Diana and the girls joined me for a trip to Potter Heigham and Winterton on a nice day and then to Jim's for dog training when Sam safely retrieved a runner and then on to Barton Mills for night with Wiggly
Diana was taking the girls home to Paxton today but it was such a nice day that I persuaded them to join me for a trip to Potter Heigham and Winterton in the morning before they left.
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First a small walk with Sam and then, once we had breakfasted, to the Ludham butchers where I was collecting a brace of pheasants that I had ordered.
On to Latham's at Potter Heigham afterwards where I parked round the back in the shade for Sam's comfort. A drink and a snack, some shopping for them and another look at the fishing tackle for me and then we drove on to Winterton.
Though sunny and bright, there was a cool wind and so we kept together as we walked along the beach and got Sam to swim out through the waves to retrieve. He is quite easy to control now in the company of other walkers and dogs.
We played another game where the girls went off and hid and he had to find them and then we came back to Horning. It was a little sad to see the beach kiosk closed with so many people about but then we supposed that the owners were on holiday in Spain or somewhere.
To Horning Tea Shoppe for lunch and then back to Harnser where Diana had to finish their packing. I used the dead pheasants for Sam to try retrieving and, though he was gentle with them when put into his mouth, he bit and shook the hen when sent to get it which did not bode well for this Saturday's Novice Field Trial.
Then I saw Diana and the girls off before getting myself ready. A call to Wiggly at work to make the arrangements for us to meet at the Barton Mills Travelodge for the evening and night to save me driving to St Neots and back and her to Horning.
I then had to put Harnser to bed and pack up as I would not be returning there this trip. A call to Jim via his wife to arrange a late afternoon's joint training session and then the journey there in time for him to get home early from work at 3.45am.
In fact, I was there earlier and chatted to Julie, Laura and played with Tom before he arrived. Jim grabbed his gun, and we drove over to some sugar beat fields.
After Sam's efforts with the cold pheasants this morning, I feared what he would do with warm game, but nevertheless quartered him across the beat and soon he was on point, and we got up to him and made him flush the bird.
It was a good cock and Jim eventually shot it but it went down a strong runner in the beat. There was nothing for it but to send him after it and then, judging when he had got hold of it, I whistled him back quickly and he brought it back to me still alive and in good condition for Jim to kill.
This came as a relief and we pressed on for another. This time, another runner that was just winged and ran all around Sam and up and down the open ground next to the beat when he was sent to retrieve it. Even so, he brought it back in very good condition again and it was with some relief that we ended the session.
Back to Jim's in time for us to walk his dogs and then have a fine roast chicken courtesy of Julie. On for my rendezvous at Barton Mills and pleased to see Wiggly again. She was also pleased with the arrangements after being initially unsure and we found the room very comfortable.
We opted to relax in the room and get showered and changed first and then went out to nearby Mildenhall for a meal in a splendid hotel restaurant. Back for our usual pleasures which I enjoyed particularly well as she took the trouble to wear her bodice and stockings again.
Sam stayed quiet and content in the car until morning when I fed and walked him at the nearby picnic spot as his reward. We were also comfortable, but I do wake up from time to time when naked under a thick duvet in a cold room and subjected to a bedding shift!
We were awake for a quarter an hour's kissing and cuddling before 6.30am and then both got ready to be the first diners at 7.00am in the nearby Little Chef after which she drove home to catch a train for a London meeting.