Another significant year for me as my 23-year marriage with Diana was coming to an end and I started an affair with Wiggly, herself only 23 years old as I passed 46!
The developments by month were summarised at the time by the following entries, which I have attempted to precis below but are included in full later and are so much better to be read fare down below individually.
A cold and icy beginning and end to the year with Spring Gales, June heat and thundery July followed by floods and storms to end with a wet Christmas.
A peak year for training my new gun dog Sam, winning a Very Highly Commended accolade as he progressed through Novice to full hunting and pointing trials.
Nigel and I were slowly renovating our Cambridge Street property and the Heronshaw rebuilding quest was experiencing delays.
I sold the Rolls Royce and gave my Dad's old Escort Estate to Di’s parents. I helped Daniel overhaul his fast and expensive Rover 825i saloon at a cost of only £190.
Daniel was now working and buying his own things, but I helped Debbie nurse her perceived complexion and skin problems and saw Della make progress in re-growing her plucked eyelashes.
Poor Diana had been suffering health problems and was struggling with the house as well as the children and our relationship seemed to be getting steadily worse.
I did my best to cheer her up but our holiday with the family to EuroDisney was rather too cold to be completely enjoyed but there were lots of good shows to see.
Another major excursion to Scotland when, for once, Diana joined me and the weather was glorious; giving her a totally-false impression of what the Highlands were like.
July was a big family month with our Norfolk Broads boating holiday. The year saw countless family events but also saw one crisis after another for John Major’s Tory government; with sex scandals, financial disasters.
June brought news of John Major and the Tories suffering the poorest results ever in the EuroElection, losing half their seats. His government then lost the key autumn vote on increasing VAT on fuel from 8% to 17.5% in The House of Commons and were in big trouble.
The Queen broke her wrist in a riding fall and her son, The Prince of Wales, was attacked with a blank-shooting pistol at the start of an incident-packed tour to Australia.
The biography of The Prince of Wales made three weekend appearances in The Sunday Times as he is accused of making harassing phone calls to a married man after an affair.
Elsewhere, the year started with the three-day Easter cease-fire announced by the IRA and the start of Sein Fein TV interviews heralds the organisation of formal talks before Christmas as Ulster Loyalists join the Irish cease-fire.
The first artificial heart is fitted at Papworth. An appalling knife attack on the staff and shoppers in a Birmingham store leaves several with serious neck lacerations.
The Managing Director of the Lyme Bay Activity Centre, where several children died in a tragic canoeing accident, was jailed for three years for manslaughter.
The sad news followed of the death of a pretty blonde 5-year-old girl from Meningitis locally and, after the confinement in hospital of her best friend, her death also.
Two more sad deaths with the passing of Manchester United legend, Sir Matt Busby, and radio presenter, Brian Redhead.
England did well at cricket in their 4th Test against the West Indies, but they suffered a massive defeat in the final Test and the ignominy of Lara scoring 375 runs against them; the most ever in a single test innings.
The Football World Cup took place without England who had failed to qualify. A most poignant sporting achievement was the victory by Daimon Hill in the British Grand Prix Formula 1. His father, who had died in a plane crash, had never managed to do this in his career.
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The weather in 1994 began with cold winds and rain to start with as the snow melted very cold with hard frosts and substantial snow as winter drew to a close, turning mild before the Spring gales which saw the return of sleet and snow with that bitter northerly breeze.
May brought fine and sunny weather before the heat of ‘flaming June’ passed into the oppressive hot and thundery July re-wakening concerns of climate change. The changeable mid-summer gave way to the stormy deluges of September drowning our Ropes Hill Dyke road.
Dismal October cooler and rainier weather with odd, better days followed by foggy nights as the frosts returned after which the mildest ever November for 300 years saw horrific floods and storms in Italy.
The year ended with typical wintry days alternating cold with milder days leading to drizzle in Christmas Day and flooding in the West Country.
It was a peak year for training my gundog Sam, ‘Norfolk Wigeon’ as I got access to John Osborne’s 250-acre Manor Farm in Molesworth. There followed big training sessions for Sam as he overcome his aggression towards other dogs and, gained enormously from being petted by all and sundry.
Sam also benefitted from being amongst over forty dogs in his Harlow sessions and other specialist training. Soon, he won some beginner Rosettes in trials and went on to his Spring Pointing Test and earning a ‘Good’ grade. A busy and significant time training Sam, taking him for a dog-training break in Brancaster with GSP club colleagues.
I was struggling to find enough time for training Sam but his waterwork became good and he got a 6th place out of 28 Novice Dogs at his first main event. Attending the GSP Club Championship Show at Retford Sam was rated "Very Highly Commended" and was also a good 4th position amongst 24 Novices at the Hungarian Vizsla Working Test in high summer, despite my distractions.
With Sam, I had access to shoot at Molesworth and at John Osborne's geese in the field opposite and then CFSA Ouse Washes for wildfowling. Sam continued making progress in fits and starts at Novice Pointing events, being good at hunting and quartering, retrieving and water work but sometimes with a hard mouth damaging live game.
