This was the month of Della's 9th Birthday and Daniel's UEA Graduation as the whole family spent much of the time at Horning as the weather turns wet after a hot and sunny start. We had lots of outings to the Holkham Country Fair , Norwich Theatre Royal and cinemas in Cromer and Norwich in Norfolk and Peterborough and Bedford back home.
I had many training sessions with Sam and long walks at Yarmouth, Winterton, Wells-nest-the-Sea and elsewhere and he was hunting and retrieving well and becoming steadier as he matured. Also some proving trips on the Paxton Princess. John Major's government was in trouble over about potential cuts to the Social Security System, adding VAT on fuel, their policy on the Social Chapter.
Also the wrongful conviction of the Birmingham Six and the Tories were absolutely hammered in the Christchurch by-election for its pains with my Liberal Democrat party as the beneficiary and there was a bonus for John Smith as a joint Labour Party/Union meeting recommended acceptance of planned reforms to bring "one-man, one-vote" to party elections. #
The Tokyo Summit of G7 industrial countries which agreed substantial tariff reductions on a wide range of goods under the GATT, thus avoiding trade wars and the G7 agreed a huge development loan for Russia as the key part of the former Soviet Union. The U.S.-led U.N. are on the brink of another confrontation as U.N. Weapons Inspectors are denied the opportunity of either sealing weapons test sites or putting up security cameras in Iraq.
All this fades into the background as domestic problems grow for Clinton with disastrous floods in the mid-west and they incur world disapproval for attacking Somalia's General Aidid after which crowds attack and kill foreign journalists.
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The month started hot and sunny for Wimbledon and Della's Birthday Party and many more such days following but the weather first became very fresh and blustery and then spells of showers took over until it continued just plain drizzly and wet at the end. The temperature fell to 10degC in London, for a while, the coldest July day since records began. The floods in the United States got progressively worse with the Mississippi and Missouri swollen and in full flood until the man-made flood barriers collapse making thousands homeless in the Mid-West as homes were built in the flood plain.
I did not have a bad month personally, but my ankle was still sore and healed slowly after my Scottish fall, but an eye test shows no further deterioration, and my weight was not too bad. I achieved a few things during such as buying and installing a gun cabinet and then cleaning out the conservatory Koi Carp Pond whilst renovating the adjacent bridge, UV light and plumbing as the fish were showing signs of disease after the introduction of my dad’s fish. I started adjusting The Hayling View doors and windows and progressed the Harnser planning saga. The building was showing some teething problems and so I also contacted the structural engineer and solved the problem by removing cladding and tightening bolts.
A cry of "Eureka" went up as we finally obtained the stair balls and fixed them on at last. It was with similar relief that Dad's Escort passed its MOT test for use as our second car in Norfolk and a major achievement was dismantling the trailer and revamped it totally. Back home, I was tackling a much overdue task of maintaining Hayling View doors and windows where I also found our garden produce, tomatoes, runner beans and particularly Victorian plumbs plentiful. The Land Rover Discovery appeared to be faltering during one journey with loss of power, but it worked well in the end.
I finished the renovation and painting of the trailer base, and I started looking at investment properties in the Eaton’s as the time and price was right. I even managed an evening fishing off my frontage. Freda is now seeking to realise her investment in Redgrave and pay me back, but Alf has had that lapse of memory due to a stroke as his health deteriorates and awaits a brain scan.
The family highlight of the early month was Daniel's U.E.A. Degree Confirmation and an expensive celebration lunch followed with him, his friend Gary and Diana at the Sprowston Manor Hotel. He was sad to leave as we carried back his things, such as his television, video and sectional desk from Philadelphia Road, Norwich, where he had got used to living with his university friends. However, he then settled into two rooms at his new Haying View home (one as his lounge and another his bedroom), washing our cars for spending money and travelling backwards and forwards between Paxton and Horning.
Later, I saw Daniel off to Norfolk on his own and gave him £25 petrol money on condition that he mow the lawns at Horning in return for it. Daniel and Gary helped us by taking a spare bed out of the "dining room" over to Bar Hill to Di's parents, who needed it. I set off to Norfolk with Daniel and found the Discovery front seats not as comfortable as on my former Range Rover. Dan then borrowed ‘Dad’s old car’ for his date with Dawn before he took her skating later on. Then Daniel worked on installing his car boot speaker and helped me collect rubbish and take it to the civic amenity skip. I was working with Daniel on my old trailer at Harnser and he joined us for lunch at The New Inn after the girls earned some pocket money weeding and helping me repair the trailer.
