Awake after a very warm and comfortable night enjoying our new electric blanket and then to follow the England victory vs Pakistan cricket in Australia but the frost had still not cleared in late morning and so I read the rest of my Norman Conquest books before starting to write my chapter on Little Paxton. Concern over the US sanctions against EEC grain trade and by Labour seizing on statistics showing that Northern Britain are losing jobs as the South gains them and Prince Edward seems to be unhappy with his Marine training course and is in danger of giving up his commission
The electric blanket was quite a revelation last night, making us wonder why we had not bought one much earlier. Di shed her dressing gown and bed socks, which gave some measure of the transition! Was woken fairly early and, whilst drinking my morning tea and then showering and shaving, I listened to radio coverage of the 1-day test cricket final in Australia, between England and Pakistan. Breakfast and then into the lounge to watch the rest of the match. England had bowled out Pakistan for 160 odd, but had then lost their first two wickets, cheaply, in reply and then a third. In the end the middle order batsmen knocked up the runs and England won with 5 wickets and more than 11 of the 50 overs to spare. By this time, late morning, but still the morning frost had not cleared outside on a cold morning. Cleaned my teeth and then transferred to the lounge to read the rest of my books on the Norman Conquest.
Lunch of salad and bread rolls and then back to work this afternoon. John Lamb called me – the first time I had heard from him for some considerable time – and after a chat he arranged to see me here on Thursday week. This afternoon I started typing in my section on the Norman influence, but soon had to stop for an early tea, before taking Debbie horse riding. A nervous time for the girls after the long Christmas break – and another was thrown off this time – but Debbie handled Barbie reasonably and even did some cantering under her own steam. The whole ride seems to be a bit out of their depth to me. Debbie had earned her Mint Surprise for Saturday with her efforts. This evening, I typed in a whole Norman section – more on the Normans than I had intended – and only finished at 9.45. The news today is of a foreign exchange between ministers, as George Shultz of the USA is lectured by Sir Geoffrey Howe and others on rising USA protectionism over EEC grain trade, with the threat of European reprisals. Prince Edward seems to be unhappy with his Marine training course and is in danger of giving up his commission. The Labour Party leaders meet at a Trade Union Training College today, to discuss election policy, with the economy as the main subject of discussion. A government report on an employment census reveals, officially, that the region to the north of a line from the Humber to the Wash loses jobs, whilst the south has retained and improved its employment. It mirrors a decline in manufacturing industry. The Scottish jail siege goes on and the BMA tones down its warning for blood donors for fear of a blood transfusion shortage.