Home again to Paxton after a nightmare journey of Christmas congestion, ice frost and freezing fog and just time for lunch before the very demanding meeting with the Cambridgeshire firearms officer. A rush to get out with the family to The Cambridge Arts Theatre for their Pantomime "Cinderella" as the weather got even worse.
It was Sam's first day of freedom after having been inoculated against the canine diseases. I was therefore able to take him for an extended walk down Racing Reach access road as well as along Ropes Hill Dyke. He had awoken around 4.00am this morning and again at 7.20am which was not so good, but I got him to go back in his kennel without further protest each time by use of the torch and command. The long task of locking everything up, leaving the property safe and then loading up the Range Rover for the journey ahead. I had to try to get back as soon as possible, having a full day ahead.
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The journey was a trial. The traffic around Norwich was the first hazard with so many people out and about presumably doing their Christmas Shopping. Then the trunk roads were also packed with people travelling home for Christmas and finally the weather deteriorated as I came away from the coast with successive days of frost deposited on the roads and freezing fog adding the icing to this wintry cake. I used the car telephone to keep in touch with the family and so Diana had lunch ready at midday for me to gobble prior to my meeting with the Cambridgeshire Firearms Officer soon after. He was very enquiring and had to be satisfied about my need for the weapons and took photocopies of the maps I had showing the extent and location of Thormaid.
Then the rush to get the dog fed and exercised before we all left in the Range Rover for Cambridge to take our box for the pantomime, "Cinderella" at The Cambridge Arts Theatre. The family enjoyed both this and the pantomime tea afterwards and we struggled home in weather that was deteriorating further in time for Sam's next meal and exercise. I was able to walk him around Willow Close for once and chatted to the neighbours before coming in out of the cold. The rest of the evening opening my mail, updating my journal, and then eating a few Christmas nuts and catching up on the local newspapers.