the earthquake in California killing 200 when the double-decker Bay Bridge we knew collapsed
the earthquake in California killing 200 when the double-decker Bay Bridge we knew collapsed

On a fine and warm day here, I had the double shock of hearing about the earthquake in California killing 200 when the double-decker Bay Bridge we knew collapsed and then later the personal news when visiting Dad who learnt that they are not willing to operate on him.

I hosted a good meeting of the St Neots Democrats tonight, preparing for the Eatons by-election. East German Premier Eric Honecker resigned following mass street protests for reform and Thatcher is left in glorious isolation at the Commonwealth conference resisting action against South Africa

I was rather tired again this morning as the night just did not seem long enough. I was shocked to hear on the radio that there had been a serious earthquake overnight in California with damage, fires, deaths and injuries. At 6.9 on the Richter scale, it was not as large as the 1908 quake but the ‘double-decker’ road systems in Oakland and on the Bay Bridge collapsed, one on top of the other, compressing cars and lorries to a few inches in height and instantly killing over 200 occupants.

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All this is apparently not the really big shock that awaits San Francisco in the next 10 years as the earth’s plates are stuck together and will move sometime soon. To breakfast and the morning mail. More stress for me in the form of a letter from Dad’s sister Ivy, wanting to know about Dad’s health. Then also a letter from my Norfolk solicitor pointing out that the deed is now to contain a covenant forbidding the use of the Heronshaw boat dock for mooring and insisting its preservation as a lily pond, but we will not accept that! Mike Pope came this morning and we composed a draft of the local plan response for Priory Doom. Then Percy Meyer joined us with the details of our Eatons candidate, Derek Giles, and we all three drafted out his initial election address.

The lunch and more earthquake news before setting off for my visit to see Dad in Cambridge. I found him sitting quietly and alone in this three bedded room. He had seen the top ENT surgeon and the result had been that they are not willing to do a large operation. I spoke to a doctor and, in their view, they could not perform a curative operation can only do a ‘toilet’ or cosmetic job to tidy it up and leave the cancer in the inner area. Even then, it might not be of much use as cancer tissue cannot heal well. I opted to answer Dad’s questions honestly, but he was pretty depressed. This scenario gives him only a few months to live. I got him to sign a birthday card for Di and drove home in the thoughtful mood.

My chores and phone calls to relations before tea and then, this evening, I hosted a meeting of the St Neots Democrats, which was an effective and successful affair. We are in good shape for the Eatons by-election. The other news today was the resignation of East German Premier Eric Honecker following mass street protests for reform. At the Commonwealth conference today, there were calls for action against South Africa which left Thatcher in glorious isolation once again. A fine and warm day today.