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Day of tending my doves and working at home as disappointing news from Geoffrey Pattie that the government are freezing spending on IT schemes, which makes the UK industry even more vulnerable to be swamped by overseas manufacturers
A good night’s sleep in my own bed, but I wake up with my cold heavy and limbs still aching from cold. I read the remains of yesterday’s Sunday Times and then today’s Financial Times before down to a breakfast of fruit juice and toast. Shower after to get washed and dressed and only arrived at the office at 10.00am, but found no messages. I read today’s Computer News – full of IBM’s retaliation over the Jove refusal - and the daily bulletins of a Computer Industry still under stress and revolution before, not feeling well, I took some time to relax. The first then of a couple of calls to Owles Hall over BMMG press releases and I also heard from Selwyn Press to agree the form of my arms for the new letter head. Lunch of pie and peas again as I had inadvertently switched the freezer off when locking the garage for the weekend and spoilt a chest of food for quick eating. The lunchtime television news was full of the violent scenes in Yorkshire where missiles and petrol bombs accompany a drift back to work of miners concerned for their Christmas money. This afternoon I typed into the computer my latest portfolio information and, by the end of this afternoon, had reprinted the summaries for circulation to my accountant and two stock brokers whose continuing advice I value. I took a call from the DTI that informed me that Geoffrey Pattie had announced in the House today a moratorium on applications under the SFI, MISP, FOS, CADCAM and FMS schemes. In line with our worst fears the existing allocations of funds had been taken up with applications and will not be supplemented this financial year.
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London Zoo visit with the family on Remembrance Day falling on a Sunday and then home to Paxton as politicians row over an Irish terrorist suspect
A better night’s sleep but still uncomfortable with the heat of the room and occasionally woken by the noise in the car park. In the end poor Debbie woke us all in the morning suffering with her cold and reminding me that my chest infection was improving but turning into a full cold itself. A fair lay in for the family, first waiting for our room service drinks (which had to be reordered and then double-charged!) and also to read an Observer which we ordered. Eventually all up, washed and dressed and down to breakfast whilst the baby slept. A rather large meal for all, self-served at the buffet and ate in the dining room overflow by the swimming pool bar – all the guests seem to have arrived down late at the same time! Upstairs to pack our bags and then down to settle the bill (and only pay for one room service order) and pack up the car before leaving for London Zoo with our free weekender tickets. As I parked the time approached 11.00am and we heard the cenotaph service on the radio and honoured the 2 minute silence. A pity that others did not, but the traffic did grow markedly just afterwards. Into the Zoo and Diana set off with Daniella for the nursing mother’s centre, whilst I took Daniel and Debbie to see the monkeys, lions and rhinoceros, but, strangely, no elephants were present. I noted the piles of leaves everywhere and felt that the old zoo was looking decidedly run down and showing its economic stress. Another example of this recession, I suppose, but surely it could be cleaned up and the equipment painted to look jolly. We rendezvoused with Diana in the lion complex and went off to the cafeteria for drinks – this had been remodelled but was still rather inefficient, though much more pleasant. After a few visits to see the gorillas and stroke the animals in the children’s zoo, my legs were giving out and we agreed to leave for home.
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Thoroughly enjoyable London Lord Mayor’s parade and bonfire night and fireworks in fine and dry weather after a day’s shopping with the family
The children awake early in our hotel room, well before the 7.00am call I had arranged. Diana also awake to feed the baby but eventually the drinks arrive and a sip of tea whilst reading The Guardian. Down to breakfast by 8.30am with Daniella asleep in the room. A fair fried breakfast, whilst Daniel had his scrambled eggs and Deborah, toast. Upstairs for our things and out for the day. I take the kids to collect our London Transport Explorer tickets and we meet Di t the bus stop to catch a 2A bus from Swiss Cottage. It takes us into the West End and we eventually leave the buses at Aldwich and file along Fleet Street and stop at a good position on Ludgate Hill. We had changed buses at Trafalgar Square and had a fine time feeding and catching the pigeons. Debbie and Dan are thrilled as we played in the sunshine. Anyway we were in Fleet Street and, after a fair wait, along came the sanding lorries as the vanguard of over 100 floats, carriages and bands, with the final climax of the golden Lord Mayor’s coach escorted by his medieval bodyguard of pikemen and musket bearers. A fantastic pageant of music and colour, justly known as the grandest free show in the world. A parade enjoyed by all in fine sunshine and, after a lunch of burgers and chips, we set off to St Pauls Cathedral for our first family visit. Strange to think the huge dome was even higher before 1666 and Sir Christopher Wren’s re-building. Debbie enjoys pushing an observant Daniella up and down the aisles as we rest on the wooden chairs and gaze up in wonderment. What an even more glorious site it must have been when the gilt and colours had not faded so. When rested, out to try to find a bus but the city is still blocked with diversions and so we walk northward to catch a diverted bus to Oxford Circus. Off to Hamleys with Daniel and Debbie, pausing for an ice cream outside Proruptia (and seeing a young bride take off her wedding gown!) Di takes Daniella to Dickens and Jones for a feed and we all meet there later for afternoon drinks. The shopping centre was packed with Hamleys particularly so – the worst I have seen it. Out to try to get a No 23 bus to The Tower but they are out of sequence and so we catch a taxi instead; just getting to Tower Wharf in time to see the start of the firework display from the GLC jetty.
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Suffering from my antibiotics, without sympathy as I rush to finish paperwork on a cloudy and showery day and then take the family for a London Hotel stay as police battle with miner’s pickets in Yorkshire and the Thatcher government cuts UK aid to the worst ever famine in Africa
Up, but still tired from the last two days exertions and groggy from the long course of antibiotics I am taking. I still have my cough and it is not any better yet. The Financial Times and morning mail after my normal breakfast of melon, apple juice and toast. Up in time to listen to ‘Yesterday in Parliament’ on radio 4 as I wash and dress and get ready before over to the doves. They seem much better today – livelier, warmer and feeding as well as preening themselves. I cleaned them out and renewed their water, grit and seed for the weekend ahead. I inexplicably found pellets of meat-like substance and tomato in the ‘cage’ and can only think they regurgitated them or they were dropped in by local starlings. No sign of the ducks this morning and this made three days without sight. To the office for relaxation disturbed by Carlton Lowe and family picking up their mail. Apart from that they appear to have moved on to their own house now. Then to the complex task of form filling to finish the process of applying for Nottingham Building Society and Bank of Scotland ‘Homelink’ accounts. They provide a service via my Prestel terminal to allow payment of household bills, electronic shopping, and rapid transfers on screen between savings and bank accounts. Also statements of account can be scrutinised at any time. Phone calls with Bill Unsworth to arrange to meet Rodime at next week’s Compec and then out to find the ducks returned and I feed them as my only chance for two days past and future. I am delayed finding the pigeons and taking a phone call from Procurement newspaper; keen to hear my views on the European initiative to change the differential tariffs on semiconductors. Diana, who has been waiting for me to go shopping with, is furious and all set to leave without me before I stop her. She has much to do and her frustration somewhat spoils our Little Chef lunch with resulting arguments. Eventually I finish off and Di picks up Debbie from school. Our normal squeeze to pack belongings in the car and then, a half hour late, we drive off to Kimbolton and collect Daniel from school. A good fast drive to London, but we arrive at the Swiss Cottage Holiday Inn for 5.30pm.