Some morning office work and then to the old Clayton’s shop in St Neots for a new toaster as four clearing banks increase base rates from 12 to 14%and I get an invitation for an ITN TV interview in London tomorrow as a massive economic and oil crisis emergesand all the government can do is to persecute the miners and prosecute Clive Ponting for his Belgrano whistle-blowing
Awake early as Diana gets up to tend the children at the beginning of a school week. Groggily to drink my morning tea, then at 7.00am, with no sign of the paper, I use the bathroom to wash and shave. Back to bed with the FT then down to breakfast where I admonish Diana for eating two slices of toast with lots of butter when she should be slimming. After breakfast I shower and then finish the paper before dressing to go outside. The rain had relented before I went out and the air was milder today. The ducks had laid 6 eggs in their new straw and also fed well. Less appetite from the doves as they were reluctant to flutter around with wet wings, which are a hazard. In to the office for the morning mail, which was a few more thanks for the calendars and some NEDO office equipment EDC papers. I file away a host of loose business cards in my card box and muse over some of the contacts that used to be. Some are now successful – others bust. Then to sort out my briefcase, file documents, and read up on some daily Informatics Bulletins and technical journals to keep up to date.
A brief break back at the house for morning coffee, carrying my radio phone in case of calls, then back to read until 12.00noon. I collect Diana, change and drive to St Neots for some shopping together. I to draw out money from the building societies (£35K from Abbey, £4K from Gateway) and pay into my Barclays account against the Alexandra Workwear cheque being presented. Then collect my suit from the dry cleaners and meet Diana in Claytons. We buy a Morphy Richards toaster from there and wonder how much longer this old fashioned shop can compete in the face of Curry’s Electrical next door and the toy shops in town. I thought to get a trout for tea, but the fish shop does not open on Mondays and so back to the car with Diana and off to The Happy Eater to a lunch of prawn salad for me and waist preserver for Di. I hear on the car radio that the four clearing banks and the Bank of England have increased the base rates from 12% to 14% and the FT30 stock exchange index has fallen 45 pts – its record fall. Back to the office and to televised teletext and Prestel for the full story and gilts were down over 3 points at 2 o’clock (which proved to be lowest point on the day, though I was not to know that at the time). I contact Nigel Smith to arrange for his presence at a NEDO meeting on Wednesday and compare notes on the aftermath to our LAN seminar. Then John Lamb to enlist his support on some sundry BMMG matters and also to try speaking to Graham Clifton about the PSWP, but without success. Lastly, to check Bank of Scotland and Nottingham Building Society statements by Prestel and also to pay our Debenhams account by electronic funds transfer. As I feed and put away the ducks in the dusk, I get another call on the radio telephone from ITN (Independent Television News) and they want to interview me tomorrow afternoon. The weather has been bright and sunny this afternoon, which makes a pleasant change. In to a tea of steak and kidney pie and to have the company of Daniel and his friend Gary for tea. After to light the fire and watch the television and do some light reading. More news tonight of the financial crisis as the mood of the City is described as ‘panic’. A major reason has been the poor progress of today’s OPEC talks and the UAE Oil Minister storming out after an argument with Nigeria. The results are described as a tragedy by the opposition spokesman, Roy Hattersley, and the Alliance spokesman calls for Lawson’s resignation. On the eve of the coal talks, less than a thousand miners return for the lowest Monday total this year. Clive Ponting, the civil servant who passed Belgrano documents to parliament, is on his first day’s trial today, but no threats to security are claimed.