An emotional argument with Diana on a rainy day but I then insisted on going to Cambridge with her, dropping off Debbie with the Laws and then leaving Della with Charles and Norma as we bought silver christening presents for Kate and Ashley, runner carpets for the hall, a saloon rug for The Lady. Home via Offord for some chandler y and out with Daniel to improve our mooring before inside to catch up with some work. Thatcher is called ‘frit’ in the Commons for avoiding a TV debate with Labour’s Kinnock, Ernest Saunders is out on bail and a 12-year deal has been reached for Channel Tunnel rail fees
To bed late again, being too tired to get my chores done quickly! Awake to my morning tea, with Della as well as Di – she is so lively in the morning these days. Then the problem started. An argument with Di and much emotional upset. I wanted to take her and Della to St Ives for the Prudential Auction, but she wanted to go to Cambridge. Then I agreed to go to Cambridge, but she did not want me along, preferring to go alone and on to ‘Tumble Tots’ afterwards. I insisted on going anyway, feeling rather aggrieved and dejected and got the Range Rover out and the girls inside. I then took Debbie along to the Law’s house to save us time and we drove to Cambridge and parked quite early. To Eaden Lilley for coffee, where we met Di’s parents and they looked after Della whilst Di and I went first to the silversmiths for some Christening presents for Nigel’s children. I got Kate a trinket box and ‘bow-style’ broach, and Ashley a pair of cuff links and a silver paper knife. I hope that they both treasure them.
Then both on to Robert Sale, where we chose two runner carpets for the hall, and a rug for the saloon on The Lady. Met Di’s parents at The Copper Kettle and treated them to a roast chicken and strawberry lunch for looking after Daniella, then Di went off by taxi to Tumble Tots and I did a little shopping in Cambridge. Found my DIY index Filofax tabs at last, checked the book shops for anything on Huntingdonshire, then went to the library and Cambridge Collection to find out about Fen Stanton manorial rights. Collected the car from the Round Church car park, the carpets from Robert Sale, then rushed over to Comberton in good time to collect Di from the village hall, the venue of Tumble Tots. We stopped on the way home at the Little Chef for a drink and then drove straight to Little Paxton School to collect Debbie and Amy in the pouring rain. The showers of today had turned into quite a downpour by this time. Once home, I went on to Offord for some chandlery, then after tea went out with Daniel to prepare a better short-term mooring for The Lady. I used the hose and brush to mop off the mud from her painted decks and then laid the new rug. In, a little wet and dishevelled, to check on Daniel’s homework, then to my diary and the TV news. The election debate in the Commons got off to a lively start, with Neil Kinnock offering to take part in a TV debate, and Margaret Thatcher declining, amidst Labour jeers of ‘Frit’, the Thatcher word for frightened that she used when former labour leader, Michael Foot, declined to do the same. The Labour Manifesto content has been approved without dispute, to put them in good shape. The former Guinness Chief, Ernest Saunders, has been granted bail for £ ½ million on the dishonesty allegations and has spoken out for the first time, protesting his innocence. An Ulster policeman has been injured by a stone thrown during the latest of the IRA funerals and there is more to come. To the relief of the Channel Tunnel promoters, agreement has been reached on payments to be made by British and French railways for the use of the channel tunnel for the first 12 years of tunnel operation.