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A cold day of computer industry and financial planning, before visiting my recovering mum, Grace, at Papworth as more miners return to work and Sterling falls and takes Gilts with it
Awake to an earlier call, tea and the paper. More snow has fallen outside and the temperature below freezing. A reasonable look at the paper and afterwards a shower and then dressed and over to the office by 9.15am. I had lost my action list, but spent time working through my papers and making up my personal accounts and then taking up one matter at a time and typing letters on my new stationery. A letter to the Bank Manager on charges, to David Fairbairn for a PITCOM Council nomination, and several others. Eventually to lunch having not heard from Mary Fagen of Electronics Weekly, but spoken to Sarah Underwood of Informatics. A nice meal of meat and two veg and apple pie with ice cream to follow before off to Papworth via St Neots. There I bought stamps and posted my letters, withdrew building society cash and paid it into the bank to balance my account, and then collected my shoes. They had completed a splendid repair and the brown shoes were as good as new. On to Papworth and some trouble finding Mum.
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Successful family day with the Sunday Times journalist Jane Bird featuring my themes in her Ministerial interview coverage as the first snow in Rome for over 14 years and frost makes for icy hazards as the US/USSR prepare for ‘Star War’ arms talks. We build a snowman and further snow falls and so do we …..
A fair lay in and awake with my morning tea and The Sunday Times. After reading the main political and business news, I am then pleased to see that Jane Bird had picked up my theme on the moratorium in her interview with Geoffrey Pattie, the IT Minister. Indeed it is taken up as the Memo to Maggie and her article is headed ‘Pattie the IT scrounge’ with content to match, drawing on my account of the PITCOM meeting to back it up. The weather is still cold with much more snow and I am called out in late morning to help build a snowman after having a warming breakfast of fried duck egg, bacon and bread. A quick wash, shave and dress and then out to help the children. Debbie starts the small snowballs and rolls them to gather more and then Daniel takes over and I help them roll them together in the back garden to build a snowman.
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Mum Grace Broad recovering in Papworth and Debbie suffering nervous problems whilst I obtain and prepare my calendars for computer industry notables and a declaration by India at the behest of the Chief of Police staves off a riot in the cricket test against England
Awake in the night with Deborah unfortunately wetting her bed. She seems to have had some toilet trouble lately and we are not sure of the emotional or physical cause. Snow on the ground brings the children out before breakfast, but it is only a light layer. Normal breakfast of boiled egg and brown toast and then back to bed to finish The Financial Times. Dad again tended the birds, found the doves water frozen and retrieved four duck eggs as they are truly back to lay again. Leaving Dad to stop in Lt Paxton, and after I had washed, shaved and dressed, we set off to the shops.
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A day of leisure, shopping and family connections whilst Mum’s Operation takes place in Papworth today, my heraldic stationery arrives and the print unions escalate action and video conferencing starts with AT & T
Awake a little earlier today at 7.00am and I read The Financial Times with my tea. All stocks and shares down and a massive 10p off of Kode to plumb a new low of 190p. A milder morning with less frost and the sky grey with possible snow showers in the offing. Breakfast of a single slice of toast and honey and then back to bed to read the Investors Chronicle and catch up on my journal. I decide to put more effort into finding some suitable investments in land as both long term growth for the capital and safety from my prediction of a bear market in 1985. As I get up, my stationery arrives from Selwyn Press of Bury. With the coat of arms beautifully done, it is a good morale booster.