The first day in the South African elections today which was a poignant and historic event
The first day in the South African elections today which was a poignant and historic event

After a brief walk for Sam and a host of financial chores, more Election work in Buckden and Offord on another nice day, supervision canvassing and reconciling styles and objectives.

The first day in the South African elections today which was a poignant and historic event. This day the elderly, infirm and security forces vote in the first of three.

Another nice day for the election and I started it by contacting Derek with a further briefing on Buckden issues. A quick run for Sam after which I left him in the garden sun whilst I drove into St Neots and spent the morning there.

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First my building society transactions, the mail to post and other chores and then over to Sally where I just intended to collect some papers but ended up keying in all the outstanding canvas results and getting reports out accordingly. Once home, I received drafts of the latest leaflets for Louise and Terry. The first was excellent but the second full of conflict between Terry Clough's non-partisan copy and John Roscoe's strident political stuff!

I could not stand back any longer and intervened by fax and phone call with John to get it toned down and more personal to Terry's candidature. Then a longer walk with Sam as I quartered him across the open Molesworth fields again. I kept him watching me and achieved a better pattern whilst only just being in control. There was no game in this set aside, but he was steady to a hare that got up which was encouraging. On the way back I picked up a roadside cock pheasant casualty and used it successfully for a few retrieves.

Then to get changed and over to Offord where I helped Percy canvas the Offord D'Arcy High Street areas that had been missed in the campaign thus far. A full evening doing this, and we finished the street off in this session which was a good job, well done. Then a brief visit to Buckden where I found Derek Giles engrossed with Terry Clough and my presence was something of a distraction and so I left them to it. The first day in the South African elections today which was a poignant and historic event. This day the elderly, infirm and security forces vote in the first of three.