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On a day of showers and sunshine, the trip to Bedford with Diana and Della and a trip to Bedford library before relaxing in the afternoon and evening watching the test match acting as if my holiday was not yet completely over. Gorbachev appeared before the Russian Parliament where Yeltsin and others tried to humiliate him.
I continued my habit of these last few days; acting as if my holiday was not yet completely over and taking things easy. I joined Diana and Della for the trip to Bedford this morning and took a look around the auction rooms but did not see anything of interest. Then to Bedford Library with Della before Diana had finished her shopping and came back to join us.
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I did some work this afternoon and evening but spent most of it watching the test match on TV and also saw the appearance of Gorbachev at the Russian Parliament. In this latter spectacle - which was political theatre at its most dramatic - they gave him a rough ride and Yeltzin, in particular, tried to humiliate him. The commentators are calling for the resignation of Gorbachev and the end of communism in the Soviet Union, but I think that they speak too soon. To bed a little late after a day of showers as well as sunshine.
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Gorbachev made a public statement in the evening, an emotional one in an emotional atmosphere, telling of his detention and the aftermath. I had a lazy day, updating my journal and joining the family for a Little Chef lunch before going to Dad’s grave to renew the flowers and tend the plot.
It was another day where the events in Moscow took precedence over my own priorities, and I kept listening to the television news reports. I was waiting all day for Gorbachev to make a public statement and, when it came this evening, it was an historic one in an emotional atmosphere. He told of his detention and the actions of the committee that overthrew him and, as he did so, there were continuing meetings of the Russian Parliament and more proclamations by Boris Yeltsin as to what was to happen in Russia.
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The Freedom of the USSR was settled on this day as the overnight assault on the Russian Parliament building of President Boris Yeltsin failed. I also talked to Murray White about the Liberal Democrat party conference in Bournemouth in a couple of weeks’ time on a very hot day before I took Diana to the cinema in Bedford, and we saw "Terminator II"
My own affairs of today were somewhat dwarfed by the developments in Russia as the overnight assault on the Russian Parliament building of President Boris Yeltsin failed and, although four defenders were either crushed or shot, the forces of democracy were seen to be in triumph. The coup leaders were divided, and the army proved unwilling to kill hundreds of Muscovites on behalf of the tyrants. as the day wore on, it became apparent that the grip of the "emergency committee" on power was weakening and then the army withdrew from the streets and the media restrictions were lifted.
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Struggling to adjust from boating to office work on a hot and sunny day as we travelled to Cambridge for our rendezvous with Di’s parents and did a few things. The elected President of Russia holding out against the massed strength of the Soviet army so far and with a few tanks coming over to his side
It was a difficult day for me as I struggled to adjust from our holiday back to the normal working day. It was warm and sunny as well which did not really help as I would rather be fishing or cruising on my boat. I was up early again at Diana's behest and then worked urgently to finish our holiday photographic record so that I could lend it to Diana's parents. We were taking Della to them in Cambridge this morning so that they could look after her for a couple of days. Della helped me by sticking the photo-mounts on and we finished it in time to leave and get there by our meeting time of 10.00am at Eadon Lilley.
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