Slow start after a cold and windy night watching Debbie’s school play video and then went to see Debbie’s Brownie Pack’s contribution to the Carol Service at St James Church before completing my history book section on the Anglo-Saxon period as the Australian Judge calls the English testimony ‘baloney’ and an MP back home accuses Sir Robert Armstrong of ‘lying for the Crown’ and then more calls for a parliamentary debate on the Nimrod contract but at least Short Bros of Belfast are awarded a £225 million Starstreak high velocity missile contract. The UK & US leaders agreed to aim for a 50% strategic arms cut over 5 years and to continue to support star wars, which will not be popular with the USSR
A cold and windy night and was glad to get into bed in the end and snuggle up with Diana for warmth. Slept well and was not at all ready to get up when called. I had a headache and the wind was still whistling through the house. We have secured windows (so that they may not be opened from inside or out by burglars) and so we do not have draught proofing, so that cold and windy weather becomes a bit of a trial, unless we light a fire for radiant heat. Listened to the radio, but was eventually evicted by an unsympathetic Di. Quickly showered, shaved and dressed in the cold and was down to breakfast with the others. All, that is, except Daniella, who also overslept and had to have a biscuit and mug of orange juice in the playroom, whilst Deborah was watching the recording of the school play on the video recorder (which had both now been returned by a grateful borrower). I read the morning paper and then resumed my toils in the office. This effort lasted most of the day, but I broke in the afternoon for the doves and ducks and then we all had an early tea, changed, and went off with Debbie for a carol service at St James church, in aid of her Brownie Pack.
It was Della’s first experience of church and she fidgeted and made several dashes for freedom, before eventually being pacified with a box of raisins and sticky lolly. Daniel was helpful and Debbie, amongst the other Brownies at the front, started by singing well, but was then distracted a bit by the others, who became a little bored at the length of the service. All home and then I spent the evening starting the long process of printing out my Little Paxton history book. I had finished the Anglo-Saxon period today and am now getting more up to date in transcribing my researches. The weather became a little milder later in the day and the house warmer as a result. The Australian judge in the Wright book case has called the British evidence into question and has dismissed outright some elements of it as ‘baloney’. He was referring to the willingness to allow publication of earlier work in similar circumstances. Labour MP, Campbell-Savours has accused Sir Robert Armstrong of ‘lying for the Crown’. He said Sir Robert had disgraced his country and earned justifiable Australian contempt. He challenged the Tory MP, still in the Commons, who was involved in the campaign to discredit Wilson, to make a personal statement and asked for a judicial enquiry. Another call for an emergency debate on the Nimrod was rejected by the Speaker, but the opposition are bound to continue bringing it up this week. GEC has appointed independent assessors to evaluate the Nimrod early warning systems and the row is hotting up. Better news for Short Bros of Belfast, who are awarded a £225 million Starstreak high velocity missile contract, but Babcock Power have announced 620 redundancies at Renfrew, Scotland and 95 in London, because of lack of orders. American CIA Director, William Casey, was rushed to hospital after being taken ill after testifying to the Congressional Committees on the Iran/Nicaraguan deals. He apparently reacted to a medication he was taking. Thatcher has written to Gorbachev on the subject of arms control, following her recent meeting with Reagan at Camp David, and Gorbachev received it from the British Ambassador and spoke to him for 90 minutes. At Camp David, the UK & US leaders agreed to aim for a 50% strategic arms cut over 5 years and to continue to support star wars, which will not be popular with the USSR.