The year ended with was walking Sam around Paxton Pits as I was training, shooting and attending dog events with Jim and his dogs
In property terms, Nigel and I were struggling to overcome parking problems to get the planning consent for our property develop Cambridge Street, progressing our conversion. My planned rebuilding of Heronshaw was delayed when a demolition cost of £3,000 was estimated but at least we kept the place tidy between outings and boat trips.
I helped Daniel change his car for a fast and expensive Rover 825i saloon, after which as he got his automatic gearbox repaired and his transmission completely overhauled at a cost of only £190. In the summer, I sold the Rolls Royce and gave my Dad's old Escort Estate to Di’s parents.
Daniel was now working and buying his own things. I helped Debbie nurse her perceived complexion and skin problems and saw Della make progress in re-growing her eyelashes and taking an interest in lighting and tending my fires.
Della made a splendid pizza at school and I helped her settle her down to bed as she reverted to eyelash plucking again and Daniel gets a pay increase from Nigel up from £10,000 to £16,000 and is again happy.
Debbie and Della were both causing problems in their own way but were both great with the dog. They were hosting friends with Debbie taking on more cooking and chores.
Debbie turned in school assessments was managing the large range of subjects which were satisfactory, I took both girls and their friends to the Kimbolton fireworks display and spent another fortune on them. I was still accompanying them to the bus stop and supervising their homework and chores.
Poor Diana had been suffering health problems and was struggling with the house as well as the children and our relationship seemed to be getting steadily worse. I did my best to cheer her up in other ways and took her out often to the cinema and for many meals out.
We shared a rather cold and disappointing holiday with the family to EuroDisney, but we did appreciate our trips to the Paris Latin Quarter, Les Halles, Eifel Tower and a Pont Neuf boat trip on the River Seine; shopping trips to Torcy; and a rail and bus outing Parc Asterix with its themes, rides, and Dolphin display. Also Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show was a highlight.
Upon pour return, there was a busy month for recreation with many cinema trips, meals out galore and our first trip of the season to Pleasurebeach in Great Yarmouth. We had a nice trip to the Theatre Royale whilst in Norwich to see Harry Secombe and cancer victim Roy Castle in their version of "Pickwick” and many other outings besides.
My other major excursion was to Scotland when, for once, Diana joined me and the weather was glorious; giving her a totally-false impression of what the Highlands were like and I enjoyed collecting my stag's head at last. Diana still got snacks to Brackenbury's, lunches at Happy Eaters and I took her to Peterborough to see "Blink" and "Three Weddings and a Funeral".
July was a big family month with our Norfolk Broads boating holiday and for my youngest daughter Della's 10th Birthday, and thus also the 10th anniversary of my sale of the company that I had funded, Comart.
We had very many theatre and cinema outings, sight-seeing trips and amusement arcade rides. In August I managed to organise two long boat trips all over The Broads and then completed some renovations aboard.
Between these nautical activities, we did our normal round of pleasurable things with something for everyone: Wroxham Library, Wroxham Barns lunches, snacks at Hoveton Riverside Cafe and The Horning Tea Shoppe and Mr Chann's atmospheric dinner routine for example.
In October Diana also became depressed at times with the girls behaving badly but went regularly to Keep Fit and Yoga. We had many meal and cinema outings, and I agreed to send her to Henlow Grange next month as part of my continued forfeit for detected infidelity.
There followed a weekend with Diana at The Heathrow Marriott without Sam which unfortunately coincided with a Bakerloo Line tunnel collapse and consequent airport traffic chaos and drove to the West End to watch "The Mousetrap" at the theatre.
By this time, Diana was attending her own classes and events with a short stay at the Henlow Grange Health Farm. My daughters were enjoying events and at my expense whilst the year ended with we enjoyed the Kimbolton School Prep Department for Della's last Prep Carol Service.
I had prepared The Hayling View as always for the festive period and we hosted Diana’s Christmas Eve family party with Sue across from Colchester having picked up Charles and Norma on the way. Charlie, Chrisula and their children also arrived later Christmas Day with Diana and the family.
The family opening a huge selection of presents girls got to enjoy their new bikes last and were thrilled but soon Debbie’s bike was stolen from outside the house.
At home in the UK, the year started with another month of political problems for John Major's government with his ‘back to basics’ campaign thwarted by a Minister’s sex scandal and with the Tory flagship Westminster Council being condemned by the District Auditor of gerrymandering with tax-payers money.
John Major was still struggling to control his Chief Treasury Secretary Lilley, who made another xenophobic speech criticising overseas educational standards.
The House of Commons rejected the death penalty once more by an even greater majority than last time but agreed a new age of consent for homosexuality, reducing it from 21 to 18.
John Major created another rod for his own back as he first rejected the customary formula for the extension of voting rights in the enlarged European Community and then had to climb down anyway.
June brought news of John Major and the Tories suffering the poorest results ever in the Euro Election, losing half their seats. Tory minister David Mellor as also being pilloried for his amorous affairs. The government stumbles on as the second year's School League-Tables are published amidst widespread criticism.
The Tory Vice-Chairman resigns after a series of xenophobic Europe remarks and Chancellor Kenneth Clarke admits to Euro-Budget underestimates. The government climbed down over the Post Office sell-off on the eve of the Queen's Speech and the first draw for the National Lottery takes place with the resultant publicity.
