Lepe of faith ...

At the risk of this blog turning into a 'dog blog' today I'm going to share our shenanigans in the New Forest.

Just as we were expecting that rain would stop play at Wimbledon and therefore also that it might stuff up our few days away in the New Forest, summer surprised us all and leapt into action.  With impeccable timing, just as OH finished work for a few days, the sun burst out from behind the clouds and smiled a great big summer smile.

So, to start off our few days break together, we set off into London and the O2 to see Michael Buble in action.  Having bought tickets at a phenomenal price last November (I'm not even going to think about telling you how much we paid in case you faint because on a day like today you do not want to be collapsed in a heap on the floor) we were really looking forward to it.  I say we and I mean we.  OH is partial to a bit of Buble's musical talent - I honestly didn't have to drag him.  I guess that's why we are lucky - we have SO MUCH in common.  Anyway, Buble didn't disappoint and having danced our way through all my absolutely favourites, which were performed with a smoothness to rival carte d'or ice cream (really?  yes really) I gathered together my very expensive signed programme and the heart shaped confetti I caught as it tumbled through the air during All You Need Is Love and we strode happily out into a perfect summer's evening.

Next day we set off with a massive holdall full of 'just in case' items .... Raincoats (just in case), jumpers (just in case), jeans (you get the idea by now surely) and walking boots together with t shirts, water, sweets for the 'journey', several changes of clothes (for all weathers ... you guessed it ... just in case) and my trusty camera.  OH then heaved into the car 'Huffington's holiday box'.  Now, you think that all the stuff you have to remember when taking kids on holiday is a chore.  We ran through his 'list' (just in case) ... Towel (check), short lead (check), wheelie lead (check), Kong (for those without canine companions this is a red heavy duty rubber toy thing that you stuff treats in) ... (check), Dentastix (check), peanut butter (yes really - for the Kong - check), food (check), water for the journey (check), water bowl (check), food bowl (check), poo bags (check), wipes (check) ... and we finally set off, laden down with things we 'might need' in case the weather changed.

Arriving at the New Forest OH and I deliberated for a bit as to why it was called the New Forest - it seemed fairly old actually, the trees were REALLY tall.  We decided that it 'was new at the time I suppose' and that's why they called it that!  With my trusty pal google to hand on my phone I looked it up and apparently the New Forest was created by William the Conqueror.  William the Conqueror was not a massive tree hugger by all accounts but was partial to a bit of game hunting.  At the expense of several small villages and farms, he cultivated this forest, added some game and then hunted there.  Ta daaaaa - New Forest.  Two of his sons died there though so maybe what seemed like a good idea at the time might have backfired slightly.

We drove gently over cattle grids, marvelling at the New Forest ponies who gathered at the side of the road and ambled carelessly in front of passing cars until we passed the very picturesque Beaulieu.  Oohing and ahhhing along the way at the peacefulness and beauty of the place we eventually arrived at Bucklers Hard.  Now I have to say choosing Bucklers Hard and The Master Builders hotel was an absolute stroke of luck.  We had been searching for a dog friendly hotel with walks and a beach for ages on t'internet only to chance across The Master Builders in the Alistair Sawdays 'dog friendly' holiday book.  What a find!

So we approached the entrance as the gates opened for us and drove down to the patrons only car park.  In front of us was the most gorgeous view.  The sun was shining and small boats bobbed up and down gently on the water.  We had so lucked out.  The Master Builders hotel is placed within Bucklers Hard, an 18th century ship building village on the banks of Beaulieu river and it is absolutely stunning.  You can take a walk into Beaulieu by the river or just while away the afternoon watching the boats with a glass or two of wine from the hotel bar.

Once we felt sufficiently revived from our car journey the following day, having spent the previous evening sitting out by the river with a bottle of champagne and a very patient dog, we decided to go to Lepe country park and beach.  This was an easy decision for us in terms of 'where to go' as Lepe beach is dog friendly.  It does have a small area for families which is not accessible for dogs from May to September but it is easily bypassed on foot and you can walk back down to the beach with your furry friend.

