David A Broad
A personal story
More than 40 years, told day by day
Working through a near breakdown on Eve of Poll, entering the remainder of the canvas results and start preparing the EARS computer data for polling day.
I had severe problems when trying to get the Offords data into walks and so worked on through lunchtime until, in early afternoon, I ground to a halt having lost the brain power and concentration to cope with the difficult technical problems.
However, I went back in the evening to get the Priory computer ready for the next day and left in time to get back for a good night's sleep.
Regrettably, the fine weather was breaking with cloudy skies and some showers but, on this eve of poll, the main task before us was the preparations for Polling Day itself. I took Sam for a long walk first thing as I knew I could afford him little or no time later.
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On another nice and warm day, making a Cambridge visit with Diana and met her parents for coffee and a chat whilst buying a new wallet and some computer supplies.
I upset Louise Busby, our young 23-year-old Eynesbury newcomer, by trying to push her too far. I have the suspicion as well that I had made an impression on her, and I was not returning her interest.
The weather was nice again with warm sun and a slight south-westerly breeze that we hoped would stay unchanged for polling day. Having not done so for some time, I opted to drive into Cambridge with Diana and met her parents for coffee and a chat.
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Bank Holiday electioneering in Buckden continuing in fine weather with Derek Giles helping candidate Terry Clough and I with the canvassing as the "undecideds" seemed to be coming heavily our way and we looked set to do well. Diana was bored with staying at home but Sam got a couple of quick runs and some more work in the water.
The fine weather continued but I was not able to enjoy the bank holiday scene and was occupied chivvying along my election workers instead. We had decided that, whilst Sunday was taboo, Bank Holiday Monday was acceptable for canvassing, and I entered the fray in earnest; checking round to see who was joining in the canvassing and then leading the canvas effort into Buckden with Derek Giles.
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Combining Local Election organisation in Buckden and The Offords with dog training in Eastwick, near Harlow where another of the GSP Club's training sessions was scheduled.
I found that a select few of us were being taken over to a nearby farm shoot again to do some more Spring Pointing practice and Sam was deemed to have made the best progress.
Checked up on the campaigns in the evening where we were doing very much as expected but I was worried about lack of canvassers out and did some chasing round as a consequence
Lovely sunny weather today at the beginning of Local Election week and I gave Sam a bit of a run this morning and did some more water and land-based retrieving before doing some election work before lunch. It was the day our last leaflet was being distributed around the campaign trail and, in particular, it was Buckden and The Offords that we were hoping would benefit from the effort.
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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.
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On another sunny and warm day, a run for Sam along Crabbett's Marsh road after which a dinghy river trip with Sam and property work then the journey back from Horning to Paxton to update my journal this evening and also get reports from the latest canvassing.
The first results come through from South Africa but the confusion remains due to the teething problems with this first universal poll in the nation's history.
Another sunny and warm day and this one came early as Sam was awake and whining from 7.00am onwards. I told him to shut up a couple of times and made him wait until I was washed, shaved and breakfasted for his normal 8.00am walk.
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