Diana at The Bridge Hotel moorings, Clayhithe, in 1982
Diana at The Bridge Hotel moorings, Clayhithe, in 1982

St Valentine’s Day – to The rest of the family with me in the Range Rover to St Ives today before calling in at Huntingdon to return Diana’s books and then collecting Daniel in St Neots for lunch before some more writing and then out with Diana in the Daimler to a Valentines meal at The Bridge Hotel Clayhithe and a trip down memory lane together. News today of more financial misdeed revelations in The City today.

A good night and then up and showered for my breakfast with the family. A slow start to the day, reading the Financial Times in some detail and then going out to feed the ducks and doves. A fine, misty rain has been troubling us recently and the air-stream is quite cold. Everybody into the Range Rover and we took off for St Ives for the general auction and antiques viewing. The Range Rover is still exhibiting the two small faults; brake warning light coming on unnecessarily and ‘klanking’ noise coming from the rear suspension when cornering. Parked and, I dropped into Ekins (now ‘Prudential’) to pick up the catalogue and have a quick look, whilst the girls went ahead and ordered the drinks from the cafe opposite. A nice refreshment and then resumed my inspection of the lots, as the girls went shopping at Magpie and other favourite haunts.

I was a bit self-conscious today – the shortness of my jeans (now supported with braces over a growing tummy) and brightness of the socks that I had chosen, looked quite funny. I saw a few things at the auctions of interest, but will probably have priorities elsewhere next Tuesday. Met the girls back at the car park and then drove home via Huntingdon, where I stopped the R.R. outside the library and let Diana take her overdue library books back. The library was closed for the installation of a new carpet, but the books could still be accepted back and without fines for being overdue! Then to St Neots, parking the car and awaiting the arrival of Daniel’s school bus. I went to both Keys and Ekins (Prudential) estate agencies and got a number of brochures (with contained photographs) of houses for sale in Little Paxton. I am building up a good selection of them, which will eventually help me in terms of charting the housing development of Lt. Paxton since the war. I also collected my sports jacket and trousers from Sketchley, the cleaners. What an inefficient outfit they are – needing not only the ticket, but a full description of the items and then having to hunt all over the premises, with resultant delay. We all met back at the RR and set off for the Happy Eater for our Saturday lunch, made the more enjoyable because the children had earned their special ‘mint surprise’ deserts. Home after and then I spent the afternoon sitting in a rather cold lounge, watching TV ice hockey and rugby league, whilst filing my new house details. Tea and then a little while in my office, expanding my new Little Paxton scrap book and indexing the pages to aid their use and protection. Debbie joined me to do some maths but, poor thing, she did not get much attention and had to cope with division for the first time. Cleared all away by 6.45pm and had a mad scramble to get washed and changed in time to take Diana out to our ‘Valentine’s meal’. Took the Daimler, with which Di was very impressed, but the heated front seat did not seem to want to work on the passenger side. Arrived before 8.00pm, but a number of others had also come earlier and so it was some time before we were offered a menu and even longer before the table was ready. Poor Di suffered, as she is desperate for food after 5.00pm. Enjoyed a nice meal in the end – Di having soup and chicken and me scampi and venison, all washed down with a bottle of Rose d’Anjou. Home by 11.30pm, rather tired and so straight to bed. An evening of recollections about how we first met in Stevenage and went to see ‘Frankenstein Created Woman’ at the cinema (which neither of us really watched, but just kissed and cuddled at the back). Strange the events that have occurred since; my success and prominence, followed by wealth and near-seclusion, all stages of which would confound the expectations of man. Still, I am content and pleased that I have been able to help my parents and children of late. No full chance to watch the news today, but more arrests and investigations into financial dealings in the USA and London. Campaigning is in full swing for the forthcoming by-elections. I had a phone call from Paul Salvadori today, who wants to bring his builder along some time on Wednesday. Di had cut my hair this afternoon