David A Broad
A personal story
More than 40 years, told day by day
As daylight hours waned it was a dismal month of cooler and rainier weather with brief respites. Warm and sunny days were followed by foggy nights with a slight frost.
My throat infection at the beginning of the month turned into a full cold and then a chest infection until I ended up quite ill. This whilst keeping St Neots LibDems on the rails by attending a controversial meeting as we prepared to expel Ross McKay from branch and council groups.
Time with my friends Julie and Jim Bird, and also with Nigel separated from Lynn and experiencing an argument that turned violent. Wiggly was getting more demanding as our relationship deepened and we were spending time together in Norfolk and Eynesbury sharing meals and attending events.
Her health issues were improving and she was settling in to her flat, owning a more reliable car, and managing to fulfil her political role whilst following her hobby of drama. Diana also became depressed at times with the girls behaving badly but went regularly to Keep Fit and Yoga.
We had many meal and cinema outings, and I agreed to send her to Henlow Grange next month as part of my continued forfeit for detected infidelity.
There followed a weekend with Diana at The Heathrow Marriott without Sam which unfortunately coincided with a Bakerloo Line tunnel collapse and consequent airport traffic chaos and drove to the West End to watch "The Mousetrap" at the theatre.
Debbie turned in school assessments was managing the large range of subjects which were satisfactory, Della made a splendid pizza at school and I helped her settle her down to bed as she reverted to eyelash plucking again and Daniel gets a pay increase from Nigel up from £10,000 to £16,000 and is again happy.
Much time this month training Sam at our new Molesworth farm venue and making progress in fits and starts at Novice Pointing events. Good at hunting and quartering, retrieving and water work but sometimes with a hard mouth on live game.
The news this month unfolded with a ferry disaster was found to be due to faulty bow doors, The Labour conference saw Tony Blair trying to deal with the demanding unions and Margaret Thatcher embarrasses the start of the Tory conference over stories of her son Mark making money on her position.
The start of Sein Fein TV interviews heralds the organisation of formal talks before Christmas as Ulster Loyalists join the Irish cease-fire. Lloyds names win a record £500m damages suit against the underwriters. The first artificial heart is fitted at Papworth and The Audit Commission report a three-fold increase in computer crime.
Elsewhere, Sadam Hussein's partial withdrawal from the Kuwaiti border region has to satisfy the US and UK after France supports the status quo and would not allow more offensive action. Islamic Jihad set off bus bomb in Tel Aviv, killing dozens in attempt to derail the Arab/Israeli peace plan and Israelis unwisely retaliate by shelling Gaza.
The biography of The Prince of Wales makes three weekend appearances in The Sunday Times before and after Her Majesty the Queen makes her historic visit to Russia but her son's story dominates the home news coverage thereafter.
A Heathrow office block collapses with the tunnelling problems getting out of hand. There is also a collapse of seating at Wembley that ends a Pink Floyd concert before it began.
England could only draw with Romania at Wembley and Daimon Hill lost to Michael Schumacher and has to win last two Grand Prix races for championship success. Terry Venables, the England Coach, is also pilloried for his business affairs.
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A good day for training Sam in three sessions at Molesworth after Della walked him to the school bus stop and my call found Wiggly was in better spirits with her FOCUS deliveries.
Taking Diana to the cinema in Bedford to see the good film, "The Client" which we both enjoyed.
It was a good day for training Sam as I took him for three sessions to keep him occupied. Firstly, the girls were back to school after their half-term holiday, and I walked them to the bus stop.
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After my normal routine walking Sam with Della gathering conkers, morning coffee with Nigel, who had been in a physical battle with Lynne involving emotional and physical abuse.
Then some time with an emotional Wiggly and a poor Norwich City TV match spoilt by torrential rain
Another lay in but today Diana was up first and brought me my morning tea. I was wide awake then and held up by her being in the bathroom and so I went down into my office and carried on with my journal which was well behind-hand and in danger of being deserted.
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The opportunity for some more rest and recuperation with Diana in bed and then lunch at The Bridge Restaurant Beefeater and aborting a journey to see Spurs as no tickets were available.
Some bird dummy practice with Sam and then some poor tv and more revelations about The Prince of Wales and England Coach, Terry Venables, is also fighting for his reputation and position amidst rumours of financial malpractice
It was nice to get a good night's sleep in my own bed (even if Diana was complaining that I was tossing and turning all the while).
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Setbacks training Ben and Sam with Jim & Martin and so I cancelled the next day's Novice Field Trial entrance and then drove home to Paxton to rest and relax
I had struggled to communicate with Jim at his house in Sutton the day before due to the noisiness of first his kids and then his dogs. I do not know how they can think clearly with all this clamour going on!
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Diana and the girls joined me for a trip to Potter Heigham and Winterton on a nice day and then to Jim's for dog training when Sam safely retrieved a runner and then on to Barton Mills for night with Wiggly
Diana was taking the girls home to Paxton today but it was such a nice day that I persuaded them to join me for a trip to Potter Heigham and Winterton in the morning before they left.
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