Monday, July 09, 2012

European Selection Diary: Day 8 - allowing myself to be distracted in, and by, Norfolk...

Even a candidate selection buff like myself has to have other things to do in life, and apart from building a mass transit system for Needham Market, and attacking the Iroquois (I'm playing Civilisation 3, for those who were wondering), Ros and I do like to get out and about at the weekend.

And so, after a late breakfast, we set off towards South Norfolk, crossing the Waveney on our way to Kirstead Hall, for a tour organised as part of the 'Invitation to View' programme. It's a programme of particular fondness for Ros, as she was involved in its launch, nearly twenty years ago in her early days as a county councillor, and she still enjoys visiting the odd property when time permits.

Kirstead Hall is owned and occupied by the Murphys, who showed us around the Tudor hall, the dovecote and the furniture restoration workshop, before giving us tea and scones. I particularly enjoyed the tour as I spent a good part of it with an orange cat over my shoulder, which can only be a good thing.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in South Norfolk, more work was coming my way. I am, amongst other things, the Returning Officer for the selection of a Police and Crime Commissioner candidate for Norfolk, and Richard Carden, a figure familiar to anyone who has been involved in politics in these parts, has been organising things. This evening, he has presented me with draft documents and, on that basis, their advert will be going live this week.

And as for the European Selection? Well, our Returning Officer, Mike Thornton, is having computer trouble, but we seem to be alright still. Fingers remain well and truly crossed though...

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