Our 16th Wedding Anniversary shopping and visiting Mum at Papworth before a quiet evening for Diana and I discussing our difficult times and looking forward to learning from them as CND protests at Alconbury make the news
Up at the normal time and, with the morning tea, Di brings our anniversary presents for us to open. 9 socks and 12 handkerchiefs from her for me; some apple blossom perfume water and talc from me for her; and two silver plated photograph holders for both of us from my Mum and Dad. Mrs Jackson phones later this morning to also wish us a happy anniversary and apologise for not sending us a card. After the normal breakfast and getting ourselves ready, we set off in the car for Bedford. I take a southerly route via Barford, but we run into traffic and parking difficulty anyway on what is a busy shopping day. Our model shop near the cinema has little of what we require for our buggy, but we do get some paraffin and a can for Diana’s new lamp. At the other model shop in Station Road we manage to get the rechargeable NICADS and a holder, but nowhere could we find ACOM’s servos in a smaller size than we already have.
We rendezvous at the car at 12.30pm and are home by 1.00pm and meet Dad coming down the drive. A lunch of shepherd’s pie, carrots and cauliflower, followed by jam roll and cream. I have already put on a few pounds this Christmas and weigh about 13st 9lbs. After digesting the lunch I take Dad out to the ducks and show him the ropes for the next few days. I had telephoned the Holiday Inn reservations service and got us a family room for Saturday and Sunday night and Dad will tend the birds for us while we are away. Off then to Papworth where we arrive a little late, at 3.30pm, to see mum. She has had her hair done and is dressed and looking fine. The kids show her some of their other presents and we leave after a long chat when Dad has joined us to take over. Home to tea of cheese, biscuits and Christmas cake, washed down with three mugs of tea. A fine log fire again. As we settle to play Daniel’s new game of Detective, two giggly girlfriends arrive and distract him – he is certainly getting to be popular! A quiet evening and Di and I spend time quite late on our anniversary looking back over our more difficult times and discussing our past problems in a hope of learning from them. News tonight of the Indian election result. Rajiv Ghandi has obtained a record landslide victory. Terry Waite, the church’s special envoy, reports back to the Archbishop of Canterbury on his discussions with Libya’s Gaddafi, and hopes for the release of the English hostages. At Alconbury a Christian CND passive demonstration results in arrests, as inevitable as the hopelessness of their cause. The weather tonight still frosty and foggy as we retire to the end of our log fire and in anticipation of our Holiday Inn weekend.