There were many misgivings but will one day be proved to support national sport and other things. Elsewhere, the John Major’s government's plans for Local Government Expenditure have led to cuts in services and the natives are not happy about it.
His government then loses the key vote on increasing VAT on fuel from 8% to 17.5% in The House of Commons and are in big trouble. The signalmen's Rail Strike deepens with the occurrence of two-day strikes for the first time. Back home, the chancellor edges up interest rates up 0.4% and gains few friends for doing so.
Two grisly accidents with double-decker buses kill several as one overturns and the other crashes into a low bridge.
The Queen broke her wrist in a riding fall and her son, The Prince of Wales, was attacked with a blank-shooting pistol at the start of an incident-packed tour to Australia.
Elsewhere, there was much consternation as the IRA launched an attack on Heathrow Airport just before Her Majesty The Queen was due to land.
The biography of The Prince of Wales makes three weekend appearances in The Sunday Times before and after Her Majesty the Queen makes her historic visit to Russia, but her son's story dominates the home news coverage thereafter The Princess of Wales is accused of making harassing phone calls to a married man after an affair.
Outside the UK, the month started with the three-day Easter cease-fire announced by the IRA after there were several bomb attacks on an Ulster Police Station by Irish paramilitary.
The news was dominated by the IRA cease-fire and The Irish Times leads the way for Dublin to greet this as sufficiently permanent. The start of Sein Fein TV interviews heralds the organisation of formal talks before Christmas as Ulster Loyalists join the Irish cease-fire.
Lloyds names won a record £500m damages suit against the underwriters. The first artificial heart was fitted at Papworth and The Audit Commission reported a three-fold increase in computer crime.
Concerning the IRA bombings, there were fears for the forthcoming party conferences then on last day of the month the IRA announce their cease-fire to commence at midnight.
There was a huge Mumps inoculation campaign underway for schoolchildren. Amongst the other news, my old sparring partner Cllr Derek Holley, bless him, has a quadruple heart-valve by-pass operation at Papworth which brought back memories.
On the sporting scene there was the sad passing of Manchester United legend, Sir Matt Busby, and radio presenter, Brian Redhead. England did well at cricket in their 4th Test against the West Indies, but they suffered a massive defeat in the final Test and the ignominy of Lara scoring 375 runs against them; the most ever in a single test innings.
The Football World Cup took place without England who had failed to qualify. It was a busy sporting month as world cricket was resumed, and Robert Chase of Norwich City makes the good decision to accept £5m for Chris Sutton and will buy several players to strengthen the defence and have money left to develop the South Stand.
A most poignant sporting achievement was the victory by Daimon Hill in the British Grand Prix Formula 1. His father, who had died in a plane crash, had never managed to do this in his career.
More scandal as an English athlete is tested positive for drugs then two women athletes are also found out, threatening the women's team's entry into the World Championships at Crystal Palace next month. In sport, Daimon Hill catches up Michael Schumacher in the Formula 1 Grand Prix table due to the latter's suspension.
Elsewhere, the world was still grieving and wringing its hands after the mortar attack on Sarajevo marketplace where over sixty people were killed. NATO planes were enforcing the no-fly zone over Bosnia by shooting down four Serb planes as they attacked a munitions factory in the protected area.
There followed another Allied air strike that succeeded in its direct aim but failed to stop the Bosnian Serb army from advancing on Goradsne.
A mad attack by an ex-American Israeli settler extremist jeopardised the PLO peace talks. He killed over fifty religious worshippers at a mosque. And was an aftershock in Los Angeles after their recent earthquake.
Islamic Jihad set off bus bomb in Tel Aviv, killing dozens in attempt to derail the Arab/Israeli peace plan and Israelis unwisely retaliate by shelling Gaza. and on the Israeli Embassy by Hezbollah or some other Arab Terrorists.
A bomb attack by right-wing extremists on Johannesburg International Airport failed to stop the first universal and free South African Elections.
It was mechanical failure or pilot error that was responsible for the latest of a worrying series of civil air crashes; this time at Schipol Airport.
Horrific genocide continues in Rwanda, sending the world community into a huddle deciding what to do
There is another ferry tragedy, this time in The Baltic with up to 1000 dead after the loading ramp doors fail, making the craft capsize within ten minutes. A US 747 passenger plane also crashed, killing all 131 people on board. What appears to be a suicide pilot dies on the lawn of the US White House with no other casualties.
This, whilst authorities struggle to contain Pneumonic Plague in India.
Elsewhere, Sadam Hussein's partial withdrawal from the Kuwaiti border region has to satisfy the US and UK after France supports the status quo and would not allow more offensive action.
A Heathrow office block collapses with the tunnelling problems getting out of hand. There is also a collapse of seating at Wembley that ends a Pink Floyd concert before it began. England could only draw with Romania at Wembley and Daimon Hill lost to Michael Schumacher and has to win last two Grand Prix races for championship success.
Terry Venables, the England Coach, is also pilloried for his business affairs. Ron Atkinson is the latest of three Premier League football managers to lose their jobs after Mike Walker of Everton and Ossie Ardilles of Spurs.
