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This chilly morning studying the papers and financial news with the aid of my Prestel Citi-service terminal before lunch of roast chicken and then transcribing the Hall/Saunders tape as Di ferries the children everywhere this afternoon The news today is of the special remembrance service at Enniskillen with Thatcher in attendance in a mammoth security exercise and Shevardnadze is still optimistic on an arms agreement with the US.
A little late to bed last night, catching up on my journal, but I had not managed to read the day’s financial papers. This morning, I stayed in bed for most of it and read yesterday’s Financial Times, The Investors Chronicle and then the today’s Observer. All this told me to be very careful with stock exchange investments and I do not know that the sages are any the wiser after this US budget agreement, which is a bit marginal. It was nearly lunchtime before I was showered and dressed and then I called up the Prestel Citiservice with my terminal and updated my personal and family portfolios of shares. I could then check both of the Prestel stockbrokers, Hoare Gareth and BZW, on their advice on them. I am disappointed at getting into Plessey and Bank of Scotland and do not think much of the BZW analysts opinion of these companies. Lunch of roast chicken, then, this afternoon, I started to transcribe the relevant parts of the second Hall/Saunders tape, whilst Di embarked on a bewildering series of ferrying jobs
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Off to St Ives auction viewing with Debbie’s friend Amy where I spotted Mr McNish’s St Neots paper mill old desk and then a look at Cow Lane Godmanchester meadow fields in flood conditions before a visit to Nigel Smith for a chat about investments and shares. News today of the grisly process of identifying the underground fire victims, as police believe they have found the reason for the fire that smouldered for over 2 hours prior to the blaze. Another bomb was detonated in Northern Ireland on the eve of a new memorial service planned for Enniskillen in the morning
Slept well enough and then lay in bed listening to the radio and drinking my morning tea. A little late to breakfast, as I was thinking and dreaming too much. Then became more active and decided to go out this morning. Today is the viewing for St Ives auction and so I took the girls there (Daniel was at school of course). We picked up Debbie’s friend, Amy, and drove off. First, we stopped off at the top of Paxton Hill and looked down over Little Paxton, but the sun had gone in and I could not take any satisfactory photographs. Then, we went to the end of Cow Lane in Godmanchester to see my meadow fields. The river levels had been up and I wanted to see how this affected them. Also, the girls wanted a walk. The sun came out, we had a nice exercise and I got some good photographs. Then on to St Ives, where our first priority was some morning drinks at the cafe. This accomplished, I viewed the antiques, whilst the girls went round the shops.
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A day of domestic problems with the family and with Colin Howard not returning with the photos and I could only finish my tax correspondence and tidy up and so another day passes with no progress on my local history studies. Reagan and the US Congress finally agree a budget with a poor outcome and Ken Baker encounters controversy over is education bill but the main news is the details of the Kings Cross fire, which killed 32 and ten more badly injured
To bed on time last night and a restful night’s sleep. Still slow to breakfast, but made it in the end, if a little late. Had an argument with Di after the meal, over a petty matter, and then I retired to my office whilst Di went off to Bedford. I worked this morning on my tax and trust affairs, as well as catching up on the national and local newspapers. This took me until lunchtime and I had to make myself a salad again, as the girls were not yet back. Worked on this afternoon, tidying up as many things as possible. I prepared the next batches of photographs for Colin Howard to copy, but he did not visit to bring back the others as promised. By 4.30pm it was quite dark and I had fed the ducks and doves. Soon the children were home. Di had collected the kids from school and taken them to the dentist. Bad news. Daniel needed his teeth cleaned and Debbie another filling. The dentist is not happy with her diet and has suggested a course of treatment to coat her teeth as well. Di had forgotten to take the Range Rover in to be repaired as well and so was in quite a mood.
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Meeting up with Roger Brittain and Gerard Chadwick, my family Trustees, to discuss tax and Children’s’ trust affairs and then working on a £50K tax rebate I am now due. Taking Debbie Horse riding upon the mischievous Dylan and then home to hear of the full tragedy of the Kings Cross Underground Fire which followed years of neglect. Thatcher is now introducing legislation for schools to go private and opt out of local authority in favour of central control
Awake rather early and suffered from the other night’s lack of sleep again. Made it latish for morning tea and then, was just preparing for a day’s paperwork, when my accountant, Roger Brittain, telephoned and reminded me that we were due the day in Cambridge together discussing tax and children’s trust affairs with Gerard Chadwick, my other Trustee. Was 15 minutes late to collect Roger from St Neots in the Daimler and then made up the time and arrived in Cambridge on time at 9.30am. It was a drizzly and cold, depressing morning, that turned into a cold and drizzly, depressing November day. A good meeting, in which I was advised of a few important taxation policies and criteria. We met for 90 minutes and Roger and I were home at midday.