Daniel off on his school narrow-boating holiday
Daniel off on his school narrow-boating holiday

I work in my office as Diana and the family take Daniel off to Kimbolton for the start of their school narrow-boating holiday and then I took the girls to the Southoe Little Chef for lunch before taking Debbie to ride Rumpold beautifully at Offord riding school. This evening to resume on my Little Paxton History transcriptions. The weather increasingly windy with a ‘severe weather warning’ for tomorrow. The Observer successfully won a court battle over government censorship and now The Sunday Times have to follow and the former Hong Kong head of the Stock Exchange is arrested for fraud

After a late night, slept in again. Diana was restless during the night and had been sleeping in the spare bedroom. Got up and, dressed in my pyjamas and dressing gown, waited in the kitchen and started to read today’s newspaper. Sat in the playroom with the girls for a while until breakfast was ready and then we had the normal fare with me hoping to be slimming slightly. Upstairs for my shower and shave and then I settled into my office to read the paper, as Di and Dan made the last minute arrangements to get Daniel packed for the start of his narrow-boating holiday today. I stayed home as the rest of the family drove off in the Range Rover to Kimbolton School, where the rest of the party joined Daniel in the school minibus and they all set off for Birmingham together.

I had time to read the paper this morning and also the latest Antique Collectors magazine before Di was back at midday. Took the girls to the Southoe Little Chef for lunch and then, Di and Della being dropped off home, I drove Debbie to Offord for her first horse riding lesson since Christmas. She was given Rumpold, normally a difficult pony, but she rode him beautifully and acquitted herself well – steering into the corners, keeping the right distance and riding with her lower legs well back to keep him up with the larger ponies and horses. Home late at 3.30pm when I feed the ducks and doves for the second time today. After tea, which was a salad that I made myself in preference to the toast that Diana offered, I stuck in the last of my recent press cuttings etc and then my desk was completely clear and ready for me to start my Little Paxton history studies. I transcribed the rest of tape 1 from my recent interview, which still leaves me the rest of the five tapes to do! Late this evening I watched a Vietnam war film with Diana and then wrote up my journal for the day. The weather today became more and more windy, until the television weather forecasters warned of stormy winds and storm force wind tomorrow. Not to be caught out after last October’s gales, they issued a ‘severe weather warning’ for tomorrow. The Observer went to court today and won a relaxation of the injunction, but it has now been applied to the Sunday Times as well. Scandal in Hong Kong as the former Head of the Stock Exchange is arrested for fraud