NATO-sanctioned Allied air strikes take place on a Serbian airfield as a political gesture that soon backfired as the Serbs then advanced on the Moslem "Safe Haven" of Bisach and 160 British and Dutch soldiers were detained.
The US Republicans give Democrats a drubbing in the mid-term elections and win majorities in both Houses of Congress
On the sporting scene, Daimon Hill takes hope from winning the Japanese Grand Prix but loses the championship after a controversial collision with Michael Schumacker.
Overseas, all except two passengers and crew were saved from the fire-struck Italian cruise liner, the Acquile Laro. Five British tourists, four of them from one family, were crashed to their death on a skiing holiday in Isola near the Italian border when their Range Rover skidded off a mountain road
A growing crisis as a breakaway republic of Russia Bosnia is threatened by surrounding tanks and troops and talk of the UN Peacekeeping Force being withdrawn.
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January 1994 Summary
This was a wet and windy month turning cold later and more floods as the snow melted. A relatively healthy month but a telling bi-annual visit to my dentist, trips to Horning commissioning the security alarm at Harnser and struggling to overcome parking problems to get the planning consent for my property develop Cambridge Street.
A busy and significant month training Sam, taking him for a dog-training break in Brancaster with GSP club colleagues. I helped Daniel change his car for a fast and expensive Rover 825i saloon, helped Debbie nurse her perceived complexion and skin problems and saw Della make progress in re-growing her eyelashes and taking an interest in lighting and tending my fires.
Poor Diana had been suffering health problems as well. My visit to the Boat Show this month had been an interesting show for me as I took the opportunity to review computer navigation systems in a month where I had upgraded my own and Daniel's computers considerably to allow more of my MAC applications to be transferred.
It had been another month of political problems for John Major's government with his ‘back to basics’ campaign thwarted by a Minister’s sex scandal and with the Tory flagship Westminster Council being condemned by the District Auditor of gerrymandering with tax-payers money.
The Queen broke her wrist in a riding fall and her son, The Prince of Wales, was attacked with a blank-shooting pistol at the start of an incident-packed tour to Australia. Two sad deaths with the passing of Manchester United legend, Sir Matt Busby, and radio presenter, Brian Redhead.
Mike Walker leaves from Norwich City for Everton and Dixie Deehan takes. A big earthquake in the San Fernando area of Los Angeles measuring Richter 6.6 and lead to much loss of life and material damage
February 1994 Summary
The weather was wet, windy and very cold with hard frosts and substantial snow as winter drew to a close. humanisation during these communal events, improved and did some good retrieves upon both dummies and cold birds.
Sam also benefitted from being amongst over forty dogs in his Harlow sessions and other specialist training. His need for more running space was answered by my making the acquaintance of a Molesworth political colleague giving us access to 250 acres of set-aside.
My help was rewarded as the LibDems won the Eaton Ford by-election. There was still time for making boating arrangements for the cold weather and for finally updating of my financial and administrative affairs so that I could compile my investment and income summary and thus resolve the year's tax planning with my advisers.
Nigel was struggling through changes of staff and suffering the courts over his alleged insurance fraud where he now faced a retrial. He eventually got our Cambridge Street property investment underway. I took lessons at the Mid-Norfolk Shooting School and bought ten "squashable" pigeon decoys.
Apart from tossing pancakes on Shrove Tuesday, I helped Debbie and Della to make a formidable snowman, as Diana was struggling with the house and children and our relationship seemed to be getting steadily worse. I did my best to cheer her up during the month in other ways and took her out often to the cinema and for many meals out.
A good month for Daniel as he got his automatic gearbox repaired and his transmission completely overhauled at a cost of only £190. Debbie and Della were both causing problems in their own way but were both great with the dog.
Elsewhere, John Major was still struggling to control his Chief Treasury Secretary Lilley, who made another xenophobic speech criticising overseas educational standards. The House of Commons rejected the death penalty once more by an even greater majority than last time but agreed a new age of consent for homosexuality, reducing it from 21 to 18.
The world was still grieving and wringing its hands after the mortar attack on Sarajevo marketplace where over sixty people were killed. NATO planes were enforcing the no-fly zone over Bosnia by shooting down four Serb planes as they attacked a munitions factory in the protected area.
A mad attack by an ex-American Israeli settler extremist jeopardised the PLO peace talks. He killed over fifty religious worshippers at a mosque. Norwich City could only draw their Premier League matches this month after selling Ruel Fox, their fast striker, for over £2million and there were some ground protests planned as a result.
March 1994 Summary
This was a mild month, if a bit wet but March marked the beginning of my political season's election efforts. I still spent time in Norfolk and progressed our Cambridge Street conversion with Nigel. This month, his wife Lyn had suffered a tragedy with the death of her Mum who was suffocated during an examination and was left to a gradual death in a coma with irreparable brain damage.
Training with gundog Sam was going well and was enhanced by my getting access to the John Osborne’s Manor Farm in Molesworth. Sam won some beginner Rosettes in trials but also suffered a tummy upset after eating too much cheese tracking.
At The Hayling View, new cleaner Susanne started work and our new handyman started work and Bill continued his endeavour, hanging some new gates, extending the concrete path and starting the process of repairing the fence to our gardens.
