A day in the office, as torrential rain floods Park Crescent, working my way through my mail, researching matters ahead of my first Environmental Services Committee meeting in June and dealing with other ward issues until my parents arrived for a visit this afternoon and stayed until early evening but I still took Debbie for her horse-riding lesson in between times. My neighbour Marilyn McGowan is having to leave David according to Chris James opposite, which is sad. Rowntree is now being pursued by Suchard as well, Gorbachev is reforming his party and clearing up Moscow prior to the Reagan summit, Syria is sending 7,000 troops into Southern Beirut and the media are crying ‘foul’ for press freedom as they become subject to a court order to hand over tapes of the Wapping demonstrations
Still very tired when it was time to wake up this morning and opted to come down in my dressing gown for breakfast. Croissants this morning and then I went up to get showered and dressed. Stayed at home today, had quite a bit of mail to deal with and also wrote a few letters as well. Spoke to Mr Coultous of Environmental Health, the Assistant Director, about dog fouling bylaws and got the background to what can be done about it. Lunch of salad and ham and then typed on this afternoon, trying to get more matters before the District Council and my first Environmental Services Committee meeting in June. I am working ahead to ensure I do not miss the boat, as these meetings are so few and far between. Ran out of time later and my parents arrived in mid-afternoon for a visit. Had a nice time and they ended up staying until late evening, even though I had to take Debbie horse riding during this time. Mum bucks up when in company, if Dad manages to persuade her to come out. Bad news today via Chris James. Marilyn has been forced to leave David McGowen opposite and with that her animals, friends and riverside location. I offered my help via Chris, but she broke down in tears as she is very upset about it. These matrimonial problems!
Had a visit from a St James Road resident who was thankful for my help in querying the Redland Head Office building and site plans. Caught up on my journal late tonight and the children were very late to bed as well. The political row continues over the Rowntree takeover plans, as Suchard announce details of their bid and the two rival Swiss confectionary companies vie for the spoils. USSR Secretary Gorbachev has won a range of Communist Party reforms to limit the length of time that Party Officials can keep their posts. This is on the eve of the Reagan visit and Summit with Gorbachev. The Russians are spending record cash in ‘sprucing up’ Moscow’s main streets for the visit; resurfacing roads and painting & cleaning buildings. News that Syria is to send 7000 troops into Southern Beirut in a bid that could free Western hostages, including Terry Waite. A ‘Loyalist’ paramilitary has been sentenced to three ‘life’ sentences for three murders. There has been a court order against TV and news media, to ensure they hand over tapes of the Wapping industrial demonstrations a year or two ago. The media plea for continued press freedom. We had a torrential downpour of rain today and Park Crescent was flooded.