Day sorting out the Grove House office, agreeing press procedures with Kode and dealing with executive misbehaviour back at base as the family suffer and the railwaymen show solidarity with the miners
On time to the office and I am the first to unlock the doors and windows and prepare for the day’s work. Time then to brief Lesley Saunders on the capital approval decisions of yesterday’s meetings and to decide on the continuance of our Grove House tea lady. Then upstairs to write my latest letter to Kode, emphasising the finality of next week’s Tuesday signing and Wednesday announcements, providing for the opportunity for publicity agreement and insisting that to avoid misunderstandings; all future contact and communication will be through myself. Phone calls with Ashursts, Peter Smith confirming my views and then briefings with John Lamb to explain the position.
Lunchtime finishing off the paperwork and then over to Little End Road to get June to type it. Also to discuss and agree a course of action that can allow a CCL secretary to help out at Grove House during the period whilst Leslie is in hospital having wisdom teeth removed. In discussion I find out the extent of the misuse of Cindy the finance Secretary and wait for Derek Weatherby to return from lunch to discuss it with him. He had taken his two senior people out and arrived back at 3.30-4.00pm obviously the worse for drink, claiming he had been discussing future computerisation with them. I criticise him for not informing his secretary of his movements and creating a very unfavourable impression, but leave it at that. The tensions of the present time are taking their toll and I know Peter Smith will review matters closely on his arrival.
A phone call also to Geoff Lynch to update him on events and then back to Grove House to find more furniture delivered and the offices in a mess. I unwrap the new cabinets and chairs in four rooms, rearrange the place to look nice and throw out the wrapping in time for the cleaners to arrive and collect it. Strange how nobody else ever thinks to do these things.
Home to see the European Nations Cup Final and watch the creative French side beat the grim Spanish 1-0. Diana had been getting rather upset with over 5 dozen duck eggs building up since our price increase from 30p to 36p for 6; but one customer bought three dozen this evening. The weather today warm and sunny again but with a thankfully cool breeze. Poor Debbie, however, is sneezing well as a hay fever sufferer.
News tonight of more NUR and ASLEF support for the miners and total iron ore embargos in place for Llanwern and threatened for Ravenscraig. Daniel has his first exam today in English and claims success – we shall see.