This was a busy month for recreation with many cinema trips, meals out galore and our first trip of the season to Pleasurebeach in Great Yarmouth. Elsewhere, there was much consternation as the IRA launched an attack on Heathrow Airport just before Her Majesty The Queen was due to land,
John Major created another rod for his own back as he first rejected the customary formula for the extension of voting rights in the enlarged European Community and then had to climb down anyway and was an aftershock in Los Angeles after their recent earthquake.
April1994 Summary
There was a lethal combination of gales, lashing rain and sleet and snow that greeted Sam's first pointing test during a month that came in like a lion and went out like a lamb as Spring arrived. But it was same bitter northerly wind did not cease and set the scene for a miserable EuroDisney trip.
My time was split between Paxton, Paris and Horning, organising the LibDem campaign in the former as we battled on in Priory and the Offords. There was plenty of practical tasks as I erected a pole-cote and cleared up Harnser’s garden.
A good month for Sam’s progress, with plenty of training and experience for him, taking part in his first Spring Pointing Test and earning a ‘Good’ grade.
A cold and disappointing holiday with the family to EuroDisney but we did appreciate our trips to the Paris Latin Quarter, Les Halles, Eifel Tower and a Pont Neuf boat trip on the River Seine; shopping trips to Torcy; and a rail and bus outing Parc Asterix with its themes, rides, and Dolphin display. Also Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show was a highlight.
We had a nice trip to the Theatre Royale whilst in Norwich to see Harry Secombe and cancer victim Roy Castle in their version of "Pickwick” and many other outings besides.
Elsewhere, the month started with the three-day Easter cease-fire announced by the IRA, but real conflict of the month was in Bosnia where there was another Allied air strike that succeeded in its direct aim but failed to stop the Bosnian Serb army from advancing on Goradsne.
A bomb attack by right-wing extremists on Johannesburg International Airport failed to stop the first universal and free South African Elections. It was mechanical failure or pilot error that was responsible for the latest of a worrying series of civil air crashes; this time at Schipol Airport.
England did well at cricket in their 4th Test against the West Indies, but they suffered a massive defeat in the final Test and the ignominy of Lara scoring 375 runs against them; the most ever in a single test innings.
May1994 Summary
A month of fine and sunny weather to start the season of longer daylight hours which was a blessing for our work in two election campaigns and a surprising fillip for my first trip to Caithness with Diana later in the month.
Work to integrate a widening number of party colleagues into our LibDem group as our seats on Huntingdonshire District Council went up from 8 to 11, and we took over electing Sally Guinee as Mayor of St Neots and Derek Giles as her Deputy Mayor.
I was struggling to find enough time for training Sam but his waterwork became good and he got a 6th place out of 28 Novice Dogs at his first main event.
Personally, was saddened by the death of my Uncle Stan Bertin but the nation mourned the death of Labour Leader, John Smith, a man who commanded universal respect even by his political opponents and was otherwise destined to be the next Prime Minister.
My other major excursion of the month was to Scotland when, for once, Diana joined me and the weather was glorious; giving her a totally-false impression of what the Highlands were like and I enjoyed collecting my stag's head at last.
My daughters were enjoying events and Diana still got snacks to Brackenbury's, lunches at Happy Eaters and I took her to Peterborough to see "Blink" and "Three Weddings and a Funeral"
June1994 Summary
‘Flaming June’ proved to be a gloriously-hot and sunny month of gave political activity with more elections success but also two trips to Norfolk and domestic party challenges.
We commemorated our Fathers’ Days, sold the Rolls Royce and gave my Dad's old Escort Estate to Di’s parents. More property progress at The Hayling View and Cambridge Street, with the first tenants in the latter. I was still running the RHDRA and reviewing the Broads Plan for its impact on our dyke road.
Jim was taking a rest from dog training with Ben but Sam and I were going from strength to strength attending the GSP Club Championship Show at Retford where Sam was "Very Highly Commended". Apart from my visits and election work, we still managed some activities at home dining out, visiting the cinema and fetes.
News of John Major and the Tories suffering the poorest results ever in the EuroElection, losing half their seats and the Football World Cup took place without England who had failed to qualify.
July1994 Summary
A hot, thundery and oppressive month of weather, marked the start of climate change but also the notable personal election success for my Liberal Democrat colleagues.
It re-enforced our party’s control of St Neots Town Council and also heralded the start of a passionate personal affair with ‘Wiggly’ which was to change my life.
It was a big family month with our Norfolk Broads boating holiday and for my youngest daughter Della's 10th Birthday, and thus also the 10th anniversary of my sale of the company that I had funded, Comart.
We had very many theatre and cinema outings, sight-seeing trips and amusement arcade rides. I found time also to spend with Nigel, solving the remaining problems with Cambridge Street and hearing of his personal revelations as he was separating from Lynne.
I completed the sale of the Rolls Royce that I had helped friends get married in it and buried both parents using it in the entourage. Sam had to struggle for attention and also suffered in the sweltering heat which these active dogs do not like but had his longest period afloat and was also a good 4th position amongst 24 Novices at the Hungarian Vizsla Working Test.
