Super surprises in Soham and in Ely High Street

I had super surprises in both Soham and in Ely High Street this morning. I was picking up my papers from the BP filling station and convenience store at Soham and, whilst I was wearing my campaign rosette prior to another visit to Ely and should not have been surprised by being engaged in conversation, a gentlemen whom I didn't know personally came up to me and said, 'I'll be voting for you: we want to get rid of the others.' He didn't specify which others he had in mind but his statement encouraged more to agree, which they did and, before long, the whole of the queue waiting to pay Shaun at the till was in animated discussion, all of it favourable towards what I am trying to achieve. I was almost embarrassed, for it wasn't my intention to 'politick' in the convenience store for fear of it not being convenient, but I couldn't stop 'em!

The next super surprise was in Ely High Street where, amongst very many others whom I knew or who knew me by repute or from my websites or through my letters and literature, I met and had my picture taken with my friend Caroline Nicklinson (née Sennitt). We didn't talk much about issues 'cos Caroline and her family and I agree on practically everything, so her first question to me was, 'Have you still got Dash?' Dash was (sadly, now in the past tense) our first Dalmatian and was not only beautiful but, like most Dalmatians, a little mad. Nevertheless, Dash was a dear dog and she lived until she was she was nearly 14. We shall never forget her and nor, it seems, will Caroline. Here, first, is Dash's portrait from some years ago -

And here (below) is the record of my pleasurable encounter with Caroline. Her parents formerly resided at Upware and now live at a house called 'Dunfarmin' at Ely. Unfortunately, I missed seeing them today. 

By the way, I met a number of visitors in Ely, and I questioned some of them about the recent report that derided Ely as a tourist attraction. If my small sample is anything to go by, the report is rubbish, as we all know. Ely is great for visitors.

Ely, I might add, is also great for me. I know that the election is going more and more my way at Ely and elsewhere in South East Cambridgeshire. The only comment that I can make to comfort my opponents is to say what I say in public to the general public, 'It's wide open, both nationally and locally.'