Lovely leisurely day with my Dad, Fred, and family starting work on building Daniel’s Kyoshi Progress 4WD buggy and visiting Mum in Papworth as thousands still die in Ethiopia and the Soviet defence minister dies, cutting short Gorbachev’s visit and I am in demand for speaking engagements
I lay long in bed reading the FT and catching up on yesterday’s journal, dismissing a naughty Debby from the room when unable to keep quiet. Between times my normal breakfast, but critical of the small loaf slices. Eventually to wash, bath, shave and dress as Dad arrives and Debbie plays with him until I am ready. Out to feed the doves and Dad and Debbie also climb the ladder and see them at close hand for the first time. Then to feed the ducks and dad laughs at their follow-my-leader formation as they arrive for feeding. Back to collect Daniel and over to the office to start the construction of his off-road radio control buggy. We put damping oil in three realistic dampers and assemble the front drive housing and have made a start.
Phone calls today from Whitworth Sterland, who have managed to cash the children’s Kode cheques and are advised to repay me; Mike Reagan of Research Machines, apologising for not briefing me on the Export Education Group and suggesting a lunch in the New Year; and EMAP asking me to speak at a February seminar. Lunch together of bred rolls, salad and cheese and after to phone the Papworth Cardiac Ward Sister to check on Mum. It seems that she is fine for visiting, but the results of her test will not be known until Monday because of an equipment fault. She will stay the weekend and Dad is also in his element here playing with Debbie and kipping down in our other house. Over we go and a little time there accompanied by Debbie and Dan but, after dad arrives, we leave him and Mum together and leave via the Papworth Hospital shop. I take the kids to Huntingdon model shop and buy spray cans of black and white paint and some masking tape for the car project. Home to a tea of pork chops and after to sit in front of the fire and chat to Dad. News tonight of thousands still dying in the famine in Ethiopia, even after two months of television coverage and record aid efforts. Relief workers are worried that Western consciousness will prove fickle and end prematurely. In the USSR, Marshall Ustinov, the Defence Minister, has died of heart failure and Mr Gorbachev decided to leave a day early. The rail tunnel fire has calmed down a little, but the metal waggons and rails are melted and the tunnel is full of foam and fuel oil.