Mill House Little Paxton during the floods
Mill House Little Paxton during the floods

Visiting The Rigbys at North Scarle near Lincoln with Sam for training tips as I persuaded Diana to get cleaning help now Daniel was back at home and making a mess.

Then a chat with Diana and Cliff Roberts of Mill House this evening about the work that the NRA are doing on the downstream approaches to the Paper Mill Lock.

A rare earthquake near Swaffham in Norfolk yesterday, but only measuring 4.0 on the Richter Scale

I had written to Trevor and Barbara Rigby arranging to visit them today and I therefore had to get out with Sam first for his regular morning walk and I did not spare him for lack of time but got him in the water again amongst the ice to do some fine water retrieves.

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A little time with Bill on my return and impatient with him as he was reckoning it was too wet to work and wanting to go home. I felt that there was no wind, nor frost to affect the concreting so that I could only see ideal conditions to get the new gate posts cemented into place. He was also struggling to be able to measure up for our new fence and I was perhaps not as patient with him as I should have been, being late to get off for my appointment.

I persuaded Diana to join me for the visit and helped her to address her depression at not being able to keep up with the housework now that Daniel is back at home and making as much mess as ever. She will now get some help with the housework and we tried to enlist the help of Paul Hart opposite for advice and contacts in this field. The journey to North Scarle went quite well, even if we were later than intended and then the visit there went very well.

I had written a long brief for Trevor about Sam and we had a welcoming coffee and chat about the breed before Diana stayed in the car and Trevor took me and Sam out on the training field to see how Sam ran. He acquitted himself quite well amongst distinguished company and it was I who was shown to be lacking and corrected on my handling. I booked a ten-day stay for April whilst we go to France and Sam will get training as well as board and will be in good company with all of the other pointers there. A well-earned lunch for Diana after a long wait in the car and then home to see about her housework help.

Sam got his third run with me this evening when I tried to put into practice some of the tips that I picked up today. A chat with Diana and Cliff Roberts of Mill House this evening about the work that the NRA are doing on the downstream approaches to the Paper Mill Lock. They are protecting and improving the entire stretch of bank below the lock which will be better for boats waiting there to get through this summer.

The news is of a rare earthquake near Swaffham in Norfolk yesterday. Although measuring only 4.0 on the Richter Scale and causing no casualties and only cosmetic damage, the tremors were felt throughout Norfolk and I hope that Harnser's piles have held up despite being well-loaded.