Off in our Daimler to Brighton on a cool, windy but dry day, dropping off all three of our children to Di’s parents on the way, to buy extra tall clothes in High and Mighty, and then to relax and enjoy Di’s split nightie as we retired. News of the UK seeking more access to Japanese markets, which is rejected and sanctions may be considered, breaches in US security at their Moscow embassy are serious, and the ‘sale of the century’ of the jewels of the late King and his wife has finished in Switzerland, with many of the jewels fetching much more than their estimates
A slightly unsettled night, with mind still active from an evening’s thought and the room a little too warm as well. Still fast asleep when awoken to my morning tea and slow to get washed and shaved in time for breakfast. Last to the table and cornflakes and fruit juice was the fare for each of us. Time to spend a couple of hours before our trip to Brighton and so I scanned the local papers and pasted two weeks of cuttings into my Little Paxton scrap book. Soon it was time to get ready and so I brought the Daimler round and sent the family out. A long while turning off the water, heating, and then unplugging all of the electrical appliances.
I had checked the pool this morning and, by diluting and testing the water, I could confirm that the chlorine levels were very high and beyond the operating range of the DPD tablets. The alarms on the house secured, and then all aboard the Daimler for the journey. Stopped at the Happy Eater for lunch and then dropped all three children off at Di’s parents. They had ‘offered’ to take Daniel over to his friend, Gary’s house, later, to let us get away. A fast journey (M11, M25, M23) from Cambridge to Brighton, accomplished the whole in less than 2 hours, door to door. The arrival at The Grand Hotel was easy, with the head porter garaging our Daimler in the Rolls Royce rank of a nearby NCP car park. Afternoon tea at the hotel before a vigorous walk around Brighton town centre. A weary, but productive (£300+) shop at High and Mighty for my extra tall clothes. The hotel for a nice dinner and then early to bed with relaxation the order of the day and me pledged to respond to Di's split nighty. The news today is pre-occupied with the growing UK/Japanese trade dispute. The Japanese have rejected (politely) the UK calls for more access to Japanese markets and reciprocal sanctions against Japanese interests in the City are threatened. Dr David Owen, the SDP leader, has predicted that Thatcher will go for a very early election in May, but few others agree with his prognosis. The moors murderer, Moira Hindley, after 22 years imprisonment, has confessed to her part in further murders and identified the sites where the bodies are buried. An appeal from a victim’s mother finally convinced her to help police with the locations of Keith Bennett and Pauline Reed’s bodies (two other victims). Police are still searching, but have yet to find the bodies. Following the discovery of the body of a private detective, police are searching for the murderers. Another killing in Northern Ireland. The enquiry into the ‘Herald’ ferry sinking will concern itself with the question as to why so many perished whilst the wreck was so close to shore. The cables are now fully attached to the hull and reinforcement piles in place. The decision to raise the wreck to the vertical position will soon be made, with high water on Monday likely, depending on the weather. The US are increasingly alarmed by the security breaches at their embassy in Moscow. Marine guards traded secrets for sex and the significance of the breaches are becoming hourly more alarming. The Americans are not only embarrassed, but humiliated at the results. In Portugal, President Soares’s government has been overturned and he must form another one or resign. The ‘sale of the century’ of the jewels of the late King and his wife has finished in Switzerland, with many of the jewels fetching much more than their estimates. The Grand National takes place tomorrow in a predicted going seen as potentially perfect. ‘West Tip’ is a punters favourite and if he winds, it will be bad news for the ‘bookies’. The weather stayed dry, but cool and windy, and it did not affect our enjoyment. We swam in the hotel pool before dinner.