Everything about Lepe was lovely.  The car park, country walk, beach cafe, toilets and information point were clean and tidy and the cafe was well staffed.  The sun was shining and therefore everyone had a smile on their face - even HuffingtonBear who was about to experience his first splash in the sea.  So we led him down to the sea, oh and they have these perfect little sectioned off bits of beach so HB couldn't dash off, and in he went.  At first he wasn't sure but he was soon splashing in and out of the sea chasing a small piece of driftwood and actually bringing it back 'a la fetch'.  The Huff has never quite caught on when it comes to fetch but 'fetch the piece of driftwood from the shallow water' is definitely HIS game.  With my trusty camera I took dozens of photos like I did with the kids when they were little at the beach for the first time.  We had a great time.  The weather was perfect, the dog was well behaved, they had ice cream at the shop and cold water for The Huff and we remembered hay fever tablets (see previous Richmond Park blog posting!).  The only things we forgot were hats and sun cream.  We honestly didn't think the weather would be so good and we had COMPLETELY forgotten to add them to the 'just in case' list.  Never mind - I look rather fetching with a red nose and OH had a rather angry looking patch of red on the back of his neck.  Thankfully though, neither of us got sun stroke and generally we just had a great day.  On the way back to the hotel, donkeys entertained us by aimlessly wandering about in the road where the ponies had been before.

So there you have it, just a little snap shot really.  To give you a general idea of Beaulieu, Bucklers Hard and Lepe.  well worth a visit I'd say and we went just outside the school holidays which meant that it was all pretty quiet.  A quick note on the hotel.  It's quirky and old so don't expect perfection.  Having said that, the staff are helpful and the bar food is tasty and reasonably priced.  You are really paying for the location - which I have to say is spot on.  All in all a good few days away - we will definitely re-visit especially as HuffingtonBear loved the sea so much.

Have a great week people and enjoy the sunshine.

Blog you later, Julesy x

It's the one thing that isn't criminal ...

Happy Monday people,

So here we are having just witnessed summer.  Summer in the UK of course being two successive days of sunshine.  Did you enjoy it?  Those who went to work this fine Monday morning must have felt pretty safe in the knowledge that they wouldn't be missing anything much weather wise.  The warmth today is bordering on muggy and definitely not 'legs out' weather, unless of course you have a spray tan or naturally healthy looking non 'milk-bottle white' legs.  Anyhow, enough of weather chat because yes, the weather in summer in this country is truly criminal and the headline here is about something that isn't criminal!

Criminal Minds.  Ever heard of it?  Possibly not unless you like a bit of Sky Living.  In my house, about a year ago, I stumbled across Sky Living.  It was mid afternoon and I was revelling in the fact that I had been made redundant and didn't have to worry about work.  Lazily flicking through the channels I happened across Criminal Minds.

Criminal Minds is a US police series that premiered on CBS in 2005 and I am hooked.  With its 9th season due to air in the US in the autumn, series 8 is just drawing to a close on Sky Living.  Having never been much of a fan of the Police 'drama' genre until our very own Luther came along (swiftly followed by the almighty Broadchurch) I held out little hope for poor Criminal Minds but I watched an episode 'because I could'.

The action centres around the BAU in Quantico, Virginia where a team of FBI agents, led by Aaron Hotchner (Thomas Gibson) study the behaviour of the perpetrators of violent / serial crime in order to find them and help bring them to justice.  We are currently mid way through series 8 and have yet to come across a recurring story line.  This is somewhat impressive based on the fact that each series has an average of 22 episodes.  Although one or two of the main characters have been replaced by new ones, the mainstays of the series have remained.  Three favourites in our house are (the quite delicious 'did I say that out loud?') agent Derek Morgan (portrayed brilliantly by Shemar Moore), IT whizz and super geek Technical Analyst Penelope Garcia (played quirkily by Kirsten Vangsness) and the unforgettable Dr Spencer Reid, slightly awkward but loveable genius potrayed by Matthew Gray Gubler.

