Visiting Cambridge of a freezing cold day and arranging family trusts and historical purchases whilst having lunch at The Copper Kettlebefore dropping off The Lady’s winter cover and a Commons Row over Thatcher’s role in the Clive Pontin prosecution as night frosts drop to beyond -10degC
Awake on another very cold morning after a good night’s sleep and I sit up and drink morning tea and listen to the radio. Down to breakfast and up to finish The Financial Times as usual before to the bathroom at 8.30am and wash my hair whilst listening to the radio account of Yesterday in Parliament. The House of Commons temperature was high due to the Pontin decision and much gloom amongst the government benches. Out after to the doves, which I manage to feed on the bird table – even though a careless dog owner sent them flying, by not keeping it under control. Then the ducks and only three eggs this morning. The river is freezing over and the decreasing unfrozen gap tempts the ducks out to the middle from which they were difficult to retrieve later. In to a half hour in the office and time only to collect the mail and check for messages. Buckden Marina are chasing over the boat cover, but have quoted quite reasonable prices at £70 each for two 120 Amp hour, heavy duty, batteries of 12 volts. Back to retrieve the boat cover from the workshop and struggle into the car boot with it and then to read the mail and drink coffee before loading up the car with the baby things. Off then to Cambridge and to park in our favourite meter bay for a 2 hour sojourn. A difficult walk into the centre over icy paths, but to a lunch of roast beef and pie to follow at the Old Copper Kettle restaurant.
We walk on to the market square, but Di goes shopping whilst I drop in to Gerald Chadwick at Vinters Solicitors. He has heard nothing from David Christy and had drafted a letter threatening to report him to the Law Society for not replying to our enquiries. He phoned him whilst I was there and we agreed to give him one more week. It seems that the trust has been signed, but the wills are only in draft and not signed. On then to Jean Pain’s, the Antiquarian in Trinity Street, where I buy a 1676 speed map of Huntingdon and commission him to frame it in a double sided glass frame so that I can see both the tinted coloured map and also the description of Huntingdon and list of towns on the reverse side. A bit late back to the car and Diana is angry, but soon soothed as I drive home. She feeds the baby on the way and we arrive home just after her friend had arrived. I go back to town to withdraw £40,500 from the building societies to cover the Ladbrokes cheque for Barclays Bank. Then on to Buckden Marina to drop off the cover. They have prepared the boat to stand outside with drained water system and antifreeze in the two sea toilets. They will put the cover on in the dry before slipping The Lady, which is the best they can do whilst needing the workshop space. Back to the office, but could not settle to more correspondence. Phone calls from my new Scottish solicitor discussing the Broubster wood, from Peter Large of The Guardian (who will be writing up more of my thoughts on Inward Investment) and I then tried calls to Alan Ball, Bill Unsworth and Fountain Forestry – all without success. Until 5.00pm I filled in time updating my Stockwatch portfolio details on the Hoare Govett Prestel service and noted that the stock exchange had fell today with a declining pound sterling as the main cause. Out to put the ducks away, but the ice was too much and put them off and then on to light the fire and eat tea of shepherd’s pie and ice cream to follow. In early evening I helped Daniel with his prep and read a few anecdotes from ‘The Countryman’s Weekend Book’ by Eric Parker. Particularly amused by his thoughts on house design and different wood for log fires. Then to update my journal and watch a little television. News tonight of the Commons row between Thatcher and Kinnock, when he accused her of being involved in the decision to prosecute Clive Pontin, in his most effective Commons performance yet. In Moscow, a day of rumours has followed Mr Chernenko’s cancellation of a meeting with the Greek Prime Minister. It seems he must be dying, or at least very ill. Both the NUT and the NAS school teachers unions are deciding on industrial action in support of a wage claim. In the Commons, Nicholas Ridley, the Conservative Transport Minister, introduces the Bill to reorganise rural bus services and at least 4 conservatives will oppose it in committee. A new campaign has been launched to test British athletes for drugs and any that refuse will not be chosen for the British team. The weather forecast tonight is for more frost and freezing winds, with night time temperatures forecast of -10degC to -19degC in the South East and Midlands respectively.