Daniel's Birthday – A busy day after help from LibDem activists, one of which visited to install a necessary printer option and the other printing more election stationery which I collected from Little Shelford in preparation of the canvassing to start the next day. Another trip in the Reliant with the girls to the playing field before the St James Church service where the new lectern bible was dedicated . In terrorist incidents, a retired air force General was assassinated in Spain by Basque separatists and two women were injured as a bomb exploded near a stadium in Madrid. In Israel, Mordechai Vanunu, the Israeli nuclear scientist who revealed details of their efforts to make a bomb, was sentenced to 18 years imprisonment. He claimed it was an act of conscience and 20 scientists, including 12 Nobel Prize winners, signed a petition for leniency.
A much better night’s sleep, where I managed to put the previous day’s events behind me and recover fully. The clocks changed overnight and so we lost an hour today. 8.00am was now 9.00am. Had a call soon after my fried Sunday breakfast from John Matthewman, who phoned to say the majority of our canvas cards had been printed and were available for collection. A busy day it was to turn out. Was expecting Bill Burrell this morning to commission my cut sheet feeder. He was confused by the time change, arrived late and then we worked right up to lunchtime to get the thing working, but did it in the end. Had only time to feed the ducks and doves apart from this. After lunch, I took Di out in the Rolls Royce and we drove to Little Shelford, as Daniel looked after Della. Di drove back as I read the canvassing cards and we enjoyed the trip. Arrived back to a congested Willow Close, where the cars are becoming ridiculous to cope with.
I had put up a ‘please leave turning space clear’ sign and hope it will have some effect later. Thus delayed, the Laws saw our Rolls Royce and came over to inspect it. Debbie had been invited swimming with them after lunch and was coming back. Let the girls sit in the new car and then they wanted to go to the playground in Percy, but it took some time for me to be able to start it. Eventually managed it and we had a nice trip, but the local youths have started giving me some stick. Quite a few families at the swings and the sun actually came out this afternoon. If it were not for the cold and blustery wind, the day would have been quite nice. Back for Daniel's birthday tea and cake and I set up the cylinder mower ready to mow the games lawn, but had no time. Then we remembered the church service at St James for the dedication of the new lectern Bible and had to scurry to be there on time. We were the last to arrive dead on the appointed time of 6.00pm, but the Hunts Post photographer was late and the Vicar had to let him take a couple of quick shots first (it was actually my idea to get them along !?!) but at least the event will be remembered by it as a result. A very nice service, with plenty of relevant references to Council and Community work (the Bible was presented by the Parish Council). Local Councillors and civic leaders were the main invitees, but the invitation was also extended to our family and Di and I took Debbie who enjoyed it. She was the only child there, but was very good and helped collect the sheets afterwards. Went back home with Michael Pope after and we went through my plans for canvassing this week and then discussed his news on housing developments. There are plans for large increases in Little Paxton housing, which would swamp yet again the village and turn it even more into a suburb of St Neots and dormatory area. Just finished this when Ray Mathews arrived with news of the Oxcroft Pit. There are still large areas of water worth saving and, although the largest reed bed is gone, much remains. I can now try to approach the owners to see if they would be interested in selling it to me and must do so soon. Later I wrote up my diary with my mind full of the busy event of the day. We missed that hour badly. Now we have the canvassing to begin tomorrow and the campaign is well under way. The news today was full of appalling violence and tragedies. First, a retired air force General was assassinated in Spain by Basque separatists and two women were injured as a bomb exploded near a stadium in Madrid. Back home, there were murders of two teenage girls in Northampton and Dartford and then an axeman attacked worshipers at a religious service in Reading. A woman’s throat was cut and a man’s hand almost severed and nearby house set on fire, before a man was caught after a car chase. In Israel, Mordechai Vanunu, the Israeli nuclear scientist who revealed details of their efforts to make a bomb, was sentenced to 18 years imprisonment. He claimed it was an act of conscience and 20 scientists, including 12 Nobel Prize winners, signed a petition for leniency. Four more Palestinians were shot dead today, as Israeli soldiers responded with live rounds to stoning attacks.