Last-minute shopping trip to Cambridge and some good presents for the children aftr we dropped Daniel off to see his friend Gary before lunch at The Copper Kettle and home. More IRA violence in Ulster, another British tanker hit by Iranian missiles and a factory disaster in The Philippines kills over 4,000
I wrote up yesterday’s journal this morning, but had no time for the morning paper, as we had to get ready to go to Cambridge together. Just fed the doves and then took off. Dropped Daniel off at Croxton to see his friend Garry Skinner and his neighbour, Tiffany, who Daniel is quite fond of. The rest of us got into Cambridge quite easily, as the last-minute Christmas shoppers seemed to be giving the place a miss. A brisk walk to Eaden Lilley and morning drinks with Diana’s parents. I kept Daniella involved, whilst Di and her Mum chatted and Charles taught Debbie how to count in French. We all went downstairs to see the toy department, then I went off to get a few last-minute presents – a special fountain pen and ballpoint for Daniel (cost £225!) diaries each for Debbie and Di and an anniversary card in readiness for after Christmas.
Then I went to Heffers to buy a couple of books on old cars – The Rolls Royce Corniche convertible, and the Morris Minor – as one of these will be my next car. Rendezvoused with Di in Heffers children’s book shop and bought a book each for my Godchildren – a bird book for Kate, and a pocket encyclopaedia of facts for Ashley. All off to the Copper Kettle for lunch, then home, picking up Daniel on the way. Could not achieve a great deal late this afternoon and evening, but just read papers, the Exchange and Mart and my book on the Rolls Royce Corniche. Then I wrapped up some presents and put them under our Christmas tree. Little Della came down from her bedroom to help me. Not much achieved today and a steam trip planned for tomorrow. Di and I went to bed on time for once and I dressed her in her slinky nightie, as her period had finished. Later, she had to get up a while, suffering from her piles which are a terrible thing. We are both struggling with our weight at the moment, before Christmas, and so we will be in even more trouble afterwards. The news today is of a leading member of the Loyalist paramilitary NDA, Mr McMichael, being killed in a car bomb explosion. Both of his legs were blown off and he died from massive bleeding and shock. Britain’s independent airlines are protesting at the BA takeover of BCal and threatening to take the deal to the European Commission, as now over 75% of British passenger miles will be with the new group. A British supertanker, the Burma Enterprise, was hit at on an Iranian oil terminal by Iraqi rockets and becomes the 6th since the latest trouble began. It was being used as a storage tanker. The latest news of the Philippine ferry disaster is that deaths could top 2000, but one small boy was rescued after clinging to floating wreckage for two days. The High Court injunction against the BBC has been eased to be comparable with other media channels, but they may still not broadcast the Radio 4 programme ‘My Country Right or Wrong’. The weather forecast is for a mild, rather than a white, Christmas.