To Bedford to the Peacock’s Auction viewing after looking after Della on a cold County Council elections day after some office work and duck husbandage but nothing of much interest as US President Reagan visits a German War cemetery, Thatcher’s UK government considers cuts to social security and pensions against manifesto commitments and unemployment rises to 3 ¼ million with Tory Cabinet members voicing their opposition in public
Another dry day with the cold wind still prevailing. My cold was as bad as ever, but improved in the evening. The weather forecasters keep saying it should be warmer at this time of year, but it is no compensation. Awake early and turned Diana out of bed after another unsettled night. I read the morning paper and went down early to breakfast. As Diana was not ready with a boiled egg, I settled for toast and fruit juice and then got dressed and out to the birds. 9 eggs as usual. To the office for a while and time to reconcile my Barclays bank account and check about the payment of BOS VISA and gas accounts. It seems they have received the monies I sent and the post strike had an influence. Back to the house for morning coffee and then off by car to Bedford and the viewing of lots for tomorrow’s antique sale at the Peacocks auction rooms. No silver of interest to me, but a few quaint items such as a brass stem boat lamp and butlers tray table. I don’t think I shall go tomorrow, but we’ll see. Back home in time for a quick lunch of soup and rolls and then to look after Della for 1 ½ hours whilst Di goes to her keep-fit classes. Problem was Della soon had a dirty nappy, but I managed to distract her until Diana came home to change it.
I polished up the drawing set again and by the evening had managed to finish it. An hour again at the office and this time managed to reconcile my Homelink accounts. Upset over our tea of pork chops as Diana, tired and fed up with Della, could not cope with both. This evening at my drawing set and journal before the news. The county council elections today and I got out to vote for Pope – the Alliance candidate. The results will not be known until tomorrow. In a stage-managed orgy of security and publicity, the western leaders meet in Bonn for talks on economic co-operation, but the aides have already drafted the communique before they even begin! Still controversy over Reagan’s visit of a German cemetery planned for Sunday as the surviving German SS veterans meet to celebrate their own anniversary. In Downing Street this morning, the cabinet met to ‘review’ the Social Security system. Cuts are likely and the earnings related pension scheme looks certain for abolition. This will be very unpopular politically and quite right too, as SERPs was introduced in the 70s with cross-party support and the Tories made an election promise not to touch it. The unemployment figures rose to 3 ¼ million (without school leavers and other statistical eliminations) in a month where seasonal trends should see them reduced. All other parties condemn this performance and, in Cambridge, even Cabinet Minister Peter Walker calls for public expenditure increases and reflation in defiance of his colleagues. Another cold day forecast for tomorrow.