A better day without headache and a longer story for Debbie and game of Monopoly with her and Daniel as I steadily recover but suffer a rash that might be a reaction to the medicine but the builders return, tiling the poolroom and utility room as Cory Aquino is sworn in as new Philippines president, Labour recommends expelling militants from the Liverpool party, Thatcher and the Unionists differ on the Anglo-Irish pact and four sites are considered for nuclear waste whilst Sterling rises 3 ½ cents against the dollar
A slow night as I woke several times. Now that my temperature is dropping, I do not need to sleep some of the day and all through the night as well. Breakfast of porridge again, which I am still enjoying, and then the morning paper. Blessed relief today from the headache that I have had for a week and an otherwise comfortable time. Daniel and Debbie came up to play Monopoly with me and we had a good game. I let Debbie win and she wrote her name and today’s date on the board to commemorate the event. My main problem is the rash that is most noticeable on the backs of my hands and on my knees – though it is all over my body in small amounts.
Also I have this very light-headed, almost dizzy, feeling and I hope that we will not have to change my medicines yet again. Lunch of beef pie and veg and pie/ice cream to follow, which was a bit heavy for me as I would prefer more soups and fish. The afternoon watching a series of more interesting TV programmes – from news to current affairs to the snooker. In early evening, after tea, I get shaved, washed and dressed and come down to sit in the lounge, as Di makes up the bedroom again. Then to read Debbie a full chapter of her story for once. She had recovered quite well from her sickness of yesterday, but Daniel claimed illness and was allowed by Di to stay home today. In the event, there was not really anything wrong with him and he will be back at school tomorrow. The builders came back at last today and Little John started tiling the poolroom and the plasterer artexed the utility room and rear hall ceiling. The results were complete when I came down later to see how they were doing. Main news today was of Ferdinand Marcos resigning as President of the Philippines. Earlier about 12 had died as rebels took over another TV station that was again broadcasting live the ‘inauguration’ of him as his third term as President. Cory Aquino was sworn in at a second ceremony by the Chief Justice. After Marcos withdrew by helicopter to a US air force base, 5000 people flooded the Palace and ransacked it for pictures of the Marcos family to destroy. The Marcos family will probably settle in the US in one of the many properties they own and with the vast fortune they have already secreted away. Gorbachev has given a detailed, televised, 5 hour speech to the USSR Congress and told some home truths for domestic absorption and some other topics for overseas: A timetable for withdrawal from Afghanistan and a new tough stance for limiting future meetings with Reagan to ‘meaningful’ events. A huge Russian satellite, launched just after Christmas, and with its last rocket stage still connected, is coming down and might do so over Britain. In the US Challenger crash enquiry, it becomes more apparent that faulty booster ‘O’ ring seals were to blame, as a space engineer tells of warnings he gave to NASA prior to the launch. The Labour Party enquiry is recommending Militant expulsions as the Executive meets tomorrow against a background of demonstrations by militant supporters. Thatcher and the Ulster Unionist leaders met today, agreed to differ on the Anglo/Irish pact, but agreed to consider a ‘Round-Table Conference’ for Unionist involvement in N Ireland consultations. 4 sites have been announced in England for investigation and survey as potential nuclear waste dumps and the respective MPs are predictably up in arms. Sterling is up 3 ½ cents against the dollar, which is a disaster for exports.