A busy day shopping with Diana in Norwich as Daniel stayed behind, washed both of our cars and looked after Sam and the girls. Daniel’s second steady girlfriend went as he broke up with Dawn. Della's ninth birthday was another hot day and a trial for Diana, and it brought back memories of her accident for me. Di's parents had come over for the birthday tea and to give Della their present. Della and Debbie played nicely in the pool and appreciated the hot weather early in the month. I attended Della's swimming and sports days in the fine weather, but she did not win, and she had friends to stay and visited them overnight as well in a new show of confidence.
She also hosted Brownie Revels which represented Diana's last Brownie commitment to the pack. In the meantime, Debbie was off to Normandy for her school trip and enjoyed it thoroughly, but it was hardly educational. I heard from Freda who had received my letters and taken them in good part. Now she will get an estimate of the value of Redgrave with a view to trying to realise her investment and repay the money that she owes to me. As an indulgence, one day I overcame a breakfast rebellion and cooked myself some scrambled egg and bacon for once!
We attended Della's Swimming Sports and Prize Days as she finished school for the summer. This was as part of my planned the time with the children doing lots of errands with them as Daniel was home and Debbie ended her school term. I also played tennis on the riverside lawn with them. before seeing Debbie off for her French school trip. Debbie was brave to make a speech to her class in a political debate and propounded the cause of the Liberal Democrats but in this school that educates James Major, the son of the Prime Minister, the class vote of the self-centred elite went unanimously to the Conservatives.
Diana went to Priory Park with Della one afternoon for "Brownie Revels" as I spend a quiet day at home. Most of the month was spent in Horning where I finished the hall modifications, and we could now store our coats and shoes. We enjoyed lunch at The New Inn and then getting Dad's old Escort MOT tested ready for Daniel to use. Then Daniel left for home as Diana. arrived with the girls as and we took them to Cromer cinema to see "The Super Mario Brothers”. After the girls helped with weeding, we all went for a long walk to Horning Playing Field where we played with Della's shuttlecock set before I resumed work. On another day, we enjoyed coffee in Jarrold’s and lunch in the Pizza Hut and shopping in Norwich.
I also had lunch with Diana and the girls at The Wroxham Bridge Restaurant before they spent the afternoon at the Aqua Park whilst I worked. One evening I took Diana to the Theatre Royal where we saw Tom Stoppard’s production of "Arcadia. A visit to run-down Great Yarmouth followed with the children as did a family shopping trip to Norwich for coffee at Jarrold’s where we bought some walking guides and to the country wear shop for better walking shoes. We finished the day with a Bacton Woods walk and watched a nice TV programme about the Geordie detective, "Spender", A quieter start to the day before lunch at Wroxham Barns and some time for the girls on their traditional fairground equipment as Diana and I looked around the craft shops. We took the Paxton Princess for the day visiting Wroxham mooring for lunch at the "Riverside Cafe".
Then to take Diana to see "The Assassin" in Norwich. and have lunch in Wroxham before setting off for Cromer to see the blockbuster, ‘Jurassic Park’ and still managed a walk along Cromer Pier. Then a day trip to Great Yarmouth, to the Pleasurebeach where the girls had all-day wristbands. An eventful journey home to Paxton with the girls, leaving Diana at Horning and we helped a young mother with her young baby to get to Bedford. The journey back to Norfolk, firstly delayed by the girls’ packing problems and then by roadworks around St Neots; missing Norwich rendezvous with Diana so we met up at Harnser.
I then took all of them over to the village by The Jolly and we took the family for the river trip to Horning Tea Shoppe and then in the evening to see "Dennis The Menace" at the Cromer Regal. It was also a month of nice meals out for Diana; first in St Neots and cafes in the surrounding area with films in Peterborough and Bedford and then off with the family in mid-month to stay in Horning for a non-stop itinerary. This included shopping, entertainments, meals out, cinema visits and walks. Holkham Country Fair and The Theatre Royal in Norwich and Jurassic Park (amongst other films in Cromer) were the highlights, and we established a routine at Wroxham Barns for Sunday lunch.
We had long walks with Sam at Yarmouth, Winterton and elsewhere. His training achievements continued, and he keeps his run clean after a worming session. This was after I spent more time with him trying to correct this habit and after I had also tried him on a single meal a day without success as he alternatively whined with hunger and then had loose motions. After further corrective action, he no longer runs up and jumps at people but, on occasion, he would still run off to other dogs and would not readily come back. We made good progress, however, with the dummy launcher and feathered dummies and he became quite steady and reliable on the retrieve both on land and in the water.
