Walking with Syd

A walk with Syd is not yet the unadulterated pleasure I hope it will become.

The outward journey is a battle of wills. I want to progress; Syd would prefer to go home or with the person he just met. 

On the return journey, Syd is so excited to be going home he has, on two occasions, run off and lost us, causing much stress, and resulting in him having to go back on the lead the moment we turn for home.

It will improve I know, but today the storm has hit and we won't be going anywhere. Which will make Syd very happy. If I knew he'd enjoy it I'd don suitable attire and brave the elements but I can't cope with his resistance at the same time.

But he is very gorgeous and growing so fast. 

I've also remembered/rediscovered that both my walking boots and wellies have holes in them. As do my 'best' boots I found out today. 

I've ordered some sunflower yellow ankle boots. I've never had ankle wellies before but they are highly recommended and have arch support so I'm hoping they'll replace both my wellies and my walking boots.

Do you remember when we used to go to shoe shops to buy shoes? And if you were trying on sandals you had to wear a pop sock provided by the shop so your foot wouldn't pass anything on to the next person to try on the shoes? I dread to think how many feet those pop socks had been on.

Sorry I've not been visiting much. Life has been hectic. It's my own fault, taking on too much, and trying to do everything at once. But, at least, I think I have just about finished my talk on the ten commandments for church a week tomorrow. I've been tossing it around in my head, feeling dissatisfied, and worrying, but I think I'm happier with it now. You know what it's like: you spend so long writing and re-writing a piece you can't tell if it actually says anything of value.

Size matters

I ordered a set of stepping stones, made from recycled tyres, for the garden. I thought. Actually I'd only ordered one.

I ordered some food storage boxes to replace our cheese box that had broken. They're too small for the block of cheese.

I thought I'd ordered 10 metres of garden edging; what arrived was 10 small pieces of garden edging.

I've ordered a microwave to fit a small space . . .

It fits!

Helping in the garden

Syd is less of a help and more of a one-dog destruction machine. If anything survives it will be amazing.

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Earlier this week someone said, "I thought you were the same age as me."

She was 84.

I know I've been feeling my age of late but 84?

* * * * *

My head is too crowded at the moment so here's some 'mindfulness'.

Incidentally, when it was alleged that Ukraine had destroyed lots of Russian bots my visitor numbers trebled. I'm not sure what that means.

Limpy

So on Tuesday I took Syd to Pobbles for a walk with Daughter and Louie. I realise now it was much too far for his little legs but I don't think that was what caused him to limp. That started suddenly quite early in the walk.

Daughter and I took it in turns to carry him back up the hill.

On one of the bits where he was walking rather than being carried another walker came down the hill. She stopped to make a fuss of Syd and what's the first thing he does? 

Lift up his poorly paw to show her!

This was after he'd been running around quite happily on the beach. He is going to be a diva I can see.

So no walks yesterday and a short one today. 

* * * * *

I'm sure I was going to write something else but my brain has gone so I'll go and make fish pie for dinner instead.

Traumatised

I've never met such a reluctant walker as Syd.

George was wary the first couple of times but soon got over that but with Syd our walks go like this: walk, stop, carry, walk, stop, carry etc. It's not just when he meets people and wants to follow them; sometimes he just sits down and won't budge.

On our way home he's fine, can't wait to get there. Maybe I need to start at the end and walk home from there . . .

This afternoon I took him on what was going to be a shorter walk than this morning's. We hadn't got far slowly when a retriever rolled him and had him whimpering like the little puppy he is. That was it: Syd wasn't going anywhere but home after that.

Then we had to go past a dog yelping fiercely. I can see him refusing to go anywhere tomorrow. Traumatised. And that's just me.

* * * * *

My trigger finger is at its worst when I'm hanging washing on the line or tying shoelaces.

We watched The Sheep Detectives on Amazon last night. Great fun. 

When Syd met Louie

They got on really well. Well, as well as a puppy and an older dog will, meaning Louie tolerated the little pipsqueak and let him follow him around.

There is a high likelihood that we could misplace Syd in amongst the leaves.

And it's got to be done.

In the garden this afternoon I was sure it would be Syd who broke my hand fork. It was me. Trying to lift paving slabs.

From the video I notice: 

my hair needs cutting; 

I look fat - I blame the multiple layers I am wearing.

 

It's all gone tits up

It's breast cancer awareness month in Mumbles - and I guess everywhere else!

Even the postbox topper combines Halloween and breasts! I can't decide if that's a pink ghost or a condom.

* * * * *

Meanwhile Syd continues to love everyone making walks very slow. His favourite postman gave him a big dog treat while we were out yesterday so we had to stop until he'd finished eating it. Then he saw someone he'd met the previous day getting him very excited.

In between Syd duties I am preparing to 'preach' on the first Sunday in November. My topic is the ten commandments. It's amazing how many I've broken! Also continuing to work on the writers' anthology, and do trustee stuff.

After a rainy morning yesterday today is looking lovely and sunny again. Daughter is bringing Louie around to meet and walk with Syd. I shall report back.

We have a problem

Syd loves people.

Most people love him too - except joggers. Joggers ignore him, don't even glance at him. I mean, seriously? Syd doesn't understand this and, I have to say, neither do I. The biggest problem we have is persuading him to come with us instead of following the person/dog he just greeted.

And he's showing a stubborn streak.

"No, I'm not coming."

As you can see he had his first walk to the beach today.

More gardening this afternoon, discovering the path to the shed is two slabs wide not one as it appeared. I plan to get the garden spick and span ready for winter, and at the rate we're going I think we'll manage it. Me and Syd that is. When he's not stealing my fork or digging up my plants.

Now I think I may go to the library. I have overdue books and one waiting to be collected: The Infinite Sadness of Small Appliances. Might have to pick up some more winter-flowering pansies at the same time.

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Yesterday I had a meeting with Sean and a solicitor about Zac's trustee stuff. The solicitor said, and I quote, "Solicitors are like hookers; we charge by the hour."

Though Sean has used him for years and can't remember ever getting an invoice from him. He's a good one as well as a character. 

Anyway, I've spent some time today trying to decipher deeds and write a new one. We have to do this before we can do that and then we have to do the other before we can transition. Apparently.