My Dad's old car outside Daniel's student house at UEA
My Dad's old car outside Daniel's student house at UEA

I completed more Harnser work on a dry, warm and somewhat humid day, creosoting the dog kennel after taking Sam for a walk where he sprung pheasants and a roe deer and then making the journey home via Norwich to buy cartridges for shooting in Scotland.

The bad news was of Daniel crashing my dad's car; a lorry being the other vehicle involved, but at least the damage did not prevent its use.

The negotiations in Serbia drag on with no result, despite David Owen's optimism. The Police Superintendents Association conference gives a frosty reception to the Home Secretary in view of his planned "reforms"

I had chosen to drive back today but first I had some more work to do at Harnser. Even before that, I had to walk and feed Sam and I chose to take him across the road to the stubble field to do some quartering practice. I first kept him away from some pheasants but then he found a roe doe laying under a field oak tree and chased it down the hill and did not give up until it had gone into cover of some bean set-aside land. He also connected with the pheasants there as well and so my aim of keeping him away from chasing game came to nought.

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I met Doris on the way back and chatted a while before breakfast. She was not so much in a hurry and so must have eaten her first meal of the day! I went through the house, shed and garage and got together all the things that I had to take and then broke off to creosote the dog's kennel - inside and out - which took me up to lunchtime. I was still using up our leftover food and so it was cheese and lettuce sandwiches for me. The kennel was well protected in a dark brown creosote which I had found left behind by the former owner, John Porter. It was an old-fashioned brew which gave me confidence in my dual aim of protected the wood and killing any bugs.

I changed before eating my lunch and then completed my packing. I had lashed down the shredding machine in two sections to the trailer floor, put all of my goose decoys into the roof box and loaded all of the extra tools and accessories that I would need at home after coming back from Scotland. Jack popped by for a chat and then, after locking and securing the buildings, it was time to leave. I drove home via central Norwich to buy some No 8 shotgun cartridges for snipe shooting and another pair of size 12 boots for the peat bogs. It took longer than usual on the journey as I had to drive slowly with the trailer in tow but I arrived home in time to walk and feed Sam before the evening meal with the family.

The bad news was of Daniel crashing my dad's car; a lorry being the other vehicle involved, but at least the damage did not prevent its use. It happened at the Crosshall Road mini-roundabout by The Oak pub (formerly the Stephenson's Rocket) with the blame somewhat mixed. The girls were fine but I had to discipline them at the table. Diana was quite reticent and all else was well. I tried to contact Nigel this evening without success.

The negotiations in Serbia drag on with no result, despite David Owen's optimism. The Police Superintendents Association conference gives a frosty reception to the Home Secretary in view of his planned "reforms" and other public sector workers hold demonstrations about the plans for wages control. Today remained dry, warm and somewhat humid but rain was on the way.