We made it back, the damage was south at Evansville, house park/raceway & Newburgh...
Our hearts sank when we heard about the T on the world new in London, Sunday morning. Made a quick call home and all was well, but the poor people in the path lost all. There's been a great outpouring of help from everyone :-)
We hunted with the NBB & the CMV, Wed and Sat. Thur., Ken took us to the Trinity Foot Kennels. Had a great time... His cottage & barn were built in 1638, how about that!!! I found out that with the buttons, I could wear the uniform and hunt with the staff...ooo-la-la'
Attended a committee meeting and thanked all for allowing me to become a member of the hunt.
The beaglers/followers and farmers are all great people. They have the resolve to keep going and wait for the ship to right it'self again...
We spent the first 4 days in Germany, it was beautiful!!! Munich & the Alps were breathtaking... the last day at the concentration camp was a sobering affair, 33,000 people pack into a camp build for 5,000, the imagination can't construct what it must have been like :-(
Sunday was back to London and then, all went down to spent the day with the Clinkards on Monday. Took the Rover down to the kennels and got a first hand lesson on kennel management (they do have left handed shovels and brooms there also...lol), back for a wonderful dinner at home and then Roy got out the old photos and pedigrees of the Aldershot, all the way back to when his father Walter, had the Christchurch (what a trip through history). We got back to London late, but up early to catch the train to Bedford next morning. Ken picked us up and took my family to a B&B near him. We got to stay in the cottage /w him, little D and I became best friends, we fed puppies together morning and evening. Tuesday evening was the meeting and Wed. was the hunt day, we put my wife and family on a plane to Ireland and headed back to the kennel to gather up the hounds. Those folks drink tea at every gap...lol... We had a great hunt, took all the bitches out to hunt, 9 1/2 couple, they flew on the trail but spoke little(only the young unentered 'ounds). They soon caught up to Joe, who was laying the trail, before she had completed the circuit and you could see the confusion amongst the 'ounds.
There was a shoot going on at another farm and the 'ounds hit the trail of something that had crossed the field. They flew like wind accross the field into a covert and out the other side, along the hedge to the far side of the field, along the corn and into a tall grass field, then all fell silent. Next I heard was the horn blow the kill. Apparently one of the shooters had shot a hare and the 'ounds caught the scent. It was fast and furious and over in short order. That hare never new what had her. Those boys over there sure can run.
We got a good soaking from a storm cloud before the hunt was over and all gave me a hearty "welcome to England" pat on the back, we all had a good laugh and headed back to the 'oundvan to load up and go to a "tea & lunch" at the farm host.
Thursday, Ken showed me around the country and we made a stop at a antique book store (everything was antique to me over there...lol), then we headed down to the Trinity Foot kennels. They have really nice kennels and also have a pack of otter 'ounds kenneled there also.
Friday, we left to return to the Clinkards. Those trains run 100 mph, makes you dizzy to watch the utility poles go by, but the ride is really smooth.
We got there at lunch, 3 hrs by train plus 1/2 hr lay over. Got a bite to eat and off to kennels for evening chores (they feed early when their hunting the next day). Got back home at dark and the lane up to the house was littered with rabbits, 14 in all I counted. These were not hare but were much bigger rabbits they ours. Lynn fixed a great dinner and afterwards, more history and a video tape of some of their hunts. I was going to buy one but their vcr's don't play at the same speed as ours so they have to get one made to work here.
The next morning we were up early and to the kennel to load the 'ounds. They use a sheep trailer to haul the 'ounds, works very well and is lite to move around. The meet was almost a hour away at a beautiful farm with a grand old mansion stand near the road. We had a lunch before the hunt, wine, orange juice, sausage rolls, sweet sausage, smoked salmon on cracker and large platters of brownies. After that, I was juiced and ready to go...lol
Each meet, the master gives a speach and thanks the farmer for the invitation to hunt on the farm and instructs all the staff and followers that they will be trail hunting within the boundaries of the law. Any rioting or variance from it and the 'ounds will be stopped. They try their best but 100's of years of breeding can't change over night...
Again, the 'ounds hunted well, there were 16 1/2 couple in this mixed group. The unentered young were in and out of the pack and the whippers-in had their work cut out for them on this day. The trail was lifted and they again flew accross the fields and along the hedges but mainly only the young spoke on the trail, the old ones new what they were out for and everything was in order except, the game was not right. They went along with the pack, the young ones speaking with excitement but the older new it wasn't right. In my heart, I kept hoping the real thing would bolt from the woods or that one clapped in the field might rise to give them back their spirit, but the game was mostly void and only once did the old ones come to life, but were able to be stopped before gaining their reward.
It was a good day to be out anyway and the followers ranged in age from infant to ancient, the oldest was 89 I think...
When we got back to the house, all were in good spirits and inquiring just when and where about the next meet.
Saturday night was a sad one, for we had to leave to go back to London. Sunday I would meet the family and visit my daughter at college and then Monday, board the plane to come home.
Lynn gave me a hunt badge and a Clinkard tie, Roy gave me a hunting print of He and Lynn with the Clinkard Beagles, but most of all, I have new friendships that I will always carry with me and hold dear..
Well, time to put this dog to bed...
