Dog days

Summer may have been a washout but autumn is reliable in its beauty in this city.  I think with all the rain the trees will take much longer to turn but we have the cold mornings and evenings but beautiful still days.

We went to RSPCA puppy school this morning.  This was a much better affair than the horrid macho dog school we previously attended.  The trainer at that school attended to the "man's dominion over animals" school of training with lots of aggression which we did not like.  He clearly didn't like us either so that is all balanced.  The RSPCA one was a) outdoors b) on a beautiful sunny morning c) coincidentally attended by one of Charlie's litter mates so a puppy reunion was in order and d) had a wonderful instructor who is also a dolphin trainer.  I know dolphin training is so horribly  non-pc but she was pretty awesome just the same.  Of course, young Charlie was the darling of the class but there were some other lovely dogs there so.  We came away with homework, top tips and a very happy puppy.

The hideous family stuff may have been contributing to the gloom in my life and for everyone.  This weekend has been calm and structured and I certainly have no complaints about that.  We're getting there so thanks everyone for your kind thoughts.

The other stuff is reaching ludicrous proportions but fortunately in the face of real problems that all just has me rolling my eyes.

I am getting to admire a lot of houses and gardens on my walks with the puppy.  I am almost caving in to the idea of an iphone given that a) the puppy managed to get my blackberry off the desk and chewed it so some of the keys are wonky b) work is discontinuing support for that platform so no new apps being developed for it and I will have to get a different phone once this contract expires anyway but more importantly c) I would be able to take better photos of all the things I see on my walks.

Today we walked past a modest house that had taken over the nature strip (verge, doesn't seem to be a word used here, but I think that is what I would have called it) and turned it into a vegetable garden interspersed with marigolds.  It was quite beautiful.  We also saw a peacock from the small colony that live in local parkland but Charlie was looking the other way and missed it.

I realised that the chickens were just way too tempting for a dog bred to herd so the best of people constructed a chicken wire fence to separate out the chickens.  Then we had to reinforce it with sleepers so no determined dog could dig under it.  It looks somewhat utilitarian but the chickens still have a third of the garden and can taunt the dog with their delicious scraps while he patrols the rest of the garden.

One of the cats is disdainful about his existence and does not allow him to interfere with her normal routes of sleeping spots.  He tries to make himself small and passive but she still hisses at him to leave her presence.  The old grey one stares him out through the glass panelled doors and declines to make friends.  The youngest one just runs in the opposite direction.  I would describe it as a uneasy truce.  The cats still get to sleep on the beds while he is confined to the kitchen so all good.

It's not all cats and dogs round here.  Work is insanely busy.  I was doubly loaded as a person was off sick all last week.  I have a long list but did manage to get through it all last week.  I need to get my diary in order though as there are way too many late night meetings which are killing me.  I did get my travel schedule sorted with stuff on and off the list in fast order.  Things which seem certain are that May and June are going to be hectic with Sao Paolo, Istanbul, Singapore and London on the agenda.  My PA taunted me by claiming she had found a business fare for almost the same as economy but it proved to be a mirage. 

I am off to Sydney tomorrow and flying as the tax benefit of driving has hit its limit.   I am staying in a hotel unfamiliar to me as our list has changed completely so let's hope it all comes together.

 

Comments

[swissmiss]

Hope the hideous family stuff and ludicrous other stuff improves soon. Pls let me know if there is ever anything I can do to help. Big hugs to you, the 2 girls, 2 cats and the new puppy!

[Luna]

Ooooo, iPhone...do it! x