I kid you not!
Whilst walking Tommy Monday morning I was confronted by these pieces of art. It did make me smile. I wonder how long before they are covered in graffiti? It’s nice to know other people have as much mis-placed faith in the area as me.
They will be there until April, which means I get a smile not only from walking Tommy every morning, but from looking at bums too!
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Busy morning!
For once... Normally when we go out for the morning walk the streets are deserted apart from a few people going to work. We sometimes see a man walking his staffie and schnauzer but otherwise nothing. Maybe that's why I like the morning walks!
This morning was a different matter. I noticed straight away that the mornings are getting a bit brighter, which makes the whole thing a lot less depressing. We turned the corner to go along the dual carriage way and saw a fox. Dead, but the sight / smell was enough to get Tommy dancing on the end of his lead. When the fox didn't run off, he approached very cautiously. I let him sniff the carcase a bit and we carried on our walk.
There was a rough sleeper on the top of the Cliffs, proves how mild its getting - first one I've seen this year.
On the way back we met a lady walking her staffie and her cross breed. Both of us shortened our leads with a bright cheery 'morning' to each other. Her staffie moaned at Tommy, for once, he stayed quiet.
We then met the man with the Maltese Terrier. We called this morning to each other - Tommy had a grumble.
Then the lady with the greyhound. Now, I know the greyhound goes nuts at Tommy, but I couldn't cross the road at this stage. 'Woof woof woof' says the greyhound. Tommy just walked straight on.
As we came up to the traffic lights, I could see a man holding back with his staffie. When the crossing turned green, we walked on, the man carried on walking, his dog being well behaved. This was an unprecedented amount of dogs!
When we walked passed the green, there was the man with his staffie and schnauzer. It made the set complete. I hope it's not this busy every morning!
This morning was a different matter. I noticed straight away that the mornings are getting a bit brighter, which makes the whole thing a lot less depressing. We turned the corner to go along the dual carriage way and saw a fox. Dead, but the sight / smell was enough to get Tommy dancing on the end of his lead. When the fox didn't run off, he approached very cautiously. I let him sniff the carcase a bit and we carried on our walk.
There was a rough sleeper on the top of the Cliffs, proves how mild its getting - first one I've seen this year.
On the way back we met a lady walking her staffie and her cross breed. Both of us shortened our leads with a bright cheery 'morning' to each other. Her staffie moaned at Tommy, for once, he stayed quiet.
We then met the man with the Maltese Terrier. We called this morning to each other - Tommy had a grumble.
Then the lady with the greyhound. Now, I know the greyhound goes nuts at Tommy, but I couldn't cross the road at this stage. 'Woof woof woof' says the greyhound. Tommy just walked straight on.
As we came up to the traffic lights, I could see a man holding back with his staffie. When the crossing turned green, we walked on, the man carried on walking, his dog being well behaved. This was an unprecedented amount of dogs!
When we walked passed the green, there was the man with his staffie and schnauzer. It made the set complete. I hope it's not this busy every morning!
Monday, January 03, 2011
Holiday walking
We went out for a couple of long walks during the holidays. I love to get out of the house at this time of year! Tommy was well behaved for most of them! We had two incidents of barking at people, but these were called to a halt very quickly (one of them was well deserved though – why do people find it necessary to act in an aggressive manner?!).
We saw ‘Daisy May’, a terrier that is in our training group over the woods one day. She came bounding over to say hello, seemed to recognise Tommy and they had a dash about. I didn’t see her owner anywhere, although I could hear her calling Daisy back. I can imagine Daisy running back saying ‘Mom, Tommy’s over here! You know, Tommy from training, come on! Lets go play’ and Daisy’s mom just wondering what was so exciting over there, through the woods.
