Awake to find an invasion of Moles in my new lawn on a colder day but then to Cambridge shopping where I could find plenty of information and a cutlery cabinet but no resulting silver and Diana had appalling problems with the Car Park lifts but lunch in the Copper Kettle before home to a ‘mole-meeting’ with the gardener as Thatcher blames the £900M UK visible trade deficit on industry leaders rather than being of her own making!
A good night’s sleep and I wake to my morning tea less tired and more relaxed than I was with the recent days exertions. The morning paper before much consternation as we all looked out of the windows at the mole hills that had started to appear on our lovely riverside lawn. It seems that I may have disturbed a mole during my efforts to uncover the logs last weekend and it has drilled a fairly straight path across our lawn, with heaps of earth erery so often. Breakfast, washed, shaved, dressed and then out to the birds. All feed well and the ducks deliver 10 eggs, but their house is getting rather dirty and still needs repair by fixing new hinges. In to the office for a while and I phone Helen Gibbons to discuss Group finances and then Martin Isherwood to return his call. I also tried Tim Keen, but could get no reply. Out with Diana and the baby by car and off to Cambridge where we park in the Roundchurch Multi-story car park and start our visit with a coffee at Belinda’s coffee bar. After, to Heffers where I see editions of Jackson’s for £25 and the works on London Goldsmiths for £65, but decide to buy neither. I read a little more, however, about Samuel Hayne and Dudley Carter. I visit Buckies, the Antique Fair, and the Belgravia Plate Co, but do not find any further silver that I want and then set off to meet Diana for lunch at the Copper Kettle.
She has been having a terrible time – it seems that the car pafk lifts have been out of action and a young man had to help her up four stories with her bags to unload before coming. Back to the Roundchurch car park after and I pop into the Belgravia Co again, this time to buy a 1920 Art Deco cutlery canteen. It has had its legs sawn off, but is a good start to put my silver in for now. Home and we just arrive before 2.00pm and to find Diana’s friends on the point of giving her up. Afternoon tea and then, as Diana chats with Linda, Evonne and their children downstairs; I put my slver into the canteen upstairs. Over to the office, but on the way, I find the doves bathing in the bird water vessel. Unfortunately the blonde hen is too wet to make it back up and I throw her up to the dovecote. The Gardener has a plan for the moles and will get the stuff this afternoon and call in tomorrow. At the office I read for an hour and return a call to Alan Izzard of Hoare Govett and agree to sell my Blue Circle shares and buy Fisons. It seems rather aggresive advice (as Blue Circle are still at a low value and tipped to Buy or Hold) but I have given Alan this chance to see his judgement at work for the future. No luck in raising Tim Keen and so home for tea with the kids. After to clean my silver – these items uncleaned until now – and watch television with Diana. The main news, the £900M UK visible trade defecit and Thatcher imploring businessmen to accept new practices and technology. The accounts of English and Welsh Health Authorities are qualified over doctors fraudulant declaration of private practice use of NHS facilities and a parliamentary row ensues. The barometer is dropping and the weather, already cold, will become cloudy and wet – even snow is forecast for the north! When will this winter end?