Occasionally stories run across two episodes but most are condensed into the one hour episode.  Each episode seems to fly by and we find ourselves watching two in a row having set the 'box' to series link record.  Unlike most crime / police series the primary characters are not only really believable as agents but the elements of their personal lives enable you to warm to them and connect with them more fully.  The stories are great - you get drawn in.

With oodles of channels to choose from, we still find it hard to find something that we can all sit down and watch together (family with young adults of course .... I wouldn't suggest snuggling up to a CM episode with little ones!).  However, Criminal Minds does it for us - we have watched almost every episode now over the past year and will no doubt be excited to see series 9 when it finally airs in the UK.

So it's a recommendation basically.  A big and hearty thumbs up for Criminal Minds.  Love it!

Right, I must go, things to do, Shemar Moore to drool over (I MUST stop typing the things that run randomly through my mind!)

Blog you later

Julesy x

The randomness that is us!

OK so sorry for the delay in writing.  Last week I had a problem with my ears, which affected my hearing and balance and gave me a rotten almost week long headache.  I’m not sure whether it felt worse because the weather has been rubbish and it’s meant to be summer.  Perhaps I just felt a bit low.  No matter – back to normal (whatever that is) and raring to go this murky Monday.  This Morning is on in the background and HuffingtonBear is snoring on the sofa – life is good!

Rather than indulge in ‘weather chat’ I’ll just quickly point out that just as Summer appeared to be popping it’s head around the corner, Wimbledon has started, which of course means that it will rain on and off for the next two weeks (sad face).

So here’s a bit of an update.  Guess what?  We’re not moving.  If you remember, we had sold our house and we were trawling around the local area in search of the perfect house.  Now I must just say at this point that OH and I are a tad impatient.  We do things NOW.  We don’t spend forever thinking about something and then not do it.  Once we make up our minds we pretty much go for it.  So imagine how extremely disappointing it was to visit 20 properties and find that they were all lacking one way or another.  Apart from the fact that we couldn’t find anything we liked enough, it was craziness to even think about moving to a place not five miles down the road and into a house pretty much the same size as the one we live in for somewhere around £150K more.  If we are spending that much then it’s going to have to be a pretty little country cottage.

The estate agents, who were initially so helpful, were turning into phone pests, ringing every couple of days to ask cheerfully ‘Have you found?’  And as if that wasn’t enough someone else from their office would ring to ask every few days for details of our solicitors.  Of course we hadn’t instructed a solicitor as we hadn’t found anywhere to live.  So in the end with the pressure from the agent and the fact that we just couldn’t find the house for us, we pulled the house off the market.   This was on the Saturday morning.

Three hours later we had ordered a new oven and hob, new floor for the kitchen, new floor for the bathroom, new fabulous reclining sofas and a quote for an extension!  Like I say, when we make our minds up then we get cracking.  So, we are staying and the pressure is off.  For now.  I’m sure we will move eventually but perhaps when the boys have left home or are at least not dependent on travel to new jobs or college.  Oh and I almost forgot to mention, we decorated the dining room yesterday – I say we, I mean OH.  I sat and apparently ‘looked pretty’ (and a bit vacant if I’m honest) while he painted as if his life depended on it and than lay on the sofa at the end of the day demanding coffee, sweets and chocolate cookies.

So here I sit, waiting in for the men to fit the bathroom floor and now watching Loose Women.  Next week we have a busy week, Son#1 will be 21 and we are going on a mini jaunt to the New Forest.  We will be taking HB of course but leaving Son#1, Son#2 and Kitty McVitie at home to fend for themselves for a day or two.  Oh and again, I nearly forgot, next week is BUBLE.  I am beside myself with excitement – I do love a bit of Buble and we have the most fabulous tickets yeeeehar!