He was now also happy with a starting pistol firing blanks so as to start the process of dropping to shot. The work was never done as he then established a habit of chasing hares! Sam's had his first boating night aboard and some fine hunting experience after the GSP Training Class Day in Harlow which was very hot and uncomfortable day but otherwise went reasonably well. He was also settling well after several long walks, with Della joined me on occasion. He joined me for visits with the family to the Holkham Country Fair and Wells-next-the-Sea and the day driving to a pet store in Peterborough and then on to Milton Keynes to collect a gun cabinet.
On another occasion, the afternoon with Diana for a drive to St Bennetts Abbey for some hunting and retrieving practice, as he flushed hares and with the rest of the family for a walk around Horsey Mere. Then a walk and some great retrieves for Sam on the Winterton sand dunes in the sunshine and showers. At least he managed the first night in Paxton Princess and was fine as I conducted compass and autopilot trials on Barton Broad with Steve. Then some comprehensive Compass/Autopilot calibration trials with Steve in Barton Broad. Finally, back home to Paxton, dropping Steve off to Sawtry.
The latest government row for John Major's government was over about potential cuts to the Social Security System. Treasury Minister, Peter Lilley, opened a debate on the subject and fielded the whirlwind. The government then only just won a House of Commons vote for VAT on fuel and scraped through on Maastricht (due to a deal with the Ulster Unionists and the Speaker's casting vote); but was absolutely hammered in the Christchurch by-election for its pains with my Liberal Democrat party as the beneficiary.
There then followed controversy over the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Justice organisation after the wrongful conviction of the Birmingham Six. There was parliamentary uproar as the government lost the second and final vote on accepting their policy on the Social Chapter by a majority of 8 which meant that the Prime Minister could not initially ratify the treaty. The government had to make it a vote of confidence to approve their Maastricht prevails and an election was thus avoided. Even so, the authority of John Major was irretrievably damaged and there followed trouble when he was heard calling three of his Cabinet Ministers "bastards injecting poison" in recorded private conversations.
Ireland and The United Kingdom fell out over the Irish call for joint sovereignty for both countries over Ulster. England stage something of a recovery in the third cricket test match against Australia. I spent time watching cricket and films after a satisfactory eye test and day with Sam. England batted through the day against Australia with the loss of only two more wickets. Another lazy day watching England draw at cricket on television. This evening England duly lost the latest Test Match by an innings against Australia. Elsewhere, England lost their test matches with Australia, failing to win the only one in which they had a chance and I spend too much time watching it all. Ian Botham retired from English cricket as an era drew to an end.
Greg Norman pipped Nick Faldo to the golf British Open title. The popularity of the Conservative Party plumbs an all-time low as they lost a safe seat in the Christchurch By-Election as the LibDems thrashed the Tories in the 15th safest Tory-held seat, a majority of over 20,000 had been overturned and deficit of 18,000 put in its place with a 35% swing; the largest ever reversal recorded since the war. A forecast rebellion in the House of Lords, led by Margaret Thatcher, fizzled away and there was a bonus for John Smith as a joint Labour Party/Union meeting recommended acceptance of planned reforms to bring "one-man, one-vote" to party elections.
The world news this month was of The Tokyo Summit of G7 industrial countries which agreed substantial tariff reductions on a wide range of goods under the GATT, thus avoiding trade wars. The G7 meeting ended up with a further agreement for a huge development loan for Russia as the key part of the former Soviet Union. Iraq. The U.S.-led U.N. are on the brink of another confrontation as U.N. Weapons Inspectors are denied the opportunity of either sealing weapons test sites or putting up security cameras in Iraq. The Americans are discussing the option of another military strike but are still smarting from criticism over their recent helicopter attack on the Somali leader Bosnian Serb forces are surrounding Sarajevo.
Helicopters under U.N. authority attack the headquarters of the Samali war-lord, General Aidid, but fail to find him there. Bosnian violence, atrocities and recrimination continue as mortars kill twelve people queuing for water are killed and injuring as many. but last-minute attempts are in train under Dr Owen's aegis for all three sides to negotiate and arrange a cease-fire meanwhile. All this fades into the background as domestic problems grow for Clinton with disastrous floods in the mid-west and they incur world disapproval for attacking Somalia's General Aidid after which crowds attack and kill foreign journalists.
The world may not be threatened by global wars anymore but there is plenty of conflict and suffering for mankind who seem unable to live in peace and harmony. Israel gets world condemnation and direct criticism from the United States for the first time as it continued its bombardment of Southern Lebanon.