First card and first terrier

      The first ever home-printed Christmas card entitled 'Pike. Fishing'.
      It was printed for Christmas 1997, I can't believe it was twenty years ago, and ever since that first short run of 20 cards the cutting and printing of the cards has become part of the pre-Christmas routine, so much so that the run of cards that is required is now almost one hundred.
      The appropriately named Pike was our very first Jack Russell Terrier and she went on every fishing expedition with me, she would sleep happily on her blanket in the car footwell for the journey there and back. She only had to see the rods come out and that was it. It didn't matter what the weather was like, rain, frost or sunshine, woe betide you if you tried to leave her behind and sneak out on your own. Once on the river bank hours were spent stealing other anglers luncheon meat, ratting, sleeping in my basket and getting in the water to help land any fish I was trying to net.
      A great little dog, great memories and great times too.