Boring administrative and planning but unexpectedly dry day with a few phone calls and some time with Daniel and his homework as the government now plans to sell off British Gas, a N.E. England colliery closes without a review the US faces protests in Madrid over Nicaragua whilst at home five boys die in accidents
Awake without a headache for once and to read the morning paper. Breakfast of cereal for a change from the dry wholemeal bread and then a shower, shave and change. The ducks (10 eggs) and doves and the up on the ladder to see the nest. One egg had not hatched, but the squab is growing and I put on ring number 3572 and will check it in a day or two. A nice sunny morning and not so cold, but the cloud thickened during the day. A morning updating my computerised investment summary and taking a few phone calls from John Lamb, Bill Barrett and Lawrence of Computing. Lunch of rolls and butter and then back to work; finishing my updates and printing out several copies. A tiring, boring, but valuable day’s work ahead of my meeting with professional advisers soon. I also updated my pocket diary with antique fairs, boating trips and other dates and will transfer this to my computer diary tomorrow. A little time with Daniel and Debbie tonight. Debbie had a couple of friends round after school and never tires of incident. Nanny phoned from Cornwall and chatted to her on her birthday. An early tea and down to work with Daniel on his prep. I had spoken to him this morning about his work and he seems to be making a fresh effort tonight. To bed with him at 8.30pm, which is his new time, and then an evening writing and watching the TV.
News tonight of government plans to sell off the whole of British Gas, but Labour promise to fight the plans and eventually re-nationalise it. With 97,000 workers and £1 billion annual profits, it would be the largest sell off of state assets yet. Money supply figures are well above target today and interest rates will be held up. Anger in the mining industry as Horden and Bates pits, in the North East, are rumoured as closing. NACODS and the NUM are disgusted that the Colliery Review procedure would not be used and say they will never trust the Coal Board again. Searchers now give no chance of finding the four boys washed off of the cliffs yesterday. A High Court judge will head an inquiry into the outbreak of legionnaire’s disease. In Madrid, more angry protests, this time against the President of the USA’s visit and his pursuit of Nicaragua. Celebrations across the world for VE Day, which is actually tomorrow. SOGAT vote in favour of the political levy as the first to vote and in the House of Lords the government lost two votes in the Abolition Bill. In St Neots, a boy was killed in a tragic fall from a climbing frame. The rain did not come today as forecast and the risk of rain is fading for our part of the country.