David A Broad
A personal story
More than 40 years, told day by day
Reviewing the Hilton by-election where the contest was still far too evenly balanced to make us feel comfortable and confident.
Home to watch England beat South Africa easily in the first Rugby Union Tests since the ending of sanctions and apartheid.
Later to Lynn's 40th Birthday Party at Hail Weston House with Nigel strangely distracted as their marriage seemed about to fail.
One of our busier days with lots of things planned for morning, afternoon and evening. The weather changed and became rainy all day but I did manage to go out with Sam before the worst of it.
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Our last day in Norfolk as the weather broke was spent in Wroxham with the girls and then leaving Horning to Paxton after an astonishing conversation with Arthur Edmunds and disappointment over terms to maintain the road.
News from the by-election is of the choice of a very aggressive final leaflet that will either kill or cure the campaign.
We had decided that this was our last day in Norfolk and that seemed like a good decision as the weather broke with heavy rain showers blown about by high winds.
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The day stayed warm and muggy for our visit to Great Yarmouth, ‘The Great Mouth of the River Yar’, until the heavens opened up later on after we returned home.
After stopping at The Horning Tea Shoppe for our mornings's, we made this journey after to the seaside where Diana and I first bought Pleasurebeach wristbands for the girls to use, had a cheap and cheerful lunch there and walked along the front to the harbour entrance with Sam.
There were still huge piles of granite boulders being stored and used for sea defences, but they seem to be declining as the work gets underway
After the succession of sunny and dry days the weather had to change and so it did today. It was still warm, even muggy, and so the duller outlook gave us a chance to do other things such as going to Great Yarmouth.
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The glorious weather continues but the night was uncomfortably warm. I got out with Sam and ran him around Horning, buying a paper and some milk in the process. Di had driven off to collect Daniel and we did some Norwich shopping and then met up at Pizza Hut for lunch.
Once back Daniel and the girls sunbathing and playing with Sam and Diana and I attacking the overgrown lawn and gravel weeds.
The news is of holiday tragedies such as drownings from boats, fire deaths in tents etc. and, of course, the Euro Election where the Tories are under pressure
The glorious weather continues but the night was uncomfortable as the air was still and warm throughout. Then Diana insisted on waking me up at 7.00am which did not please me and I felt groggy for the first part of the day as a result. I got out with Sam and ran him around Horning, buying a paper and some milk in the process.
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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"
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On another warm and sunny day an early start for our trip to Norwich for some beauty treatment, the Jarold’s bookshop and to study the Broads Local Plan draft.
Then back to Heronshaw for some gardening and off to meet Jim and Ben with Sam for dog training at the Acle Straight this time on Halvergate Marshes.
I had telephoned Mark Rainer and ascertained that his canvas of Hilton "outs" had gone well today, and we continue to haul back the early Tory lead
It was another warm and sunny day with hardly a cloud in the sky and we enjoyed it to the full. We had to get a shift on to be ready to go into the city early this morning as Debbie had booked a complete treatment at the beautician starting at 9.00am! This meant that Diana had to get me up before 7.00am and then I had to walk Sam before a 8.00am breakfast.
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