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Rainy morning catching up on reading and then by train for a frustrating afternoon’s DTI/LAN meeting in Victoria before I leave early to get home for tea and to spend an evening with ducks and doves as the Tory government’s cuts on health and housing are announced and tension rises in Nicaragua and the Punjab
A small lay in this morning after breakfast, reading The Financial Times and catching up on two days’ events. Then up and dressed in jeans to tackle the dove house, but because of the torrential rain, I spent an hour at the office reading today’s computer journals and reconciling my bank account statement. Then, as the rain stopped, I put up a ladder and checked the doves. A disturbing situation; the doves were soaking wet with skin showing through and the feeding shelf awash with rain and droppings and food, water and grit dirty. The twits are too stupid to go in the dove cote out of the rain and so I prod and push them into the cubby holes and then clean up the shelf and replenish their food grains and drink. By this time I was late, but I still changed into a business suit and set off for St Neots to withdraw £22,000 from the Abbey National and pay it into my bank account to cover my stock applications (we had been informed by post today that all £100,000 of our applications had been accepted and now we have to find the money!) Then off by fast car down the A1 to Stevenage railway station and just in time to catch the 1.06pm train to London; and the tube to Victoria for our final DTI/LAN meeting at 2.15pm. A frustrating meeting dominated by technicalities and Nigel arriving late, I left early to catch the 4.25pm train back to Stevenage and by car home by 5.30pm in time for tea.
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My ministerial meetings with Geoffrey Pattie, and rival ECIF and DTI IT Division officers and then another with my Saville Row taylor as the US elects Ronald Reagan by a landslide with the Democrats holding both houses
Up by 6.00am and quickly washed, dressed and ready for the arrival of Nigel Smith at 6.40 to take me to London. With a full programme of meetings ahead of us, I take the opportunity to do some reading whilst Nigel picks his way through heavy traffic by use of a number of very effective back doubles. We eventually arrive at 8.25 at the St Ermines Hotel only to find that all of the parking bays and meters are shut off due to hotel improvements and the GLC Day of Action by public employees. In time, however, for an 8.30am start to the BMMG breakfast meeting. a busy, well attended meeting with a few divisions of opinion on the range of issues that had to be covered quickly. In particular, Nigel will have difficulty maintaining a common view on the local area network standards issue with so many companies already committed to existing designs. Better, though, to have the members attend and voice views than the scant apathy we sometimes get. Off then on foot to No 1 Victoria Street for the BMMG meeting with the Minister of State for Industry and Information Technology, the Rt Hon Geoffrey Pattie, MP, and the BMMG is the first trade association to see him in this capacity since his appointment. He was flanked by senior officials of the IT Division and the Alvey Directorate and arrived late and with little time to spare, which was a pity. Nevertheless, we did manage to raise our full list of issues and have a reasonable meeting. Most of them were about government funding of IT and the recent cutbacks, and we managed to get statements assuring us of no philosophical change of direction, but no assurances of continued funding, which was a disappointment. However, a successful morning for the BMMG with a high profile and active membership participation. News tonight of Reagan’s landslide victory in the US presidential election – the biggest in US history with only Minnesota and Columbia voting for Mondale. The overwhelmed loser retains his liberal beliefs, but announces his retirement from politics to allow another Democrat to lead the party. The elections to Senate and Congress, however, do not change materially their composition and this will act as a check to the President. Straight into immediate tension with Nicaragua as the President accuses the Russians of shipping in MIG war-planes.
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Family day with my sister’s news about Stacey and then meeting Diana’s sister for lunch whilst the doves struggle with their new life and poor Prime Ministerial Commons performance debating the Queen’s Speech
Awake and first to drink my morning tea and take one of my tablets – they have to be swallowed one hour before meals, twice a day. Up, breakfast, dressed and to the office soon after 9.00am for two hours work writing to the police over last night’s disturbances, and ordering my notepad stationery, embossed with the new coat of arms. I get a long phone call from Freda who updates me. She is now recovering from her operation and getting out a little bit to potter in the garden and occasionally visit the small holding. She has told Dad about Stacey’s pregnancy and left it to his discretion when to tell Mum, but is worried about Mum’s condition. I updated her on Mum and Dad’s visit and reassured her on their welfare. They have nearly finished the central heating installation and have applied to the Abbey National building society for a further advance as per my advice. News tonight of the four clearing banks base rate cut of ½ %.
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Day of light rain fighting my chest infection and planning for 1985 as Government sequestrators hunt for Miners Union funds and the Ethiopian air-lift gets underway
I awake still suffering from my chest infection and we decide to get a doctor’s appointment today. But first I read The Financial Times and my morning mail of SPD circulars and British Telecom share issue information. Breakfast of melon, toast and fruit juice and then washed and dressed to make a start at the office at 9.15am. Diana manages to secure a 2.50pm appointment at the Doctor’s and so I spend the morning filing papers and bringing my 1985 diary into action. I copy across all entries from my existing 1984 diary, the biographical details, addresses and also equalise information with my electronic Executel diary. Then back home to lunch when I notice that the weather has turned to light rain, but the doves have still not found a way into the holes in the dove cote and continue to stand on the ledges outside.