I've Fallen in Love

We spent five days looking after this gorgeous dog belonging to my friends while they went off for a few days. It meant staying in their house in the country and following a fairly strict routine, because she was a rescue dog and they have worked hard to make her comfortable with them. We agreed that it would be best to do exactly what they did, so as not to upset her too much in case it took her back to square one.

So every morning I got dressed and wrapped up against the cold, put on Ginger's coat and lead and out we went. Twenty minutes later I was on my way back carrying a little blue nappy sack full of dog poo to be dropped in the bin before entering the house. Next: disrobe dog and myself; measure out dog food pellets and add a spoonful of goats-cheese yoghurt for her breakfast. After that she could have two bonios which she playfully accepted from my hand, followed by a couple of treats or a tooth cleaning snack. Only then could hubby and I have some breakfast and take a shower or whatever.

At around 2 pm, we went out again, this time for a longer walk of at least an hour, using the extending lead so that once we reached a safe, trafficless area, she could roam more freely. Her evening meal was taken between 5.30 and 6, and I had strict instructions on when to add pilchards, cheese, gravy or yoghurt to her mixture. Finally, just before bedtime, it was outside again for ten minutes, just to make sure she didn't need to pee or something, but she never did.

In between all this she spent most of the time on her couch, with the ocassional burst of energy round the garden, after which we had to hunt through the fallen leaves she had used to cover up the dollops she left behind. If we went out without her she had to be left with the radio softly playing Radio 4. Once or twice she spurned her own beds and made a nest of the living room rug.

And sometimes she would come and beg for some attention and stroking, even getting playful with an open mouth from time to time. I became absolutely besotted with her, adoring the velvet feel of her ears and the spot just behind them. It was a real wrench when it was time to leave her behind and come home.

Behind our Beach

I looked for a cheerful image to write about today. I took this one last September. It is a view of the lake in the country park behind our local beach, not far from the little pier shown in an earlier post.

In the middle of the picture, you can just see the swans hiding on the little island (although I'm afraid they do look more like a white blob than a couple of swans). They are usually well hidden there. I had to take my life in my hands to get to my vantage point on a tiny cliff overhang (I am exaggerating. LOL)

I can't wait for the spring to see if they make a nest and raise a family there.

Shaftesbury

This pic is of a rooftop decoration on Shaftesbury Abbey. I'm afraid it's a bit unfocused but I took it a few years ago with my old compact camera. And I guess my pic taking skills are not that good.

Shaftesbury is only a few miles from where I now live, and the Abbey is a great place to visit. It's mostly a garden planted over the ruins of the former buildings. The ones that still have a roof form a museum and some storage areas.

I took this roof photo from the pathway outside, which is called Park Walk and has the most wonderful views if you look away from the Abbey. Cue for another pic, I think.


At some point, I must write about the Abbey and its history. There are fascinating connections to a couple of Britain's monarchs. When I get to it, I'll report here. In the meantime enjoy some of the scenes of summer that keep us going through the bleak winter months.