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Working on my journal, my Jaguar plans and then watching my Stock Exchange shares rising weakly using my Prestel terminal (and selling Jaguar shares) before working with gardener Pete on the final lawn preparations and Colin Howard on my photograph copies. England captain Mike Gatting is instructed to provide a written apology to the Pakistani umpire he criticised and The Kimberley child abuse enquiry report guidelines are published
After the late night, another uneasy experience as I had trouble sleeping with a ‘full’ stomach. The night finished all too soon and I struggled up feeling quite tired again. Shaved and dressed for breakfast, to find poor Daniel still struggling with his cold congestion, which appears to have developed into sinus trouble. Once the children were off to school, I gave Diana my chores and she went off with Della to do some shopping in Bedford. Joan arrived with Pete, as the weather was milder today and the garden more capable of work than in recent days. I turned to my office once more, caught up on yesterday’s journal, and then conducted a number of phone conversations to inform the local Jaguar dealers of my intentions. Next the chore of reading today’s Financial Times and I checked a few times on the Prestel terminal to monitor the state of the stock exchange, which was rising weakly.
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Cancelled the Coventry trip to exchange my Daimler for a Bentley and advertised it in the Sunday Times instead and then played with Di when she returned in her ‘Fairy Godmother’ outfit before taking Debbie horse-riding and then enjoying an evening at The Caxton Gibbet with Nigel and Lynne in his souped-up Jaguar. The 50% Reagan/Gorbachev Arms deal is signed and prison security will have to be reviewed after a helicopter landed and picked up three criminals in the East Midlands
Had another difficult night and another difficult day. Was troubled in my sleep again by this ‘full’ feeling and had trouble getting going this morning. I was late to breakfast, with Diana and the girls starting early, just to make sure Daniel and I ate alone. Then I decided against making the appointment with the Bentley salesman in Coventry and so phoned up and cancelled it, also calling Nigel to let him know, as I had let him down somewhat in the process.) Then I called both the Observer and the Sunday Times and placed the following advertisement to appear next Sunday, ‘New 1987 (D) Daimler 3.6 automatic, air cond., Westminster blue, doeskin, only 1960 miles, hardly used by one retired owner. Under full Jaguar warranty, with possibility of extension to February 1990. First bank transfer of £32,000 secures. Mr Broad, Huntingdon (0480) 215040’. I had seen two other dealers advertising ‘D’ registration Daimlers for £32,000 in last week’s Observer that had done 11,000 and 7,500 miles respectively.
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Considering the exchange of my Daimler for a Bentley and making a field visit with Nigel to see the Godmanchester Cow Lane meadows before putting in a bid of over £50K. Busy for the rest of the day planning our London visit and other activities and then to see Debbie ‘performing’ in her play-school play. Gorbachev and his wide Raisa are upstaging the Reagans in the US, SAS want to buy B.Cal and the BBC wins a variation of a High Court injunction that allows them to report on Parliamentary Proceedings
A restless night. I have been experiencing this ‘full’ feeling in my digestive system and was a bit too wakeful to sleep. I think I was also thinking about this business of selling my Daimler and buying a Bentley instead. Down late to breakfast again, but then so was Daniel, who is finding it equally as difficult to make the meal with the rest of the family. The cold mornings and difficulty getting enough hot water quickly for a shower does not help. I had arranged an outing this morning with Nigel and so I got myself ready in welly boots and plenty of jumpers, on a cold and frosty morning. I dropped Daniel and Debbie off to the bus stop and then Nigel and I set off for Godmanchester Cow Lane meadows. A strenuous morning walking all around the place, managing to see both halves for once. Plenty of wildfowl – geese, ducks and grouse and a few partridge and one pheasant to be seen. Also plenty of heron, as a matter of interest, though not for shooting.
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Very congested visit to Cambridge to meet up with Di’s parents at Eaden Lilley and to find Charles in a very depressed anti-Christmas mood. Some shopping and then The Copper Kettle for our first Xmas lunch of the season before home after more visiting chores. Today Reagan and Gorbachev signed the Intermediate Nuclear Weapons Treaty that scraps over 4,000 in stockpiles and in reserve, Dr Bennett who has been a critic of the Archbishop of Canterbury commits suicide and four railwaymen were killed by a passenger train near Leeds
After my very late night, I was slow to wake and even slower to rise. Did so in the end and it was a struggle to get down to breakfast at all, let alone on time. I did so after the others had finished and had the table to myself. We had planned a trip to Cambridge this morning and so I only had a half hour to write up yesterday’s journal before it was time to go. The roads were busy this morning and the town of Cambridge even busier, as everybody rushed to get their presents and requirements for Christmas. We had to queue in the Range Rover for the Lion Yard car park, even if we were early. Walked off to Eaden Lilley for coffee with Di’s parents by prior arrangement. Di’s father is very depressed about Christmas, finds it ‘awful’ and ‘wishes for it to finish so that things can get back to normal’. After, Di and I went around music shops to buy a number of compact discs, whilst Di’s mother looked after Daniella. Most of the discs were for us, but we also got one or two for Daniel as his Christmas present. We also bought Debbie a nice, smart, feminine, but attractive watch to replace her present one, which she finds ‘childish’ and ‘Mickey Mouse’. Then we went to the Copper Kettle for lunch and had our first Xmas lunch of roast turkey there.