twobears

Ooer, that sounds fast and furious. Not one for the beginner I think

Just clicked on your link Whacky and have now got to look up another new word!! What on earth is Helice I wonder? Off to Google once more. I may be some time ...

That sounds difficult but a lot of fun Bockaaarck. I think I need to improve my shooting before I even think about doing it but maybe one day?

I forgot to respond sooner. Sorry Thanks for all the tips. I know my right eye is my lead eye and my cheekbones are very high so I need a stock that will suit me. None of the guns at the shooting range did because, apparently, men have lower, flatter cheekbones. I never knew that before! That's why I am taking the instructor with me when I buy the gun. He seems very knowledgeable and really helpful I think I need to have a go with a few more guns to see what I get on best with probably? As for your final paragraph, I understood everything except the last bit I'm afraid I've never heard of shooting flushes. In fact I am flushing (with embarrassment now) but I suspect it might mean clays that act like flushed game? Will go and have a Google

Aw, don't you look young

Thanks I have to admit that Northamptonshire has never even been on my radar. I don't know the place at all but might as well take a look because I've been almost everywhere else by now, ha ha. I do know Stilton and Melton and they are both nice, along with Wymeswold and Oakham etc, but I'm not sure I want to be too close to my family in Leicestershire, as bad as that sounds. I tend to get on best with my mother from a distance

We have thought of buying a house in the UK and a flat in Madrid but I want to put all our money into the UK property, unless we win the lottery. Can't really go on a cruise because Mr Twobears needs to earn money for a while longer, as much as he'd love to retire in his 40s

Thanks sipar We both thought that Sussex did have a nice feel. We have been twice but not stayed overnight there yet. Oooh, your other half should definitely get herself a horse

Thanks Crb. I've got that covered because my best friend in Yorkshire is a landowner and his land includes hundreds of acres surrounding my cottage. He shoots too and is actually my referee for my gun licence. He's always let me roam anywhere I want so I'm sure he'll be amenable if I want to take my gun out with me in the fullness of time. Mind you I'm not sure if my Chihuahua will make much of a gun dog if I do want to do a bit of rough shooting?

Thanks sipar I do know Richmond a little and, yes, it is far too expensive for me but I wouldn't actually want to live in such an urban area I'd rather be nearby but not right in the thick of things. I have to find somewhere that has open countryside but access to a decent village/town/city. I actually like Weybridge very much but the roads that I would want to live on would involve me spending several million rather than a few hundred thousand and I still wouldn't get much in the way of land We have discussed coming back to Surrey to retire but, at the moment, I want to stick with finding a largeish house with land. I love St George's Hill and spend most of my time there (amazingly they let oiks like me in ) but the prices are crazy and I have never seen a horse up there!!

Thanks for all the advice rabbitstew I am doing sporting at the moment but will start on skeet too when I go back to Yorkshire after Easter. They have a very high high tower at the shooting ground where I am learning, apparently. I think that adopting the 'Nike approach' i.e. just doing it, will work best for me too. On my first lesson I just went for it but on the second I was overthinking it and shot worse than the first time out. I was thinking of joining a club down here in Surrey but Bisley is my nearest one and I thought that might be a bit too top notch for a novice? Hopefully, I will be able to find a friendly club in Yorkshire. I'm thinking about a Beretta silver pigeon but my instructor says he's happy to come to the gun dealer with me to make sure I get a gun that really fits and he can also get me some discount. I'm a bit wary about buying privately because I don't know enough about guns yet. Daughter normally shoots with a 20 bore but has been using instructor's 12 bore and is shooting well with it so I might have a go with it too and see what I think. Will investigate joining CPSA and BASC, thanks and have also taken on board the advice about gun cabinets although the firearms officer told me not to get it until I was sure I was going to get my licence granted. Not sure how I will know that unless I've either got it or have been refused? The instructor hinted that he would supply cartridges at a good rate so will see what he says. Re your final point, I loves me a good bit of tweed You have to see my tweed collection to believe it! More appropriate for game shooting I think and killing a few rats with my air gun has never demanded a pair of shooting breeks... well not yet

Thanks My daughter hates the 'bouncy rabbit' ones because she thinks it seems wrong to shoot at the ground. I've never shot at them before but I think I will feel the same. Daughter does mainly skeet shooting and I think I will feel guilty if I buy myself a gun but not her because she has been doing it for a year and I have only just re-discovered what fun it is. I was going to mollify her with a skeet vest but she is getting a specially embroidered one from the college because she is taking part in a competition. Maybe I should stop being so damned selfish and get her a gun? She is using her instructor's at the moment. I agree brillomaster, shooting is cheap compared to track days for me and my horses have cost me a fortune over the years Not saying shooting is cheap but at least clay shooting is nowhere near as expensive than game shooting.

