David A Broad
A personal story
More than 40 years, told day by day
On a fine but frosty day, the drive Cambridge and plenty of chances for dog training ending up with taking him to Bury, near Ramsey, to Cromwell Farm boarding kennels for an obedience class.
Earlier the drive over to pick up Della from school where she had just returned from her trip to the London Science Museum.
I got Sally's help in dropping off the revised Cambridge Street plans to Pathfinder House whilst she was there this evening and hope that they will now be approved.
Another fine but frosty morning as I again got out with Sam in time to walk the girls to the bus stop. I let Della walk him on the lead and he is quite obedient enough for her. Then his walk proper during which I avoided the water as it was so cold but did get him to do some retrieving and jumping as well as more obedience work. Then in the car with him and off to Cambridge with Diana for the morning coffee with her parents in Eadon Lilley.
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A fine day for working after a milder night but then another row with Diana our relationship seemed to be getting steadily worse and a cause of concern.
A busy day of archiving my journal and then completing the financial analysis to send out to my investment advisers.
The western nations are agonising over the possibility of an air-strike in retaliation against the Sarejevo market place massacre but they will probably decide to do nothing.
A little slow to get to sleep on a milder night than of late and then up for breakfast with the family. I took Sam to the bus stop to see the girls off and then for a longish walk of water retrieving and quartering around the gravel pit area. he did quite well throughout but was still mouthing the dummies as his main fault. Back for a chat with the gardener about the fencing problems on the riverside garden and then in to get on with my journal archiving.
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A fine, sunny but very cold day for dog training in Harlow where Sam had the chance to meet plenty of other dogs and handlers and behaved particularly well and then his launcher-dummy retrieve was the best of the lot.
I made more arrangements for dog training with Bob Steele of Alconbury during the week and also in a couple of weeks time with Martin Sullivan to do some tracking with Sam.
The world is still grieving and wringing its hands after the mortar attack on Markale Sarejevo marketplace where over sixty people were killed
I slept soundly after getting comfortable and was then woken by Diana getting up and laid there until she brought me a drink. Up in time to get ready for breakfast at 8.00am and then out for a short and simple walk with Sam in the sunny but cold day's weather. I groomed Sam in the sun under the balcony until Sally arrived on her bicycle with the last of the canvas sheets and we went in for a coffee and to enter them whilst she waited. A good job well done but I was upset to hear her tales of potential division amongst the group over local government reorganisation and the outspoken behaviour of John Roscoe and Ross McKay.
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Taking Sam across the fields from the top of Priory Hill this morning after posting some letters in town before out with Diana and the family for our customary lunch at the Little Paxton Little Chef.
Then watching the Rugby Union International season where England battled away to a marginal victory in a hard-fought Calcutta Cup match away to Scotland.
News of the fate of the bulk carrier sinking way out in the Atlantic off of Lands End and it now seems that all hands went down with it
Up as usual to a frosty reception from Diana still fuming over Sam's excursion into the house yesterday and worried over the financial health of EuroDisney, our intended holiday destination this spring, that is threatened with closure after enormous losses. Breakfast slightly later than during the week and then out with Sam for a little while, so he would be comfortable and reliable for a walk to the bus stop with Della to see Debbie off to school.
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The day working at home in my office with Sam for company as Diana disapproves. He had performed well and obediently across planted fields in Yelling and across the river in Paxton.
I picked up a message from Sally and went over to key in the canvassing results in Eaton Ford so far. The day was milder than of late and dry as well and this would have been a good day were it not for the row with Diana.
I had a very productive and satisfying day that was then totally overshadowed by Diana's reaction to it. The mistake that I had made was to invite Sam into my office for an hour or two whilst she was out where he entered by the double doors and then sat and lay contentedly on a blanket spread for that purpose. This was too much for Diana who accused me of lying about not bringing him into the house and then going back on my promise to take her to America every year!
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The journey home, trying to reassure a depressed Jim and then a better training session at home as Sam was either tired or had reflected upon the events of the last three days and had gained in steadiness and experience.
A nice evening meal with the children good and cooperative and the whole family in a good mood and then a complete evening catching up on this last few days journal
A good night's sleep for us three and I was the first awake again to use the bathroom and get dressed. Breakfast and then out with Jim and Ben for a walk along the road in a strong and cold wind before in to pack and clean and tidy up the cottage. Then the rain bucketed down and we had that weather for the journey back.
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