Off to Cambridge on a day of cold northerly winds after a heavy frost and there to check in the Daimler for snagging, meet up with Di’s family for lunch and do some shopping until back for more history book writing about Grove Farm and, after more progress with the children on maths prep., off tired to bed. The Soviet whistle-blowing Psychiatrist, Dr Anatoli Koryagin is at last released from detention, TV and Radio journalists walk out to protest against Thatcher’s use of the Official Secrets Act to supress the media with support from both the Opposition leaders and The Archbishop of Canterbury pleads for the release of his envoy Terry Waite
Slept well and then caught Di in bed by waking up early and we started the day off well. Showered and shaved for breakfast, getting the kids to clear up their rooms as well. After the meal, I went out and swapped the child’s safety seat into the Daimler, so that we could take the car back to Marshalls in Cambridge to be repaired. A nice luxury drive, dropping Diana and Della off in the town centre and then going out to Marshalls to leave the car there. A second problem then arose, as the oil pressure sensor unit chose to falter and I put that down on the report sheet for them to address as well. The Sales Manager, Martin Hamblin, gives me a lift to the town centre and I meet up with Di and her parents for morning coffee, managing to be the first to arrive. Charles returns my translations of manorial transactions to me, having had evident trouble in figuring out the collection of Latin and old English.
I stay with Diana for most of the morning, visiting Marks &Spencer, Eaden Lilley and Woolworths. We got some nice food and also a carving dish, with spikes to hold the meat, which will be useful. We then split up for a little while and I tour the shops for second hand books and prints on Huntingdonshire and buy a couple of old prints. Together for a nice lunch of roast chicken at the Copper Kettle, then by taxi to Marshalls to collect the Daimler. The heating is fixed for the front passenger seat (the wiring came loose) but they have no replacement tank unit and I will have to take it back another time, which is annoying. Home and the afternoon and evening working on more files, including that of Grove Farm. More maths with Debbie and Daniel is starting to produce some better work. Rather tired and fed up with our responsibilities, Di and I slope wearily off to bed. A cheerful letter from my Mum today, that was nice. News today is of the planned release of Dr Anatoli Koryagin, a dissident psychiatrist, by the USSR, as the latest concession to civil rights. He had rebelled in the past against the use of psychiatric methods being used to suppress political rebellion. Low public sector borrowing figures could allow the Chancellor to implement a tax-cutting budged, but the political opposition say that the money should be used for public investment and the regeneration of jobs. The government announce limited schemes for spending on health and law and order, but it is criticised as window dressing with an election in the air. More cowardly attacks following that on News Reader, Jan Leeming; two old ladies are beaten up for their (nearly empty) purses and the inner cities are getting more and more lawless. TV and radio journalists walked out in 2 hour protests today, as an organised stoppage of work and lobby of Parliament over the Zircon spy programme affair. Neil Kinnock and David Steel shared a rare platform criticising Thatcherite use of the Official Secrets Act and suppression to try to gag the media. A dramatic appeal tonight by the Archbishop of Canterbury for the release of Terry Waite, pointing out that he is politically neutral and only acting for humanitarian motives on behalf of a religious leader. A cold day today, after a heavy frost and the cold northerly airstream is forecast to continue tomorrow.