November

Pilates, spinning, need a coffee!!  All this exercise and stretching must be good for me!?! init??

Friday night and off (clutching bottle)  round to a friends place to watch the DVD Salmon Fishing In The Yemen; we'd read the book and a bunch of us wanted to compare it with the film.  At the eats and top up glasses break I suddenly got the cold sweats and would have flaked out if Enid hadn't spotted my condition and grabbed a chair for me!?!?!?  Five minutes in a chair and a topped up wine glass and I was feeling much better, this hasn't happened to me before so I went to see the Doc first thing Monday, he went through the usual sort of questions and took my BP which was fine and so decided to get the nurse to take some blood to test for anaemia, a week later and I called in to check the result, the nurse couldn't (or wouldn't) say but said the Doc wanted a repeat test done!?!  Eventually got some more blood drawn off and now waiting until Thurs 6th Dec to see the Doc to find out what's going on.  In the mean time lots of liver, kidney and dark chocolate (all loaded with iron!) and washed down with a spot of Shiraz!!

This idea is to be developed, a pannier frame with tray and glasses, trailer for recliner with storage for cheese and biccies!





Meanwhile, November was filled with spinning, dog walking (the big Alsatian again) and calculating quantities of sand, cement, paving slabs and gravel required to tart up the path and parking spot, and extend a bike shed base.
At the back end of the month Paul (Rescue Medics) had secured a contract to provide medical cover for a three day event based on the Cawdor Estate.  This was the first time The International Gun Dog Trials (Retrievers) had been held this far north, it was a prestigious event in the Gun Dog calendar and Roddy, the Head Game Keeper, and his staff were at pains to ensure all went smoothly.
Anna brought the Ambulance over from the West on the Sunday afternoon accompanied by Suzy Devey and their bikes, we were hoping to get a quick blast along the Coast Trail but the weather was against us so a fairly rapid walk to the headland via the harbour had to suffice, followed by a saunter down Grant St and, would you believe it, a call into the Bothy!!  Teas, coffees and sticky buns all round then back to get sorted for the following day.

Ready for work and Suzy about to head off back towards Nairn.  Anna on ambulance duty today and I'm about to  book in with the organisers, grab a coffee and see what's required of us.  Briefing done and I was asked to place myself with the 'Gallery' (The spectators) as this is where any action is likely to be (Apparently!!).
The 'guns' were briefed by Roddy, the Head Gamekeeper before the first crew of dog handlers took their place in the line.

Roddy briefing the 'Guns'

The dogs rarin' to go find!!

The Gallery.  Many of these folk had dogs under training and were sussing out the competition!

One of the Fetcher in's.  These guys were experienced Keepers who's job was to find any birds the 'trial' dogs failed to retrieve.

A successful three days, the folk Anna and I spoke to had enjoyed their time here and the international crowd were well taken with the setting, fields, moor land, manicured castle grounds and the imposing building plus, as a bonus some sunshine!!








With Anna away back to the west I had one last job before the month was out, a drive over to Abernethy to examine a first aid course.  The weather had done its thing and started to put some snow down.  Not too bad a run via Craigallachie and just a dusting on the back road from Grantown to Nethy Bridge.  Got to the Centre well in time for a coffee followed by lunch and more coffee, a quick chat with Chris who had run the course and Gus the second examiner and by 1400 we were starting the examination process.  Chris was going through the written papers while Gus covered practical CPR, recovery position etc. and I interrogated them on the depth of their first aid knowledge.  No problems, (brown envelopes changed hands) and all passed!!