Tommy was also on the receiving end of dogs being protective too. We were walking along a path in Ashingdon on our way to Hockley Woods. The surrounding fields had horses grazing so we kept Tommy on lead. The muddy path turned to tarmac and as we were approaching houses, Tommy stayed on lead. Two dogs were coming towards us and were ‘skulking’. They were not happy that they had intruders on their path and went for Tommy! It was scary and Tommy screamed. They were called back by their owner, but they were much more interested in getting this bold (but small) dog away from their den. How dare he continue coming towards them! They circled and skulked while their owner called them again. One went back, the other was slower to retreat. She didn’t put them on lead, or even issue us an apology. I understand that Boris and Max were protecting their house, but I feel more control from the owner wouldn’t have gone a miss. B/f said it was because they have money – don’t admit to anything then it’s not your fault. It’s a shame because it spoilt what would have been a lovely day.
Lastly, I'd like to wish all my readers a happy 2011. Enjoy your walks!
We saw ‘Daisy May’, a terrier that is in our training group over the woods one day. She came bounding over to say hello, seemed to recognise Tommy and they had a dash about. I didn’t see her owner anywhere, although I could hear her calling Daisy back. I can imagine Daisy running back saying ‘Mom, Tommy’s over here! You know, Tommy from training, come on! Lets go play’ and Daisy’s mom just wondering what was so exciting over there, through the woods.
Tommy was also on the receiving end of dogs being protective too. We were walking along a path in Ashingdon on our way to Hockley Woods. The surrounding fields had horses grazing so we kept Tommy on lead. The muddy path turned to tarmac and as we were approaching houses, Tommy stayed on lead. Two dogs were coming towards us and were ‘skulking’. They were not happy that they had intruders on their path and went for Tommy! It was scary and Tommy screamed. They were called back by their owner, but they were much more interested in getting this bold (but small) dog away from their den. How dare he continue coming towards them! They circled and skulked while their owner called them again. One went back, the other was slower to retreat. She didn’t put them on lead, or even issue us an apology. I understand that Boris and Max were protecting their house, but I feel more control from the owner wouldn’t have gone a miss. B/f said it was because they have money – don’t admit to anything then it’s not your fault. It’s a shame because it spoilt what would have been a lovely day.
Lastly, I'd like to wish all my readers a happy 2011. Enjoy your walks!
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Christmas time
Christmas is over and done with at last.
Christmas is a good time to be a JRT in our house. Owners are around more, food is about more and people come visiting more. That roughly translates as I have company and more walks, I get lots of treats and I get to bark at people!
Tommy had done very well this year with his Christmas presents. A lot of food based presents, some of which are too big for him - they turn him ‘silly’. He gets all protective and agitated when he has them. Visitors walking around are obviously not going to the toilet, or getting a drink. They are trying to distract Tommy so they can steal his treat. It’s just not worth Tommy getting all upset over (by that I mean him growing, barking, and generally snapping). I’m quite happy to give him a rawhide chew of a smaller stature, or a pig’s ear, sometimes even a dried bone, but the large treats, or the very hard treats are just not worth it.
Personally, I’d prefer stuffed squeaky toys as a present. They last about the same time before being totally destroyed!
Sunday, December 12, 2010
Dog poo
'Excuse me' called the (suspected) drug dealer from his window 'can you not let your dog poo there'.
'Don't judge others by your low standards, just because you don't pick up your dogs poo and if you didn't have a smelly carpet halfway across the pavement that the bin men haven't collected for the last month because they don't collect carpets he wouldn't even be sniffing here anyway! And why are you looking out of your window at 1:30am on a Saturday morning, waiting for another customer' I thought...
'He's just sniffing and I pick it up anyway' I repiled...
'Don't judge others by your low standards, just because you don't pick up your dogs poo and if you didn't have a smelly carpet halfway across the pavement that the bin men haven't collected for the last month because they don't collect carpets he wouldn't even be sniffing here anyway! And why are you looking out of your window at 1:30am on a Saturday morning, waiting for another customer' I thought...
'He's just sniffing and I pick it up anyway' I repiled...
