The Dog Cafe

We'll be at home... DS2 and GF will come over for lunch, which we tend to have quite early. Then they're going over to her parents for lunch, where they never manage to get it ready till about 4-5pm! How anyone can face two Xmas lunches is beyond me.... My mum comes to stay alternate years, but she came last year so my younger brother will have her this year. (Older brother lives in Cambridge which is a bit of a long journey from Bristol, where Mum lives, so they tend to go to her in between Xmas and New Year.)

 

Ive just been into town to get some Christmas shopping... OMG no wonder I love the internet so much.
I thought it would be easy the grandchildren are getting a toy each and nice underwear from granny this year but its seems little boys dont wear underwear anymore or at least not in this country. Quite apart from the fact that I was unable to find what I wanted, I was treated as a burden to staff who had to interupt their private conversations to serve me (how dare I be in the shop) I was told I dunno when I asked about stock and selections (C&A) and generally made to feel as if I was asking too much if I even tried to speak to anyone.

Ive walked two elderly people to the correct aisle in supermarkets this week, one of whom was partially sighted because when they asked staff where something was they were dismissed with a wave of the hand and told 'its down there the aisle on the left' and left to figure it out the poor souls,,if this is how shop assitants treat people the soon the high street closes the better.

 

As always OH and I will take the dogs for a special Christmas walk including picnic breakfast if the weather permits.

We will spend the rest of the day opening gifts, watching tv or playing games.. on boxing day I think dd and son in law will pop round for dinner and possibly a neighbour or two...

 

Oh, the logistics of family events and special needs dogs.... I've been trying to work out whether there's any way I can go to MIL's funeral. Four hours drive away, we'd have to bring Jasper who doesn't like long drives and would need a walk on the way up and the way back... If Jasper comes, DS1 and DS2 can't come. Neither of them drive - DS2's fiancee does but she can't get the time off work. So they'd have to come by train, 5 hrs and three changes... DS1 has ME/CFS and couldn't manage that - but his sleep cycle is back to front at the moment so he may not be able to go anyway, even by car. Or if he did he'd have a relapse...

If we go up with Jasper, we'd want to stay overnight... have you ever tried to find self-catering dog-friendly accommodation near Leicester? I did find one place, but we'd have to pay for 2 nights which would be £350.

So, including train fares, if I go it will cost around £500, and OH will be stressed out by travelling with the stresshound, and we'd also have to 'manage' him the whole time. I've decided not to go, and we can make a donation to some charity MIL supported instead.

On a good note though - I rang the crematorium and though they don't officially allow dogs on the premises, they're happy to waive this on occasion, as they understand that dogs are part of the family too. As long as the dog is on his best behaviour, of course. At least now I don't need to worry about whether crematoria smell of roast bones.....

 

Well, it’s taken many months, but it looks like the ‘visiting’ cat has finally realised that there is room on the dog bed for two!

 

I emptied out my dog walking bag this morning, as in winter I carry everything I need in my coat pockets. It has several compartments and apart from the standard poo bags, I found:

- treats of VERY dodgy vintage (now carefully and hygenically disposed of... by Jasper)
- £40 in assorted notes and coins
- two tick removers
- a key to my mum's house
- a 'Rebel Dog' training class badge
- a button.

What surprises are you likely to find in yours?

 

Not 40quid ! what a lovely find...

I expect I would find hand sanitizer, a few plasters (always prepared for the worst) tick remover, tissues and a whistle

 

I only buy trousers with enough pockets for everything so I don't need a bag - I don't think I have carried a handbag in the last 6 years, apart from at weddings. In fact I'm scared to try now because i am so accustomed to not having one, I'd just walk off without it if I put it down. In summer I use 3/4 length trousers with pockets on the thigh that are big enough for my mobile phone and a few poo bags. In winter if I'm not wearing a jacket with pockets, my mobile phone goes down the leg of my boot. My door key is on a ring on the lead handle. So I'm never likely to get that £40 windfall, there are just too many laundry loads for it to accumulate!

 

I have a ruck sack on my back for 5 dog leads spare head torch ...spare lead and spare muzzle
I then have a small over shoulder bag for my phone , wet wipes, vet wrap ,small pair of scissors, kitchen towel , dog whistle .....and dog treats but no sign of any money

 

Brrr, it looks like it's going to get colder in the next few days, (according to "Country File")!! That's much better than all of the wet weather we have been having though

 

I shouldn't laugh, but...

We were walking in the woods this afternoon when we met a lab x. Jasper decided to chase her... not in an aggressive way, but intending to intimidate her, I think (the little ratbag that he is). Served him right when, before I had a chance to call him back, they went round a corner and encountered the rest of the lab x's pack: a Rottie, an extremely handsome young ridgeback, and two or three assorted terriers

There were no fisticuffs, it was all very civilised, but Jasper is always a little unsure when being sniffed by more than one dog at the same time so all of a sudden he wasn't the Big Bad Rough dog he likes to think he is any more!

 

Folly totally amazed me, walking along Folly in front, I noticed a young woman walking towards us, she looked at Folly, hesitated a bit then walked off the path. Deciding she must have been frightened of dogs I was about to call Folly to me. Then instead of her normal of going close to people, (she tends to assume everybody wants to say hello to her so she goes close to allow them to). She looked away from the woman, went off the path at the other side and walked nice and slow past her. I could only assume she picked up that the woman did not like dogs.

 

Slightly random, but.. whilst I've been out on my various dog walks I've picked a load of Sloes, rosehips and crab apples.. I now have sloe gin on the go(has been on the go for about 3weeks now), tasting rather splendid at the mo on my last taste test but going to leave until Christmas, also sloe and crab apple gin and a bit of an experiment rosehip, ginger and honey gin..oh and as I had some 'left over' gin(an unusual concept!) I chucked some raspberries in it that I had lurking about in the freezer and that was tasting really yum on my last wee taste! My plan is to decant into small bottles and give as gifts for christmas, yes that is the plan...

 

OH and I had a very romantic evening yesterday due to a fire in an electricity transformer our whole neighbourhood was in the dark so it was candlelight and playing cards all evening... Power was restored around 2am.


My Christmas cards arrived today and Im really pleased with the result

 

Oh darn it...the lights have gone out again . because of the transformer being out of action they re routed us all and its overloaded that transformer...

 

Pride comes before a fall...

There was a little dachsund in the park this afternoon. Jasper did his usual trick of approaching it, stopping about 30' away and waiting for me to recall him (he has me well trained). I blew the whistle and he instantly came charging straight over at top speed. I put his lead on as the dachsund owners had done the same, and we were heading in the same direction. They commended to me about how excellent his recall to whistle was and said they were thinking of doing the same with their dog (he was just 6 months old & quite nervous). So I told them how I'd trained Jasper to the whistle.

Later, I was chatting to another group of owners, and a woman walked up the path with a young male dog on lead. Jasper looked interested so I called him to me, but he kept approaching the male dog & owner. She wasn't sending out particularly friendly vibes so I got the whistle out... and he completely ignored me To be fair, he turned away from the other dog - he was probably just wondering if the new woman was a treat fairy as there's a lot of them in the park, but I wasn't best pleased.

At least the dachsund owners weren't around at the time, that would have been even more embarrassing

 

No advent calendars here. I regard it as a major fail on my part that I couldn't convince my sons that pretty Xmas scenes incorporating lots of glitter, and a surprise bauble/tree/reindeer/Santa every day, were far better than non-Xmassy chocolate ones.

I wouldn't get Jasper a dog-treat one because he'd get upset when Xmas arrived and his expected treat didn't