Another cold morning to take our dog Sam for a walk and soon to set out to visit Sam Weller and Francis in Aylsham as more snow falls. He took us to see his Reepham railway station project which he has renovated and is setting up as a museum of railway and retail ephemera.
The West Indies first faltered in their reply to England's 230-odd but then Brian Lara and Keith Atherton put the home team back into the driving seat.
The night was cold again but not so freezing as the last two and no frost covered the trees and bushes when we looked out. A queue for the bathroom with Debbie following me but I got Della up to join us for breakfast before I set out to take Sam for a walk. The breeze made up for the lack of frost and wind chill left me feeling very cold and resolved to stay inside when I got back.
**"Read More" BELOW for the complete story**
Another successful retrieve with a wood pigeon for which I am still relieved. A call to Bob Steele, actually finding him in and at home for once so that we could have a good chat about the Rigby's in particular and dog training in general. Time soon to leave for Bury Road, Aylsham, where we had arranged to visit our friends Francis Dyer, Sam Weller and their children Jonathan and Amy. Francis had made us a nice lunch and then Sam took us off to the old Reepham railway station which he has renovated and is setting up as a museum of railway and retail ephemera that he is hoping to open at Easter.
The children played at the house whilst we were away and also seemed to enjoy themselves and got on well together. We had a chance to let the dog out at the old railway station site but he was more than ready for his walk when we got back to Ropes Hill Dyke. It had started to snow slightly before we left Aylsham and this was quite heavy by the time we arrived back. I let Sam range widely in the dark and snow and this turned out to be a mistake as he did not realise that some snow covering thin ice was the dyke and plunged in and through to find himself swimming and struggling to get out of the icy water!
I let him run round for a while on the way back and then, after his feed, I got Diana to agree to let him inside on a blanket until he dried out and could return to his kennel. An evening for me updating my journal and keeping my eye on Sam before a bath and to bed. Della had been playing with our host's cat and then rubbing her eye and it had swollen up by the time we left them. We responded by washing her hair and giving her a bath before bed and hoped that this would calm it down. The West Indies first faltered in their reply to England's 230-odd but then Brian Lara and Keith Atherton put the home team back into the driving seat.