not bode well for international cooperation on preventing a depression. Meanwhile, Congress edges closer to agreeing the $30 Bn package of tax increases and spending cuts. Though this will reduce the amount by which the 1988 fiscal deficit would have been, many economists still think that it will be more than the $148 Bn of the 1987 tax year. British Airways topped SAS in the last round of offers for British Caledonian, with a cash bid of £250m and SAS have now withdrawn, leaving Lord King the victor. BP is taking over Britoil, despite the government’s use of the so-called ‘Golden Share’, leading both them and the government into unchartered territory. Meanwhile, the Kuwaiti Investment Office builds up an ever larger share of BP.