Finally, just before I go, I am now officially published.  On page 15 of Time and Leisure’s Surrey edition my winning short story Waiting For George is featured.  I am also mentioned as a ‘contributor’, which is pretty cool.  Oh and finally finally, the editor has asked me to contribute an article for one of the autumn editions – how exciting.

Blog you later,  Julesy x

You really do learn something new every day

Ever judged a book by its cover?  Of course you have.  In fairness we are probably encouraged to.  Don’t authors, literary agents and publishers all spend a great deal of time with creative types mulling over the perfect cover for each ‘to be’ published masterpiece?  Possibly.  So when you see the cover of a book that appeals, are you not just compelled to pick it up and have a sneaky peek?  Absolutely.

Tonight I judged a book by its cover – well not a book exactly but a person.  This evening I attended my very first ‘writers group meeting’.  Having recently won a competition with my first ever attempt at a short story I was kindly invited to become a member of our local group.  Minutes after having walked into the room at the aptly named ‘Friends Meeting House’ I felt most welcome.  I sat myself beside the unsuspecting Jane, whom I managed to monopolise for at least part of the evening.

A hush descended as a young woman entered the room.  Now I must confess that having only been given her name shortly before the meeting I had only managed to do a quick Google search of her.  Writer Sam Mills was to join us.  A successful author of young adult fiction, Sam had most recently written a book called ‘The Quiddity of Will Self’.  Firstly, I had no idea who Will Self was.  Secondly I had no idea what ‘quiddity’ meant.  Double whammy for me then – I was already confused and it doesn’t take much at the best of times.  I quickly read a review of the Will Self book and expected to be somewhat out of my depth.  I prepared myself to be baffled but to look as though I wasn’t.  I needn’t have worried.

So, in walked Ms Mills.  A slim girl with an open face, sensible glasses and her hair pulled back from her face.  She was wearing ordinary clothes, a cardi and optimistic summer sandals and although her most recent literary offering looked set to go completely over my head (she described it herself as ‘a bit bonkers’) she seemed relatively normal.  Until she spoke.  I was expecting ‘slightly strange’ at best based on the book review and what my mind had conjured up.  I was also expecting to be a little bored (my mind being a tiny bit closed to the possibility that ‘the unknown’ might actually be really interesting).  It was Friday night after all.  Same time last week I was watching ‘The Voice’!

Sam began telling us about her 9-year journey writing ‘Quiddity’ (I know what it means now by the way – look it up if you don’t!)  She was so engaging it was hard not to smile along with her.  I found myself listening intently and smiling at her encouragingly.  I even found myself doing that really irritating ‘head nodding’ thing that people do when they are super-engaged.  Sam was entirely fascinating, witty and likeable.  Not a bit odd.  Not even a tiny bit strange.  I decided I could sit and listen to her talk for ages.  I even began to understand where her book was coming from.  I even considered buying it for goodness sake.

As the talk came to an end I chatted for a while to some of the ladies and then found myself talking to Jane again.  I had no idea who Jane was initially, until someone mentioned her books during the evening and I then came to understand that this was Jane Davis, the winning author of the 2008 Daily Mail First Novel Award.  Jane is a successful novelist and writer and has recently published two new e-books.  Of course I didn’t get the chance to pre-judge Jane as I hadn’t expected to even meet her.  However, I found her to be completely typical of everyone I have so far encountered in the wonderful world of writing.  Really helpful, friendly and exceptionally free and open with her advice.  How lovely.

So there we have it,  I was expecting Sam Mills to be a tiny bit unusual and I guess she actually is - but in a good way.  I judged the book before I’d even seen the cover in her case and in all honesty I found her to be quite charming.

I almost didn’t go tonight but I’m so glad I did.  I have met some great new people.  I have some new books to read.  I have learned something new about people and perceptions and I have learned most definitely to not judge a book by its cover.

