A better day of the family eating and then sorting out files and storing the results in my new fire-proof cabinets as temperatures drop to -10degC but all eyes on the Young Conservative Conference where the speeches from Michael Heseltine and Thatcher loyalist Norman Tebbit could not have been more different and in South Africa where Winnie Mandela hints that her husband Nelson might soon be due for release
A good night’s sleep and then a nice lay in reading the Observer and catching up on yesterday’s journal. Down to a nice fried breakfast and then back up and in bed until 11.00am to finish the paper off. Finally up to morning coffee and my shower & shave before and to let the ducks out and feed the doves. Last night had avoided being extremely cold, due to some cloud cover, but the boat cover was still frozen so that I could not check the fan heater inside. I cleaned out the ducks instead, which was the first time in a long while. Then the start of a long process sorting out my filing cabinets and putting the reduced files in the Firefile fire-proof replacement.
Quite a chore, as the files have been accumulated since the early 1970s and include records of Shefford, as well as 39 Gordon Road and this house. Also I wanted to be careful to retain anything of historical interest, whilst not ending up too lumbered. Soon, lunch of chicken, bacon, sausage and as many vegetables, which we all enjoyed. Even little Della had a good selection and ate it all – she seemed much better today and Di’s temperament improved as a result. Wine with the lunch as well and so an even slower afternoon watching the Liverpool vs Manchester United game of soccer on TV (a 1-1 draw) but I did get a chance to sort out more files before and after. Later, went out to put the ducks away and get another basket of logs – it takes at least two when I light the fire in the early afternoon. Frost already on the ground and, with a clear sky, we are promised temperatures of -10degC tonight, which is a pain in view of the swimming pool status. Tea of hot cross buns and then hot scones to follow, then back to my chore. By late evening I had only completed half of one of the two filing drawers, but was quite pleased with the result – sorted out the house papers for Nos 39 and 6 and generated two large piles of reject papers. Fun looking through a few old things with Diana, but got her to sort out her old photographs and put them in the data safe. News today is of an awkward contrast at the Young Conservative Conference, as first Michael Heseltine and then Norman Tebbit speak on the same platform. Heseltine had to fight heckling by right wingers, but half of the delegates gave him a standing ovation. His theme was for a Tory Party committed to ‘Caring Capitalism,’ whilst Tebbit laid into the Thatcher critics to please the other half. More troubles at the Philippine election count, as officials flee from one community centre with evidence of government gerrymandering and independent observers telling of vote rigging. Manchester United players were attacked with an eye irritant before the match today, after their coach had already been attacked with stones and bricks. Winnie Mandela is convinced that Nelson, her husband, will be released soon and perhaps even this week, as the South African government seem determined to present their reforms as being serious.