A good day with training Sam until he found some rotten ducks’ eggs and rolled on them to smell awful
A good day with training Sam until he found some rotten ducks’ eggs and rolled on them to smell awful

Catching up at home on a wet but mild day enjoying a welcome stay, with chores and an emotional event taking the Christmas Decorations down. A good day with training Sam until he found some rotten ducks’ eggs and rolled on them to smell awful, before he has his second ever bath.

Some time with gardener for a change. An horrific oil tanker spill on the southern tip of the Shetland Isles which could yet be Britain’s worst ever environmental disaster

I spent today at home trying to catch up with a few things. Sam was a bit more co-operative today and did not really disobey any command. He is much steadier and came to heel almost every time. In addition, he is very good on the first few retrieves given to him and now gives up the ball more willingly. His one "sin" was to find an old nest of rotten ducks eggs, to break them and roll in them. The resulting smell had to be experienced to be believed and led to his second ever bath!

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Some time with Bill this morning, discussing jobs for him to do and then re-commissioning the electric cement mixer after several submersions in the floods. He was then much more amenable and worked all morning. His wife is still sick and refusing medical help. Took all of the Christmas decorations down today. It was hard for all of us, but Della actually cried. The girls had their first day back at school which was accomplished without tears or trauma. Some work on archiving my journal this evening but still much to do. Pleased with my decision to stay home for this week. News of a horrific oil tanker spill on the southern tip of the Shetland Isles which could yet be Britain’s worst ever environmental disaster. The weather wet but mild for which we are still grateful.