The day being a guest at Nigel's shoot and surviving the experience before leaving for an evening's entertainment with Wiggly, taking her out for the evening to Bedford to watch the film "It Could Happen to You" where a man finds a mistress more exciting than his wife!
The forecast was for wet weather, but I had prepared both the car and myself for the elements.
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I decided to take Sam on the shoot to get him used to the experience and continue his training despite my experience of yesterday.
I gave him a run and a meal and then went round to Nigel to collect him. He was not ready and so, after a cup of tea, I ran Sam around the garden before we set off.
We drove for twenty minutes up the A1 and arrived a few minutes late to join the shooting party. This is a small shoot with just eight guns and the same number of beaters and pickers up and is quite friendly and informal.
I had not known how many birds to expect and had therefore brought a completely-filled cartridge bag which was an overkill. Sam started grumpily at the pack of springer spaniels and single Labrador that he found upon arrival but soon settled down with them for the day.
There were six drives for the day and Nigel and I shared them three each. I made the bad mistake of being persuaded to take the first shoot whilst trying to look after Sam at the same time and he just went wild with excitement when birds fell and whined in between.
After that, I either concentrated upon looking after him or left him in the car whilst I shot and he did not disturb anyone thereafter.
There were few shots to make as the rain kept the birds down, but the day was interesting for all that. These shoots are as much social occasions as anything else and the custom is to stay behind for dinner with the others and arrive home very late.
However, Nigel was concerned to go and see Caroline, one of his latest flames, and I wanted to see Wiggly again and so we cut off early and had even more fun.
Wiggly had started her period so I took her out for the evening to Bedford to watch the film "It Could Happen to You" where the theme is all about a man finding his wife dull and unfeeling after winning a large sum in a lottery and so finding true love with a mistress!
Home around midnight but Diana asleep and undisturbed again.