We collect Daniel from Kimbolton on the coldest day of the winter so far after his school boating holiday and then a quiet evening watching a video film ‘Educating Rita’ with it being a break from my Local History research for once. The Scottish prison occupation ends, with a promise of an inquiry over conditions, a constable dies in an Ulster bombing, 3,500 people turn up for David Penhaligon’s memorial service at Westminster Cathedral, Labour are predicted to win the Greenwich by-election and a military vehicle overturns carrying nuclear warheads.
Was the first to wake this morning and was impatient for Di to come up with the morning tea. She brought the paper as well and I sat reading it for a while, before it was time to get showered, shaved and dressed for breakfast. I had wheat flakes again with the girls and then settled down in the playroom to read the rest of the paper. A tough time keeping the girls in one room, which I was heating, until it was time for coffee with Di. Out to feed the doves, who were more than ready for a meal. The night had been as cold as any we have had this winter and they say that there is even more to come. Put the alarms on and then off we went in the Range Rover to Kimbolton to collect Dan from his school holiday. Arrived early and so treated the girls to a drink in a new tea room that had opened in the village there. The girls just about behaved themselves and Della has been difficult lately. All across to the castle and still had to wait a while until the minibus arrived and Daniel arrived back. He thoroughly enjoyed his trip and had obviously thrown himself into it in the right spirit.
Home via St Neots for some fish and chips for Dan & I and the girls went off to the Happy Eater. Daniel enjoyed being back in his room and with his computer etc and I watched the rugby league cup final. I was pleased to see the more open rugby of Wigan succeed against the dour stuff from Warrington. Out to feed the ducks and doves, tea, and then a quiet evening watching a video film ‘Educating Rita’ with Di and Dan. No local history today, but I will be better for the break and it is important to be with the family. In the news today, the Scottish prisoners have ended their siege of Barlinnie prison, releasing the last hostage and asking for an enquiry into the conditions. This third protest in Scottish prisons in three months had led to serious doubts over the prison system north of the border. A part-time reservist constable was killed by a bomb blast in Northern Ireland, by a deliberate attack by remote detonation. Later, 6 mortar bombs were fired at a check point on the border. The people of Cornwall have been paying tribute to the memory of David Penhaligon in a memorial service at Westminster Cathedral and it was a very moving event. Four times the capacity of 900 people turned up and the service was relayed to overspill mourners outside and in other public buildings in the area. Several shocks in today’s 3rd round Football Association cup matches, but the England test team removed 7 Aussie wickets for only 230-odd. Ian Botham has now signed a 3 year contract with Worcestershire. An opinion poll predicts a Labour Party victory at Greenwich, with an increased majority and a strange incident in the southern counties, as a military vehicle overturns and a cordon excludes all onlookers and close examination of the result about which it was revealed that it was carrying nuclear warheads later