Julesy x

Is there a coffee shop here somewhere?

Last night, I lay back in a hot, luxurious bath with Barber's Adagio for Strings playing in the background on my ipad and knew for certain what today's blog posting would be about.

Yesterday I had a brilliant and inspired idea.  'Let's go to Richmond Park' I said, dragging OH from his book.  OH looked momentarily dubious but went along with it.  I had the feeling he would have preferred a duvet day and in hindsight he was probably right.

Into the C-Max leapt HuffingtonBear, ready and raring to go, swiftly followed by myself and OH, both sensibly bringing coats (just in case).  Now, because this was a spur of the moment decision we left home somewhat lacking in provisions, after all we felt that heading to a park where there would be plenty of refreshment available was a mighty fine plan.  OH will pretty much do anything if there's a coffee in it for him so off we went.

SatNav lady took us to Richmond the scenic way.  Ordinarily this would have been sweet and thoughtful of her.  However, we just wanted to get there.  Eventually, with SatNav lady telling us we still had six minutes to go, we drove into Richmond Park and parked up at Kingston Gate.  Feeling very virtuous and healthy I re-tied my walking shoes and popped on my coat.  

We set off, the three of us.  Randomly really.  Just pointed ourselves in the direction of 'the rest of the park' and away we went.  Past a group of Chinese people having a 'sports day' affair for their extremely competitive kids, past a calm and organised yummy mummy who had made the most incredible picnic tea for her little gaggle of children and onwards up the hill and into the woods.

We breathed in the fresh air.  HuffingtonBear zigzagged happily on his super-long lead, rummaging and sniffing at everything and anything.  Out through the trees and onto a vast grassy park where we followed one of many paths happily onward.  We talked about bringing a picnic next time.  I decided I would nip to John Lewis in the week and buy a trendy little flask.  OH suggested buying a proper walkers back pack.

At this point I probably ought to confess that we had absolutely no idea where we were going or how we would get back to the car.  We assumed that there would be signposts.  There weren't.  But anyway, we carried on fearlessly until OH noticed some deer in the semi distance.  We continued onwards with HB on a much shortened lead.  Approaching the deer they stopped, looked up and stared.  All of them looked over at us.  There must have been a dozen of them.  Beautiful elegant creatures with beautiful brown eyes.  There were even fawns, little Bambi-like cuties with gangly legs and a slightly scared look about them.  

OK so I had left my camera at home but couldn' resist the temptation to photograph them.  We stopped for just a moment while I took a couple of photos on my phone until I noticed them coming towards us.  Not walking away but almost trotting at us.  'Come on then' I said calmly as we three began to walk apologetically through their party.  Once safely out the other side I looked tentatively over my shoulder to see three deer following us.  We stopped in our tracks,  they stopped.  We carried on walking and they followed - a bit like 'Grandmothers Footsteps' if you remember playing it as a child.  Eventually they gave up following.  They were beautiful - but a bit strange!

We continued our walk to 'nowhere in particular' hoping that sooner or later we would come across a coffee shop, cafe or ice cream van.  Nothing.  And then we came across Isabella Plantation and wandered inside.  Isabella Plantation is an oasis of colour with lush beautiful plants and trees.  We walked down little paths which eventually brought us out to a grassy bank.  The grass, having been cut with nail scissors was pristine and beautiful.  We were again hopeful for 'coffee' but alas no.  Small family groups were strategically positioned around the grassy bank.  No pop bottles, no barbeques, no screaming ankle biters and not a Monster Munch or cocktail sausage in sight just 'lovely' families.  Picture Ma and Pa sat quietly with Jocasta and Tarquin on a House of Fraser picnic blanket.  A banquet of home made treats laid out on the blanket, the children chatting nicely and 'looking at nature' - the only noise being made by Frankie and Poppy on the other side of the grassy knoll, crying out excitedly that Mama had brought a special treat with her... 'Apricots how yummy'.

