Thanks merlot.
suzied - if you felt I was criticising you, absolutely not. Just posting my own views on your interesting thread. Alistair is definitely flakey and I wonder what he's up to when he's AWOL. Sad but true, addictions often return, even after breaks of some time and therapy. Is he gambling, or does he have Another Woman? I do feel for Shula because I feel her Christianity is often used as a stick to beat her with. She tries and fails, don't most of us.
I agree, Henry needs a dog, who lives at Bridge Farm but is Henry's dog. Rather than the usual country pursuits, hunting for example, which Rob is keen for Henry to get involved in, they could do agility and general obedience for example. Yes, a boy and his dog form a bond that should never be messed with. Ok, what breed do we think? Jack Russells are hugely popular country dogs, often paired with a gun dog of some kind. Jack's are clever and love agility, their speed is an advantage but their personalities don't make them ideal pets for children. Collie's much the same, brilliant for older children, not for 6 year olds. Labradors are too big for small children, can knock them over without meaning to and a pulling lab too strong for a little lad. A well bred cocker spaniel may be just the thing. Pat, Tony or Tom should be able to help. Better yet, what about Johnny. He seems a natural with animals and he and Henry could learn together and form a killer bond - no I didn't mean that, I mean a strong bond/