A Frustrating Dog

It’s a wet day, so I don’t bike and take the car instead. I take the opportunity to go to the local Kennelgate to try to convert the vouchers that the sponsor of our upcoming dog show has given us into dog food. Usually they courier us 24 bags of dog food but this year we just have an envelope full of paper. Saves on costs I suppose, for them at least.

Kennelgate are happy for me to purchase 24 bags of dog food with my 24 vouchers, although each one has to be a separate transaction which takes a while and they also don’t have enough in stock, so I need to come back next week to collect it but at least its all sorted (almost).

Talking of dog food... Our frustrating dog, Doggo, still will not eat on a regular basis. We know that being frustrating is his speciality but he’s starting to fade away. L is doing him chicken and rice tonight, probably curried, probably the same as what we’re having in fact with naan bread.

It’s tennis tonight and, given the weather, it’s probably a good job we’ve already practised in the wet this season. Although, they do say its supposed to be fining up and it will be a nice evening...if you believe that sort of thing.

For once, the forecast is right and we even sit outside The Crown afterwards in the sun. L runs to the pub and beats us there.

(Thursday 20^th July)

Pensionable Age

On the bike again today.

I think I’ve got problems with old age now that I’m 50 but L has had an email telling her she can draw her pension after her 55^th next week. Well, it was age 50 when I started by personal pension so we could have been pensioners together.

Doggo is, of course, already of pensionable age and now we’re got MD, who seems to be slowing down. Probably not too surprising as today is his birthday. He's 9, blimey, and still the puppy. In the evening, we order curry and we get him his own naan bread as a treat. 

Talking of birthdays...

We’re got a bit behind with the old Top of the Pops, what with having a lodger but we’re back on it now. It is now 34 years since TOTP celebrated its 1000^th edition which was originally on the 5^th May 1983. That’s some milestone, although the show eventually well exceeded 2000.

Sadly the BBC repeated the 999th and the 1001st editions but the skipped over the 1000^th because inevitably Jimmy Savile and other persona non grata were there. So they denied us a chance to relive that milestone because they wouldn’t edit it. Luckily it’s all available on Youtube.

I recorded the 1000^th show at the time onto a music cassette as it was also broadcast live on the radio that night and I played it regularly afterwards, such was the esteem held for TOTP in those days. It will be in the loft somewhere I’m sure but probably not in a good state.

(Friday 28^th April)

Bricking It

Doggo is refusing his own food, although eating MD's is apparently fine. His own is also acceptable if someone chops a boiled egg on top and preferably adds a bit of ham too, just to garnish it you understand. He also didn’t struggle to help me with my naan bread last night. I think he knows what he's up to.

I go for another lunchtime brick session so I will be crawling tonight, when I should actually be running as we have both booked into the Tara Kinder 10k at Elvaston Castle.

Just to make matters even more crawling, I part jog part bus my way over and meet L there. L drives over with the boys in the car. Even my Mum and Dad, who are local, turn up to support.

The course is a potentially soul destroying three laps but it’s still not too bad an event. I go for it from the off and go through 5k in 22:06. Now that’s not too shifty. I blow up somewhat after that and finish the 10k in 45:53. I even win a spot prize of a bottle of beer, so it was worth coming after all. Then there are some decent bacon butties too.

On the way home we pop in to the Horse and Jockey in Sandiacre for a recovery drink.

(Friday 17^th July)

Being Nosey

Doggo goes out for walk in his orange sock and seems to cope ok. Secretly we think he's rather proud of it. Although it’s now a slightly soggy, muddy, orange sock but even so MD will still want one the same.

I’m on the bus because after work I meet up with my old school friend for a few beers and on his insistence a curry. Not that I protested much.

We swap medical problems. I feel rather outdone with just my gammy leg compared with his portfolio but I’m not jealous.

Aren’t mobile phones great for being nosey, which is why I never ring anyone on mine in public. My journey home is livened up by overhearing the amusing saga of two teenagers being grounded via mobile for being late home. Good old parents. All due to the excessive punctuality of the Red Arrow. They were on time for the previous bus but the Red Arrow left early (as it often does) and they had to wait an hour for the next one. Good old Red Arrow, we’ve all been there.

The dogs welcome me at the door as I get home, pleased to see my pockets stuffed with left over naan bread but I’m sure they would have greeted me anyway.

(Tuesday 3rd April)