On Saturday morning I went to see the Sewell Toy Library, which operates out of the Christ Church Center in Magdalen Road. It was a pleasure to see in action – though my eldest did walk away with a deeply irritating piano – and there was a steady stream of people in and out. For a minimal cost, you can hire out toys and even play with a lot there and then. Knowing how fast my girls favourites come and go, this is a great way of ensuring they have something new to engage in every week. It is run with the help of 2 of the local – Labour – ward councillors and they and their team deserve a huge amount of praise for running a fantastic community initiative.
That afternoon we went on a fmily trip to try and collect as many “elephants” as we could around Norwich. One of the things you could never criticise Norwich City Council for is not putting on, or facilitating, enough free events for familiies in the City. We saw – at my count – roughly 27 of them. Emily enjoyed any with stripes on, although I was quite taken with the conceptual elephant on Millenium Plain outside of the BBC building. Emily literally kissed and hugged every elephant; a great afternoon in the sun.
Sunday morning we went out delivering leaflets in Eaton for our newly re-selected local candidate Niall Baxter. Niall ran one of the most amazing campaigns I have ever witnessed and no candidate could have worked harder. Niall is really well known around the ward now and I am thrilled he is to carry on working for local people; he added 4% to the Tory vote and made Eaton a real fight for the first time in years.
Yesterday and this evening we’ve spent the time putting the finishing touches to my parliamentary campaign team and writing our next leaflet and survey. Later in the week I am visiting a community group and meeting with the organisers of a youth football team. Busy, but enjoyable; so the hour I got asleep in the garden this afternoon because I was locked out was total pleasure!
In a world where the role of men in the family unit is under attack, mainly through the prism of science, it is good to be reminded of all the positive role models and the excellent fathers who make a difference day-in-day-out (and, yes, that goes for Mothers too). The girls – well, Louise, but let’s keep up the pretence – had prepared a mock up Evening News front page declaring that I had been made the new Fat Controller. Would I want to take on the role of running the railways? Not likely; or is it my uncanny resemblance to Sir Topham Hat?
We spent a largely dry day at the Eaton Park 80th Birthday celebration, and the girls loved the miniture steam trains and the dragons on procession! Well done to all the organisers, a good event – just a pity about the weather! From there we went over to Taverham Old Hall for our second Teddy Bear’s Picnic in 2 days (a trend starting?) and also a fete. A lovely day; the girls have spoilt me!
This week has certainly been the busiest in campaigning terms since the end of the local elections. I’ve been out helping with campaign teams in the City Centre and also Town Close this week; sadly missing out on the University stuff this morning. Plenty of leaflets to deliver and the people I spoke to as I went around seemed fairly determined that Labour are going to lose the next election. One gentleman who lived in a block of flats off Ber Street said to me that a Conservative government was the best thing that could happen to the country – because he was a Labour man and defeat was the only way to rid his party of Brown. Interesting stuff.
This afternoon was the Teddy Bear’s Picnic as St. Albans Church Hall and it was really well done; face painting, games (which Emily won – cue parental pride) and a great afternoon. All put on free by our local church. Thank you and well done to all involved. We then had to have another picnic when we got home – the excuse? Apparently it’s Teddy’s birthday; congrats Teddy.
This evening we have been putting the final changes to the constituency campaign plan and also doing some preperation for an even we are putting in with Baroness Gillian Shephard in July. It’s all go! And tomorrow is Father’s Day … and last year Emily bought Louise a “sweet shop” toy so goodness knows what her revenge on me will be!
In what was meant to be an aside to the launch of the Tory families policy, the political story has appeared to move onto the decision of Leader David Cameron to invite the ITN cameras into his home to film the family at work and play (read more ). Actually I believe this can only add to the news coverage of what are set to be an excellent set of policies.
So should Cameron have done this? Undoubtably the answers is that this is a personal choice. Tony Blair played the family card really well and benefited; clearly Brown isn’t going to, and thats his choice. I actually think Cameron is right about one thing – the British public want to know what makes him “tick” and if we are to have this man as our next Prime Minister we’d want to know more about the kind of man he is.
I have never used my wife or family on any party political campaigning (although we did get our picture in the paper when Emily was born – a media hit that wasn’t reproduced for Olivia, may I add) but I do talk about my children both on this blog and on the doorstep – because they shape who I am and what my political beliefs are. People ask if I have a family and I always reply to them, normally in gushing terms!
Louise is ultra-shy when it comes to publicity and politics; she married me, not my career. She stays out of everything; occassionally coming with me to a fundraiser or even but her focus in life is being a great mum and a great teacher. She isn’t a trophy Tory-wife and I don’t expect her to fawn by my side at events and suchlike. If she ever chose to get involved, I’d support her, but I don’t think it’s likely! She supports me 110% – by keeping my feet on the ground, telling me when I’m being an idiot and occassionally smacking me with reality. That’s more important to me than anything else.
