Off to the Grafton Centre in Cambridge to get Sam’s trophy engraved as he seemed under the weather which the vet diagnosed as conjunctivitis in his right eye. Jim Bird was now coming to Scotland with Nigel and I.
The Tory Party Conference seems doomed with daily revelations concerning the forthcoming memoirs of Margaret Thatcher and the uncomplimentary comments about John Major.
I had noticed that Sam was not looking himself late yesterday with his eyes held closed more than usual and then, this morning, his right eye was weeping and crusted above and below. I wiped it clean with a warm cloth and he seemed all right as we walked across the fields but, being such a big-hearted fellow anyway, he would so I must keep a close eye on him. To Cambridge with Diana this morning to see her parents for coffee now that they have returned from their villa in Menorca. We took along Sam's trophy and rosette to show them and ended up taking it to be engraved in The Grafton Centre afterwards.
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We had to use up the last space on the plaque on the back and so got the engraver to add another plate for future winners. Once back, I saw that Sam's eye still looked sore and weeping and so I took him to Tebbutt's the vet in Brook Street. The young girl diagnosed conjunctivitis in the right eye and gave me some antiseptic drops to put in it twice a day. I had a right problem trying to get him to stay still to accept the drops but did it in the end. I heard from Jim Bird today, who had decided positively to come to Scotland and I had further chats with Nigel and Ian McGregor to make the final arrangements. I will now meet Jim tomorrow evening to try the dogs out together in the back of my car to see how they get on together.
When walking Sam this evening, I came across two men with a small builders lorry stuck in the grass verge by the riverside plots. When they were still there on my return, I went and got the Land Rover and pulled them out and they were very appreciative. Still tired this evening after my recent efforts. The Tory Party Conference seems doomed with daily revelations concerning the forthcoming memoirs of Margaret Thatcher and the uncomplimentary assessments contained therein about John Major. For once the Tories are getting a taste of their own medicine.