Laying in bed on a cold and frosty morning and then Debbie to church with the Guides for the Christingle service as I complete my Little Paxton History Romano-British chapter and research Anglo-Saxon facts and figures. Fierce ethnic violence in Pakistan kills more than 50, the Air Defence radar row breaks out and also that following disclosures of the hounding and bugging of the Wilson administration with two Tory MP’s aiding and abetting this scandal. The Swiss journalists are released but native South Africans do not have that support and remain jailed.
A lay in this morning and needed it after my late night and efforts of yesterday. Sat in bed for a while listening to the radio and then went downstairs in my pyjamas and dressing gown to write up my journal in the kitchen and await my Sunday fried breakfast. A nice meal, which we all enjoyed and then to the Sunday papers, before going up to catch up on my shower and shave. Dressed in my old jeans and, after a cup of coffee, out to the ducks and doves. No duck eggs for some time now, but all the birds are well. To my office for an hour and a half of work on the Romano-British period of Little Paxton and then to prepare the table for lunch in the usual way. A nice meal of tomato soup and then roast lamb, with some pears and ice cream to finish off. Daniel’s friend Stephen had joined us for the day and the meal was very enjoyable.
The normal washing up cycle afterwards, which was not too bad. These days, Di helps us as well by getting the things ready for me to wash and Daniel to wipe. Back to my work in the office until tea, whilst Di took Debbie in her Girl Guide uniform to St Neots church for a ‘Christingle’ service, whatever that is. She came back with an orange, crossed with red tape, and decorated with a candle and four cocktail sticks impaling sweets. She had joined a procession around the church with these candles lit and we lit it and blew it out repeatedly during our tea. Put the ducks away and fed them all, then the entire evening again on my book. This time I finished the Romano-British period, read several books on local Anglo-Saxon history and started to introduce the section in the context of the archaeological finds in Little Paxton. Then it was time for my journal, the teletext news and my bedtime drink, before retiring reasonably early. Another cold evening, with a sharp frost in prospect. The news today is of fierce ethnic violence in Pakistan’s capital Karachi, with 51 dead in clashes between Pathans and Mohajirs. The army had cracked down on drugs and arms dealing earlier this week in the Pathan area, but the full story is still a mystery to me. The news leaking out on the airborne radar contract heralds a fierce debate in the Commons tomorrow. Fowler, the Health Minister, claims that no decision has yet been taken, but the armed forces and defence ministers would have already persuaded Thatcher and Thursday’s Cabinet Meeting will be a formality. The Swiss couple, ceased by South African security forces from Swaziland have been released and allowed back, after protests from the Swiss government. Other South African nationals do not have this protection against a totalitarian government. The claims against the MI6 harassment of Wilson are developing and Peter Wright’s spy book says that the former Prime Minister was ‘burgled and bugged all over London’. Two Tory MPs are supposed to have also been involved and they might well be named in the House tomorrow. The security officers had fed false information to the press to try to discredit him.