Day of surviving my fever and further illness complications questioning my care but enjoying some time with Daniel later as the Philippines rebellion against the unfair election outcome gains momentum, the US offers a further medium range nuclear arms deal, Kinnock pledges to repeal Thatcher’s anti-union legislation and Ted Heath speaks out against the governments abandonment of any UK industrial strategy
Awake after a much better night, but still cold this morning. Survived by cuddling Di with her electric heat pad until I turfed her out at 6.30am for some fresh bottles. Sat in bed and read most of the Observer and then had lunch in bed, struggling gamely with the excessive gravy that Di had poured all over the pork and vegetables. In the end the obvious happened and I got it down my front. I really wander what diet you are supposed to have as a fever regime, as I am sure we are doing it wrong. The afternoon laid out in bed with temperature rising comme d’habitude.
I laid the portable colour TV on one side so as to watch it from a prone position without either getting a cricked neck or making my cough worse! By now the bronchial infection had taken over the lead from the urinary infection, but either way, I am fevered, aching, and fed up. Managed to get up for a shave and bath and laid flat on the bed afterwards listening to the radio and recovering from the exertion. Down for tea of oxtail soup and then sat up with Daniel in the evening to watch the Blood Donor episode of Hancock’s-Half-Hour. Today the BBC are starting a season of ‘The Man ‘imself’ and there was his career story on my ‘sideways’ TV this afternoon, to remind us of the tragedy of his life as well as the talent. I remember the Sunday afternoons in my Tottenham childhood when, after Billy Cotton’s band show (Wakey-Wakey!!) Hancock’s appearance on radio was a precious experience. I wandered how Daniel would react to the dated humour of ‘Ancock and, in the end, he thought it was good! We will watch it every week together from now on. News tonight is of the rebellion in the Philippines growing momentum. It is now 2 days since the defection of Defence Minister and Deputy Chief of Staff, and the people have succeeded in keeping the Marcos marines at bay. The government radio station was taken over by 100 lightly armed ‘rebels,’ although everybody expects a counter attack. In dramatic fashion the pictures disappeared in the middle of another Marcos press conference to further damage his credibility. Another nuclear arms offer is tabled in Geneva – this time by the Americans. They are proposing that medium range missiles are withdrawn by both sides, not only in Europe, but in Asia as well. The England Test team suffered an overwhelming defeat in Jamaica, but at least Willey scored 71 and thus avoided the team an innings defeat. Opposition leader, Neil Kinnock, has pledged Labour’s abolition of all the Tory’s Trade Union legislation, but will incorporate the better aspects (such as ballot rights) into new Labour laws. Ted Heath speaks out again over the sell-off of BL parts to the Americans and the Government seem to be adopting a newer and lower profile. Weather forecasts are unchanged.