Printing out a copy of my Little Paxton History manuscript for neighbour Marilyn to show to her old Paxton lady friends and then stranded by Diana who had taken my car and so by bus to recover it and drove to Huntingdon to resume my researches before to Eaton Socon for a Christmas meal with Diana’s friends and husbands. Controversy in Parliament over the Nimrod contract and the more so over local authority spending where the government needed an emergency bill to regularise illegal actions. The ethnic violence in Karachi is continuing and an Ulster Police Station has been wrecked by another IRA bomb
A warmer night, but felt cold towards morning and welcomed my cup of tea. Up to my normal routine and then a breakfast of wheat flakes, before reading the morning paper briefly. I had started the computer printer going upon waking up and kept renewing the sheets to keep it operating until after breakfast. By the time that Diana had returned from taking Debbie to school I had printed out almost all of it and was typing a preface and contents sheet. I bound both copes and lent one to Marilyn of Willow Close – she is to discuss it with her old Little Paxton ladies (that come to have their hair dressed) to try to get even more information for me. Then, Di getting impatient, it was time to leave for our shopping trip to Cambridge. Di’s mum was still waiting in Eaden Lilley’s, even though we were later than usual, and we had a nice coffee together. Then, as the girls marauded around the toy section, I went up to buy cards for Di for Christmas & anniversary and we met again to buy Daniel’s present. I got him an all-singing-and-dancing watch that stores a database of dates, phone numbers etc., but we shall conceal it in a briefcase to make him think that this would be his only present.
A new folder for my history project from the stationers and then an early return home, as we could only find a parking meter for the car this morning. Stopped at St Neots to take my library books back, get the briefcase, and then (to my annoyance) I found that Di had driven off in the car for an appointment with her friends, leaving me stranded without my own briefcase and Huntingdon Library books. I waited for a while to confirm that this was what she had done and then took the shuttle bus back to Little Paxton. I knew roughly where she had gone, walked there and found the Range Rover and then I drove it away, stranding her and friends as sweet revenge. They were dumbfounded by this, but I had to get to Huntingdon and that’s where I went. I took back my old books, got some new ones and also photocopied the CAS proceedings for an early Saxon excavation that I had previously missed. Home quickly to make sure that my actions had not distressed Diana too much, but she took it in good heart and realised that she did not have a leg to stand on. Just a few pears to eat, as it was soon time to get changed and ready to go to Eaton Socon for a Christmas meal. Di had arranged for her friends and their husbands to take part and we had an enjoyable evening, where the principle item of conversation was the car tussle earlier between Di and I, which, of course, had affected them as well. Home late and Daniel, our intrepid babysitter, had already gone to sleep. The news today was of the government under pressure in the House of Commons on a number of issues. No, they would not delay or reconsider the AWAC’s decision but, although the Speaker would not allow an emergency debate today, there is hope of one tomorrow. The government still defensive over the security trials and the Australian verdict will soon be known. A new source of embarrassment for the government over local authority spending, where it appears that the tangle of new laws has left the situation where the government has been acting illegally for some years and an emergency Bill is now needed to restore the position. The ethnic violence in Karachi is continuing and an Ulster Police Station has been wrecked by another IRA bomb. The weather is expected to get colder, with snow coming soon, which the kids will enjoy, but most people will regret. Daniel broke up from school today and Debbie ends her school term on Friday. She was at a school carol service this afternoon and I heard them singing ‘Rudolf the red-nosed reindeer’ as I marched past the church to collect my car. Daniel is still getting daily letters from Janey of Glenrothes.