State of mind

The fact that my bras are in my sock drawer is indicative of the state of my mind at the moment. It's very disorganised.

Too many things in my head - which is interesting as the course (emotionally healthy spirituality) requires me to be silent for two-minute periods a few times a day, and I am struggling with that. I need to still my thoughts.

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We've just finished watching Lupin series 4 on Netflix, and I'm watching The Chosen on Amazon in the morning when I get up with Sid. The latest episodes of both made me scream, "Noooo!" I say scream; I mean groan, "Oh no," loudly.

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Did you know that 'mogging' is the Collins' Word of the Year?

In case, like me, you've never heard of it, it means to outshine or outsmart. The young people are using it apparently.

With the first stick he found and picked up on his own.

Fooled!

Last year I bought a plant and tub to go in this shady little corner. The plant has grown well but I still wasn't happy with the corner. So . . . I decided to remove all the stones, turn over the soil, and plant grass seed. (In spite of Husband's grumbling that it would be impossible to mow.) 

I cleared the stones and neatened the earth ready for the seeds.

Then I went to B&Q today to buy big pots for some bulbs and saw they had turf at a special reduced price. From the edge it looked green and lush. So I bought some.

But, as it turned out, not quite enough, and it was anything but green and lush. I knew it was a chance: its price was greatly reduced. So I've laid it and we'll wait and see. The bit I didn't have enough turf for I sprinkled with seed. It remains to be seen whether the seed or the turf grows. And please bear in mind that, as fast as I'm putting down turf, Syd is digging it up. 

Hey ho, we'll see. I don't even know how to lay turf. Husband would have been there making sure everything was perfect and right but I'm more of a 'Let's have a go and see what happens' person.

I had an alternative use planned for the stones: I am tidying and restructuring the path to the shed.

It's a work in progress as you can see but I'm pleased with it so far. Still got an awful lot of stones left though . . .

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Coincidentally, and absolutely not the reason why I chose to go to B&Q rather the nearer Wickes, there's a large Next clothes store near B&Q so I popped in there and bought myself some birthday presents: two pretty jumpers and a cardi. 

Plus two walks with Syd making it a good day.
 
 

In which Syd is a brave boy

We'd only just started our walk this afternoon when Syd did his 'Nope, I'm not moving' sit-down protest. I decided to call his bluff.

"Okay, we'll stay here. You'll soon get bored."

He didn't; I did.

Apart from that he was a very good boy. And  - drum roll please - he went for a paddle of his own accord!

Sit!

Well, he wasn't the worst. He wasn't the best either but I'll settle for that.

When we first arrived in the hall for dog training class last night there were already eight dogs and owners there, some of whom were barking like mad. Syd spent the first five minutes sitting on my lap trembling.

When we got going he was better, and more distracted by the people, to whom he wanted to say hello, than the dogs. The trainer ran through a host of commands for us to practise during the week. Heel, sit, down, come, and stay. 

Syd and I just about managed sit, although when the trainer used Syd to demonstrate Syd behaved perfectly for him. I ran out of treats.

Syd was the first and only dog to pee on the floor but one dog did a poo just before we finished so that made me feel better.

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Went for a walk with Daughter and Louie this morning in Parc le Breos. Syd stole Louie's stick from him. The next time he tried it Louie was ready and chased him off. It didn't teach Syd though.

And this afternoon I've been to a review meeting about the young lad in whose life I've been involved for over thirteen years. He is doing so wonderfully well it made me quite emotional.

Then this evening I have week 6 of my Emotionally Healthy Spirituality course. Yesterday I did something stupid sort of because of what we've been doing in recent weeks. I wish I could say I spoke without thinking but I had thought about it and still did it. So, stupid you see?

Arty

Another art workshop on Saturday, this time a seaside scene. We copy the example and use the colours provided but I think the sky should have been pinker, less bright blue, as it was sunset.

And here are the things GrandDaughter2 and I painted on Friday afternoon. The mug is GrandDaughter's and the ghosts on the moon are mine.

My talk in church went fine - even though the microphone wasn't working and I had to speak loudly. Probably explains why my mouth is dry today. Then family came round for dinner, and that was it for another week. Assuming you think that the week starts on Monday.

So a lovely walk in the woods with Syd this morning. He was quite enthusiastic apart from the moment when he spotted a big blue bin. "Whoa, what's that and what is it doing, Mummy?"
"It's alright, Syd; it's only a big blue bin." 
"What's a big blue bin doing in the middle of the woods?"
"It's for the cyclists' rubbish. Look!" I walked up to it and tapped it.
"Don't get it cross, Mummy! Quick, we'd better run. I'll just run on the other side of you."

First dog training class this evening. My previous experience is not good so I am not looking forward to this at all.

One Eye Syd

Lovely walk with Syd by the river.

Syd was pretty good so he had a special chew treat when we came home. And after that he consented to pose for me.

Syd No Eyes

Syd One Eye

On our walk we came across a man who asked, as everyone does, about Syd. On hearing he was 17 weeks old the man said, "I wish I were 17 again."

"Yes," I agreed, ". . . no, actually, I don't know. I don't think I'd want to be 17 again."

Then I tried to think what age I would like to be. I couldn't think of one unless I could know then what I know now. I spent wasted so much time worrying I wouldn't want to go through that again.

Practised my talk for Sunday twice this morning plus most of it again when walking in the woods. I'm okay at the beginning but need to get the last bits clear in my head. But now I'm taking the afternoon off to do stuff with GrandDaughter2.

I'm so good!

Exercise this morning and I did one stage so well they gave me a weight to make it harder.

Admittedly it was only getting up off the floor . . .

But I didn't use my hands!

Since then, apart from a short walk with Syd, I've been ploughing my way through insurance renewal forms for Zac's, and a possible claim form. Legalese is so trying. 

I had to ask Husband to walk Syd on his own this afternoon as Syd was stealing and eating everything in sight and making my admin task even harder. Lovely though it would have been to go for another walk I had to make the sensible choice. Better that then go and come back to the same stress.