Playtime

I left G tackling the birds when I took the boys out - I was anxious to get the walk done before the rain came back. I actually found two 'off tow path' areas that were mud free and relatively dry - Muttley so needed to let off some steam

Then the icing on the cake; a lady left her car and joined us with two Spaniels. The one in the pics was called Worcester (maybe the older one was Jeeves) and was only 11 months old. 

Just what they both needed

Goodness knows what Muttley was doing in this one!

and, eventually 'mum' returned to her car with the older Spaniel - little Worcester just stood and watched with his new pals, he wasn't leaving by choice. I had to take all 3 to her car in the end.

Then we bumped into 3 Border Collies who were happy to let him chase them chasing a ball

Vegetarians look away now.

I returned to MR to find a large plate of meat waiting for me, so it was knuckle down to making stock; a casserole; pheasant breast with a shallot, mushroom, spinach and creme fraiche sauce and bagging and chilling the rest ready for the freezer

Neither dog stripping (Baxter stays warm for another two days at least) nor wood chopping happened but the weather stayed predominantly dry in the strong winds.

I don't know if it really shows in the photo but, around 4.00 pm the light went all strange; sort of eerie and golden - lovely

Hoping to get down the Watford flight tomorrow morning - we need to be in Weedon by Saturday and the forecast over the next few days looks pretty gruesome.