David A Broad
A personal story
More than 40 years, told day by day
Off to Cambridge shopping, joining training sessions for Sam before at Molesworth and after at his obedience class as the new cleaner starts nervously with Di.
Nigel popped round this afternoon and we arranged an afternoon's shooting for next week and discussed progress at Cambridge Street where three workmen were steaming ahead.
I decided to join Diana for a shopping trip to Cambridge and we also met her parents for morning coffee as well. But first, Diana had her new cleaner, Susanne, starting and she arrived keen, nervous and early to get her instructions. In fact, Diana was equally nervous and it was painful to see them both trying so hard to avoid offending each other!
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The weather was wet, windy and very cold with hard frosts and substantial snow as winter drew to a close. This was a big training month for Sam as he overcome his aggression towards other dogs and, gained enormously from being petted by all and humanisation during these communal events, improved and did some good retrieves upon both dummies and cold birds.
Sam also benefitted from being amongst over forty dogs in his Harlow sessions and other specialist training. His need for more running space was answered by my making the acquaintance of a Molesworth political colleague giving us access to 250 acres of set-aside.
My help was rewarded as the LibDems won the Eaton Ford by-election. There was still time for making boating arrangements for the cold weather and for finally updating of my financial and administrative affairs so that I could compile my investment and income summary and thus resolve the year's tax planning with my advisers.
Nigel was struggling through changes of staff and suffering the courts over his alleged insurance fraud where he now faced a retrial. He eventually got our Cambridge Street property investment underway. I took lessons at the Mid-Norfolk Shooting School and bought ten "squashable" pigeon decoys.
Apart from tossing pancakes on Shrove Tuesday, I helped Debbie and Della to make a formidable snowman, as Diana was struggling with the house and children and our relationship seemed to be getting steadily worse. I did my best to cheer her up during the month in other ways and took her out often to the cinema and for many meals out.
A good month for Daniel as he got his automatic gearbox repaired and his transmission completely overhauled at a cost of only £190. Debbie and Della were both causing problems in their own way but were both great with the dog.
Elsewhere, John Major was still struggling to control his Chief Treasury Secretary Lilley, who made another xenophobic speech criticising overseas educational standards. The House of Commons rejected the death penalty once more by an even greater majority than last time but agreed a new age of consent for homosexuality, reducing it from 21 to 18.
The world was still grieving and wringing its hands after the mortar attack on Sarajevo marketplace where over sixty people were killed. NATO planes were enforcing the no-fly zone over Bosnia by shooting down four Serb planes as they attacked a munitions factory in the protected area.
A mad attack by an ex-American Israeli settler extremist jeopardised the PLO peace talks. He killed over fifty religious worshippers at a mosque. Norwich City could only draw their Premier League matches this month after selling Ruel Fox, their fast striker, for over £2million and there were some ground protests planned as a result.
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Another couple of good training sessions with Sam across the Molesworth fields on a mild and dry day, managing to stop and sit him as a hare got up and ran away!
Over to see Sally and Brian Guinee this even to copy across computer files of electoral roles ready for updating to assist in the May elections.
News is of NATO planes enforcing the no-fly zone over Bosnia by shooting down four Serb planes as they attacked a munitions factory in the protected area.
The weather continued milder and kept dry and so I was able to have another couple of good training sessions with Sam. Some good water-work and obedience this morning at the gravel pits and then some even better quartering across the Molesworth fields, during which I actually managed to stop and sit him as a hare got up and ran away!
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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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