England lost the game to Germany on deciding penalty kicks
England lost the game to Germany on deciding penalty kicks

Supervising a variety of house renovations and then visiting Mum with Daniel and Jason Chambers on the way to Norfolk where we set up her video recorder. We left Stanton and got to the Paxton Princess by mid-evening and in time to watch England play West Germany in extra time on our boat TV. The match was drawn 2-2 and England then lost the game on the deciding penalty kicks

I had a very busy morning with the workman coming and going. Mr Haggar, the electrician, came twice to see me about the wiring changes I need to make and will return on Monday to get them under-way. The office equipment surveyor also came and was here all morning, checking the measurements and discussing how I could organise the services to make sure that the office could go in without problem. Then the decorator had come to make a start on Debbie's room and came down to my office to do an estimate on the decorating that needed doing. Later Mr Porter, the plumber, came and removed the radiator that was going to be situated in the wrong place to let the office changes occur.

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Before all this I had to get up early and enlist the (somewhat reluctant) help of Diana and Daniel to remove the bookcase, swivel chair and table which we took to the garage. The rain was just starting to fall and the weather was changing to an unsettled period which was a worry with my weekend sea trip ahead. Later, I had to disable and remove the burglar alarm system from Debbie's bedroom so that the decorator could restore the west wall and fit decorative ceiling coving; and then I had to go up into the loft to take the wiring through there and find some matching wall-paper for the repairs. This afternoon, I had to try and do some work at my desk which, with the telephone, was in a very odd position. I had made plans to visit Grove House and see the On Site Training people, but a problem had arisen over the BES status of a potential investment. The tax lawyer had pointed this out and so I telephoned Roger Brittain to investigate the proposition and prepare some advice.

Then Diana helped me to pack and, after tea at 5.30pm, Daniel and I collected his friend Jason Chambers from St James Road and we set off for Norfolk. We dropped in to my mother's on the way and I watched the start of the England vs West Germany football match on her TV as Daniel and Jason set up the video recorder on the other TV in her bedroom. Also had a nice chat to Mum and she was grateful for the consideration. Freda had not progressed several things for me over the memorials for Dad and the designs for Heronshaw and I will now have to do these things for myself. We left Stanton and got to the Paxton Princess by mid-evening and in time to watch England play West Germany in extra time on our boat TV.

The match was drawn 2-2 and England then lost the game on the deciding penalty kicks which was most unsatisfactory. News from the Soviet Union is a letter from 47 reformists warning Gorbachev of the threat of a military takeover to thwart the plans for reform which is an extraordinary development. The outcome of the Thatcher/Mandela talks is an unexpected understanding on the form that a new South Africa should take and respect for mutually-differing views on the effectiveness of sanctions in ending apartheid. There is unrest and violence in Albania at the moment with more than 200 Albanians sheltering in western embassies.