More LibDem Eynesbury electioneering still on a hot and oppressive day, and advising our Eynesbury candidate on housing issues as Diana took Della and some friends to Wickstead Park.
Derek and John Scott raffled a huge cuddly toy (which I identified as the Beast from EuroDisney's "La Bell et le Bette" and raised at least the £50 for LibDem election expenses
The hot, sunny and humid weather continued relentlessly as I was still trying to persuade people to get out canvassing in Eynesbury.
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I had Derek and Sandy, Andy Hamilton and Wiggly herself in the morning and they were well-used so that by the end of the session we had canvassed just under a third of the ward and were again close to the Labour Party in tussling for victory with the Conservatives still a poor third.
It was really very hot and even hotter in the afternoon and there was only Derek Giles working as the rest of the world seemed to be sitting outside in the shade or inside watching the Women's Tennis Final at Wimbledon.
It was evidently a close match with the older Martina Navratilova finally succumbing in the heat with fatigue to the young Spanish challenger, Contina Martinez, the first Spaniard ever to win the title. Martina heads off to retirement having failed to win for a record 10th time. The worst news was the kidnap of a newly born baby from a Nottingham maternity hospital when only four hours old.
A woman dressed as a nurse took it away from the father whilst pretending to be taking it for a hearing test. After an active morning, I stayed on at the committee room as Diana had taken Della and some friends to Wickstead Park for a pre-party treat when Della had already been to the Zap Zone with Niaomi for her birthday outing.
Wiggly had arranged to see the terraced house she was buying in Eynesbury a little way along from the committee room and, when I offered to come, she cancelled her plans to go with Michael and I walked down with her to give some advice. It is a nice enough small house with good decoration and fittings but, at £38,500 seemed overpriced to me.
There are complex problems of rear garden ownership and access, a poor sliding-door toilet and no garage or even space for parking a car. She is planning to take a 100% mortgage and have a male friend, Michael, take the second bedroom as a lodger all of which seemed to be most unwise.
A like-minded girl would just make the arrangement practicable. We walked along to the Coneygear for an ice cream and drink by the river before this evening's party and I sat and talked to her for a good while and we got on really well together. I am getting quite fond of her and, whilst we would like to see her settled permanently in Eynesbury from a party point of view, I could not let her make such mistakes.
With the need to pay off Student and Car Loans and with all of her other overheads, she would start off being £1,000 short of what she needed and with outgoings in excess of her income! It is always awkward to dispel these dreams, but I see just the same sort of financial madness amongst Daniel's friends and find that they do listen to me.
Back home to run Sam and then, once Diana had returned with the girls, I spoke to her and Della about coming along to The Coneygear this evening. Debbie had been invited to a dance and was evidently in demand as a dancing partner all evening, but Di and Della came and we had quite a pleasant, if hot, evening in Eynesbury.
Sally had originally booked the function room expecting demand for a formal LibDem do, but the arrangements had not gone ahead and the branch was faced with £50 abortive costs. A few of us therefore arranged some food, brought our children and the evening was quite enjoyable as a result.
Wiggly came early but had to go off to work at another pub as a barmaid (she confided in me reluctantly as she thought I would disapprove), Ross was not there and Derek and John Scott raffled a huge cuddly toy (which I identified as the Beast from EuroDisney's "La Bell et le Bette" and raised at least the £50 for expenses. The weather was still hot and oppressive and so we sat outside whilst the children played on the play-house.