Starting the day tired after a succession of late nights, working on my history project this morning and then attending the SW Cambs. Constituency Liberal/SDP meeting this evening to get them to concentrate on the forthcoming elections and to secure help after preparing my own election address this afternoon. Charity workers and journalists seem to be at risk in the Middle East, right wing extreme parties seem to be gaining in South African elections but back home Sterling and the Stock Exchange recovers
Rather tired today after a poor series of retirement times lately, but pledged to pursue my history project to get a certain amount done. I was late to breakfast again and then read the paper briefly, before settling down to it. A tough job dealing with The Lodges and much besides. I did go out early before I started and managed to catch the dove stranger. I put it in a box and gave it to Di to take to Peterborough, as she had decided to go shopping there today. Later on I noticed a dove circling and thought for one moment that it was the same one! In fact it was another stray, but fortunately that did not stay. Otherwise Di could put messages on their legs saying what time she would be home! A long haul until lunch and then just time to pay Joan and Pete Hewlett their money, before I made myself a salad lunch. As the afternoon drew on, I became increasingly convinced that I should cancel my trip to the History Society tonight and go to the SW Cambs. Constituency Liberal/SDP meeting instead.
Later, had tea and then spent a hectic couple of hours editing and copying my election address and biography, inserting photographs, all to meet the suggestions of colleagues after consultation. I then phoned Percy Meyer and Michael Pope for directions, collected Percy & Pat Meyer en route and drove to the venue near Cambridge. Each party met separately, had their AGM, before dissolving so that the two sets of members could join together for a combined session. A speaker from South Essex Liberals addressed the meeting about the new constitutional and operational differences between new and old parties. Increasingly frustrated about this introverted approach, I eventually blurted out in the quarter session that we should be planning our campaigns for May 5th District Council Elections and spreading the message outwards. Others joined the call and we managed to get in an appeal for help in our Ward. Home with the Meyers, a coffee and chat at their house, and then home and to bed near midnight. No time for news tonight, except to note that a British Oxfam worker has been kidnapped in South Lebanon, Israel has started banning journalists from entering the West Bank entirely and right wing extreme parties in South Africa are gaining in the latest elections. The stock exchange is rising as Chancellor Lawson has to organise the sale of Sterling to prevent it rising too far against the Deutschmark.