I still attended Sam's training day as Diana falls ill, but he does well on his retrieves if not obedience. Diana seemed a little better tonight and I got her up for a bath before going to bed myself.
I had come late to bed again last night as usual and ran foul of Diana when I snuggled up to her with cold feet. She normally complains but hit the roof this time and ran off to the lounge to sleep which should have triggered alarm bells but didn't. This morning, I got up, ran Sam and looked her up upon my return when Della was laying up for breakfast. I found Diana prostrate in the lounge, feeling cold and achy having gone down with the so-called "Bejing 'Flu".
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I helped her upstairs and put her to bed with the electric blanket on and a jug of drink beside her. Debbie got us a lunch of tomato soup with apple pie and ice cream to follow and Della helped to clear up. Diana wanting to be left alone, I went through with my afternoon's plans to take Sam for his monthly G.S.P. training session in Harlow. It was held at the earlier time of 1.30pm to make best use of the daylight and I struggled to get there a little late. I need not have worried as they were slow to get underway as usual. It was a very full session with a variety of exercises putting the dogs through all sorts of duties and, generally speaking, I suppose Sam came out quite well.
Even if his obedience was poorer, his retrieving was of the best and he enjoyed the experience. How some of the other handlers get their dogs walking so well to heel is beyond me but I do forget that the other dogs in this novice group are typically three months older even though Sam is bigger. He suffers from the main problem of my youth in being expected to lead from being the biggest. Home after dark to find Daniel having made a mess of the garages so that he had scratched Mum's car and blocked me out but I chivvied him up and eventually got Sam fed, the car away and me inside for some tea of my own making. Diana seemed a little better and I got her up for a bath before going to bed myself.