Thanks both of you for the aiming tips I did well in my first lesson and hit 80% but I got the jitters in the second lesson because I kept thinking I ought to do better. Half of it is clearly in your head Will remember the 'cooking tip' too Chris. Could save the family a bit of expensive dental work

I would say that is pretty normal for a woman! Cheeky

Just an outhouse? I think I need more palatial surroundings

I've just sent off for my gun licence so that I can get myself (and my daughter if she is verrrrrry lucky ) our own guns. Daughter shoots every week but I've only ever done it occasionally until recently when I had a couple of lessons and realised that it was definitely going to be my new hobby Weirdly, I sat near a man on the train down to London from Yorkshire a couple of weeks back and he struck up a conversation with me because I was reading a shooting magazine. He was a very keen game shooter and actually owns a shoot so we had a lovely conversation that lasted two and a half hours and made the journey fly by. I am taking this as a definite sign that my future lies in this new pursuit. If anyone here does clay shoot please tell me because you might be able to give me some hints and tips

KK1, I lived in and around Reading for 3 years when I was at uni I wouldn't go back to Reading itself, especially since I got a ticket for accidentally going into a bus lane there a few weeks back It was dark and I didn't even know I'd done it until the fine came though. I do like some of the villages in Berks though and it is one place we haven't seriously investigated yet.

I will take a look at Richmond (southern variety), ha ha. The northern one isn't too bad either from what I can remember. I think my decision might be made easier if I felt 'southern' or 'northern' myself. Mr Twobears is Yorkshire through and through but I have lived in the south, north and midlands so feel a bit 'rootless' really

KK1, I would consider NZ if I were a bit younger and Mr Twobear's job was transferable. Good luck if you do go for it

Singapore I don't do heat I love North Wales and go every year at least but not so familiar with the rest of Wales. Think it would be too far from London for us though but sure there are some lovely places. Northumberland is also too far off the beaten track but, again, very nice.

coldel, Richmond is nice I want to live somewhere in the countryside, not quite as isolated as we are now, so on the edge of a pretty village really. Just don't seem to have found the right spot yet

He can fly from Manchester but it is a bit of a pain to get there, whichever way method of transport he uses. He isn't looking forward to staying in Surrey by himself because socialising with work colleagues is ok but talk invariably turns to work and he will miss the weekends together because we always eat out/go away etc. Not so much fun on your own and he can't come back to Yorkshire every weekend. I wanted to move because I want a house with land for the horses and also because the nearest towns are not very nice. Where we live is nice but I am fed up of having to shop in the nearest towns and would rather go somewhere more attractive and with nicer shops.

brillomaster, I don't work at the moment but am going back to Yorkshire soon so I can get back to my workshop and relaunch my business. Mr Twobears works in Weybridge/London but flies to europe for a week or two each month because the company is a global one so he really needs to be able to get to Heathrow. The flat we are renting in Weybridge is ideal for him but I am slowly going crazy because I need (for my sanity) to start work again. I've been the dutiful company wife for nearly 18 months but I don't think I can cope with it much longer Being a lady who lunches sounds great in theory but I am so bored it's untrue, even though I have a good social life. I think I am just one of life's grafters but I need a workshop and plenty of storage for my particular line of work and I don't have that here in Weybridge nor any hope of obtaining it. I visit my parents in Leicestershire but I have lived a hundred or more miles from them all my adult life so that's not really a consideration. Most of my friends are in East Yorkshire as that is where I have lived longest and my horse is still in E Yorks along with my daughter who is at agric college. We go on holiday all over the UK , europe or the states. Agree that the weather is better down south, normally two degrees warmer here than in Yorkshire

I thought the Zed Shed was blue in the first photo because it was unhappy as it hadn't been tidied but then that theory was scotched when it felt sad afterwards too It does look nice and neat now though

You are right Graham but the trouble is, I've not had 'the feeling' anywhere at all. When I bought my current house I fell in love with it before I was halfway up the path. I keep having nightmares that Mr Twobears has bought a house without telling me and I wake up feeling really depressed because I hate the house. Obviously that won't happen but why am I not 'feeling the love' for any house or area? It's not normal