Misty is growing slowly; b ut then I have rarely encountered a pup with such energy. On the other hand it could just be that I am older.
Chatting to friends on Skype complete with video webcam feed at their end has convinced me that the time is right to invest in an £8.99 webcam from PCWorld. Mind you, that necessitated buying a larger USB hub, so it has cost slightly more. Especially as Him Behind the Wheel wants a webcam of his own. This means that we can sit in adjacent rooms talking to one another on Skype with video-feed.
Retirement has changed a lot these days.
What a lot of squealing from Misty yesterday. She had to go to the vet for her second vaccination. She howled and cried as if she was being murdered, and the crying went on for quite a while after the injection was over. The vet looked suitably worried and ended up babying the puppy, who then promptly forgot and started wriggling with delight. Such trauma has been intensified by the sudden rainy turn to the weather. Misty does not like getting wet – so toilet training has taken a downward turn. Such are the joys of puppyhood!
Meanwhile, Fox the ginger Tom, has had a better day. He got a new reflective collar. Shortly afterwards I caught him admiring himself in the wardrobe mirror. Yes – really!
A quotation from Amy Carmichael of Dohnavur (1867-1951)
Choose you this day………………….We will be that which we follow. It does not matter where we are or what work we are doing. What we follow; that we will become. Follow what is worthless and we become worthless. Follow truth, love, righteousness, faithfulness, and we will become tru, loving, right-living and faithful. Each one of us has a choice. For every day we live we become more and more like that which we choose to follow.
This weekend has been designated birdwatch weekend by the RSPB. The idea is to watch the birds for an hour, either in the garden or a local park, and then to take a note of the species seen. Now up until two days ago, I wasn’t expecting much activity because of the extremely low temperatures and daylong frosts. But suddenly, it is as if spring is just around the corner, the birds are hopping about madly making up to potential mates and there is a lot to report.
I am wondering if we are going to get another buzzard or sparrowhawk sitting on fence posts as they sometimes do. Would it be cheating to add one in, on the grounds that they do visit regulary? Mind you, I tend to think the sparrowhawk should get chased – after all it is eyeing up more than the peanuts.
The way you react to a recorded delivery letter says a lot about your state of mind. Do you expect good news or bad news? Mind you, juggling puppy, signing the receipt and collecting the rest of the mail this morning, meant that I did not immediately have a heart-wrenching Is it a summons?……. or is it a windfall?…….. Later on, I opened the letter, which was from a promotions-type company whose name I didn’t recognise; whereupon I found £25 vouchers in payment of a letter I had written to a magazine some months ago. So it was good news. Vouchers are always welcome because there is no option but to spend them!
Now……what shall I buy?
Visited the hairdresser yesterday. At one stage in the process, whilst getting me ready for a shampoo backwards fashion, the trainee said, “Could you move your bum closer to the basin please.”
How times have changed.
It is possible to use the computer and surf the net with a puppy on your knee or on the desk. It is not possible to pay bills with a puppy on your knee or on your desk.
The world is white today
Sky dips to meet
The frost heavy on branches.
White wilderness.
Thanks be to God.
Ended up yesterday with no voice – reminded me vividly of what happened two years ago, so I have been very careful to follow the voice health rules my speech therapist taught me. I may not be preaching again until the end of the month, but there is a puppy to teach! It all makes me think of how grateful we should be for our five senses, so many people are struggling with loss of hearing or sight, or are struggling to cope with a disability in some other way.
Perhaps the voice problems were exacerbated by a lovely visit from three of our grandchildren yesterday (and their parents of course.) There was a lot of running about with Misty and lots of explanations of doggy-lore. Pup and two elderpeople were shattered last night. Today, Him Behind the Wheel is continuing with Colditzing the fences – at the front this time. There is a new hazard to distract said pup, when the next door neighbour’s grandchildren play outside, Misty is instantly attracted to the young voices. She has learnt that little people are fun.