Horrific genocide continues in Rwanda, sending the world community into a huddle deciding what to do. There were several bomb attacks on an Ulster Police Station by Irish paramilitary and on the Israeli Embassy by Hezbollah or some other Arab Terrorists. I
t was a busy sporting month as world cricket was resumed, and Robert Chase of Norwich City makes the good decision to accept £5m for Chris Sutton and will buy several players to strengthen the defence and have money left to develop the South Stand.
The most poignant sporting achievement of the month was the victory by Daimon Hill in the British Grand Prix Formula 1. His father, who had died in a plane crash, had never managed to do this in his career.
August 1994 Summary
A mixed month of weather and perpetual tiredness satisfying a wife and mistress during a hot affair, coping with three kids and training a demanding gun dog, whilst chasing sister Freda and Alf about my loan, them being a hopeless couple.
I also managed a constant cycle of paying staff in cash, bill paying, returning calls and checking mail. Also keeping in touch with my friend Nigel in his time of greatest need and personal problems.
My planned rebuilding of Heronshaw was delayed when a demolition cost of £3,000 was estimated but at least we kept the place tidy between outings and boat trips. I managed to organise two long boat trips all over The Broads and then completed some renovations aboard.
Between these nautical activities, we did our normal round of pleasurable things with something for everyone: Wroxham Library, Wroxham Barns lunches, snacks at Hoveton Riverside Cafe and The Horning Tea Shoppe and Mr Chann's atmospheric dinner routine for example (!) but also novel trips such as one to see Sam Weller's Reepham Museum.
Whilst in Norwich I get back to watching Norwich City win their first match of the season. Still time during the month to see Di's parents in Cambridge and to get Della her new shoes and Debbie more things for her French Trip. Daniel has friends and attractive blondes to stay after a river drinking party.
During my trips to Norfolk, I also manage two serious rabbit lamping with Jim at Wymondham, and we get quite a good method going between us during a busy month of dog training.
The highlight of the month though is the development of my relationship with Wiggly and our first proper date was at The Bridge at Clayhithe with her in her black mini-dress as we both prepared in nervous expectation.
I was then aroused by her affectionate manner after which we had a great evening and a very passionate night at her flat until I learned of her heath setback, which was a blow.
Another great time after her wisdom tooth operation, collecting her from the station and treating her to tea on the Hotel Wroxham balcony before showing her over Harnser, Heronshaw and the Paxton Princess for the first time.
The main month's news of importance to us is the fire at Norwich City Library - which was gutted as was Della and Debbie at the loss of a favourite place to go when we are in Norwich.
The signalmen's Rail Strike deepens with the occurrence of two-day strikes for the first time. The month starts with IRA bombings and fears for the forthcoming party conferences then on last day of the month they announce their cease-fire to commence at midnight.
The Princess of Wales is accused of making harassing phone calls to a married man after an affair. More scandal as an English athlete is tested positive for drugs then two women athletes are also found out, threatening the women's team's entry into the World Championships at Crystal Palace next month.
September 1994 Summary
A stormy month of weather with East Anglian deluges as torrential rain drowned Ropes Hill Dyke road but a mild one nevertheless. The biggest storm of the month was my Marital Crisis emanating from Diana as she read my journal jottings and found out about my affair with Wiggly.
This had followed another heavenly month of illicit lovemaking as I showered Wiggly with gifts, but things calmed down for a while as Diana realised that she and the girls would be pretty lost without me. I was helping Wiggly move into her new house and I was being cautious but succumbed to the temptation and ignored the dangers which would return to haunt me later.
This new affair survives the critical doubts of her sister Joanne. I was still attending key dog training and trials with Sam and getting on well and surprisingly managed a full agenda of family outings and events with Diana and the girls, contributing to the hobbies and hobbies of the latter.
With Sam, I had access to shoot at Molesworth and at John Osborne's geese in the field opposite and then CFSA Ouse Washes for wildfowling. I used such time as I had to concentrate on long seen and memory retrieves, steadying him to shot and trying to run him without boring forward to much and he produced his best-ever points as a result.
He was mentioned in club magazine despatches for his Pointing Grading and was then eighth out of thirty-five Novices at the Laverstoke Park working test. He had been fit and healthy all summer but then went down with Gastro-enteritis, getting me up in the middle of the night to clear up his run. A diet of chicken and rice again after day's fast cleared him up on vets advice.
At Horning, I was planning the rebuilding of Heronshaw and I was still advising the St Neots & District Liberal Democrats and the tedium of paperwork and accounts was brightened up by the visit of former plot-owner Bill Clarke and his daughter. It was even more of a traumatic and eventful month for my best friend Nigel as he settled his insurance court case and separated from Lynn with a £250,000 cash and property settlement.
His personal life then takes a sexually-active turn as he frenetically searches for a love-match to replace her and Kate and then he has his full slate of business problems with MiPet etc. The months news is dominated by the IRA cease-fire and The Irish Times leads the way for Dublin to greet this as sufficiently permanent.
Back home, The chancellor edges up interest rates up 0.4% and gains few friends for doing so. Two grisly accidents with double-decker buses kill several as one overturns and another crashes into a low bridge. There is another ferry tragedy, this time in The Baltic with up to 1000 dead after the loading ramp doors fail, making the craft capsize within ten minutes.