We walked through the grassy bank.  I somehow felt the need to suck in my stomach and speak to HuffingtonBear as if he were a child 'Come on my darling, let's keep walking' I said.  We finished our walk through the secret garden and were expelled back outside the wire fencing to the mass of grass and trees.  We were completely lost at this stage and had been walking without a break for quite some time.  For a woman laid up with a bad back for a month earlier this year, walking for two hours was no mean feat let me tell you.

OH took control at this point and used my phone to 'find our way back'.  Trusting the Map App on my phone was like trusting a fat kid with an open packet of strawberry bonbons.  So the not very trustworthy app had us walking round in circles.  Every now and again we cheered one another up suggesting we were on the right track and that we recognised the path.  We didn't.  We were just being nice.  I did decide at one point that as long as we just kept walking in the same direction we would end up at one of the park entrances.  Surely that was more sensible than wandering around following the Map App.  The Map App incidentally had decided at one stage that we were in Ham and at another stage that we were in Twickenham.  Map app was not to be trusted. 

Three hours into our walk my head started thumping.  My mouth was dry and my legs were aching.  Still we soldiered on.  OH was sneezing wildly, eyes streaming and the only one having any fun was HB who was still zigzagging about sniffing the occasional deer poo. Still we walked, until we finally discovered the road and a 'lodge'.  Beside the lodge was a map.  Hoorah!  Ten minutes later - yes just ten minutes, we were back at the car.  I cheered quietly 'yayyyy'.  OH opened the boot and HB got in.  I got in - not in the boot, the car, and took off my shoes.  My head was pounding and I had developed a rasping tickly cough.  OH found an ice cream van and we stuffed down the biggest 99 cones he could buy.  

'When we come again' said OH 'we'll bring a map and a flask'. When we got home, we looked up the Richmond Park map on the internet.  Indeed there were several places to eat and drink in the park - we just hadn't been anywhere near any of them.  We traced our path and discovered we had only covered about a quarter of the park.  

So lesson for today is this.  If you fancy going to Richmond Park 'for a walk' then take a map.  Also take a bottle of water.  Maybe take a picnic too.  Oh and hayfever tablets, whatever you do, don't forget hayfever tablets.

Have a great week lovely people, I'm off to John Lewis to buy a flask, blog you later, Julesy xx

A walk in the park ......

HuffingtonBear and I do love a walk and today was no exception.  Although it was a really warm day and we were both worn out before we had started we bimbled off on our usual route.

And there we were, me and my dog, walking easily and with light feet around the local park in a desperate attempt (on my part) to do some exercise that doesn’t involve leaping about in an exercise class or walking for miles on the spot on a treadmill.  For HuffingtonBear of course, this is one of the joys of living with me and mine.  He gets plenty of exercise and loves a run and today, for him was just another day and just another walk.

HuffingtonBear, of late, is a bit naughty.  He has a propensity to throw himself in anything that smells revolting and has been known to chase OH around the park covered in filth.  Today he teetered on the edge of ‘throwing himself in the river’ until I yanked him back on his wheelie lead.  He also rolled about in something white, which looked like bird poo, but was in fact the white line marking for the cricket pitch.  He is a boy – he behaves like a boy!

When he’s with me it’s safer for HB to be on a lead.  He’s not dangerous, he’s not a barker, he doesn’t tear towards unsuspecting walkers, joggers or cyclists with rabid foaming mouth or terrifying glare.  He just wants to make friends.  With everyone.  With anything that moves.  Usually his attempts at friend making are more successful with humans.  This is mainly because he is completely irresistible to look at and this apparently passes other dogs by who quickly tire of his over exuberance and extreme puppyness.  Glossy coat, smiley face with tongue hanging out after a good run, extremely waggy tail and a fumbling, friendly but mostly unfit owner rambling along behind him seems generally to attract the people and not so much the dogs.  We are a smiley happy pair. 