Thursday, December 09, 2010
Snow - FTM...
Forgot to mention... Monday mornings walk it was extremely icy. Mainly due to the snow thawing a bit before the temperature dropping and turning it to sheet ice. I slipped over heavy on my left knee, ripping my best jeans (I know, I shouldn't be wearing my best jeans to walk Tommy). To add insult to injury, Tommy jumped on me very excitedly as he thought it was a game 'great! Moms on all fours too - that never happens!'.
Wednesday, December 08, 2010
Snow time!
Life, in general, is very exciting when you are a JRT. Life becomes ‘fit to burst’ exciting when there is snow on the ground! Yes, the snow came and now that it’s nearly all gone, here is the JRT highlights…
The snow started last Monday night, in time for last walk. Tommy wasn’t that impressed with the wetness of the snow on his nose as he left the warmth of the flat, but was soon distracted by the white stuff that flies everywhere if you play bow it. From my perspective, it was a really nice change to see the street covered in white with the moons reflection making the night walk an almost summer affair because it was so light out. The bitter cold had also turned into something warmer.
By the morning, the roads were impassable and we had 6 inches of snow on the pavement. Tommy loved his (much shorter) morning walk and play was on the cards! He loves to chase the snow to try to catch it and seems bemused that it just disappears further into the blanket. The smells of chicken bones were covered so the sniffing was less and the walk enjoyable. By the time we got back, b/f needed to inspect the main roads to see if he could get into work. Definitely not, but Tommy loved the extra 5 minute walk to get up the road. B/f worked from home, and took Tommy round the block lunchtime. He was running around b/f on the end of his extender lead, we now call this ‘doing the helicopter’. It warms the heart to watch.
Getting Tommy out of the flat whilst the snow got thicker was still not a problem. Even when, by Friday, the snow was up to his shoulder he was still bounding along the pavements. Tommy’s eyes have been so bright and his tail held so high! We saw other dogs (obviously) out and about during our evening walks, and the owners, although through gritted teeth because of the cold, all commented on how much the dogs loved the snow! There were bounding, happy dogs all over the place. All excited by the strange white stuff on the pavements.
One night, whilst walking Tommy, I went through the underpass. Coming up the other way, there was a man with his SBT, scrabbling up on the ice, desperately holding onto the rail with one hand and his pulling dog on the other. His SBT was a growler. What is a girl to do in this situation? You know what we done! Carried on walking, telling Tommy to ‘leave it’ (which he did, thank goodness!) whilst the man looked on enviously at the well behaved JRT walking to heel and confident lady with very grippy soles on her shows out in the snow!
The garden had about 10-11 inches at its deepest. Watching Tommy bound his way around made standing out there more bearable. We have discovered that Tommy does the same route every time he gets let out (why we hadn’t realised this before, I don’t know!). Up to the summer house, sniff the shed, round the back of the summer house, sometimes a bark, across the garden to the bamboo, along the back fence to the summer house, round the back of the summer house again, maybe another bark just to be sure and along the path to the back door.
On Friday, I didn’t fancy the drive to Stambridge for Waggy Walkers, so brought Tommy into work. We walked, not because I couldn’t get my car out, but because it would do us both good to get some ‘proper’ exercise. It took 50 minutes to get in, but it was well worth it. We both came in with grins on our faces and I had rosy cheeks. Why had I not thought of walking to work before? He had a good day with lots of fuss and only barked at one delivery driver! Luckily he also has a JRT and ‘know what their like’. He stayed in the office for a few minutes till Tommy calmed down enough to stroke and then I gave him some garlic beef to give him (the delivery driver to Tommy, not the other way around). They are now firm friends.
The walk home was chilly, and something really spooked Tommy enroute. He screamed, like the time he was picked up by the head. I checked his paws but nothing there. I’m not sure what is was but we carried on.
