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With Debbie taking Kate Smith to Staughton stables for a trial horse-riding session, I worked all day and night completing the latest Focus newsletter and circulating it to colleagues for comments. With the Pound Sterling due to enter into the EMS the next day, the stock exchanges are expected to soar at the good news.
A lay in this morning before our normal fried breakfast. We had a call from Kate Smith last night who arranged to go with Debbie to Staughton stables for a horse-riding hack. She hoped to buy or lease her own pony if she got on well with the arrangement and so we asked Debbie to look after her. I did my chores and found the swimming pool skimmer stuffed full of leaves when I emptied it. The conservatory heating was in operation last night and the floor warm after the outside temperature had dropped. I noted from my Fax machine (that resets to "auto" each time and prints a log) that we had four power cuts in all and so it obviously took the electricity board some time to find the offending fault close at hand whilst they switched in and out sections of line.
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Di was still suffering with her cold and so we got to bed earlier and then Di missed Daniel then and in the morning. I carried on maintaining the pool on what developed into a very windy and chilly day and then worked inside until visited later by some colleagues from St Ives wanting to see how I laid out FOCUS newsletters.
Then a photo-session for On-Site training before off to Kimbolton School for a KSS meeting where I helped with the AGM and acted as returning office for the committee elections, as Di and I sat next to the headmaster, who also has a child off to university for the first time. Home to a dark house and a power cut in the winds. Concerning EMS entry, Britain and today the European finance officers agree that Sterling should enter at DM2.95
An earlier bed-time last night as Diana was even more afflicted with her cold than before. Daniel arrived yesterday evening but, being out later and then out again after a late sleep in this morning, Diana has not had the chance to see him yet, which was quite frustrating for her. I was out again quite early this morning before the wind got up and I tended the swimming pool, vacuuming the bottom and adjusting the water and chemical levels. It became very windy later and I was glad that I had not left it too long. My journal took up most of the rest of the morning, but I had several telephone calls to make and receive and also a visit from Percy to collect his new Liberal Democrat letter head. This afternoon, I worked on the FOCUS and had a long call from Peter While, who had some more alterations to make on the copy. I was also visited by Mr and Mrs Mark Rayner and their daughter from St Ives Liberal Democrats who came over to see how I produced the FOCUS's on the MAC computer with Pagemaker.
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A slow start to the day after another late night but some progress working on my financial administration as the office fitters worked less than satisfactory and Diana is delayed by Marshalls not finishing the Range Rover service. As well I enrolled Di in a PEP scheme, I bought £6,000 M&S shares as Britain says it would join EMS and stock exchange soared 100pts.
I tried to get going early again but I had also been going to bed a bit late which does not help. I was expecting the office fitters to come back this morning to do some remedial work and so I got my chores done early and settled into my office to complete the financial summaries. Diana took the Range Rover into Bedford to get an MOT and a list of repairs done as well as making her trip to the hairdresser. Unfortunately, Marshalls seemed to be a bit over-run without their manager and the car was not ready until late and so she was stuck there for the day. I was able to complete the first run of my financial figures before the office fitters arrived and, as they worked, I sat in the kitchen and corrected the draft, adding details from the Financial Times of the security prices and incomes for keying in once they had finished.
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An active morning working on my quarterly financial summary until the better weather tempted me out to clear the lawns of fallen autumn debris. A Parish Council meeting this evening where I secured a further £1,000 for the Village Hall and then a row between the UK and Turkish governments over who is to rescue the "Polly Peck" trading organisation
I was up on time and busy this morning getting my chores done so that I could make a start on the family's income and investment summary. I also tried to get some financial transactions prepared for Diana, but I could not do them all before she left. I worked on this morning and did quite a lot but then, after lunch, I decided that I had to go out and do some gardening as the weather was dry and the lawns and leaves beckoning. First was the very long job of clearing away the leaves from the riverside lawn. It was not only leaves, but twigs, acorns, beech nuts and all else as well. The good weather this summer has led to lots of fruit and even the hawthorn berries are as large as I have seen them before. The decorators were here as well, coming after lunchtime when the window frames had dried out more.
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