Reviewing my shareholdings as Di visits Bedford and the Stock Exchange falls again as predicted and then working on my Little Paxton history project, making appointments and transcribing tapes before also working on our own video tapes of the recent Disneyland visit. The Tamils in Sri Lanka suffer a curfew and 500 ‘rebels’ are arrested, another Ethiopian drought threatens thousands and Reagan has yet to agree his budget with Congress and finds his Nicaraguan intervention even less justified
Slept well enough after last night’s late retirement, but the night was not long enough. It was a struggle to get down to breakfast, but was just in time to save my single croissant from the children after an introductory dish of melon. Soon the children were off to school and Di was off to Bedford with Della. It was the day to get our new gear cover fitted free under warranty. I used my Prestel set to scan City developments. I had already read the FT, and soon the share prices were sliding again. Poor inflation and production figures had been released and the US talks on the budget deficit seem on course to be spun out until the deadline for the end of next week. Tried to get back into my local history work this morning, but first several phone calls could not reach their intended recipients. Made some arrangements, though, and am now back into the job of transcribing the last Hall interview tape.
Broke off to pay Pete & Joan and then make my own salad lunch, before getting back to it this afternoon. Did quite a proportion of tape 2, but still have tape 3 to complete this weekend. Had better luck this afternoon with my phone calls and had return calls from several people to arrange a number of meetings for the next two weeks. Poor Di had less luck in Bedford – she had a waste of time at Marshalls in getting the Range Rover gear trim fixed, as they had incompetently ordered the wrong part! Out to tend the ducks and doves later and to my surprise there was a fully-feathered dove chick, chirping for food in the poll cote! Seems also to have survived the worst of the weather. The reason was that a disappointed cock had seized on a 1987 inexperienced female and they both felt unable to wait until next spring! After tea, I checked Daniel’s work and Di helped Debbie. Then, after my tape transcribing work session, I turned to another type of tape and copied and edited the three ½ hour video recordings of our recent visit to Disneyland, whilst the family watched on. This meant another late night – particularly as I had to label carefully the new tapes and restore both tapes and video camera to the security safe. Another night of missed news and also our main TV is suffering from a severe bout of nerves as well and will soon need replacement. News today was of the DPP finally asking the Kent police to investigate the possibility of criminal charges against Townsend Thorensen and its Officers, after the inquest jury recently decided on a verdict of, ‘unlawful killing’. Reagan’s negotiating team has yet to strike a deal with Congress over the budget and so the situation is left for a last minute deal next week. He is also on the defensive on his Nicaragua policy, as the N President, Ortega, offers a peace plan in line with international opinion and isolating the Contras. The Tamil problems in Sri Lanka go on, with an indefinite curfew being needed in the Eastern Batticaloa district, after 500 suspected Tamil rebels were arrested by troops. Also talk and reports of yet another famine in Ethiopia, as the drought puts thousands more at risk of death. A brighter day forecast for tomorrow and then an outlook of prolonged rain. With the disturbed world’s weather patterns, it is all too much, but my history studies show me that storms have always been a feature of the world.