Well by golly, its been ages since I caught up on the Blog and talked ‘dog’. Its been a heck of a couple of months in so many ways… Sad times, but also lots of good ones: trialing, picking up season starting proper for us, training till the cows come home, all sorts!

I think I mentioned that 23rd October was our first ‘own shoot’ day picking up. Lucky us had a few days elsewhere here and there before that, but sadly boring old work does not allow us dozens and dozens of shoot days through the Winter, much as we would love them! It IS fustrating to be rung by someone, as happens most weeks, to be asked… ‘You know such and such a shoot?’ and my mouth start to drool…. ‘Well I can’t pick up tomorrow as I have a trial run now, can you take my place..?’ and the answer, almost always has to be ‘No’!  Which makes us wince and feel gutted to the pit of our stomachs (and I know I speak for Al on that too!) Bloody work!!! Damn earning a living!!! A ‘V sign’ to ‘paying the bills’!!!   ;-(  Still, one day, we will win the lottery and be ‘of leisure….’  Best start by buying a ticket then… 😉

So anyway, its gone great. Al with Mallie ‘there is simply NOTHING you can tell me about anything…’ old hand girl. And myself with Tom and Shiney… ready, willing, and, pleasingly able!

I think what we both feel really blessed about is Mallie and the fact that, three months ago, she was having xrays and vet attention, and black diagnosis’s that her shoulder was shot to bits and she would possibly never come sound again. NOW, she worked 8 drives yesterday , and came out the kennel bouncing the next day. I don’t know if it is mind over matter with her, or just that her discomfort threshold is amazingly high, but she is plodding on, fast as ever, and enjoying her picking up like a 2 year old! Shes fab!

A Field Trial training day at Knowle game farm on Monday 8th, saw us about as wet as you can ever wish to be without being actually submerged in water…. Its quite possible i’ve been dryer whilst doing backstroke at some point in my life… rain came in off the Kent coast, sideways, diagnonally, horizontally and every which way possible. It WAS an enjoyable day, and we ran both Bondy and Fish and they both went well, but by golly, it made us realise our wet weather gear was NOT heavy duty, and it IS possible to drive home ‘gently sloshing’. Its also amazing how fast 6 guns can shoot 60 birds when they have to, and how fast 6 dogs can retrieve them! We were done by half midday 😉

More tomorrow!!