Shelley the Lifeboat Labrador Read Online Free PDF Page A

re-traced our tracks calling all the time. It was late afternoon and the sun was low over the horizon and it was becoming dark.  Before too long the trees became silhouettes and the peat paths which showed the odd patch of white sand were harder to follow.  Both of us were now in panic mode clapping hands and calling repeatedly, but still no sight of Shelley and she had been gone now for almost two hours.  We decided to go back to the car and get the torch and return to the pathway.
     
    Where we had parked the car was in a small wooded area designated as a Forestry Commission car park. On our return there were no other cars. To our surprise fast asleep by the front tyre was Shelley, soaking wet and covered in white sand and bits of heather.  She had obviously had at some stage lost her way but had enough sense to make her way back to the car.  The sea was well over a mile away and she must have gone to the beach for a swim and got disorientated in the process. I think we had all learnt our lessons on this occasion. To this day I have never let a dog off the lead in woods unless I can see her.
     
    One of the nicest surprises we had was when Rick and Daphne Bath-Jones who managed the Swan Hotel decided to give us a nice farewell dinner.  We had some friends staying Chris and Celia Pearson from Holdsey Bay.  I met them many years ago when I lived in Hythe when Chris was in the Army.  They were a fun couple and he played a great blues and folk guitar to which there was a mouth organ attached.  I lost touch with them for many years and then found them again living on the Suffolk coast.  Chris had left the army and was an Assistant prison governor at Holdsey.  They had been to us before and had now requested they come for that weekend.  Unknown to us they had set up the dinner with Rick.
     
    It was suggested we go to the hotel for a few drinks and to our surprise when we got there, there were about twenty people including a couple of other friends of ours from Hythe in Kent.  It was a great evening and even Ralph Tuck came along, Jack also and Martin the fisherman.  The food was great and there was a nice little speech and some flowers for Christine. We carried on in the bar until late then made our way back (walking in torrential rain) continuing our festivities at home which Shelley enjoyed having been given a nice chew by Daphne.  It was the only time that we had complaints from other residents in the property. We did apologise the next day. I think Chris got a little carried away with his singing and likewise I with some Jazz records on the hi-fi.
     
    The next day we all returned back to the Swan and had a typical Southwold Sunday walkabout from one pub to another this time with Shelley in tow opening one packet of crisps after another taking centre stage!
     
    Time soon went and we packed up most of our own items ready for the move to Eaton Socon. Biddy Denny kindly did the removal for us at a very special rate which was typical of the many friends we had made there.
     
    I decided to pop out for a last drink and stayed out too long resulting in a lift back with the local police in their car alongside Shelley. Those were the days when one knew the police on a personal basis particularly in a small seaside resort – after all it was raining and they did not want us to get too wet.  They even came in for a coffee sitting amongst piles of boxes on the floor which somehow I don’t think this pleased Christine too much.
     
    The next morning there was a loud knock on the back door at 7am and it was Jack with a couple of nice cooked pheasants and a Tupperware box full of salad.  In his normal gruff voice he said “good luck, keep in touch and enjoy the attached “adding, “please return the Tupperware box” knowing very well it would be an excuse for us to return.
     
    The blue painted furniture van arrived at 8a.m and I was suffering a little from the night before so kept quiet in the corner. I was also