Water Baby

Last week Izzi and I had a "Grand Day Out" in Norfolk, principally to do some shopping at the wonderful Roy's of Wroxham.  Apparently it was "essential" to buy lots of "stuff" before the new University term, although I'm sure it wasn't like this in my day.

Needless to say, The Dumb Blonde came along too; and, given that we had some time to kill before lunch (and serious shopping), we decided to head to Salhouse Broad: one of our favourite locations, and a great place for canine swimming.  It didn't take long before Amber went headlong into the water...

Sometimes, the similarity between Amber and Winston Churchill is uncanny.

Although Amber is a retriever through and through, she's never quite got the hang of handing back what she's just fetched.  I suppose blondes are allowed to play hard to get.

Gradually worsening arthritis means that Amber is now getting rather "limpy" on land, but this hasn't dampened her enthusiasm for diving into water (no pun untended).

I only wish Salhouse Broad were a bit closer to home, as it would do Amber a huge amount of good to swim on a regular basis.  I suppose we'll just have to visit Roy's again soon...

Wimpole Estate Park Run

On Saturday morning I accompanied Izzi to Wimpole Hall where she was taking part in a Park Run.  Coming from a school where cross country running was used as a punishment, I was completely ignorant of these events which are happening weekly - and completely free - all around the country.  It's an astonishing piece of organisation, and clearly very popular with the participants.  Here are a few pictures from the event, starting with the obligatory stretching in the September sunshine.

Not having been to one of these events before, I had no idea where to position myself for the start of the run.  I got it completely wrong, of course, but the sight of so many people setting off was pretty impressive - even from a distance.

Having met a fellow Fuji enthusiast, who was there supporting his girlfriend, I decided to head for a spot where we could watch the runners as they returned to the Hall.  I chose a spot on a hill overlooking a gate with the lake and folly in the background, but didn't get quite as far as we'd hoped since the race leaders were already well on their way to finishing.  The majority of the runners had yet to reach the gate, though, so Amber and I sat down in the grass and watched all the people who were more energetic than we were.

It has to be said that some people didn't look like they were enjoying it very much.  Perhaps they went to a school with a similar running policy to mine?

Lots of people were running with their dogs, and I love the Weimaraner who clearly couldn't wait for his owner to stop fiddling with his watch!

Izzi soon came through, and it was a proud moment to see her running.  I don't know where she gets her atheticism genes from, but it certainly isn't from me.

Once the race was over I went back to the stable block to meet Izzi.  I also bumped into the race organiser who turned out to be someone who lived in Harston until she and her family moved to Barton.  Debs and Scott used to walk their collie, Guiness, and I would often bump into them when I was out with Amber.  As a piece of nostalgia, here are three pictures from February 2009 when we all ended up with an unexectedly free day at home owing to snow.

Guinness and Amber are now both now starting to look (and feel) their age, but they seemed to remember one another despite not having met for six years or so.  Guinness (below, on the left) now has a younger playmate - Swift - who has a very definite twinkle in his eye.

It was lovely to catch up with Debs and Scott again, and the chance encounter proves (perhaps) that running isn't so bad after all.  Not sure you'll catch me doing it any time soon, though...

One Man and his Dog go to Cley

Having been left to fend for myself yesterday, I decided that the dumb blonde and I should go to Cley for the day.  To be exact, I decided that a trip to WEX was in order (always a good idea), followed by lunch at Natural Surroundings - an excellent wildflower and wildlife centre on an old estate near Glandford, just inland from Cley.  As well as serving the brilliant combination of cheese and jalapeño peppers on toast (thoroughly recommended), Natural Surroundings is also an excellent place to buy bird food in bulk.  Better than I can get at my local supplier, and significantly cheaper.  Poor old Amber had to share the car with 80kg of seed on the way home, but she didn't seem to mind too much.  I am reminded of the quote from Mary Poppins when one of the children asks for 2d in order to buy a bag of food for the birds:

Fiddlesticks, boy!  Feed the birds and what have you got?  Fat birds!

But I digress...

Amber and I spent a very happy hour on the beach at Cley (of "not-quite-next-the-sea" fame), walking on the shingle and watching everyone else being energetic.  Some mad people were even swimming in the North Sea - rather them than me...

There was a time when Amber would have walked for miles along the beach, but she's now starting to get on a bit and arthritis in her elbow joints is really taking its toll.  She was still as enthusiastic as ever to be on the beach, though, and happy enough to walk (slowly) for two 25 minutes stretches with a 10 minute sit-down in the middle.  It really was a wonderful place to be on a Saturday afternoon, and reminds one that the simple pleasures in life are always the best.