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Great news brought tear to Diana’s eyes as we hear that Debbie has passed Kimbolton Prep. entrance exam and has a place and this encouraged me to phone the head about Daniel taking his ‘O’ level early before more revelations transcribing Gladys Hazelton’s interview before taking Debbie horse-riding and chasing Daniel’s Viking 17 boat delivery. Mum had her operation today. A political row I developing over Nuclear disarmament, Guinness Director Thomas Ward has taken a £5m payment, three Sicilian leaders of a Mafia drugs smuggling operation were convicted in the UK and a memorial service takes place on a tug circling the wreck of the ‘Herald of Free Enterprise’ and flowers are cast on to the sea
After a little discussion with Di about Daniel in bed, we got to sleep quite well, but Diana was up early this morning distributing the drinks. Like me, she was aware that today was the day we were due to hear from Kimbolton School about Debbie's exam result. First we had breakfast, but then the letter came – she had passed the exam and had been accepted! Poor Di actually wept at the news, glad that she had passed, but sad that she would be going! Then to my office to continue the task of transcribing my tape of the interview of Gladys Hazelton and was even more astonished by the contents than at the time. Later, I phoned Kimbolton and discussed Daniel's mathematics education with Mr Corner, his teacher. He will now discuss with the Head of Mathematics my request that Daniel take his ‘O’ level exam this year, with the first set.
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Poor night and sunny but cold day receiving the disappointing news about Daniel’s ‘O’-level decision and anxiously awaiting Debbie’s entrance exam result the next day testing her and Amy for fun but good local history progress after the Samuel Jones and Gladys Hazelton interviews. Apart from the ferry disaster aftermath, English football clubs remain banned in Europe, a youth is cleared in the PC Blakelock trial, the government is criticised over Westland helicopters and Charles Haughey has become the new Republic of Ireland Prime Minister for the third time, but only after the Speaker of the Doyle had to use his casting vote.
Slept well, after first tossing and grumbling to Diana about the latest disappointment from Kimbolton. Daniel has not been allowed to take his ‘O’ level a year early, unlike the top set, and may fall further behind as a result. Awoke to my morning tea and sat listening to the radio for a little while. The window was open last night, to give us some air and the room was quite cold this morning as a result. Showered, shaved and down to breakfast, but Daniel was very slow today and only just made it in time. We were served boiled duck egg today, now that the birds have returned to lay, and we all enjoyed dipping toast fingers into them (all, that is, except Di, who is hopelessly prejudiced against them).
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Groggy start on another cold and frosty day detailing my objection to the Paxton Hall development and then working on my history project before spending time with the children and their school work later. More regulations in the aftermath of the ferry disaster and tales of heroism and tragedy. Labour’s Callaghan speaks out against unilateralism; banks have cut their base rates from 11% to 10.5%, as sterling soared and South African journalists resign over government pressure on reporting
A sound night’s sleep, but still awoke to a groggy start to the day. This state of mind continued all day and I think that I have a cold coming on. Della came up this morning and lay in bed with me for a while, as we both listened to the radio news. Once she had gone downstairs, I showered, shaved and dressed ready for breakfast and again had to pull up the children on the tidiness of their rooms. Daniel was well behind schedule and only just got time to have breakfast before he set off for school. Di then took Debbie to school across the road and I settled down in my office. A slow and reluctant return to my work and spent just about all of the morning writing and sorting out my objections to the Paxton Hall planning application.
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A friendly start to the day with the family with breakfast together and then TV boxing for Daniel, Steve and I afterwards with games of chess afterwards and then live football this afternoon before a sit round tea in front of the fire in the lounge later. This as survivors of the Herald of Free Enterprise start arriving back in England with tales of the Bow Doors being left open when the ship sailed. South African Archbishop Tutu was warmly received by a packed Westminster Abbey congregation.
A little late to bed and I awoke first this morning and went down to get the drinks. Little Della had been wondering around the house for some time and came into the kitchen to keep me company. She sat on the ‘warm spot’, where the central heating pipe-work crosses the kitchen floor. Found Di in the spare room and gave her a coffee, then woke Daniel for his morning tea and the girls came in to have some orange juice with me and Di. Washed and shaved and time to start reading the paper, before Di had finished cooking the fried breakfast. Fried eggs also for Deb and Dells, but poor Daniel had to create to get his and then was not offered bacon!