Diana, the fantastic mother
Diana, the fantastic mother

Celebrating Diana’s birthday with my parents as Sterling dives over the ongoing miners’ dispute and the economic gloom matches the dull and drizzly weather

Up fairly early and I get Debbie to give Diana her cards and present on her birthday. The dressing gown that I had purchased from Debenhams yesterday was from Debbie and Daniel together, and we had bought cards from each of us (and Daniella) on Saturday. Breakfast as normal and washed and dressed soon after 9.00am and able to work at the office. Little in the mail and several BMMG phone calls about our catalogue and newsletter copy. In the end, I agree to meet Nigel on Friday night to resolve them and I will work on the copy in the meantime. Off for lunch with Diana at The Little Chef as an extra birthday treat – there we can keep an eye on the baby in the car at the same time.

I type a letter this afternoon to the bank querying my current account balances and interest rates and also send Prestel messages to de Zoete and Bevan chasing gilt certificates and VNU Publications to try to correct the address for my daily Informatics bulletins. By 4.30pm Mum and Dad had arrived and so I close the office and we have a tea party together, which is lovely. After, we watch family videos and talk about the past. They leave in mid-evening and Diana clears up whilst I watch the television and read some papers. News tonight of a record fall of 28 points on the London Stock Exchange with the pound sterling also down to $1.19 and also against other currencies. Today the pit disputies in their regions confirmed their leaders decision to strike and also the BNOC had to reduce crude oil prices to $28.50 a barrel. All news to rock the economy and prevent any hope of interest rate cuts and economic recovery. At Wembley, England football team beat Finland 5-0 in the first game of the World Cup qualification rounds. The barometer has been falling today as the bright sunny weather ended and a drizzle began.