- Details
A mild today after recent cold weather and chilly breezes which I started early in preparation for my visit to the probate registry in Peterborough before a little shopping in a large DIY superstore before home to the Little Paxton Little Chef. Then on to Harry Kitchener of Bedford where I bought another Diode Splitter and some more terminals for the boat as the new charging system was working well on the boat.
Preparations for my forthcoming visit to Norfolk before attending the parents' evening for Debbie's year to find her doing well. Mike Gatting and the rest of the rebel England cricketers who are starting their South African tour, but have been the subject of upsetting demonstrations.
I was called quite early and that gave me a head start for breakfast. I washed my hair in the shower this morning as I may not get the opportunity for a few days. After breakfast, I went down to "The Lady" and my system had charged the boat's batteries very well. Then it was time to get ready for the journey to Peterborough. Once I was some way up the A1, I remembered that I should have got Diana to sign a form but I managed without it! I had to find the Probate Registry which was very close to the Perkins Engines factory. I was early and had time to buy a coffee from a vending stall before my appointment at 10.30am. After this, I dropped in on a large D.I.Y. Superstore. Peterborough is a depressing place with scant regard to town planning, but it does mean that there are some large stores to visit.
** PRESS "Read More" BELOW for the complete story **
- Details
Another early start to the day and time to tend the fish and plants in the conservatory before breakfast. Then the morning newspapers and mail before Michael Pope arrived to discuss our plan for the following years FOCUS issues and the whole question of developing branch organisation and membership, which was the theme of successful Liberal Democrats meeting in the evening.
The Tory government experienced a back-bench revolt by over 30 Tory M.P.'s opposing the Poll Tax and Gorbachev turns on his critics as the fighting worsens
Slept well enough and actually had time to tend the fish and plants in the conservatory before breakfast. Read the morning newspaper and mail but then it was time to prepare a few things before Michael Pope arrived as arranged for a 9.00am meeting. He came to discuss timescales for the year's FOCUS issues and I also raised the whole question of branch membership and organisation. He agreed with my view that, if our local political efforts were not to stagnate at some point, that we had to increase our fund-raising, membership and number of activists and that tonight's meeting of the local party management was the first place to start!
** PRESS "Read More" BELOW for the complete story **
- Details
I made an effort for an earlier start today and then sat in the conservatory reviewing my mail and papers whilst tending the fish and plants. Some organising of my new boat equipment with commissioning details now to hand for my new charging system. I was also in contact with the former owner and will meet up with him over Easter.
This afternoon delivering some letters, shopping and comparing building society interest rates and also buying some electrical accessories. Then a Southoe Parish Council meeting this evening with a number of matters to discuss. Ambulance coverage deteriorates even further with many more stations withdrawing coverage and industrial trouble elsewhere with Ford and British Aerospace affected
Was still awake for some of the night but eventually slept well and made a big effort to get up at 7.15am to shower and dress in time for breakfast. Even so, I was still late, but Della was even later and had quite a lay in. This morning, I went through the papers and mail and then tended the fish and plants in the conservatory. I decided to reset the security lights and re-commission them now that the time switches were back from the Christmas outside display light use and that took some time. I was pleased, at long last, to get return calls on my boating problems. I first heard from Jim Cole with the response to my letter. He is putting the list of the craft's equipment into the post which I need. The I heard from Cetrek and got the advice I needed with respect to the commissioning of the charging system.
** PRESS "Read More" BELOW for the complete story **
- Details
After clearing up my office, which had been inundated with paperwork, I spent the day on political moves, agreeing cooperation with Labour and Greens over targeting election wards. In today’s Environmental Services Committee of the District Council I then successfully supporting Labour and back-bench moderate Conservatives to ban stubble burning and out-manoeuvred Leader Cllr Holley by using points of order thus dividing his members. A sad tale from Tory reject Cllr Ross McKay as I gave him a lift home.
Racial violence in the Soviet republics of Azerbaijan and Armenia with Moscow sending in 11,000 troops. More job losses in the city and other industrial firms and the stock exchange is falling again. An epidemic of "Mad Cow Disease", BSE.
Another day at home, actioning a variety of matters and starting the process of clearing up my office which had become inundated with paperwork. I had the best filing session for a long while and filled all of the wastepaper baskets. Di went to Sandy and got our dove food at long last and I completed quite a bit of correspondence. I had a call from Mark Slater of the Labour Party who was receptive to my ideas for targeting the seats in a three-way deal with the Greens in the forthcoming District Council Elections and avoiding the danger of cancelling one-another out in our opposition to the Tories. He is also keen on presenting the motion in support of "Parents-against-Smoking" which I had suggested.
** PRESS "Read More" BELOW for the complete story **