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Canvassing alone on a freezing cold morning and then being joined by others between dropping Debbie off at her horse-riding and picking her up afterwards. Much publicity in the Hunts Post about my election; deeply objected to by the Tory candidate. The Kuwait Airways Hijack Crisis continues with more than 20 women hostages released , more dead in Israeli/Palestinian clashes on the West Bank and a planned Soviet troop withdrawal from Afghanistan
Started the day early and was showered, shaved and dressed in good time for breakfast. Just croissants with marmalade this morning. Little of interest in the mail, apart from the latest Democrat Party newspaper. Soon ready for this morning’s canvass, but my helper phoned to say he could not make it until tomorrow and so I went out on my own. A freezing cold misty morning and so I finished off the missing houses in High Street and Gordon Road until lunchtime, when I returned home a bit cold. I also visited the houses pledged for a postal vote and delivered forms and then went to see Helen Young and Kim Holman, who deliver leaflets – then Vera Ruff to see how she was getting on too. Had lunch with the family – Daniel had been studying this morning – but Debbie was at the Fitzpatrick Stables for the day for her horse care course and I had driven her across first thing. Carried on alone this afternoon and had time to speak to a few more locals and fill gaps in my canvass sheets.
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Canvassing this morning with supporter The Rev Joe Wilcox and this evening with Michael Pope, on a dry day with a very chilly wind, gaining much support; hearing later that A-list actress and subsequent MP, Glenda Jackson, first owned my Rolls Royce but also hearing of a major hijacking of a Kuwaiti airliner and a family perishing in a Gwent hotel fire as both the London and Wall Street markets oscillated wildly.
A little late to bed last night and sound asleep when I was awoken to my morning tea. Washed my hair as well as showering and shaving. Breakfast with the family and this morning it was boiled duck egg to eat, cooked nicely. To my office after and made a few preparations before driving to St Neots. These preparations included the phoning of the Rev Joe Wilcox, a retired Vicar from Eynesbury, who had agreed to help my canvass today. Then the St Neots trip, which included visits to both building societies and Barclays Bank, and the delivery of tax certificates and papers to my accountant. I also visited the two jewellers in town and chose a new watch, as my old Timex had finally given up the ghost. I now have a ‘LORUS’ Quartz, which is hopelessly Japanese. Back home in good time to meet Joe Wilcox and we canvassed together in the poorer housing areas. At first we were finding people out in Booth Way and so we switched to Park Avenue and did much better – both in terms of finding more people in and obtaining pledges of support. Home for lunch and then this afternoon composing the copy for my third leaflet. I heard from my Rolls former owner today, entirely by coincidence, and he told me that Glenda Jackson used to own it, which was interesting. She was awarded two Acadamy Awards in 1970 for Best Actress in her role in ‘Women in Love’ and ‘A Touch of Class’ in 1973 and had bought the Rolls new in 1972.
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Working on financial affairs until Mum and Dad arrived and took a look at my Reliant and Rolls Royce before playing monopoly with me and the kids. This evening election planning and journal writing and then hearing of a tragic Austrian Alpine skiing accident, killing four British schoolboys whilst at home two children died in rail accidents. Wall Street starts the week lower.
Slept well and showered & shaved in good time for breakfast. I dressed in some old clothes in anticipation of doing some outside work. The day had started rather cold and misty and so I started my working day in my office, doing some paperwork to try and get my financial affairs in order for the tax year end. Worked on until morning coffee and then I went out to feed the ducks and doves. Saw that the games lawn turf was still moist and so I got the new multi-bladed mower out and used its weight and wide roller to flatten the turves from both directions. In and worked on my forestry accounts until lunchtime, providing the details needed for this year’s tax claim. A nice lunch and then I went back to my work, reconciling bank accounts and writing a number of cheques for outstanding accounts. I then turned on the word processor and typed up a letter chasing the children’s trust affairs, another putting a forestry matter to rights and then I was in the middle of a long letter about sewage treatment in Little Paxton when my Mother and Father arrived on a visit. I showed Dad my ‘new’ cars and he got in the Reliant. Then we had a look around the gardens before joining the others inside for a cup of tea. They looked well enough and had the stamina to manage the children’s exhausting appetite for games! We played a game of monopoly and it was quite dark by the time we finished it.
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Car cleaning until Di's Mum and Dad arrived when took them to the Bernie Inn at Wyboston. . I took Di's parents in the Rolls and Di brought the children behind in the Range Rover. Later this afternoon, I went to Buckden Marina and collected The Lady’ got through the lock and home OK. The Reverend Peter Lewis dropped round with his church leaflet questionnaire and we had a chat for a while about the village issues. The National Union of Teachers has voted to avoid strike action and adopt a more moderate course, but the British P&O sailors are continuing their action.
Awoke very early this morning in the way that I have been doing lately. Went and got yesterday’s Financial Times and read it in bed, having to come down in my pyjamas for my fried breakfast. Soon shaved, showered and dressed afterwards and then out to start washing and cleaning the Range Rover. I was just in time to get the nearby parking space for the car and then a succession of plot dwellers arrived as I worked on. The games lawn had dried out quite a lot and so I had to set up a sprinkler that ended up playing all over the lawn for most of the day. Vacuumed the Range Rover, then sponged it off with soapy water, before I managed to persuade Di to fetch me a mug of coffee. Then hosed it off and pushed it back in our drive for the final leathering. Got out the Corniche next and had only just wiped off the marks when Di's Mum and Dad arrived. We locked up the house and took them to the Bernie Inn at Wyboston. Today was a gloriously warm and sunny day and I could take the Corniche and have the power hood down. We arrived in style and turned quite a few heads.