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A morning organising Industry affairs, a family lunch and an afternoon visit to see Mum recovering at Papworth and an evening meeting Nigel to make BMMG decisions as bank base rates rise to 10.5%, Sterling falls to $1.12 and President Kennedy speaks out for the imprisoned Nelson Mandela in South Africa but Ethiopia’s famine continues unassisted
Awake to morning tea, but very tired again. I scanned most of the paper and noted that Kode had gone up 10p again. Overnight news of OECD support for some parts of government economic policy, but criticism for others as the Treasury team prepare for a weekend budget briefing. Up to a usual breakfast and then back to finish the paper and look after Daniella as Diana got Debbie ready for school and takes her along. Della feels my pink paper and keeps wetting it with her mouth! I give up reading and put the baby on the bathroom mat, keeping her amused whilst I wash and shave until Di returns and, rather later than usual, across to the office. I receive the invite today to the Digital Research press conference, which clashes with the NEDO Hobby Micro group meeting, which is a pity. In all I return four phone calls arranging to meet Nigel this evening, setting a date for the Research Machines visit for the end of January, answering a query for Roy Fuscone and briefing an ICL Technical Executive on the BMMG LAN seminar.
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To the London Boat show with Daniel to look at a range of boats and to buy our Blue Peter dinghy and then me on to the Cambridge SDP meeting this evening to experience the difficult birth of SDP/Liberal Alliance politics
Up early as Deborah returns to school today. Tea and the FT, but rather too tired to enjoy them before down to my normal breakfast. Daniel and I got ready as we take turns in the bathroom and I manage to read the FT. Kode down yesterday to a new low of £170/share – a £1/4M loss for us since the summer – as the exchange hits a new but, in my view, precarious high. Eventually Daniel and I out by car and we drive down to Earls Court, London for the International Boat Show. A fair journey but, between 8.30 and 10.00am not too much traffic until we get to Olympia itself. In fact we managed to park in the exhibition car park and walk in. A helpful exhibitor gave us one ticket and so, with Daniel as an additional child for £1.50, I entered free! A long mornings walk around the main hall, seeing dinghies and runabouts and the occasional cruiser. At 12.00am we saw the Marines Flag Ceremony at 6 bells, and also the display to ‘Man the Mast’ with the Button Boy or top man sliding down afterwards to the Admiral to receive an inscribed tankard and tot of rum. Then downstairs to the Canal Boat restaurant and after to the Skipper stand to order our new ‘Blue Peter’ dinghy.
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Working on Industry affairs but deciding against seeking a Kode Directorship and in favour of selling my 5% as I am interviewed on the prospects for the UK computer industry in 1985 and my Dad Fred tells me of the sad death of his father when he was only 14
A lay in after my12.30am bedtime last night. Tea rather summarily deposited with me at 8.00am with the paper and I read it completely before breakfast at nearly 9.00am. I struggled to get to the office by 9.30am, but no calls. A letter to Research Machines and then coffee at 10.45am, after which, Di went shopping and Dad looked after Debbie and her friend whilst I carried on. Only 1 duck egg today and the dove cocks argue over feeding pecking orders. The rest of the morning typing a few more letters and scanning the Prestel service for investment news, before lunch and then back to work. By tea break I had caught up on the BMMG Export matters and sent a summary of necessary actions to the BMMG secretariat. Over lunch I had discussed Kode with Diana and, after a deal of consideration, we decided not to send the letter to Kode’s Chairman, Ted Randell, applying for a Directorship of Kode. This means that I will start to sell the 5% holding after the end of the tax year in early April.
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Family shopping day with press and Industry phone calls before sending Freda the £7,000 she needed for her daughter before falling out with Diana and staying up to hear of the 1 day rail strike being planned, the Arms talks making progress and the UK tyre industry collapsing
A bit of a lay in and awake to morning tea and the paper at 8.00am. I managed to finish the paper before a delayed breakfast of toast and honey. In competition with the children to the bathroom after and washed and dressed in time to get to the office by 9.15am. I type a few more letters and then return for coffee at 10.30am and we leave together for a shopping expedition to Bedford at 10.45am. Joan arrives to do the cleaning and Dad tends the doves and ducks. Both are very hungry on a frozen morning and the ducks have laid 5 eggs. We stick together in Bedford and look at C&A, Debenhams and other department stores having sales. We try clothes for Daniel and end up buying a pair of trousers for him and a jumper for Di. I also get a teasmade on special sale offer, which Daniel and I think will help Di get the morning drinks.