Iraqi women and children were the other face of the coin
Iraqi women and children were the other face of the coin

The night started warm and ended up quite chilly, after which I did some chores as Di got Della off to school and we then took the rest of the family to see her parents in Cambridge. This afternoon Lisa Drake and her father came round to discuss Sundance and then I attended a district council meeting. Tonight, I planned a visit to Heronshaw in Horning as the road is to be renovated the following week and I wanted to work on the garage and collect Dad’s trophy.

A convoy of women and children has arrived in Baghdad from Kuwait heading for Jordan but they worry about their fate and leaving their husbands and fathers behind; as Opposition Leader Kinnock tries to keep Thatcher working with the United Nations rather than the USA

It was a different night – first warm and then much cooler towards morning until I ended up feeling quite chilly when I was awoken with my morning tea. I got quickly showered and shaved and then spent an hour before and after breakfast tending my plants and fish before doing some more correspondence. Di got Della off to school this morning, but she was a bit apprehensive about meeting her new teacher, Mrs Cotton. In the end, her friend Naomi took her by the hand, and she made it. I got quite a bit done but then it was time to go to Cambridge. The entire family (apart from Della) was going and, with Daniel soon going off to Norwich, I decided that I should make the most of these opportunities. First there was several deliveries to make around St Neots. There was correspondence for my council colleagues, notifications to the job centre about a gardener, letters to be posted and a package of six books to deliver to Martin McCall of St Neots.

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Then on to Cambridge, where we parked in the Round Church Car Park and got into the Eadon Lilley’s coffee shop before Di’s Mum and Dad arrived. We stayed for a long chat and then went off shopping for clothes for Daniel and a few for myself. There followed a rendezvous for lunch at Wimpey’s and then we bought some more car alarm parts for Daniel and came home. A little time for more office work and then we had Lisa Drake and her father round to discuss her access for riding and the welfare of Sundance. There had been problems this summer with Lisa disregarding Sue Usher’s instructions and Sundance getting foot problems on the hard ground as a result, and now her riding is being restricted. I left them to it at 6:30pm, as they were well on the way to an understanding and went on to a District Council Contract Services meeting.

It was a short meeting and, after giving a lift back to rebel Conservative Ross McKay, I got back quite early and had more time to get some work done. I heard this evening that the Ropes Hill Dyke road is to be renovated next week and so I telephoned Jack Edwards and completed my arrangements to go over for a day and do some work on the garage. I will probably arrange for a road contractor to build up our drive in front of the garage as well as collect the trophy from Harlequin. The news today was of the safe arrival of a convoy of women and children in Baghdad from Kuwait who are intended to be processed for exit visas to, hopefully, pass on through Jordan. There are worries about their fate, however, and they are distressed to be leaving their husbands and fathers behind. Opposition leader Kinnock is intent on preventing Thatcher from acting in concert with the USA and not in unison with United Nations.