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Some seed planting, with the weather becoming colder wetter and windier, HDC enquiries and then to St Neots with Diana for some shopping where I bought some parts and materials. Home for lunch after which Nigel Smith visited for a chat and, as a nice surprise, presented me with a fine cut glass decanter inscribed with my full achievement of Arms.
Then to take Daniel to Ely by car to the Ely Boat Chandlers for some necessary boat parts, a new outboard motor and anchor. This evening to rush to get ready for my Southern Area Consultative Committee meeting convened at my request and then late to drive to Norfolk, making six phone calls on the way! The national Tories The Tories have had to make a very embarrassing climb down on the Poll Tax, agreeing grants for the Scots. Today's Parliamentary By-Election was predicted as delivering a stunning defeat to the government Prolonged turmoil in the Japanese financial markets drove some investors to panic
I finished planting the Aster seeds this morning and tended the rest of the plants and fish. Then I quickly telephoned Huntingdon District Council to request the proper papers for a meeting they had notified me of, and I was rather irritated that it was 9.15am before their switchboard was open when it was supposed to be 9.00am. I then took Diana to St Neots where we did some shopping. I bought electrical suppressors from the car accessory shops and then went to Eynesbury to try to get some refrigerator insulation hose. I was reasonably successful, but the hose was very second-hand and a bit short for what I wanted. Back home for lunch and then Nigel Smith visited and, as a nice surprise, presented me with a fine cut glass decanter inscribed with my full achievement of Arms which was most unexpected and very nice. we chatted for a while in the conservatory about his visit to South Africa and boat. He seems fine but still beset with staff problems and now his old-time trusty gardener/handyman has resigned. Nigel and Lynne have such right-wing views that it is strange that we get on so well. I up-dated him on the Local Plan as it affects his property in Hail Weston and we spoke about the the possibility of making a joint visit to Scotland to see my estate and do some shooting.
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On a sunnier but colder day, I spent the morning in the conservatory, planting up two full shelves of Aster seeds and then, this afternoon, fellow Liberal Democrat, Jack Taylor, of Warboys came around and we worked together on the election material for Carol Crompton who is standing in Bury.
The main news today was of the case of the "Birmingham Six" being re-opened with a new police investigation. Sterling, shares and gilts all came under intense selling pressure in a financial turmoil disappointed with John Major's Budget. An aid convoy of 11 lorries carrying 120 tonnes of food has at last got through the civil war battle zone to feed starving Ethiopians.
I am documenting this day in some retrospect and so I will only be able to note certain of it. I spent the morning in the conservatory, planting up two full shelves of Aster seeds. This is one of the very few bedding plants that the doves do not decimate when they have young and are desperate for green stuffs. For the rest of the morning, I was preoccupied with correspondence and other work and then, this afternoon, fellow Liberal Democrat, Jack Taylor, of Warboys came around and we worked together on the election material for Carol Crompton who is standing in Bury.
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On a sunny day with a cool breeze, I spent time in the conservatory tending the fish and pond and then did more work on the prospect of developing my Horning property and the forthcoming local elections after the very enthusiastic meeting last night.
Later, to prepare a long public response on the Budget statement, which was being televised for the first time.
I was late to bed last night and then woke up a couple of times before morning. This time, Diana brought the morning drinks in a return to our normal routine. A sunny day, but with a cool breeze. I put up the blinds in the conservatory and moved a few plants around because the sun seems very strong for plants that are susceptible. I also spent some time giving the sand-filter a good back-flush as the fish seem to be creating a lot of sediment at the moment with their increased activity and Pete seems to be under-doing the maintenance. It was thus a little difficult to get down to my other work and this was made worse by Di keeping all of the windows open as she felt hot and me cold.
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As it was a dull and dreary day, I tolerated being stuck at my desk for most of it. An early morning conference with family about which outboard motor we should buy for our new inflatable and then the, after backflushing the pond, the rest of the day on investment, correspondence and phone calls before chairing a campaign meeting of the Liberal Democrats in the evening.
We had a sound night's sleep after our exertions on retiring and I was the first to awake from force of habit at 7.00am. Receiving a riposte from Diana, I opted to make the morning drinks (coffee for her, tea for me) and then took a cup of tea up to Daniel in his bedroom. We chatted about 9.9HP outboard motors and decided that the choice for our new inflatable is between the Mariner and Honda. The first is the cheapest and lightest and the second quieter and more economical. We all met for breakfast at 7.30am and then I back-flushed the pond and refilled it after several days of neglect.
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