David A Broad
A personal story
More than 40 years, told day by day
This was another dog training session this morning on my new farmer friend's land at Molesworth practicing long stops and hunting.
Plenty of rabbits, fox and deer signs with roosting pigeons and magpies as the main quarry needing attention though no pheasants or partridges yet on this upland ground.
A little time before lunch for a visit to the cemetery and my family graves. Some time with Della today as we fed the fish and watered the plants in the conservatory.
The problem that I have with any of the hobbies and activities that I take up is that I must always take them to extremes and try to become the best and I have taken to gundog training in the same way. I used my new farmer friend's land at Molesworth this morning to practice long stops and hunting and was very impressed with the suitability of the land.
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A planned dog-training day with Jimmy Bird and his dog Ben and Diana had arranged her interviews for a house cleaner but Debbie threw our day into confusion as she was late her bus and had to be driven into school by an irate Di!
My dog Sam did well, swimming and retrieving but Ben shrank from getting out of his depth and swimming and then ‘pegged’ one of my fantailed doves!
My evening spent watching the second one day Test Match where England just lost a close match to The West Indies.
It was still raining as I got up late this morning but at least it was much milder for my pre-arranged dog-training day with Jimmy Bird and his dog Ben. Diana had arranged her interviews for a house cleaner and she was to find two good ones and choose one of them to start next Tuesday. But first Debbie threw our day into confusion as she was late out for her bus, missed it, and had to be driven into school by an irate Di!
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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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