Thursday 26th April 1984

Busy Office day preparing for the Byte Shop Review where IBM shortages are hitting profits badly and then relieving stress at the end of it by chatting to my neighbour’s daughter as the Iranian Embassy was be-sieged

Up early on another sunny day but the cool breeze was more in evidence today. As June had arrived 10 mins early we sat and reviewed the day’s action together with priorities for circulating the Byte Shop Agenda, drafting the Job Offer for Ian Smith, and replying on a few commercial and trade mark issues. Then to prepare for the Byte Shop Review Meeting after reviewing the mornings mail, meeting with David Fear, Carlton Lowe and Derrick Morgan and checking that Peter King and Derek Weatherby were prepared after receiving the Byte Shop Papers. A difficult meeting – acute shortages of IBM’s had been experienced and from March’s record performance April was looking appallingly low. Peter has taken this badly but is working constructively with IBM to make up the difference in May and June.

Much soul-searching over Microserve with the eventual conclusion that its revenues be left in the companies for the time being but that its future will be as a separate company in the group. Lastly the revenues and costs of the proposed 1984/5 Budget were way over the set targets and further work is necessary to reconcile the result. An early evenings finish and with John Lamb to examine Grove House in Little Paxton as a suitable Head Office building and training centre. Then a quiet but tense evening at home watching the television. The stress of the business problems, three year planning sessions, takeover discussions and lack of sleep earlier in the week taking its toll. News today of the mutual evacuation of Libyan and British diplomatic families and luggage but the exchange of Diplomats is still to come in the next two days. The Iranian Embassy was briefly besieged today as invading dissidents were taken away. Lastly much international doom and disaster stories to complete my depression. After grand relief, a good night’s sleep. Remarkable to see how fascinating other women’s’ figures become when your own wife is pregnant. Our neighbours daughter was washing her car tonight and I chatted to her about her computer selling aspirations. Her face is not so attractive close up but her body……!