By Saturday morning, the snow was typically melting big time. Tommy and I went to the park, but with only 2 inches of snow on the ground it wasn’t as exciting as I’d hoped.
We’re now left with solid ice on a lot of the pavements. It makes for tricky walking, and the temperatures have dropped. The only thing that’s fun now is watching Tommy bemused as to why he cant get the chicken bone that’s frozen solid in the clear ice, but that’s nowhere near as much fun.
The snow started last Monday night, in time for last walk. Tommy wasn’t that impressed with the wetness of the snow on his nose as he left the warmth of the flat, but was soon distracted by the white stuff that flies everywhere if you play bow it. From my perspective, it was a really nice change to see the street covered in white with the moons reflection making the night walk an almost summer affair because it was so light out. The bitter cold had also turned into something warmer.
By the morning, the roads were impassable and we had 6 inches of snow on the pavement. Tommy loved his (much shorter) morning walk and play was on the cards! He loves to chase the snow to try to catch it and seems bemused that it just disappears further into the blanket. The smells of chicken bones were covered so the sniffing was less and the walk enjoyable. By the time we got back, b/f needed to inspect the main roads to see if he could get into work. Definitely not, but Tommy loved the extra 5 minute walk to get up the road. B/f worked from home, and took Tommy round the block lunchtime. He was running around b/f on the end of his extender lead, we now call this ‘doing the helicopter’. It warms the heart to watch.
Getting Tommy out of the flat whilst the snow got thicker was still not a problem. Even when, by Friday, the snow was up to his shoulder he was still bounding along the pavements. Tommy’s eyes have been so bright and his tail held so high! We saw other dogs (obviously) out and about during our evening walks, and the owners, although through gritted teeth because of the cold, all commented on how much the dogs loved the snow! There were bounding, happy dogs all over the place. All excited by the strange white stuff on the pavements.
One night, whilst walking Tommy, I went through the underpass. Coming up the other way, there was a man with his SBT, scrabbling up on the ice, desperately holding onto the rail with one hand and his pulling dog on the other. His SBT was a growler. What is a girl to do in this situation? You know what we done! Carried on walking, telling Tommy to ‘leave it’ (which he did, thank goodness!) whilst the man looked on enviously at the well behaved JRT walking to heel and confident lady with very grippy soles on her shows out in the snow!
The garden had about 10-11 inches at its deepest. Watching Tommy bound his way around made standing out there more bearable. We have discovered that Tommy does the same route every time he gets let out (why we hadn’t realised this before, I don’t know!). Up to the summer house, sniff the shed, round the back of the summer house, sometimes a bark, across the garden to the bamboo, along the back fence to the summer house, round the back of the summer house again, maybe another bark just to be sure and along the path to the back door.
On Friday, I didn’t fancy the drive to Stambridge for Waggy Walkers, so brought Tommy into work. We walked, not because I couldn’t get my car out, but because it would do us both good to get some ‘proper’ exercise. It took 50 minutes to get in, but it was well worth it. We both came in with grins on our faces and I had rosy cheeks. Why had I not thought of walking to work before? He had a good day with lots of fuss and only barked at one delivery driver! Luckily he also has a JRT and ‘know what their like’. He stayed in the office for a few minutes till Tommy calmed down enough to stroke and then I gave him some garlic beef to give him (the delivery driver to Tommy, not the other way around). They are now firm friends.
The walk home was chilly, and something really spooked Tommy enroute. He screamed, like the time he was picked up by the head. I checked his paws but nothing there. I’m not sure what is was but we carried on.
By Saturday morning, the snow was typically melting big time. Tommy and I went to the park, but with only 2 inches of snow on the ground it wasn’t as exciting as I’d hoped.
We’re now left with solid ice on a lot of the pavements. It makes for tricky walking, and the temperatures have dropped. The only thing that’s fun now is watching Tommy bemused as to why he cant get the chicken bone that’s frozen solid in the clear ice, but that’s nowhere near as much fun.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)