David A Broad
A personal story
More than 40 years, told day by day
A successful Spring Pointing Test for Sam in snow and gales at Trimm's Green -when he was graded "Good" and best of the ‘Junior’ entry. News today is of another aircraft crash - this time with engine failure at Amsterdam's Schipol Airport - and yet more people died.
The dogs had slept well overnight, but I had been late to bed and then restless thinking of the meeting and problems of dog clubs and training. If Jim had not been with me, I would have thought seriously of giving the club events a miss. However, today was all set for him to do well as his pointing achievements with Ben were due for recognition.
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Leaving Norfolk with Sam to join Jim with Ben for a Eastwick Harlow training day where Sam was selected to join Mr Botterman and company for some hunting and pointing on some nearby farmland.
An GPR Club AGM followed and then home to treat Daniel and friends Gary Skinner and Jason Chambers to a pizza. By now the early morning sun had passed through a day of chilly winds and showers and it all ended up in yet more gales and rain for the night
Sam was still on his antibiotics and gradually being given more Repnor Gold within his gruel of chicken pieces and boiled rice. His coat was now going quite chestnut brown which was probably due to his moult but might also have been due to his diet and condition and his haunch and rib bones were showing quite proud as I now resolved to get some more weight on him.
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Nothing of interest for me in the Wroxham Boat Auction but then on to Carrow Road to see the Norwich City defeat to Tottenham. Hotspur in luxury as Sam recovered his strength as I took him by car to St Bennett's Abbey for training
Diana allowed us to lay in and complained later that Sam had been whining from 6.00am until after 8.30am but I had been fast asleep and had Ben told nothing. A quick wash and out to tend our canine friend who had just been keen to get out and had not messed his run at all.
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After a howling gale overnight at Harnser, a cold, windy and very wet day followed but I still walked Sam and he did not mind.
To the Horning Tea Shoppe for lunch and on to the Norwich Theatre Royale for the evening performance of Pickwick starring Harry Secombe and Roy Castle.
The IRA three-day cease-fire for Easter dismissed with scorn by all and the future of John Major again subject to newspaper speculation.
The night had passed with a howling gale throwing rain against the front of Harnser and, although I slept through the worst of it, Diana told this morning of being frightened by the slamming noises of the gusts on the building. I washed, shaved and then waited as long as I could for the weather to ease but, in the end, I had to dress up and take Sam out for his walk.
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This was a mild month, if a bit wet but March marked the beginning of my political season's election efforts. I still spent time in Norfolk and progressed our Cambridge Street conversion with Nigel. This month, his wife Lyn had suffered a tragedy with the death of her Mum who was suffocated during an examination and was left to a gradual death in a coma with irreparable brain damage.
Training with gundog Sam was going well and was enhanced by my getting access to the John Osborne’s Manor Farm in Molesworth. Sam won some beginner Rosettes in trials but also suffered a tummy upset after eating too much cheese tracking.
At The Hayling View, new cleaner Susanne started work and our new handyman started work and Bill continued his endeavour, hanging some new gates, extending the concrete path and starting the process of repairing the fence to our gardens.
This was a busy month for recreation with many cinema trips, meals out galore and our first trip of the season to Pleasurebeach in Great Yarmouth. Elsewhere, there was much consternation as the IRA launched an attack on Heathrow Airport just before Her Majesty The Queen was due to land,
John Major created another rod for his own back as he first rejected the customary formula for the extension of voting rights in the enlarged European Community and then had to climb down anyway and was an aftershock in Los Angeles after their recent earthquake.
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A small and gentle walk this morning during which Sam seemed fine even though he was on a fast & strict diet. An agreement with NNDC on property Council Tax before organising sewage pump repairs in Norwich and then to Yarmouth for our first visit of the season to Pleasurebeach. Later with Di to The Hong Kong Chinese Restaurant in the Price of Wales Road. The night began wild, windy and wet
Sam settled and slept well last night considering he had been sent to bed with no food for the first time. A small and gentle walk this morning during which he seemed fine. It was chilly and windy and, once Diana and Debbie had gone off to Norwich to do some shopping, I got on with some telephone calls and administration.
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