So, if Samantha Cameron was fine by it then why shouldn’t Cameron open his doors to the news, and thus by extension the nation? That’s what personal choice is all about; I may not do it, but I admit I was fascinated by the news coverage.
We’ve had a great day in our house and I am rather pleased to say that Louise had no idea what we had planned for her in the morning!
After the complusory lie-in and breakfast in bed (at which she wasn’t prepared for a two-girl fight over a pain-au-choc – Emily won, but Olivia gave as good as she got) came the present. Now Daddy really wanted to buy Mummy a smoothie maker, but as he has foolishly promised a nearly-3-year-old that she could choose, Mummy instead got a …
… toy sweet shop. Well, the shop was a toy but the sweets were very much real. Emily loves playing shop – she has a great imagination – but Olivia seemed to be more into shoplifting than paying for her goods. Oh well …
Then after this I managed to completely pull the wool over her eyes by arranging a surprise lunch at a new restaurant in the City, complete with family and friends on standby. Louise was totally stunned; more so for the fact she almost managed to walk past everyone she knows! The food was amazing and service very good; the restaurant was heaving and I don’t think I’ve seen anywhere that busy in a long time – but newly opened restaurants and Mother’s Day seems to attract a lot of people! Then from there, back to ours…
A really fun day out; the girls have been non-stop so we’re both shattered. Now settling down for an evening working on election material. A great end to a great day!
We’ve had a weekend away (aside from an interview with on the Congestion Charge and with the about city council finances) to celebrate my Dad’s 60th birthday. Needless to say there was a surprise party – photos and a brilliant video of my half-cut father trying to pay tribute to his family but failing miserably to come – and a fantastic night of eating, drinking and dancing. Emily was the star of the show and did a turn in her new spotty party dress; Olivia slept through most of it. This morning we went out, just the immediate family, for a meal at a new local French restaurant and then headed back to Norwich. This evening I have been working on some events and publicity for the new Norwich CF and writing to all those people who against the Congestion Charge.
Sorry – I had to use a terrible Firework pun sometime! Yesterday we hosted our first firework party at home, so much time was spent digging holes and making tubes from which to fire rockets. Sausages were burnt (I mean, cooked), beer was drunk and enough high explosive to ensure a breakout at Norwich prison was detonated. Following the complete failure of the afternoon test run – during which Norwich almost had two by-elections – I was slightly concerned but it did go without a hitch, execpt the one rocket that went up and fell straight down to earth exploding in the garden. Just like my childhood – and Emily had a great time!
Today we have been on a bit of a mission – Emily has been hurling herself out of the cot recently and so this morning I made her bed up and we have bene searching for a Thomas the Tank Engine duvet cover. When we found it, Emily declared that she wanted a Monster duvet cover instead! When she should have been looking at the Disney Princess range, my daughter had Spiderman in her grip walking up and down saying she wanted a monster on her bed!
We got back from our family holiday in France late last night – a wonderful time had by all, though particularly by Emily as she had sheep on hand to talk to day and night. The gite was advertised as “real France” and boy that was an apt name – very rural, very France.
By this morning my head was starting to clear from all the travel and driving but my brain was going to explode – with all the e-mails and mail I had. A fortnight back copies of the EDP and EEN to read! All the council gumpf too – it doesn’t matter that it’s August they still pump it out! So many people to catch up with. I have spent the whole day working and have only just caught up, and that’s on admin and paperwork alone. I haven’t even started with e-mail, facebook or this blog!
There is an adage in teaching that there is no point taking a day off work because the crap sits on your desk waiting for you to return. I have, only today, realise that elected politics is the same!
A bit of deja-vue last Sunday as we baptised Olivia in much the same way as we did Emily two years earlier – same parents, same church, same priest and roughly the same people! There were, of course, 3 key differences – the Godparents for a start plus also the decision to switch from homemade jam butties to M&S platters!
Most strikingly though was that two years ago the only child present was Emily herself … this time it was a real kids party with thes babes almost outnumbering the adults (or, given the noise, it felt so!) We must be at an age where all our friends are having children.
We were clearly trend setters! Our redoubtable priest, Father Tony McSweeney, very clearly took charge and even put my brother in his place! And we even managed (somehow) to get cleared out before evening mass at St. George’s. A great day!
Photos: Top: Ft. Tony at work, Middle: The Godparents (Katie, Pauline & Chris), Bottom: The Parents & Olivia talking to God
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Posted by antonylittle 
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Posted by antonylittle 
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Posted by antonylittle 
We were clearly trend setters! Our redoubtable priest, Father Tony McSweeney, very clearly took charge and even put my brother in his place! And we even managed (somehow) to get cleared out before evening mass at St. George’s. A great day!
