This ended a harsh and frosty month with all of Ropes Hill Dyke frozen over but Norfolk Wigeon or "Sam", the new puppy arrived at the beginning and by the end he was blended into the family and was travelling everywhere with me by car.
Despite my time away and preoccupation with working in Horning, we enjoyed both school and parish carol services and a relaxed and happy Christmas. On Boxing Day, we set off for Redgrave for a family visit, finding Jane and her boyfriend visiting as well as Mum and Freda. The month was full of family events, visits and meals in Wroxham, Norwich and Potter Heigham as we settled into the completed Harnser, but there were two tragic break-ins for or neighbours.
The world full of violence and bigotry well demonstrated by the troubles in Ireland, where the recent news was of more IRA bombings, this time in The West End of London. In India, the Moslem/Hindu religious and racial violence was rising with mutual attacks on places of worship and revenge killings a tide of many over 400 killings. Israel expelled hundreds of Palestinian activists from its occupied territories in contravention of international law and the Geneva Convention and incurred the wrath of the world.
The saddest news of all was the announcement that the Prince of Wales and Lady Diana were to separate as their marriage becomes the latest to hit the rocks. A bewildering range of problems were brought to the Heads of Government for resolution for Major's EEC Summit which muddled through as it had to if he was not to end his 6-month EEC Presidency without humiliation.
There is to be an investigation into the Chancellor's use of public legal costs to evict a sex therapist from his private house whilst the Maastricht Bill was delayed by filibustering tactics by Mr Bill Cash M.P.
