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Still windy a.m. Went for brief walk up to Cerisy La Salle for some food. Back at house, decided to go out for short bike ride in the environs of Cerisy La Salle and Notre Dame de Cenilly. Rather good, different roads than usual. Encountered a line painting crew emitting solvent odours. Later, out for regular training route with Gerry on time trial bikes.

Only brief notes just now, due to flaky internet access! Very windy today, with occasional showers (remnants of one of the american hurricanes, apparently). Slept late, then out to do shopping. It was clearly not a day for going out on the tandem. Discovered french supermarkets close at noon on Sunday. Eventually went to Villedieu where bought baguettes and an apple tart. Back to house where cooked dinner (butternut squash risotto) and awaited Gerry & co.

Just quick updates, internet access flaky! Packed a.m. then drove to Portsmouth. Despite stopping for lunch, we still arrived very early (2h early, around 3h after leaving the house). A very smooth crossing, despite the rising winds. Interesting "Ocean Nature Documentary" with no sound. Sun over Normandy as we approached Cherbourg. As we were first on the ferry, we were first off, and zoomed off southward. Took less than 1:30 to reach the house, which is between Cerisy la Salle and Notre Dame de Cenilly. Unpacked, bite to eat, checked weather forecast, not good. And so to bed.

Well, it appears that the latest in Nadine Dorries' attempts to limit women's reproductive freedom got pretty short shrift in Parliament (The Guardian).  From the Guardian's live blog:

What does it mean? On Twittershortly before the vote took place Labour's Chris Bryant posted this: I suspect Nadine Dorries has done more harm to social conservatism on abortion than anyone in 25 years. Hurrah! Really? It is certainly a terrible defeat, perhaps even a textbook example of how not to approach a free-vote, conscience issue. Dorries tabled what appeared at face value a relatively technical change, and yet she ended up losing the support of her government, a large section of her party and even the co-sponsor of her amendment (Frank Field). But this wasn't really a decisive encounter in the culture war; it was more a case of Westminster ganging up on one of parliament's easiest targets. (Which is why the PMQ's exchange earlier was significant. When your own party leader treats you as a figure of ridicule, you are in trouble.) Does this really tell us much about the balance of power between social liberalism and social conservatism in Britain today? I doubt it. The only lesson that really stands out is that, if you want change legislation on a contentious issue, don't ask Dorries to take the lead.

I don't suppose that will stop her attempts to limit abortion rights.