Other dogs, however, occasionally like to intimidate HuffingtonBear.  Three huskies surrounded us yesterday, tails perked up, standing proud and galloping towards us at a rate of knots.  The Huff and I braced ourselves, only for the Huskies to stop and stare at us, like wolves assessing their prey.  So we adopted our usual stance of ‘walking off in a strop’, which I am quite good at but which HuffingtonBear needs a little practice at.  With the lead shortened right down I literally dragged my 20kg dog away from the gang of huskies.  Their owners wandered aimlessly in the other direction completely unaware of our predicament.  The gang soon had us cornered as my ‘marching off’ tactic failed. 

We tried again, my dog and me striding through them with me shouting ‘LEAVE IT’ menacingly in my best angry dog trainer voice through gritted teeth.  The huskies appeared amused and looked at us smugly before trotting alongside us until their owners realised they were almost in another postcode.  A swift whistle and the gang of three were gone, sniggering and leaving us trembling in their wake.  Well trembling is an exaggeration but they were a tiny bit intimidating I must say.

Back to today.  Unperturbed by yesterdays shenanigans with the the Gang of Three, HuffngtonBear and I began our walk as usual, him eyeing up the stream, me pulling him away, until we met Lola.  Lola is HuffingtonBear’s best friend.  Although he barely knows her I think he’s in love.  He refrains from rolling in unpleasantness, he trots alongside her, his coat positively gleams and shines and he is a complete gentleman.  He doesn’t even wee in front of her.  Instead they run about together sweetly, Lola hides in the long grass and Huffington goes and sits beside her.  Lola’s owner RUNS around the park even on inordinately hot days like today, looking the picture of glowing health and attractiveness.  I, on the other hand, am red faced and sweating slightly, having brought my raincoat (just in case), which is tied around my waist.  I am also struggling to juggle the dog paraphernalia I always saddle myself with;  poo bags, a bottle of water, Huffington’s short lead, car keys and treats for when he’s good.  Lola’s owner has a pretty pink drawstring bag slung casually over her shoulder with provisions.  Inside are Lola’s eye drops which she sits nicely for as her owner pops them into her eye and wipes away her tears.  This woman, and her dog are the epitome of calm, collected, together and organized.  I on the other hand represent haphazard, uncoordinated and disorganized with my slightly naughty and over excited dog and yet, like chalk and cheese, the dogs have fallen in love with each other.  We chat about everything and nothing as Huffington and Lola gallop through the daisies and buttercups and smile at each other.

Without warning they arrive, like a gang out of West Side Story (cue music).  I swear I hear fingers clicking as they strut towards us.  The Huskies.  They eye up the situation, they look back at their owners, oblivious as ever, and then they come closer.  They begin to gallop proudly towards us.  HuffingtonBear is clearly unsure what to do and momentarily looks a bit flustered.  I do the “LEAVE IT” command in my scariest voice several times.  Lola’s owner looks at me as if I am speaking a foreign language.   The Huskies behave as if I am not even there. Huffington and I are almost shaking, standing like a pair of lemons as the gang of three circles.  And then to the rescue comes Lola the springer spaniel, flying majestically out of the long grass and barking with just enough force to get her point across.  The Huskies are taken aback.  They look at one another not sure what to do.  She stops beside Huffington and barks once more. ‘Sod off’ she says.  Huffington gives a little added bark as if to say ‘Yeah.  What she said’.  The Huskies retreat and Lola saves the day.

Me and Lola’s owner say goodbye and both her and Lola run off together.  Huffington and I walk in the other direction, him panting slightly and me sweating slightly.  I resolve to leave my raincoat at home tomorrow and to buy a drawstring bag for ‘our things’.  I’ll draw the line at wearing my good trainers though and will stick with my scruffy walking shoes – no point in running before you can walk eh?! x