Proudly Hung

I head over to Catton this morning after a relaxed start to the day and arrive there around 11am. I pitch the tent and as others start to arrive we get busy setting everything up for the show which starts tomorrow. The new banner is hung proudly on the front of the marquee.

L is at work today and heads over later by train. The train drops her in Burton where she promptly heads straight for the Devonshire Arms. Eventually I head over to join her and to sample the Damson Porter.  

She has spotted a new micro bar just down the road which is called the Last Heretic so we head there next where I sample another dark one, the wonderfully named Fuzzy Duck’s Mucky Duck which is a stout and number 69 on my trail.

It’s probably not quite as good as the red IPA that L tries so it is that which we take back in our take-out tub to the tent along with a takeaway curry which we munch sat outside the marquee in front of the smart new banner.

(Thursday 28^th July)

A Cheeky One

L picks me up from work at 1.30 as I have the afternoon off for the unhappy occasion of the funeral of L's mother's sister at Bretby Crematorium. Which is somewhere near Burton.

After the service a few nibbles are served locally at a place that seems to specialise in post-funeral entertainment and not much else. It certainly doesn’t have any beer which is probably no bad thing. We save ourselves for later on both the beer and food fronts, forsaking the buffet in favour of the traditional Friday Thai Curry.

Later arrives earlier than expected on the beer front as we nip for a cheeky pint of Damson Porter at the Devonshire Arms. As we’re in Burton, it would be rude not to. It is also my first chance to try a half of the new Draught Burton Ale. This was a beer that was one of the few real ales around locally when I started drinking but it was axed recently by its current owners Carlsberg.

This is not an official version but a new version brewed by the Burton Bridge Brewery, who should know what they are doing because two of their directors were involved in the development of the original brew at Ind Coope back in the day. You what, it’s not bad at all.

Then it's a post funeral Friday night, I'm not sure if that's the done thing or not.

(Friday 15^th May)

That's A Difficult One

The second day of the dog show and I'm excused car parking duties today.

L requests something healthy for breakfast... That's a difficult one. The food isn’t great on site and she likes to share the occasional boiled egg and oatcake with the boys at breakfast. Ah. Will a bacon and egg sarnie do?

MD isn't quite as on his game as yesterday. We’re clear in the team event but others aren’t. In the individuals, he gets an elimination, a five faults and a clear. The clear in the Agility nets us 6th place. So can’t complain. All this with a hangover. Mine not MD's. I knew I’d regret the Festival Ale. Can we do better tomorrow?

Doggo is back on form, clear in the Veterans.

We tone it down with the takeout tub and play is safer with the 4.5% Damson Porter.

We also revisit the White Swan for another curry. Jalfrezi this time.

With being in a different field this year we are closer to the 24 hour Thunder Run that is going on across the other side of the road. As we sip our Porter we can see them making their way around the course in the dark, head torches glowing. Quite fancy that, only problem is I don't know enough people mad enough to make up a team with me.

(Saturday 28th July)