A US 747 passenger plane also crashes, killing all 131 people on board. What appears to be a suicide pilot dies on the lawn of the US White House with no other casualties. There is a huge Mumps inoculation campaign underway for schoolchildren here after fear of an epidemic whilst authorities struggle to contain Pneumonic Plague in India.
Amongst the other news, my old sparring partner Cllr Derek Holley has a quadruple heart-valve by-pass operation at Papworth which brings back memories. In sport, Daimon Hill catches up Michael Schumacher in the Formula 1 Grand Prix table due to the latter's suspension.
October1994 Summary
As daylight hours waned it was a dismal month of cooler and rainier weather with brief respites. Warm and sunny days were followed by foggy nights with a slight frost.
My throat infection at the beginning of the month turned into a full cold and then a chest infection until I ended up quite ill. This whilst keeping St Neots LibDems on the rails by attending a controversial meeting as we prepared to expel Ross McKay from branch and council groups.
Time with my friends Julie and Jim Bird, and also with Nigel separated from Lynn and experiencing an argument that turned violent. Wiggly was getting more demanding as our relationship deepened and we were spending time together in Norfolk and Eynesbury sharing meals and attending events.
Her health issues were improving and she was settling in to her flat, owning a more reliable car, and managing to fulfil her political role whilst following her hobby of drama. Diana also became depressed at times with the girls behaving badly but went regularly to Keep Fit and Yoga.
We had many meal and cinema outings, and I agreed to send her to Henlow Grange next month as part of my continued forfeit for detected infidelity.
There followed a weekend with Diana at The Heathrow Marriott without Sam which unfortunately coincided with a Bakerloo Line tunnel collapse and consequent airport traffic chaos and drove to the West End to watch "The Mousetrap" at the theatre.
Debbie turned in school assessments was managing the large range of subjects which were satisfactory, Della made a splendid pizza at school and I helped her settle her down to bed as she reverted to eyelash plucking again and Daniel gets a pay increase from Nigel up from £10,000 to £16,000 and is again happy.
Much time this month training Sam at our new Molesworth farm venue and making progress in fits and starts at Novice Pointing events. Good at hunting and quartering, retrieving and water work but sometimes with a hard mouth on live game.
The news this month unfolded with a ferry disaster was found to be due to faulty bow doors, The Labour conference saw Tony Blair trying to deal with the demanding unions and Margaret Thatcher embarrasses the start of the Tory conference over stories of her son Mark making money on her position.
The start of Sein Fein TV interviews heralds the organisation of formal talks before Christmas as Ulster Loyalists join the Irish cease-fire. Lloyds names win a record £500m damages suit against the underwriters. The first artificial heart is fitted at Papworth and The Audit Commission report a three-fold increase in computer crime.
Elsewhere, Sadam Hussein's partial withdrawal from the Kuwaiti border region has to satisfy the US and UK after France supports the status quo and would not allow more offensive action. Islamic Jihad set off bus bomb in Tel Aviv, killing dozens in attempt to derail the Arab/Israeli peace plan and Israelis unwisely retaliate by shelling Gaza.
The biography of The Prince of Wales makes three weekend appearances in The Sunday Times before and after Her Majesty the Queen makes her historic visit to Russia but her son's story dominates the home news coverage thereafter.
A Heathrow office block collapses with the tunnelling problems getting out of hand. There is also a collapse of seating at Wembley that ends a Pink Floyd concert before it began.
England could only draw with Romania at Wembley and Daimon Hill lost to Michael Schumacher and has to win last two Grand Prix races for championship success. Terry Venables, the England Coach, is also pilloried for his business affairs.
November 1994 Summary
This month mild and misty November was the mildest in Norfolk, since record began and elsewhere on record since 1665 but the extremes of weather also led to horrific floods and storms in Italy.
I celebrated my 48th year and have seldom been happier with my shooting, dog training and football pastimes and close relationships.
I was pigeon shooting both at Molesworth and closer at hand on Mill Meadow, winning a famous "Cause Celebre" with Cambs. Firearms Department over a licensing issue.
My dog Sam had to compete with many more powerful distractions again this month as I did little more than build up his obedience and social skills and some good retrieves of duck and moorhen.
I exposed him to his first exposure to a driven shoot and the Bury obedience class was improving him in that respect when I can get to it.
My love affair with Wiggly was off the scale as we met often for meals out, theatre and cinema visits and recovered from seasonal colds. I showered her with clothes, household items, gifts and care as she recovered from her condition.
Diana was attending her own classes and events with a short stay at the Henlow Grange Health Farm at my expense and the girls were hosting friends with Debbie taking on more cooking and chores.
I take both girls and their friends to the Kimbolton fireworks display and spend another fortune on them. I was still accompanying them to the bus stop and supervising their homework and chores whilst Daniel was now working and buying his own things.
Though mostly in the background, I advised as Ross McKay was expelled from the Liberal Democrat Town Council Group locally.
Nationally, the month's news starts with the end of the damaging Prince of Wales newspaper book feature and David Mellor is pilloried for his amorous affairs
The government stumbles on as the second year's School League-Tables are published amidst widespread criticism.
