Against a background of Di being troubled over her weight and problems coping with the children, I embarked on an ambitious, and very tiring but successful, day collecting the Reynolds sisters and taking them to Vera’s daughter and son in law in Gamlingay for another Little Paxton History interview recording session. Late home to a TV dinner with Di, who was feeling a little better. The big news is of great progress between Shultz and Shevardnadze with quite advanced mutual agreements on inspection and monitoring were reached. Now progress is needed on their long range arsenals.
Slept well enough, but Diana has been troubled of late, waking up in the early hours. She has been over eating again and worrying about the children, who are very demanding at the moment. Della is quite an absorbing and exhausting little girl and I have suggested she is both stricter and more demanding in return. The kids can look after themselves a lot more, if we insist, as Diana does far too much running around after them in my view. This morning, I got straight down to my job of editing and printing out the history topics to be ready for my meeting with Little Paxton’s two oldest inhabitants later on. I had hoped to be clear in time to get over to the St Ives auction for that McNish desk, but it was not to be. Still, I was well prepared for my meeting and had a couple of salad rolls before I set off. Collected Mrs Ruff from 16 High Street first and then Mrs Bunnage from a few doors along. They were brought up at The Anchor as Reynolds girls and the family was only forced out by the wartime fires. I was collecting them today to take down to Mrs Ruffs daughters in Gamlingay, where we had planned a recorded session on Little Paxton history. It was enjoyable, if hard work, as we talked on for some 7 hours!
I was anxious not to tax the old things too hard, as poor Mrs Bunnage was not very well, having had Angina since I last saw her. She is rather overweight and still suffering leg problems. I was hoping that the daughter and her husband, Mr & Mrs Garthwaite, would make us some tea to give us a break, but none was forthcoming, except a couple of drinks and piece of cake. I finally got the old dears home to Little Paxton at 9.30pm and collapsed in front of the TV with my wife whilst I ate my evening meal. A programme about the nurturing of ‘super-kids’ in the USA, where parents tutor their children from an early age with cue-cards and even speak to the mothers tummies before birth! Bloody maniacs. Still, they do produce remarkable results within a narrow perspective, even if their offspring may be subject to a rather unbalanced upbringing. To bed after a chat to Di about her problems, that put her in a more relaxed frame of mind. I decided to sell my Plessey shares during a market rally today, to get most of my money back and debated whether to take the profit on Courtaulds as well. No time for detailed news tonight, but the big story was the success of Shultz and Shevardnadze in thrashing out the principle terms of the arms treaty. Quite advanced mutual agreements on inspection and monitoring were reached, that also bode well for further future agreement on long range arsenals. A round of European interest rate cuts has failed to prop up the US $, which is still depreciating by a cent or two a day in the $1.80//£1 region.