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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.
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Buying our first electric blanket from Cambridge today and then browsing the relevant books in the Cambridge University Library concerning Lord Overstone , Lord Wantage and John B. Papworth’s family history and his books on property and garden design before home in time for Di’s social with Mums and kids and then to take down the Christmas decorations. A deepening crisis at Barlinnie with three wardens held hostage as they protest at the brutality of the Scottish prison system, Inspector Douglas Havelock is brought to justice over his shooting of Mrs Cherry Grace, the French unions are protesting at the 3% pay limit and now there is a London Tube strike.
A late bedtime watching a rather macabre Spanish Clint Eastwood film on the TV and so was still groggy when Di woke me with the morning tea. Had to get ready quite quickly today, as Di had planned a trip for us to Cambridge and we had a lot to do. Could leave the ducks and doves to Pete and so only read the paper and mail before getting the car out ready for us to leave. Received some back-numbers of the Family Tree magazine today, which was the only item of interest in a pile of ‘junk-mail’. It seems that everyone is these days on a mailing list and is angry at getting so much rubbish and advertising circulars to plough through. Di drove to Cambridge, whilst I sat in the car and started to read my magazines.
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Struggling with ‘Norman period’ of my book and later concluding that the manorial and medieval of Little Paxton History is far too complex for a brief study before lunch with Diana and Della and then writing up my journal later as Reagan had his prostate operation today, Lord Stockton was buried in a private service and the ramifications of AIDS are publicised
Slept rather late again, but this time Di had to wake me up by bringing the morning tea. All dressed and showered when I joined the others for breakfast, but I had to hurry, as it was nearing 9.00am and the time for cleaner Joan to arrive. Took my papers into the office and sorted out last night’s print run, so that Diana could deliver them by hand on her shopping trip to St Neots. The rest of the morning reading a number of books on the Norman era of Britain in general and Huntingdonshire in particular, but not much of value found – this period will be a long job. Lunch with the girls, managing to keep Debbie and Della in order and then the first part of the afternoon sitting in the lounge writing up these last two days journal and keeping an eye for news of the England cricket team’s fortunes in Australia.
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A nice family fried breakfast after time in bed with Diana this morning and then an hour in my office after tending the ducks and doves besides a high river and then back to work on my Little Paxton history and other correspondence after watching Colditz. The Seafield Colliery fire has closed at least one of the two coal faces, opposition parties are revolting against segregation and censorship in South Africa and the papers released 30 years ago about the Suez Crisis show Tory ministers misled the Commons and this news eclipses the Chancellor Lawson’s announcement for his wider share ownership plans
A long lay in this morning, with no deadlines to meet and Di was still at my side when I woke up and then underneath me for a while before getting up to make the morning drinks. A freezing cold start to the night, which then turned mild during the middle of it. Down in my pyjamas to read the Sunday papers and ate a nice fried breakfast, with the girls also having fried eggs and dipping their toast into the yolk. Then, out to the ducks and doves. The river still high, but by no means flooding and all our gardens and out-buildings are safe. The rain was falling again, but the doves still come down to feed and the mother in the pole-cote still seems to be incubating. Then to my office, belatedly, for an hour, updating the remainder of the Little Paxton photo list for the Norris Museum and printing it out before lunch.