Maggie was poorly at 4.50am and got me up. Luckily there were no accidents indoors and once she’d gotten rid of whatever it was that had upset her, she went straight back to sleep until around 8am.
We thus had a pretty late start to the day and sadly missed the New Year’s Day band of people rushing into the freezing cold sea for a dip in aid of charity.
These were taken last year, but you get the idea! Brrrrrrr!!!
Hubby has hurt his shoulder so walking any distance with his sticks is even more painful, so I walked Maggie on my own. I went through the park and the lake is beginning to fill.
It’s unclear as to what is actually going to happen to all the contaminated straw bales that are still at one end, but at least the ducks and geese have somewhere to swim or paddle.
I had to laugh when a goose was walking down the slope towards the water and it did the splits. One leg went forwards and the other went behind it as it slipped in the mud, but it wasn’t hurt, just perhaps a little embarrassed!
Above previous picture of contaminated straw bales, below the lake today
I saw lots of people, some I knew, some with dogs, many without, and wished them all a good morning and Happy New Year. All greetings were returned.
With each one, my heart lifted, it put a bouncier spring in my step, and by the time I got to the cafe where we usually stop for tea and cake, I was almost floating.
It felt so good to be alive, and although Dick was non-invasive, it was a wake-up call as to how precious life is.
I stopped to chat with a family who have a boxer cross that had major hip surgery early last year and she has recovered brilliantly. Their daughter gave me a hug (she’s about 20) and I felt like I was glowing from her warmth and friendliness.
Moving along, I met up with other people I know from walking Maggie and again it was all smiles and positivity.
One guy had a GSD pup, and was talking to Zack’s owner and another lady who was so supportive with my ‘afterwards’ concerns having had the op herself and reconstruction several years ago.
Zack, a photo given to me by his owners, as he reminds me so much of Colin’s ‘Ray’.
The pup was a birthday present, and the guy was the one-on-one trainer Zack’s owner had gone to with their nervous GSD, Vogue. Although the pup was in training and he didn’t usually allow fussing, I was allowed. Maggie and pup sniffed noses, both were content, then the pup sat in front of his master looking up at him and did not move an inch!
When it was time to go, the dog was rewarded and they moved away. I could see why she had gone to him for help and guidance. Vogue is still nervous, and it didn’t help when a new dog on the block attacked her on the beach. (The owner said it was a puppy and only wanted to play, but I’ve met this guy and his dog, which is a staffy cross bigger than Maggie but with none of the gentleness some of the staffies have. It is also about 18 months to 2 years old IMO, and I would not trust it (or its owner for that matter) as far as I could throw it.) If I see this lady out, I always wave and give them space knowing how anxious Vogue can be. She is much better than she was, but an attack out of the blue like that has knocked her back again.
All in all though, it was a wonderful way to start the day………….. and the year.
More of this then please.
pensitivity101 
So pleased you got a nice walk. Not sure what Maggie would make of Captain Chaos.
She can be a bit grouchy as she can’t cope with fast movements and has a blind side. She’ll be 15 on the 17th.
That IS a wonderful way to start a new year Di. Glad Maggie seems to be feeling better and I hope your hubby’s shoulder is not as painful.
Thanks Fransi. It’s been a good day today.
With lots more to follow
Hope so!
👍🤞☀️
Warm greetings,smiles and hugs are spirit boosters. Hope all your days are like that.
Wouldn’t it be lovely if they were? It’s been a good day today too, so I’m not complaining!
Indeed! 👌💛🧡
That was a lovely start to the new year, Di… Now I need to get out of the house and go for a walk, if it ever stops raining!
Thank you and a Happy New Year to you.
It’s still very mild here, but is due to turn cold for the weekend. Just treated myself to some gloves!!
What a lovely morning, I hope the good spirits will continue.
It was an excellent start!
Lovely post. I hope your hubby’s shoulder is better soon. Those dogs that attack other dogs unprovoked are a difficult problem. Oftentimes the owner is clueless (thoughtless or stupid sadly) and others suffer because the owner refuses to acknowledge that their dog has a problem. I had a friend, long ago, who had a mixed breed named Lady. Lady was no lady – but she never provoked anyone (far as I knew). There was a new guy that moved in down the block from where my friend and I lived (apartment house). He had a Samoyed cross which was mean tempered and attacked any dog going past the house. He attacked Lady one day. My friend was walking her on the sidewalk past the bad dog’s house. I called Animal Control on the dog, and they said there’d been a dozen or more complaints. I saw the owner shortly thereafter and told him that if his dog attacked my Beni (chihuahua), I’d do more than yell at him. Meant it too. The guy moved away shortly after, I think the landlord kicked him out. I felt bad for the dog, but not that bad.
I hope Lady wasn’t badly hurt?
We have a dog locally that is unpredictable with humans and canines, but the owner knows that and warns everyone,. On his regular walks, he keeps his dog away from anyone with a dog as a precaution. I’ve never seen the dog loose but it is well behaved on the lead and not straining to attack anything that walks by.
Maggie would hold her own in the past in a fight, but not now. If the Elvis goes up, we pull her away, It’s a warning to us that her tolerance is exhausted. Most times she is sociable, but with dogs we don’t know, we keep her leashed and close.