Memoirs of Dr Andre Sakharov who died on this day
Memoirs of Dr Andre Sakharov who died on this day

Better news as a call from Mum found her in a better state and one from Jim Cole of the NYA revealed that my offer of £52,500 was accepted for our new boat. I spent all day preparing and personalising my Christmas Cards and then dealing with some Paxton Ward issues as Diana delivered them.

Home Secretary Douglas Hurd acted to quell the Tory rebellion over Hong Kong emigration and the sad news of the death of Dr Andre Sakharov a well-respected Soviet moral giant of a man and scourge of the establishment has died of a ‘heart attack’ which I prayed was the truth

I slept much better last night and found that I was earlier than the rest of the family this morning to breakfast. I had a call from Mum this morning to say that she was all right after I had picked up the phone and we made up a little and I told about our trip to Norfolk tomorrow. I also had a call from Jim Cole of the Norfolk Yacht Agency at Brundall to say that my offer of £52,500 had been accepted for the boat and that tomorrow was okay for a trial run.

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I worked all day at my Christmas Cards: I printed off special cards for friends in the village and then suppliers/advisers that personalised an added meaning to the normal greeting. This evening, I typed up a couple of letters on council problems for my constituents and dealt with a request for a bottle bank site at the Little Paxton Anchor Pub. Diana was out shopping and delivering our cards today, Daniel was having much of the day to himself doing his A-level revision. The worry tonight is that the gale force winds and heavy rain that is forecast for tonight and tomorrow that may prejudice our boat trial.

The news today is that the former Home Secretary Douglas Hurd is acting to quell the Tory rebellion over Hong Kong emigration by saying no decisions had yet been made. Dr Andre Sakharov has died of a heart attack. This Soviet rebel had recently had his freedom of expression restored under Gorbachev and has seen his job through. He was well-respected by Soviet leaders, though he oppose them, and they kept him under surveillance and house arrest. He was universally viewed as a giant of a man – pure in thought and courageous in his belief and moral standing.