Another cold and slightly snowy day of retribution for Daniel as I slowly recovery and eat well but no progress with repairing the heating system although I still work on my tax files and receive Debbie and Della as a Public Enquiry is announced to look into the radio-active nuclear waste leaks and dumping of waste into the Irish Sea, Home Secretary Douglas Hurd speaks out on the Tory’s uphill battle to regain support and the process is not helped by their redefinition of unemployment for political purposes
A much better night as the antibiotics have eased my pain and discomfiture and let me sleep well. Still very uncomfortable when I went to the toilet, but, as the day went on, the soreness was less and less distance inward, almost as if my infection of the urinary tract was being cleared up from the inside out. Breakfast brought up of toast and apple juice – I ate the former, but stuck to my water and orange juice to drink. A rest after breakfast then managed to read today’s paper before starting a day of watching the TV. I did wash and shave for the first time and by the afternoon I was able to sit up and start to sort my tax papers.
Not much wrong with my appetite, as I ate pork chops and pie/ice cream to follow. I did feel a bit uncomfortably full afterwards! This afternoon I watched the televised House of Lords debate on the economy and, as always, found the pace, constructivity and quality of the debate very good. I suppose the Upper House now acts as an advisory forum of advice to government, rather than having any real legislative rights. A pity its views are not more often taken into account. There was a fair consensus today for entering the European Monetary System and many spoke on the benefits of more capital investment in the infrastructure and the majority favoured adopting a North Sea oil depletion policy. I doubt that the government will find favour with any of these ideas. The girls were receiving visitors again and made a lot of noise this afternoon accordingly. But Della paid me a couple of her visits, sitting in bed beside me and borrowing a pencil and paper to do some ‘drawing’. After tea, I spoke to Daniel about his recent misdemeanours and we agreed that he would:- Continue to do jobs for the family to ‘repay’ the money he had taken and to suffer losses of privilege in the meantime; continue to attend the March Baitway club, enlist for next year’s sailing course and be more involved in the school; Receive more realistic pocket money when he had finished and have access to a savings account for larger expenditures. Thus reconciled, I checked his schoolwork and let him spend the evening watching the TV. I read a story to Debbie and then sorted out my tax files and was able to work continually for the first time. No joy with the heating system again today, until late in the afternoon when, under pressure, the Gas Board agree to fix our boiler tomorrow or Friday at the latest. News today is of a Public Enquiry to look into the safety of the Sellafield nuclear reprocessing plant because, despite the assurances of the management, there is widespread worry about the plants safety, both in terms of the numerous incidents and also the process of dumping nuclear waste into the Irish Sea. The Irish Prime Minister, Gareth Fitzgerald, visited the Prime Minister today and expressed their concern over the leaks. He also announced that the Republic will now be signing the European Convention on Terrorism. Under cover troops shoot one IRA man and capture another in the province today. On the home political front, Home Secretary, Douglas Hurd, makes a speech critical of government’s ability to present its policies and described the huge battle ahead to win the next election. More unpopularity today in the Commons as the Industry Secretary announces a tight 2 week deadline for companies interested in British Leyland Trucks and vehicles including Land Rover. In another unpopular move, the government are changing the definitions of unemployment in their third attempt to lessen the jobless figures and they are accused of fiddling the books. Light snow has been falling today and, like all recent days, the temperature only just rose above freezing after the frost last night. The forecast is for more of the same.