Training

I did something very bad yesterday. I didn’t walk the dogs. It’s ok as long as you only do it once in a blue moon. They do have a garden to stretch their legs in and relieve themselves and seeing as if interviewed they would say their favouritist thing ever is being on the sofa, and they spent all day on there, they actually had a very fine day indeed. With my partner being sick and me up to my eyes in job hunting/applications time just slipped away.

Plagued by guilt however, I got up this morning and with less than half a cup of coffee in me and still so bleary eyed I put both contact lenses in the same eye (how does that happen?) we headed off for a longer than usual walk to make up for the previous day. We walked for ages and for most of the time it was just us and nature, but then two other dog walkers appeared with a gorgeous little Staffy girl, who unfortunately Bess chased. Bess is going through a period of anxiety where she runs up to other dogs barking. She doesn’t attack or growl but it’s still unacceptable behaviour. So much so, I’ve bought a 10m training line which when we’re walking somewhere extra busy or where I don’t have clear sight of what is coming up ahead, I can have her on lead but with a bit more freedom than if she was on her normal lead. The other dog owners weren’t happy and I can’t really blame them. I did apologise but even those people that know Bess and know how gentle and loving and silly she is, would have to admit that if she was running toward them at full tilt there would be a moment – albeit flickering – where they might have wished they hadn’t had such a large breakfast.

It’s all about perception and because we have allowed people to brutalise certain breeds, Staffy’s being one of those breeds, society thinks that when they see a dog like Bess (Staffy/Mastiff x) trouble isn’t far behind. Ironic then that after a life time of being beaten and treated so appallingly, the worst she can come up with is running up to dogs barking and then running back to me looking guilty...

Still, she shouldn’t be doing it whichever way you look at it so we’ve got to do some training.

I’m working on a proposal for a consultancy gig – writing an equality booklet; something I’ve done before, and if I can finish that today then I’ll be right on schedule. I’m trying to do things as soon as they come in. It’s partly in the vain hope that lots of well paid jobs come up in Cornwall. I don’t want to have applications stacked up which may mean I miss deadlines or rush them.

So on that note...

Wake up fool

I forgot to shut the chickens in last night (they put themselves to bed and then you shut the lid of the run for security). So this morning, upon discovering they were not incarcerated, they decided to come up to the kitchen door and let us know – very vocally – that they were still waiting to be fed and that if we had a shred of decency we would rectify this without any further delays. I sprung out of bed like a demented marsupial and scattered chicken feed outside the kitchen door and silence was instant and golden....

I slept well (even with the chicken wake-up call) and made up for my less than two hours sleep the previous night. I had some VERY weird dreams (they were so weird I had to put the ‘very’ in capital letters). But I feel a 100% better today – the downside is that there’s now no excuse not to do the chores. Especially as we have guests for dinner tonight and tomorrow night and then we’re down to Brighton on Saturday. Oh and did I mention I had a presentation and interview prep to fit in, and two other applications? I feel tired again…

Job applications

Finished one application yesterday and have another that needs to be in before 5pm today! Both great jobs and I hope I feel as satisfied with this second application as I did with the one I finished yesterday...

Wish me luck!

A mixed week...

It's been a tough week; we had my partner's much-loved grandfather's funeral to attend on Monday. It was a very sad, but also, at times, a very joyful day. And then I came down with a virulent gastro virus which completely wiped me out.

I'm feeling better today though and it's also our two-week weding anniversary which is nice!

Anyway, I promise to get back to blogging regularly post-weekend. Why post-weekend? Two job applications with a Monday deadline!

(Found this photo on Facebook taken at the 40th birthday party we went to just before Cornwall. It made me laugh!)