Norfolk Weekend - Sunday

Last night, when the chap in the pub asked me if he could give Holly his leftover piece of steak I said "Yes, of course!" when I meant the exact opposite. In the split second in which I had to decide, I didn't know how to say "No thanks" without sounding mean, or how to explain why not without seeming to be churlish.

Entering the pub a short while before, I'd scanned the plates of those dining in order to get an idea of the quality of food. The table next to the chap with the steak was free so when I sat down there I could see more clearly what he was eating and I didn't like the look of it. That wasn't my reason for wanting to decline his offer though.

It wasn't the unappealing thought of Holly eating off the carpet that she was stretched out on either, nor was it about her learning bad habits. It was more about what she might do with the offering given her behaviour earlier when I had presented her with a scrap of my treasured crab meat. As far as she was concerned crab meat was just dead fish. And the best thing to do with dead fish is to roll in it, which she did. She didn't want to waste the stuff by eating it. As it turned out, Holly wasn't interested in the steak (or about hurting anyone's feelings). She sniffed and looked the other way. One of the other dogs in the pub was not so fussy though.

No real losers then, plus I was very happy with my Adnams Bitter.

We are home now after a morning spent wandering along the beach towards Sheringham. We had the shore to ourselves for the most part with Holly happy to be splashing about in the cold sea water. My thoughts were tinged with a little sadness and remorse though, reflecting that since yesterday there was one less crab in it.