The Tory Vice-Chairman resigns after a series of xenophobic Europe remarks and Chancellor Kenneth Clarke admits to Euro-Budget underestimates.
The government climbed down over the Post Office sell-off on the eve of the Queen's Speech and the first draw for the National Lottery takes place with the resultant publicity.
There were many misgivings but will one day be proved to support national sport and other things.
NATO-sanctioned Allied air strikes take place on a Serbian airfield as a political gesture that soon backfired as the Serbs then advanced on the Moslem "Safe Haven" of Bisach and 160 British and Dutch soldiers were detained.
The US Republicans give Democrats a drubbing in the mid-term elections and win majorities in both Houses of Congress.
On the sporting scene, Daimon Hill takes hope from winning the Japanese Grand Prix but loses the championship after a controversial collision with Michael Schumacker.
Ron Atkinson is the latest of three Premier League football managers to lose their jobs after Mike Walker of Everton and Ossie Ardilles of Spurs.
December1994 Summary
This was typical mid-winter month for weather, starting mild but then becoming freezing cold before a milder spell with drizzle arrived on Christmas Day, thaws triggered flooding in the West Country.
Norwich was doing well in the Premier League, signing Ashley Ward and winning and drawing matches against tough opposition.
Despite my affair with Wiggly, I was busy trying to maintain family life in Paxton taking them for films, buying presents and even took Diana for a memory-lane visit to Brighton.
I carried on familarising myself with the Psion organiser and we enjoyed the Kimbolton School Prep Department for Della's last Prep Carol Service.
I had prepared The Hayling View as always for the festive period and we hosted Diana’s Christmas Eve family party with Sue across from Colchester having picked up Charles and Norma on the way.
Charlie, Chrisula and their children also arrived later Christmas Day with Diana and the family. The family opening a huge selection of presents girls got to enjoy their new bikes last and were thrilled but soon Debbie’s bike was stolen from outside the house.
When home in Paxton, I was walking Sam around Paxton Pits and was training, shooting and attending dog events with Jim and his dogs but he was getting disillusioned with his whining dog Ben and this continued as normal despite the other things dominating my life.
Nigel was also suffering from a huge cold, had horrendous business problems with MiPet and his poor dog, Sally, had died. He also had a traumatic experience threatened by a former employee.
I was maintaining life at home and took the family to Waresley Garden Centre to get the Christmas Tree.
As well as the school run, I was still going to Cambridge on Tuesdays with Diana and to the Kings Pantry lunch soup for their baked-potato lunch special
I got fever from food poisoning which was as ill as I have been all year with inexplicable sickness and fever with a raging headache, a temperature of 100F+ and near-paralyzed limbs and then contracted a cold to follow!
This was a significant time for the development of my relationship with Wiggly, both the frequency and duration of our times together threatening my long-term marriage, taking risks in being seen together with her by mutual friends of Diana.
While supposedly being in Norfolk, she was preparing nice meals for me in her Eynesbury flat in return for me doing chores such as fitting her kitchen roller blind, a heating timer and thermostat.
She was becoming upset over the limited amount of time I could spend with her but she was in better heart for our Norwich Christmas Shopping weekend as she got on top of things and then I got on top of her and needs!
Wiggly was struggling at work and I could not help her with this but could personally with a few chores such as buying cards and trying to console her with mixed results when she then had bad news about her infections, and it seemed that we were back to square one.
I had bought her a fine eternity ring, gave it to her a week before Christmas and finally won her heart back. Joint clinic visits followed to find better news for both of us as she had an ultimate clear bill of health.
Wiggly had discussed with Joanne what to say to her parents about me over Christmas as we took the risk of going together to Nigel's for his New Year Party.
There followed A sexy game of Twister modified by me to reveal the girls’ underwear until, suitably stimulated, I took Wiggly off to bed in Room 6 at Hail Weston House around 3.30am. This, before a Christmas Lunch farewell for Wiggly.
Locally, HDC buys Paxton Pits and saves the nature reserve and the Little Paxton Mill Lane bridge strengthening nearly blocks the road as a new St Neots by-pass roundabout roadworks also delays traffic.
Elsewhere, the John Major’s government's plans for Local Government Expenditure have led to cuts in services and they the natives are not happy about it.
His Government then loses the key vote on increasing VAT on fuel from 8% to 17.5% in The House of Commons and are in big trouble.
An appalling knife attack on the staff and shoppers in a Birmingham store leaves several with serious neck lacerations and the Managing Director of the Lyme Bay Activity Centre, where several children died in a tragic canoeing accident, has been jailed for three years for manslaughter.
The sad news followed was of the death of a pretty blonde 5-year-old girl from Meningitis locally and, after the confinement in hospital of her best friend, her death also.
Overseas, all except two passengers and crew were saved from the fire-struck Italian cruise liner, the Acquile Laro.
A growing crisis as a breakaway republic of Russia Bosnia is threatened by surrounding tanks and troops and talk of the UN Peacekeeping Force being withdrawn.
Five British tourists, four of them from one family, were crashed to their death on a skiing holiday in Isola near the Italian border when their Range Rover skidded off a mountain road.