After a much-appreciated restful night’s sleep, I spent sometime this morning tending my conservatory and then completing more paperwork but, following a painful incident of getting strong aftershave solution in my left eye, I could not help Percy canvass this afternoon but I did manage to assist Michael Pope canvassing this evening and got a very encouraging response. News today that Paddy Ashdown will be visiting Paxton at my invitation, but my printers are now dubious about the 20th April deadline. My dehumidifier is not strong enough
Earlier to bed again last night and then a restful night’s sleep which was appreciated. After breakfast, I spent a little time in the conservatory tending the plants and fish before returning to my office to carry on with the paperwork. Frances Williams cried off again from canvassing and so I offered to help Percy Meyer in Buckden this afternoon. In the meantime, I heard from the Cambridge Social and Liberal Democrats that the Rt Hon Paddy Ashdown MP (SLD party leader) will be coming to our village next Tuesday morning, following my request. I had to phone and then write to the local papers and most of them will be turning to. Rushing to get out, I then had the painful experience of accidentally splashing a strong aftershave solution into my left eye. This prevented me getting over to help Percy, but I did struggle round in some pain to deliver the press invitations and started to get the latest leaflet batches out to the deliverers.
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This evening, I went round to Michael Pope’s ward and helped him canvass the length of Long Sands Road. Much inertia and some local opposition but the average reaction was quite encouraging. Also today, I called and chased the book printers and now they seem more dubious about the 20th April deadline, which is discouraging. I am now sure that I will need a stronger dehumidifier. This one extracts 4 ½ litres a day at 20°F, 80% humidity, which is still not enough to prevent serious condensation. The historic visit to Britain of Michael Gorbachev ended today with an invitation for the Queen to go to the USSR and this time the British government may allow her to accept. There has been a walk out of dockers at each of the five major ports in protest at the government’s plan to abolish the Dock Labour Scheme. The pound sterling is slipping against other currencies despite central bank support and the news from the docks is also causing the stock exchange to slide. Today was dry with a few showers and some sun, but still quite cold.