Thatcher and Reagan in their better days as 'golf cart buddies'
Thatcher and Reagan in their better days as 'golf cart buddies'

A frustrating time this morning getting a replacement tape recording machine and then some televised Test Cricket before settling down to check the children’s’ homework but the Longsands girl put off our meeting. The sickeningly arrogant Margaret Thatcher was regaling the Tory Conference and she must certainly fall soon with that attitude, Congress is also unhappy with Reagan over his Gulf conflicts, wanting Congress to debate it, and anger is rising over the blame of the ferry sinking being confined to three crew scapegoats, rather than the company. In a Bristol mortgage fraud, 31 solicitors, valuers and estate agents have been arrested, after a 12 month enquiry.

Went very late to bed last night, after finishing some chores and had asked to be left to lay in a little while this morning. In the event, I was awake in time for breakfast and went downstairs in my pyjamas to eat. The kids were a bit difficult today, with tummy aches from our worms medicine and sniffling cold symptoms making them uncomfortable.

Di had borrowed my dressing gown, as hers was damp, and I claimed it back after breakfast, slipping it off her shoulders, and so she had to run around naked to get the children off to school! I wanted to go into Bedford with Di this morning to choose her some sexy underwear, as she weighed 9st 12lbs on the scales, but she declined and went on her own. She agreed to try exchanging my broken tape recorder at Dixons for me, but they kept her waiting an hour and then gave her another faulty one, which was a poor show. During this time, Della was difficult as usual. I read financial newspapers and started on the local press cuttings, when it was time to break off at 12.00pm and get myself a salad lunch. I watched one day test cricket on the TV and saw England win a close match against the West Indies, after seemingly throwing the game away. Di arrived back, fed up with a wasted morning, and to cap it all, I found that the replacement recorder was faulty as well. I then had to waste an hour and a half of the afternoon retracing her footsteps and getting yet another replacement. I achieved this end, but could only get back in time for tea. Checked Dan’s and Debbie’s homework after, fed the ducks and doves and then prepared for an interview with a Longsands girl about her geography project. She phoned and put off the date until next week and so I did a few chores. Shortened Di’s iron lead and diagnosed her hob lighting fault. Later, updated my diary and watched the evening’s TV news with Daniel. News today was of ‘The Thatcher Speech’ at the Tory Conference. A sickeningly arrogant affair, duly received with adulation by her staged ovation for 11 minutes this time. Strong language, but no further proposals. A note of caution from Willie Whitelaw, who stressed the role of the checks and balances provided by the House of Lords. US President Reagan is playing down the American conflict with Iran in the Gulf, but Congress wants their opinion sought and The War Powers Act invoked. Iran is claiming a US helicopter shot down, but this claim is denied. The Seamen’s Union is considering a private prosecution against Townsend Thorensen, on the charge of unlawful killing and bereaved relatives are also unhappy with the direction of the inquest jury and the blaming of three crew members, instead of the company. In a Bristol mortgage fraud, 31 solicitors, valuers and estate agents have been arrested, after a 12 month enquiry. Heavy and stormy rain is forecast for tonight, which will be another good test of our lawn bed.