David A Broad
A personal story
More than 40 years, told day by day
A slow start after another late night visiting Robert Ward at his 250acre Manor Farm at Molesworth which I can use for dog training. A trial run revealed several hares and then to Bedford with Diana and the girls to see the new film "Cool Running".
A mad attack by an ex-American Israeli settler extremist has jeopardised the PLO peace talks after he killed over fifty religious worshippers at a mosque.
I was very late to bed last night again and therefore carrying some accumulated tiredness as I was reluctant to wake up this morning, In fact I broke one of my own rules by falling asleep with the electric blanket switched on. I was slow to breakfast and then out with Sam. A fairly short walk and then, whilst feeding the doves, I found a mallard in the riverside garden and culled it with my air rifle; hanging it for use in retrieving later.
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After another long training session with Sam, poor Diana woke up with a tummy upset but recovered enough for her slimming club later. Some house maintenance later but shooting trip with Nigel was cancelled.
England duly lost the First Test match against the West Indies, my 4/86 computer was returned from the manufacturers and the evening at Hail Weston House with Nigel, enjoying a nice chat and snooker
I had two long and tiring walks with Sam today; the first involving water work and quartering and the second obedience, retrieving and steadiness to the dummy. It was a little less cold that the last few days but still chilly and unpleasant to be out. Poor Diana awoke with a tummy upset and it continued all day, and it seems that Lynn Smith was ill as well, because Nigel had to cancel our shooting trip that was planned for this afternoon.
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A slow start after a late night and then out for training with an enthusiastic Sam. More administration and financial transactions later and much of the afternoon and evening watching the England Test Cricket. Making other arrangements with Nigel, Jim and Brian
I ended up staying up and watching television far too late so as not retiring to bed until well after midnight. This made me feel quite tired this morning so that I had trouble in getting going. The girls went happily back to school and Daniel to work and then I took Sam out with snow on the ground for his exercise.
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A day of cold weather dog-training for Sam, with water retrieves and quartering before taking him to Bury for professional lessons.
Responding to another historian with Paxton information and then phone calls to Derek and Sally about EARS data file versions and also to Nigel to organise some pigeon shooting for later in the week.
Norwich city held on to draw 2-2 with second-placed Blackburn even though they were reduced to ten men before half time.
It was fairly dry overnight but very cold so that the gravel pits were frozen over. A slight lay in for the family before breakfast and Sam was not complaining and then I did not spare him the water-work but got him in to the river for a retrieve of fair distance. Again I threw the dummy a bit far so that he baulked at first but he went and got it in the end and was duly praised.
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Dawn revealed a carpet of snow some four inches thick that Della, Sam and I strode through and then I went out with Debbie and Della to show them how to roll-up large balls of snow to make a formidable snowman.
I fired up The Paxton Princess to charge up the batteries before we tried out The Swan and enjoyed some bread and soup for lunch before driving home to Paxton.
The House of Commons agreed a new age of consent for homosexuality, reducing it from 21 to 18.
Sam settled and slept well after his trauma of yesterday evening and lay doggo whilst we rose slowly this morning. The snow had fallen steadily overnight, and dawn came to reveal a carpet of snow some four inches thick that Della, Sam and I strode through. The builders were in the bungalow next door again where they are raising the floor above flood level but there was nobody else to spoil the snow.
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Another cold morning to take our dog Sam for a walk and soon to set out to visit Sam Weller and Francis in Aylsham as more snow falls. He took us to see his Reepham railway station project which he has renovated and is setting up as a museum of railway and retail ephemera.
The West Indies first faltered in their reply to England's 230-odd but then Brian Lara and Keith Atherton put the home team back into the driving seat.
The night was cold again but not so freezing as the last two and no frost covered the trees and bushes when we looked out. A queue for the bathroom with Debbie following me but I got Della up to join us for breakfast before I set out to take Sam for a walk. The breeze made up for the lack of frost and wind chill left me feeling very cold and resolved to stay inside when I got back.
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