To Broubster with poor Jim having been sick again and we then encounter car problems as Nigel over-revved the car engine and boiled the radiator! Then clashing with Fountain Forestry clients also trying to shoot geese at Lochs Thormaid and Saorach.
Up until late watching TV boxing and saw the unfortunate Nigel Benn deemed by the judges to have only drawn his fight with Chris Eubank
Poor Jim was sick again last night but his determination helped him make a good recovery by the time we woke up at 3.35am in time for an early start on the road north. We had a few minutes to walk the dogs as Nigel was late as usual but we still left at 4.14am. I drove for the first session until dawn and stopped for us to have breakfast and walk the dogs having driven some 200 miles and got us to the north-east. Then I handed over the wheel to Nigel but came to regret it as he revved the engine high and pushed the car all the way. I had suggested keeping the revs to between 2000 and 3000 rpm for the automatic changes but he went up to 2000 revs higher as I winced.
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Eventually we had engine problems as the radiator boiled and lost pressure through some type of leak and we ended up limping there later in the afternoon, having to top up the radiator every half an hour. I managed to take over the car diplomatically and nursed my poor car to the end of its journey. Even so, the car had done well and was well loaded with three people, two dogs, our luggage and shooting gear and a roof box full of dog blankets, boots and decoys. A fast turn round at The Forss House Hotel and then up to Broubster in our wet weather gear as it had started raining.
I fed the dogs as Jim and Nigel set up the decoys and then, to my horror, along came the Forsinard keeper with three clients and we had a re-run of the problem last year over rights to shoot geese there. I was all set to give way to them as we had no confirmed permission to shoot but we were invited to stay around one side of the loch and let the others have first shot when the geese came in. At least they shot one but we had nothing. back to the hotel wet and a little angry and frustrated. I telephoned the FFI keeper, Dave Clemments, who was not happy at us being there and I could not get hold of FF's Stuart Smith who was supposed to have arranged our permission to shoot geese for the week.
My worst fears had come to pass as I was so concerned to be on good terms with my neighbours. Then the normal rush to get ready for dinner and my bad mood was deepened by Nigel behaving unspeakably over the meal; boasting about housekeepers, gardeners and all else in the company of the unfortunate Jim who was only a storekeeper with Eastern Electricity. Nigel can be such a snob sometimes. Up until late watching TV boxing and saw the unfortunate Nigel Benn deemed by the judges to have only drawn his fight with Chris Eubank. Then a struggle to sleep having had too much food and alcohol, still upset by Nigel's behaviour the incident at Lochs Thormaid and Saorach.