A swift start to a cooler day to save my back pain and then to Cambridge with Diana for coffee with her parents and lunch at The Copper Kettle and then some investment decisions as the stock exchange plunged again. Ballet and then The Country Companion for Debbie, as I study the news and hear of the poor European compromise over sanctions against South Africa as 13 die and hundreds are missing after an underground gold mine fire in the Transvaal
A better night, waking for only a while before settling back to sleep. Awoken with my morning tea and got up straight after, to save further wear and tear on my back whilst trying to sit in bed. Showered and dressed, ready for breakfast and down in time to check the children’s rooms. We had the heating on downstairs today, as it was cold this morning, but the sun was out when I took Della out to feed the doves. Di came back from taking Debbie to school and called me to the car and we drove to Cambridge to do some shopping.
Trailed round the town with Diana, following her needs, but still found time to buy a nice small Roberts portable radio for my bedside. Had coffee with Di’s parents in Eaden Lilley and Charles was more friendly than usual. Lunch of salad at the Copper Kettle, for I have managed to lose a few pounds weight again and intend to lose more. Left for home and stopped off in St Neots for some pipe insulation to install, before the hard winter frosts. The afternoon working in my office, considering the possibilities of the TSB floatation and pondering whether to sell DISONS and BP shares. The Stock Exchange had plunged again, after a partial recovery on Friday and I might be better off in cash. When Daniel came home from school, I got him going on his homework and checked it later. After a trout tea, and when Deborah returned from ballet, I read her another Country Companion and sent her to bed. Tonight I watched the tragic and enthralling modern version of ‘Oedipus The King’, by Sophocles on TV and was quite fascinated by it. News tonight is of a ‘compromise’ by the EEC ministers, as Germany and Portugal decline the most important South African sanction – the embargo on coal from that country. Thatcher and German Premier Kohl, further express their doubts over the effectiveness of the remainder, but implement them for EEC unity alone. I fear that these leaders tolerance of racism remind me of the circumstances of the Second World War. A present tragedy as 13 die, 183 are injured and 250 missing in an underground gold mine in the Transvaal, after a catastrophic fire. The SDP Conference backs equal treatment for the traditional coal miners’ union – the NUM – and the breakaway UDM and Shirley Williams, the President, urges all Social Democrats to prepare for an early election. France has offered a million francs reward for information on the terrorists that continue to bomb that country.