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I shoot, I gut, I butcher. I raise animals and I'm OK with killing them. So it should come as no surprise that I like Hunting. And when I say Hunting with a capital H, and because I am, at least technically English, I mean Fox Hunting. Fox Hunting is not a sport, but an integral part of the culture of the countryside where I'm from. Contrary to popular belief not everyone who rides in a hunt or supports it is rich, or a landowner, or votes Conservative. There are a lot of people poorer than me, some richer. A lot of people far less educated than me, many differently educated than me, some who make me feel stupid - and not just because of their attitudes. I've meet some wonderful, kind, empathic people through the Hunt, and some who are utter dick heads. Because it is a cultural landmark of many, many people. The social-media sphere of the morally 'correct' would have everyone believe that everyone who supports Hunting is a murderer, an evil person who cares nothing for the land, the animals, the foxes. And yet they could not be more wrong. Foxes are beautiful, glorious, cunning, irritating and essential creatures. But we took away their top predator, and they have no direct competition, and the weather is generally mild in our land. Foxes can decimate livestock: chickens, ducks, young lambs in the field, and there is only so much fences and gates can do. The hunting ban came into force 11 years ago, and since then drag hunts are the norm. People say we shouldn't bother anymore, but the hounds need to run, and the mere presence of Huntsmen, horses, and dogs in the fields wards off the fox and his wiles. After the hunt has come through, we won't see hide nor hair of a fox for weeks. Today, I took our 14 months old Goblin boy to his very first Hunt meet. It was lovely, the horses shone, the Huntmaster smiled and waved, people cheered. A very VERY large and friendly foxhound came to sniff at Dashi, then the buggy, then rested his chin next to Goblin's face and my son stared and giggled at him. It was a beautiful moment, I wish I had pictures. I have every faith that big, unfamiliar, and fluffy dog would have posed no risk to my little boy at all. Dashi was rather in-awe of him. Long may we continue to see the horses ride out in their splendour with the baying of the hounds. One day my son might ride with them.

In the lead up to what is already being called, in our household, The Big Move, I am focusing on editing and preparing manuscripts, rather than writing. This is because it is hard to write when you feel guilty for not packing your life into boxes, and secondly because whilst Cowboy Summer waits for covers and one last read-through, I have no finished the 17 tracks of the American Songbook. Yes people, I said 17 tracks. There are two tracks "Sandbar" and "Marshallville" which will only be available on the deluxe album version (both digital and print). Current word counts look to be around 150,000 which is going to make this a pretty hefty tome probably some 450-500 pages long. Should keep you busy! we are hoping for a release date this side of the end of May, if all goes to plan, and I'll let you know how things progress. The contents of the 'album' stands thus: 1 - All Over The Road All Over The Road - Easton Corbin 2 - Great-Grandaddy's Gun Grandaddy's Gun - Blake Shelton 3 - Home Grown American Beautiful - The Henningsens 4 - Nothin' Town This Nothin' Town - Jason Aldean 5 - Country Girl Fresh Off The Farm The Farm Inc. 6 - The Boy Who Was Summer Sunny and 75 - Joe Nichols 19 You+Me - Dan + Shay 7 - Tailgate Hangout Ready, Set, Roll - Chase Rice That's My Kind of Night - Luke Bryan 8 - Payback's a Blast Get Even - Brad Paisley 9 - Bright Thunder Blown Away - Carrie Underwood 10 - Drunk Last Night Drunk Last Night - Eli Young Band 11 - Our Song Play it Again - Luke Bryan 12 - Worth the Drive See You Tonight - Scotty McCreery 13 - Instantly State of Grace - Taylor Swift Crickets - Joe Nichols 14 - Ladies' Man God Made Girls - RaeLynn 15 - Lonely at the Top Hope You Get Lonely Tonight - Cole Swindell 16 - Sandbar (Deluxe Album Version) Wish I Had A Boat - Tyler Farr 17 - Marshallville (Deluxe Album Version) Water Tower - Jason Aldean