Derek Giles still a councillor 30 years later
Derek Giles still a councillor 30 years later

A slow start after a late night on a sunny day following a frosty morning and a visit to St Neots with Di to do some shopping and select a painting for Nigel’s birthday and then we took this over to Hail Weston House with some cards and attached two ‘40 today’ streamers to the gate posts! Then back to St Neots to let Dr McKay operate on my leg, cutting out the mole, before going with Di to see Mum and Dad at Weald House where mum behaved rather badly in front of her grandchildren (Jane and John) and neighbour Fred who had been visiting. Derek Giles canvassing went better today, and his morale is high again. Due to the escalation of the ambulanceman’s dispute, police and army ambulances are brought in.

A better night but a late bedtime than planned due to me watching a rather exciting televised boxing match. I was therefore slow to get up and actually ate breakfast in my dressing gown. I then got dressed and on a sunny, still and mild day after a frosty night, drove to St Neots with Di to do some shopping and select a painting for Nigel’s birthday. It was a nice watercolour of naked bathing lady. We took this over to Hail Weston House with some cards and attached two ‘40 today’ streamers to the gate posts! Then back to St Neots to let Dr McKay operate on my leg. He cut out the mole after injecting me with anaesthetic and it is now been sent off for histology (or analysis).

We came back for a salad lunch and then, this afternoon, I went with Di to see Mum and Dad at Weald House. Mum had got herself into a state over the place and behaved rather badly, criticising the nursing home, us and Dad in front of her grandchildren (Jane and John) and neighbour Fred who had been visiting as well today. We sat through all this and I managed to cheer her up and the visits went reasonably well, but I made a mental note to reprimand her when next we are alone.

This evening, I did some paperwork and worked to help Derek Giles campaign. His canvassing went better today, and his morale is high again. The news today is of the escalation of the ambulanceman’s dispute. They would only take emergency calls only, attracting a pay deduction response from management and this will lead to police and army ambulances being brought in. Today the police and firemen supported the ambulanceman in speaking out about the injustice they are being subjected to. The authorities in East and West Germany are concerned about the exodus from the East.