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Family visit to Woburn’s Animal Kingdom/Safari Park on a cold but dry day as slight hopes are raised of Pit Dispute talks
A reasonable start to the day until I have to take over the preparation of the breakfast from Diana who has to spend a time in the loo with a tummy upset. And after, Diana is still suffering and spends most of the morning snoozing in bed, whilst I catch up reading today's Sunday Times and this week’s Economist. Eventually, in late morning, all up and dressed as we make ready and set off for Woburn Safari Park. But first we stop at The Little Chef locally for a nice lunch. A good tour of the animal park passing; elk, camels, tigers, lions, elephants and giraffes, but the children particularly liked the monkey and bear enclosure. There was a large number of tiny babies, born this summer, which was very endearing. Then a chance to play on the range of sideshows, roundabouts – the ghost train, helter skelter, which were Debbie’s favourites. But Daniel was sold on the flying platform arrangement with rotating thrills – he even got me to go on it. Below the link to our video of the day.
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Family day visiting Cambridge ad meeting Di’s sister Sue before we return for Daniel to play computer games and then us to watch Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘Psycho’ as another Bishop attacks Thatcher’s politics of confrontation, The FT calls for action on unemployment and Leonard Rossiter dies
No Financial Times again this morning, but an Economist arriving later by post, which I start to read. Up for breakfast at weekday times and, Daniel off to school, the rest of us get washed and dressed ready to go at 9.00am. We loaded up the Jaguar and set off with Diana feeding the baby as usual. We stopped at Croxton Filling Station, just on the outskirts of St Neots, and filled up the left hand tank at £1.85 odd per gallon, which is good as recent petrol company price increases has put up most garage prices to near £1.90. The £2 gallon is in sight. To Cambridge by 9.40am, but our parking meters of last week were full. Nevertheless, a circuit of town found a 2 hour meter in reach – broken in the full position! Amongst our purchases, shoes and boots for Debbie and, in the market, plums, grapes, apples, pears, chestnuts and a melon. By appointment to Belinda’s coffee house and there to meet Diana’s sister Sue. Slimmer, but visibly older, she seemed in brave spirits over her driving test failure and quite well.
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The Big Bang City of London revolution and end of the Labour Conference with Arthur Scargill prominent as I get wind of a possible anti IBM/BT victory with a reported OFTEL rejection of it as IT Minister Sir Geoffrey Pattie agrees to meet me and the Canadian newspapers insult Her Majesty the Queen before an evening supervising Debbie’s writing exercises and Daniel’s homework
A lay in and chance to read The Financial Times and Investor’s Chronicle where further evidence of the revolution in the City. Some call it ‘The Big Bang’ as Merchant Bankers, Stockbrokers, Jobbers and Clearing Banks jockey for position, merger and reorganise. City Partners realise large amounts of capital and ‘six-figure’ salaries, whilst also being retained by the ‘golden handcuffs’ of time-related realisation of the cash. Breakfast of toast, fruit juice and tea and then a scramble to wash and dress to arrive at the office by at least 9.30am. A quiet morning and chance to read the Computer News and Electronics Weekly that arrived under their own steam for once. Also the Daily EIU news bulletins in backlog and range of correspondence. Most notable was the reply from the new Minister of State for Industry and Information Technology, Geoffrey Pattie, who agrees to a meeting.
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Sunny and fine day in London meeting industry colleagues and PR gurus whilst being treated to lunch for the third day running because my DTI meeting was cancelled with Nigel being ill. This as Dixons take over Curry’s due to their computer exploits and the US passing more protectionist legislation as conflict reigns at the Labour Party Conference whilst unemployment under Thatcher reaches 3.5million!
Up early and the 8.02am train from St Neots and underground passage across London to Victoria. The train had been delayed for 30 mins by a brake seizure at Huntingdon. Some confusion over dates and my DTI Local Area Network meeting was not at 9.30am at all; but planned late in the day at 3.30pm. Phone calls to establish this and then to meet Dr Chris Shelton instead in White Lion Street. I was encouraged by the work he had done and state of preparation of the LAN Reports – I am beginning to see the end result in sight. In the event, the meeting late in the day was not duly convened – as Nigel Smith was also unable to attend because of flu. Off by taxi, caught at The Angel Islington traffic lights, to Saffron Hill to see Jarogate before a lunch appointment with Alistair Jacks. The third day running I had received the hospitality of lunch and I was beginning to think of the effect on my waistline. Away to SW London and the Travellers Club – an old club in elegant tradition. Autographed photographs of past Princes of the Realm on the walls and 10 foot wide corridors. Smoked salmon to start, grilled sole to continue, and blue stilton to finish. All washed down with a bottle of white wine and followed with coffee. A good exchange of views and opinions and the outcome that MPSL (BOS) Software will join the BMMG.