Flood of Bangladesh 1988
Flood of Bangladesh 1988

The children being back to school, Diana was off shopping leaving Della with me and so I settled into my office writing, organising and making phone calls before hand-delivering my correspondence in the Rolls-Royce because of the postal strike, as Diana delivered my campaign notes around the village. To the St Neots Local History society tonight talking to the County Archaeologist about the ‘Little Paxton Stone’ and then off to see Bill Walston at Thriplow farm to see his Apple Macintosh and I will now buy one for our use in St Neots before very late home to bed.  Deep division at the TUC conference, more floods and plagues in Bangladesh and the Sudan and at home the Post Office strike still paralyses the Nation whilst India ban English test players who have played in South Africa

I was settling into our morning routine, now that the children are back to school, and things tend to happen earlier in these circumstances. Once Dan and Debbie were away, I read the paper and Diana went off to do the shopping in Waitrose leaving Della here – Friday being the only weekday now that she does not go to ‘Rising 5’s’. Then I settled into my office and wrote a letter to the Hunts Post in response to two stories that were attacking the County Council. A few phone calls organising and progressing things, and then to Huntingdon and St Neots (in the Rolls-Royce) hand-delivering my correspondence because of the postal strike. After lunch, I got Diana to deliver all my notes on ‘dog fouling’ and the ‘gravel pit road’ around the village, whilst I looked after Della and got on with the task of reorganising my files and generally getting up to date. Also put Pete right on a couple of aspects in the garden as well. Then the children home from school with their news, views and problems; tea, and then a couple of consecutive meetings this evening.

First the St Neots Local History Society, where I listened to and met Alison Taylor, the County Archaeologist, who spoke to us all about recent excavations and issues in Cambridgeshire. I tackled her after about the ‘Little Paxton Stone’ and she thought it might be 18th century reworked from older 16th century Barnack Stone material and would need closer study by the historic monuments people, if I could pass on some sketches and photographs. Then I raced off to Thriplow, to rendezvous with Bill Walston at the Thriplow farm office. There I saw his Apple Macintosh machine upon which he produces all the artwork for the SLD newsletters and leaflets. I am resolved to buy one and get the St Neots branch using it for the same thing. It can also produce the ‘copy ‘for my Little Paxton history book and give Daniel another insight into the world of computing. I resolved my last copy queries on my newsletters that he has in hand and then drove home to arrive after midnight. Sat in front of the TV with my Bournvita for half an hour until relaxed and tired enough for bed. The TUC conference in Bournemouth has been one of division and dissent; banning the electricians union and then pledging to withdraw from the unemployment training scheme. The floods and plagues go on in Bangladesh and Sudan and present the picture of international catastrophe. The Post Office strike is still solid and the nation’s mail paralysed and the new Indian government has banned any England test cricket players from the forthcoming touring team that have played in South Africa and contravened the Commonwealth Gleneagles sporting agreement. At the end of a crisis season for English cricket, this is a final blow as the winter tour will be called off. The English selectors are in a world of their own and aloof from international cricket opinion.