Slightly milder but windier day supervising the gardener, working on my security alarms and sitting in with my family as Molly Blackburn, the leading white anti-apartheid campaigner, dies on a South African car ‘accident’ and Thatcher refuses to support Westland’s European partner bid
A lay in after an early night and so well refreshed for the day. I read the paper, which was full of news after yesterday’s break, and then go down to breakfast with the family. Washed, showered and a bit cross that I have to clear up the shower room after Diana. Now that we have plenty of cabinet space, there is no excuse. Dressed and out to do a few chores. First the doves, who feed hungrily and then the ducks, who do likewise. The weather is milder now and the ice lake thawed on the river meadow. Then I refill the log basket and look closely at the garden. Most plants seem to be OK and Pete is clearing Bill’s plot and so I give him a few more instructions. It is a bit difficult to keep him busy but, what with the need to level some areas of the garden and run a power trench down to the new workshop position, I shall just manage to do it. In to coffee with the others and then to my office for once. I sort my papers out roughly and then proceed to pay all of my overdue bills – gas, electricity, carpets, furniture etc. – a tidy sum.
By this time it is lunch and we all have salad with some pie to follow. Jonathan Bloom is Daniel’s companion for the day. I also phone the alarm people and chase them on smoke detector circuits and Cambridge Computer Store to find my mains intercoms arrived at last. An afternoon looking and planning my alarms, but several problems getting neat access for the wires. By evening, also spent on the project, I had laid a couple of pressure mats in position, drilled three holes through walls and chiselled a few recesses around skirting boards. This ended the day in much better shape. I also called the Smiths today and invited them to tea on Sunday week. At the end of my work, a fair task clearing up the playroom lounge and then putting all my tools away. Daniel managed to get his radio controlled jeep working again by bedtime and I helped him put in on charge for the night. I watched the news whilst sitting with Di and she told me that her new year’s resolutions were spending more time with the children and trying to avoid me! News today of the cancellation of the English cricket tour of Bangladesh, due to the banning of four ‘B’ team players and the England authorities refusing to accept limitation. They had played cricket in South Africa. In S Africa, the funeral of Molly Blackburn, a long term white champion of black people’s rights, and much sympathy for her. She was a leading white antiapartheid activist, a 55-year-old mother of seven, was an active member of the Black Sash, a group of white women who opposed the regime. Thatcher, in her letter to Westland, refused to take sides in the European/US Westland support battle. The letter could be read both ways, with the preference for Europe mentioned, but also support if they choose American. GEC wins a £250m export order for 20,000 man-hours work at turbine production. Police figures for the Christmas season show 1/5th of people stopped in their cars had more than the legal alcohol limit and failed the breath test. The two BBC journalists who wrote and produced the Rough Justice programme that led to the release of Mycock (reporter Martin Young & producer Peter Hill) were disciplined today for coercing the chief witness. It is said that they threatened to publicly reveal her as a lesbian if she did not allow an interview, but the wrongly imprisoned victim speaks up for them. The slightly milder weather got a bit windier tonight and sleet and snow is forecast for tomorrow.