After the school run, walking Sam and then to Cambridge with Diana and the Kings Pantry lunch soup and baked-potato lunch special.
Then the afternoon shooting on Mill Meadow and evening obedience training.
John Major’s Government loses the key vote on increasing VAT on fuel from 8% to 17.5% in The House of Commons and are in big trouble.
I have fallen into a pattern of spending alternative Tuesdays going with Diana to see her parents in Cambridge and this was the week for it.
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First my routine in accompanying the girls to the bus stop with Sam and then I walked him past the road works and into Mill Field.
I had not done enough work with him lately and so decided to quarter him across the rough land and set-aside to see if he could successfully find and point some pheasants.
In fact, he did find a couple of hens, but they proved too wily for him and ran ahead before flying. Back a little late but, by driving through Toseland and avoiding the St Neots Bypass roadworks, I still got us to Cambridge and into Eadon Lilley's between 10.00am and 10.15am for morning coffee with Charles & Norma.
They seemed fine and we finalised some arrangements for them to come and stay over Christmas. Some shopping afterwards, buying me some more "Brass Monkey" underpants and a new red Paisley-pattern tie and then the Kings Pantry lunch soup and baked-potato lunch special.
I cannot help closely observing both the staff and customers of this vegetarian and vegan restaurant and thinking that they look pale and ill-nourished such that I feel like offering them all a steak!
The journey home and, leaving Diana to do some chores in Town, I took Sam and the boat over to Mill Meadow and set myself up for the afternoon to do some pigeon shooting.
I was still not having success in decoying the pigeons but shot a starling, a moorhen and three ducks before coming back at dusk. I cursed the timing as several skeins of Canada Geese flew over me as I moored up at The Hayling View but they were too close to the house to fire at and risk disturbing the neighbours.
After tea and a rest, I loaded Sam up again and drove him over to Bury for his obedience class. He fared reasonably well but still growled at the other dogs slightly and in particular at a very noisy and loud Alsatian but I got on top of him in the end.
Back late and another rest before bed. Brief calls to Wiggly and Nigel today to progress the possibility of Tensor sponsoring the St Neots Players Pantomime and Nigel also hosting a party for the company at Hail Weston House after the last night.
It seems that all parties are agreed which will be great fun and a chance for me to meet her friends. Great and solemn news late this evening as the Government loses the key vote on increasing VAT on fuel from 8% to 17.5% in The House of Commons.
Eight Tories abstained and seven voted against the measure with their new freedom found after having had the Tory Whip withdrawn from them. John Major's administration is now in big trouble, having lost his Commons majority and being unable to implement one of his budget measures. His backbenchers have tasted blood and are revelling in their new-found freedom.