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Shopping trip to Bedford on a bright and warm day and then home to work on my steamer chair as Norman Fowler announces benefits changes with Child benefit the main loser
Awake slowly and still with tired limbs after the other days exertions. Morning tea and then to write yesterday’s journal, before reading the morning paper and catching up with some news. Down to a breakfast of toast and honey and then to shower, to save time, before washing, shaving and dressing. Out to the birds on a warm and still morning. Ten eggs from the ducks. To the office from 9.15am to about 11.00am and then coffee back at the house. Then to watch the cricket for an hour or so and see the Aussies putting up a bit of resistance. Out by car with Diana and the baby to Bedford, where we first had lunch of fried plaice at Debenhams. Then looked at the gifts of china, glass and the electrical goods. We bought some Royal Doulton ‘Bunnyware’ for our niece’s christening, a bathrobe for Charlie and some other items. We part after and I look at a couple of antique shops to examine the silver, but find nothing of interest.
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To London by train again this time to a Causeway Capital BEF meeting and then back to my office as I follow the England test match before supervising Daniel’s homework and varnishing my steamer chair as Robert Maxwell rescues Sinclair and Sir Clive is dispossessed of his equity
Awake early and very stiff from yesterday’s exertions and my hands sore from the splinters and scrapes. After quickly scanning the morning paper, down to shower and wash my hair and up to shave and dress quickly before breakfast. My morning meal together with the family for once and then off by car to Stevenage and the 9.30am train to Kings Cross. One or two computer papers read on the way and discarded and then the tube train from there on. I was toying with the idea of visiting T Crowther and Son of Fulham, an antiques dealer specialising in garden furniture and ornaments, but there was not enough time and so I diverted eastwards to London Bridge and, after a couple of coffees in a nearby burger bar, I stepped out to the Glaziers Hall for my meeting. It was a seminar organised by Causeway Capital, who are responsible for my Business Expansion Fund. Favourable taxation laws give preferential tax concessions for investments in UK private companies, providing that the money is invested for 5 years, and Causeway have invested my £40K (with other amounts totalling £2 ½ M) in 7 companies. We heard presentations from each company and some overall comments and call to invest in the 1984/5 BEF Fund, which I shall probably do. I chatted to executives of most of the companies and a few members of the advisory board and they are very competent and ethical people beyond doubt.
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Early morning reading up on world and local events and then a warm if damp day taking down fences until late evening as the TWA hijack develops
Awake to my tea and then to catch up on the Economist and Investors Chronicle before the Sunday Times arrived. A quick, but careful, look at today’s paper and then washed and dressed a lot earlier than normal for a Sunday. Out to the ducks, who seem to appreciate their clean straw and have laid 10 eggs for me. Then to feed the doves, who are not incubating. A turtle dove now comes down to feed with my fantails and is becoming quite tame. It is Father’s day today and, after a fine fried breakfast, I received three cards from the children and then some fudge from Della, a tie rack from Daniel and a huge mug from Deborah. In mid-morning, out to the fence panels again and managed to take down a number of them before lunch.
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Debbie learns to ride her bike and Daniel and friends enjoy Little Paxton School fete before my parents arrive with tales of their visit to Freda’s all as one of the TWA hostages is killed to pressure Israel to release Arab prisoners
Awake on a sunny morning to my morning tea, having been aroused earlier at dawn by the light and chorus. The paper at length and then breakfast in bed of toast, honey and fruit juice. ‘Yesterday in Parliament’ as I washed, shaved and dressed with the conservatives under pressure again. Out to the ducks, who lay better today on the new straw, and to the doves, who are no longer nesting. Some time dismantling a few more segments of fence, as Debbie ‘helped’ and then turned to her bike and riding it on our new softer lawn. To our surprise she managed it at last and so today is the day she learned to ride her bicycle! Quickly in then to the TV and the third day of the cricket match. England fight back and opening batsmen, Robinson, continues on. The girls drive on to St Neots to collect Daniel as I continue to watch, but they pick me up on the way to the Little Chef for lunch. The café was crowded and the service slow, but the food was all right and we enjoyed it. On afterwards to Little Paxton School fete and I stayed long enough to sponsor Daniel and his friends to play in a number of throwing and jousting games and then back home to leave the rest of the family to enjoy themselves.