My son Daniel in 1989, back from his narrow-boating holiday
My son Daniel in 1989, back from his narrow-boating holiday

Observing our Koi carp fish after a slow start to the day and then taking our coloured lights down as it was now the end of the Christmas period. Some time in my office on my Little Paxton History project and then breaking off to collect Daniel and Stephen from Kimbolton School after their very-enjoyable holiday. Gadaffi seeking talks with President-elect Bush as the US Secretary Schultz calls for sanctions against chemical weapon countries. Japanese Emperor Hirohito dies after a 70-year reign.

Another morning where we slept in and had a reluctance to get up. I eventually did and had my tea in the conservatory as the dawn broke. The fish are still behaving a little oddly, feeding irregularly and ‘flashing’ on their sides against the bottom and side of the pool. They had been recently treated for parasites and so my theory is that they are trying to spawn. After breakfast, and attending to the ducks and doves, I got Diana to help me to take down our coloured lights from the balconies and put them away. Then to my office and a resumption of my history work. I spent most of the rest of the day ordering the format of my early chapters and digitising the figures for the Prehistoric section. I had to break off in mid-morning to go out with the rest of the family to collect Daniel and his friend Stephen from Kimbolton School, as they had arrived back from their holiday.

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It seems that they had thoroughly enjoyed it. I took them to the Starburger restaurant in the Cross Keys afterwards and then I came back to resume my work and finished off quite late in the evening and wrote up my journal. This, as Diana watched a horrible film called ‘Gremlins’ which had furry fanged creatures in it, rushing around and terrorising everybody. The latest from the US/Libya confrontation is that Gadhafi has suggested talks with President-elect Bush. At the chemical weapons conference, US secretary Schultz calls for sanctions against countries using chemical weapons. The Japanese Emperor of the Showa era, Hirohito, finally died last night after a reign of 70 years-plus.