Diana was late back from taking Debbie to the Kimbolton Carole Service today but I still manged to get Debbie more than half an hour of riding tin early afternoon ready for Di to take her to the dentist and then some work in my office in the company of a fine log fire. A Commons row over Thatcher’s treatment of the NHS today when she refuses to answer questions properly, more Arab/Israeli violence in the West Bank, North Sea oil, sterling, and the Stock Exchange all fall today
Slow to start and reluctant to wake up after my late night finishing off all those Christmas cards. I came down to breakfast in a dressing gown, as it was so hopeless and let Daniel do the same. Had a croissant, warm with butter and some marmalade, for breakfast, then got showered, shaved and dressed. I copied across some of my Christmas card addresses to notes and books, to save having to look up the postal codes in the future, then read this morning’s Financial Times. The market was up this morning, but not quite enough to enable me to take profits on Ladbrokes and Courtaulds shares. I fed the birds myself today, as Pete was working elsewhere. A call from Martin Hamblin of Marshalls, who said that £28 ½ K is the best they can do and so there is no scope for getting more for late payment. By 11.45am, I was dressed up warmly and waiting for Di to bring back Debbie from the Kimbolton Carol Service, where most of the Prep children and parents had attended. Pity the service ended late, as I had to race off with Debbie for her extra horse riding lesson at Offord.
We were 15 minutes late, but still got 35 mins of actual riding in, with Debbie on Dylan. It was a good session, with Debbie just about mastering this 5 year old pony colt, but he is very strong and still learning. It had been the first time he was in the school without the others. Debbie learnt to keep her reigns tighter, but she must still keep her lower legs further back to keep him trotting on and to kick with the opposite leg when turning, to turn him against his will. Home to a late lunch and then Di had to take her off to the dentist, as I went back to my office and did a few chores. Time to update my journal for yesterday and today, so I light a log fire to keep my office bright and warm whilst doing so. Di is suffering with her period, as well as a cold, so she came and brought her drink in to have with me later, as the girls played together. Daniel was back early, after an early break up at Kimbolton Main School for the Christmas holidays. Soon the birds again and then time for tea. This evening, I sorted my office out, filed everything and tried to clear my desk, ready to start transcribing again. Trevor Smith came round for his postcards and that is the last of them. I showed him photographs of the Paxton Park room in which he was born years ago. The news tonight is of the growing political row over the funding of the National Health Service. First, 12000 doctor’s signatures were on a petition delivered to No 10 Downing Street this morning, then a furious row between Thatcher and opposition leader, Kinnock. She continues to quote reams of statistics from papers in answer to all questions and this use of Prime Minister’s Question Time fuels the rage. The violence on the West Bank continues, with more dead in clashes between Israelis and Palestinians, as the latest in a long running struggle for the Arabs political rights. North Sea oil prices fell again today and the pound sterling fell with it. The London Stock Exchange followed overnight Wall Street gains. United States Democrat, Gary Hart, has gone back in to the Presidential campaign, despite having dropped out some time ago, after a sex scandal with an attractive model. Robert Maxwell has run into more trouble with the Football League over his takeover of Watford Football Club. He must now sell all of his interests in three other clubs to be allowed to. The government has announced its intention to reform Section 2 of the Official Secrets Act, but the back benchers will still go ahead with a Private Bill, because the government have provided no details of their proposals.