The drive u the A1 for a shooting Day with Nigel, curtailed when , a gale blew and the rain bucketed down with sleet and hail.
Then to attend Wiggly's pantomime and to help Nigel host a great after show party.
Nigel leant me his 10-bore Goose gun for my trip to Scotland and some cartridges to go with it
Woken early by my organiser call at 6.30am and tried to be friendly and cuddle Diana but I was rejected as usual and so just got up, dressed and ready.
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Time for breakfast, the last of my packing and then I loaded Sam up into the Discovery and set off for Nigel. I got there for 7.30am but it was over an hour later that he was eventually ready to go.
The drive up the A1 to a point north of Peterborough and we arrived at 9.00am, on time for the first occasion since I had gone with him. The shoot got going on time and I let Nigel shoot for the first three sessions as our card was drawn as a "walking gun" and I could help with Sam by joining the process of flushing and beating for game.
In fact, I only shot on two of the six drives and then there were no easy birds over me anyway and just a couple of difficult ones. I had brought enough lunch for us both and we ate well.
The weather was forecast wet, but we got away with no rain this morning but then as we ate our lunch, a gale blew and the rain bucketed down with sleet and hail additional hazards to cope with.
The guns were happy to call it a day after just two more drives and so we could have drinks and dinner at the pub and still get back to Hail Weston with time to spare for the pantomime. I helped get things ready and still got changed ready to go but Nigel insisted on preparing for the party and sent me on alone.
There was no sign of him by the interval and I was already doubting he was coming at all so went out then to look for him and ended up sitting in the car updating this day's journal.
Ross McKay was the only face I recognised in the audience, and I felt I should be scarce when the lights were up! I did see Wiggly perform her part well as the austere Miss Testament. and then I came back after the interval to see her slain as the giant, thinking it was quite cruel to kill him just when he had got together the ingredients for a nice bowl of cornflakes.
I admit I was quite vexed with Nigel as he did not care about seeing the performance of his sponsored guests and is quite oblivious to what others want and thinks only of himself.
I left early again before the final chorus to go and help Nigel prepare the food and then dress the drive with ribbons and get the compact disks in to provide the right musical atmosphere.
The first guests started to arrive, and I helped Nigel welcome them and introduced him with Wiggly's help. I had at least three possible contacts there that could cause me embarrassment, the biggest of which was David Giles who can hardly be relied upon not to tell Sandie and hence the whole world.
The two Little Paxton contacts would be all right as one was a stranger and newcomer to the village and the other, though once known to Debbie for being in the river to pick up their tennis balls, had moved away.
Our food was well-received, the drink and atmosphere fine and the gathering continued until well after 3.00am with Wiggly and a friend also organising party games which a good number joined in.
We had arranged for Rachael to be available for Nigel's pleasure and she was game enough and stuck it out until 4.00am after which Wiggly and I were the last to leave for her place.
Michael, Richard and Wiggly's other friends received me well and we shall get feedback on each of these things in days to come.
It was a tiring day and then a difficult night as we were randy enough but so tired and shattered that lovemaking had to wait. Nigel leant me his 10-bore Goose gun for my trip to Scotland and some cartridges to go with it.