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Visiting Mum at Papworth Heart Hospital with the family after a shopping trip as my NEDO frustrations continue and Thatcher attends the Hong Kong handover ceremony
A poor night wrestling with yesterday’s NEDO events and we awake early to the sound of the central heating. I catch up on yesterday’s journal until it’s time for breakfast and my normal routine. At the office at 9.30 and I try to contact Nigel Smith and then the NEDO Secretaries to explain my dilemma. Also to put £80,000 of the children’s money back on deposit for a month at 9% and talk to the Selwyn Press who claim a quality result to the printing, but apologise that it will not be finished to the New Year. Lastly, to phone Papworth Hospital and then Dad. Mum is being transferred there this morning and we can visit her this afternoon.
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Frustrating London visit at the hands of uncooperative civil servants as traffic congestion makes things worse but a successful fitting at Huntsman’s of Saville Row as Mum moves to Papworth Hospital and the Government faces increasing criticisms in the Commons
Awake fairly early and time to read the paper before my normal breakfast and morning routine. A frost this morning limiting the muddiness of my bird husbandry. Pleased to find the doves staying close to the dove cote by means of limiting their seed. Across to the office and unable to contact Nigel Smith by phone again. I eventually succeeded in talking to my Saville Row tailors, Huntsmans, and arranging to see them this afternoon, but it will be a struggle to achieve all my aims in London. A morning coffee and, after tracking down the post van at the other end of Gordon Road, I set off by car for Huntingdon and then by train to Kings Cross. Surprising to see how full the trains are these days. It is the discounts and deals that are offered off-peak and many parties make for London for the shopping before Christmas. The second class carriages are almost full with standing not uncommon. From Kings Cross quickly by tube to Holborn and there to buy two printer ribbons from the typewriter shop and also pay in a £3000 Barclays cheque into the Holborn branch of the Nottingham Building Society.
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Wet and mild working day on personal finance and computer industry affairs whilst dealing with the aftermath of Diana’s loss of her chequebook and card as a child-killer is convicted and the miners struggle on in a losing battle to retain their funds
Awake to my morning tea and after rising to the toilet, back to bed with The Financial Times before up to a breakfast of honey toast and fruit juice. The family are there normal selves with the children arguing good-naturedly. Daniel and Deborah opened their advent calendars for the day as usual, eating the day’s chocolate having finished their breakfast. In bed to complete the paper then Diana reveals that she has lost her Giro chequebook and cheque card. A fair panic to try to inform the National Giro Centre in Bootle, but the phone lines are engaged for half an hour. Di eventually gets the message through and a reassuring return phone call that gives the news that she is not on risk for any third party’s fraudulent use of them.
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A day with the family, culminating with visiting my Mum, Grace Broad, in a Bury St Edmunds hospital awaiting heart surgery as a Polish Solidarity rally is dispersed with tear gas and Gorbachev meets Thatcher to talk arms control
A lay in and morning tea after 8.00am when the Sunday Times arrives. Down to a splendid breakfast of fried eggs, bread, bacon and mushrooms and then Debbie escorts me up and makes sure we wash, clean our teeth and quickly dress. Out to a mornings work with Debbie to help me, first to clean and feed the doves. She climbed the ladder ahead of me, but the doves sat on the roof opposite and would not fly back to feed with both of us there. Then on to the ducks and we feed them and let them on to the river. After to wash the Jaguar. Debbie tended the wheels and I the body of it, Daniel coming to help me as well. Eventually Debbie gets bored and Daniel’s friends arrive and he retreats to his bedroom to play with the computer. I finish the shampoo and rinse and then make off to the riverside to prune the pear and apple trees. They have now completed three tiers of an espalier pattern and should fruit well again next season. Also to muck out the ducks and replace the straw with fresh. A morning coffee at the house and then out to leather the car, wiping the door jams inside and the underside of the boot and bonnet lids. Time to re-pile most of the outside overspill log pile inside, now that we have used a deal of them. In to a roast chicken lunch, accompanied by peas, broccoli and roast potatoes and followed by Diana’s orange and chocolate cake specialty. Out to put away the ducks and feed the pigeons rather early. The anglers opposite were loudly muttering about the noise of our flock of ducks and were glad to see the last of them. The doves were not very hungry and I think the milder weather is the reason as they seem to need food in relation to their efforts to keep warm. In to change ready for our afternoon trip and, when the family was ready, we loaded up and left for Bury St Edmunds. The journey was to the West Suffolk Hospital and purpose to see Mum, Dad and Freda at visiting time.