David A Broad
A personal story
More than 40 years, told day by day
Training at Holkham Hall and Park grounds after sharp frost overnight, running our dogs through stubble fields and through woods and cover but far too many rabbits which distracted our young dogs.
All off to the local pub for a fine lunch, rest and long chat with the keeper of 40 years service there. This evening, we bought supplies and made our own tea and rested rather than drinking and socialising with the other handlers for this had not been a very edifying day
Another comfortable night, if short after more late-night philosophy, and the dogs continued to settle well. We were fortunate to be able to gain access to Holkham Hall & Park for the day's training and had the head keeper to help us and join us for lunch. He was an interesting character and had been employed there for over forty years. They do not put out reared stock and only have wild pheasants.
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Sam was improving in a full day of dog training with others performing well at retrieving dummies and birds but exhibited his normal failing of crunching the birds by mouthing them.
A gale was blowing with cold and rain the other aspects to cope with but Jim became disillusioned after his dog misbehaved and he got two bootfuls of water from straying out of his depth
Sam benefited enormously from an important experience of humanisation later which, being kept outside, he normally lacks
Today was wet, windy and very cold but this did not stop us training all day with a full schedule. We all slept well, and Jimmy was not too affected by my snoring though we did stay awake very late putting the world to rights! It was a better day for Sam after the aggression of yesterday and he did some good retrieves upon both dummies and birds.
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This was a wet and windy month turning cold later and more floods as the snow melted. A relatively healthy month but a telling bi-annual visit to my dentist, trips to Horning commissioning the security alarm at Harnser and struggling to overcome parking problems to get the planning consent for my property develop Cambridge Street.
A busy and significant month training Sam, taking him for a dog-training break in Brancaster with GSP club colleagues. I helped Daniel change his car for a fast and expensive Rover 825i saloon, helped Debbie nurse her perceived complexion and skin problems and saw Della make progress in re-growing her eyelashes and taking an interest in lighting and tending my fires.
Poor Diana had been suffering health problems as well. My visit to the Boat Show this month had been an interesting show for me as I took the opportunity to review computer navigation systems in a month where I had upgraded my own and Daniel's computers considerably to allow more of my MAC applications to be transferred.
It had been another month of political problems for John Major's government with his ‘back to basics’ campaign thwarted by a Minister’s sex scandal and with the Tory flagship Westminster Council being condemned by the District Auditor of gerrymandering with tax-payers money.
The Queen broke her wrist in a riding fall and her son, The Prince of Wales, was attacked with a blank-shooting pistol at the start of an incident-packed tour to Australia. Two sad deaths with the passing of Manchester United legend, Sir Matt Busby, and radio presenter, Brian Redhead.
Mike Walker leaves from Norwich City for Everton and Dixie Deehan takes. A big earthquake in the San Fernando area of Los Angeles measuring Richter 6.6 and lead to much loss of life and material damage
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An early start leaving Paxton via Wymondham to collect Jim and his dog Ben before driving on to Brancaster for the Pointer Club training session with Martin Sullivan.
Diana seemed to be suffering with what amounted to something of a black-out from the stress today, but her hairdressing appointment snapped her out of it
Up early with Diana and then a quick breakfast and walk with Sam before setting off on the journey that started my dog-training break. I was suitably early to Wymondham to collect Jim and could therefore stay and chat to his family a while and have a cup of tea before the final leg of the journey. Sam and Ben soon settled down in the back and the journey to Brancaster went well so that we arrived early at 10.15am.
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On another cold but a much brighter day I was up reluctantly suffering fro my head cold but got out with Sam who acquitted himself well. I got help from Daniel and Jason to prepare the Discovery roof box and waterproof seat covers.
I watched Norwich City on TV lose a closely-fought game with Manchester United in the FA Cup.
We were awoken very early by the sound of Debbie running water and having a shower before 7.00am but it was after 8.00am before Diana would stir to get the morning drinks. Up slowly and then breakfast with the family and then out much later than usual with Sam who had waited very patiently and without any trouble. I made him do some water retrieves even though the cold northerly airflow was still with us, and he jumped fences and acquitted himself well.
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Suffering from a head cold made walking Sam a chore but we managed it and then I stayed in to complete my financial summaries apart from an outing to the Little Paxton Little Chef for lunch. T
he political news today is of John Major's anger at the reported comments of his ex-Chancellor, Norman Lamont, who was scathing about the "Back to Basics" campaign.
I felt really miserable today and very sorry for myself as I had come down with a head cold and runny nose. I had little enthusiasm to take Sam out for his two walks but just about made it. He was quite good as I concentrated on obedience, jumping and quartering but then I left the retrieving alone for once.
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