It's in the genes
I have just had a few days in Bristol visiting Dad, who is recovering well from his hip replacement and is tearing round the house at the rate of knots - nearly. Elder Daughter came for a couple of days too and it was lovely to catch up with her. We don't get together that often, due to the pace of life and volume of commitments.
"We'll have salmon for dinner," she announced, so I prepared to stick it in the microwave for a couple of minutes, as is my wont.
"No!" she protested, "You can't do that," and she prepared to give me detailed instructions for doing it 'properly.'
She likes gardening too - loves it, in fact and has acquired a wealth of knowledge about what to plant where and how to ensure that it all grows, which is a far cry from my very basic 'stick it in the ground and hope for the best' approach.
All of which left me thinking. She's streets ahead of me in gardening and cooking expertise and, needless to say, this knowledge was certainly not gained at her mother's knee, and neither was the enthusiasm.
Mind you, neither was her interest in Medicine.
However, I like to think that I have passed something on to her - let me see now...
Looks, charm, intelligence ..... need I say more?
Oh, and maybe an understanding of the benefits and satisfaction which come from sheer hard work. She certainly does plenty of that.
"We'll have salmon for dinner," she announced, so I prepared to stick it in the microwave for a couple of minutes, as is my wont.
"No!" she protested, "You can't do that," and she prepared to give me detailed instructions for doing it 'properly.'
She likes gardening too - loves it, in fact and has acquired a wealth of knowledge about what to plant where and how to ensure that it all grows, which is a far cry from my very basic 'stick it in the ground and hope for the best' approach.
All of which left me thinking. She's streets ahead of me in gardening and cooking expertise and, needless to say, this knowledge was certainly not gained at her mother's knee, and neither was the enthusiasm.
Mind you, neither was her interest in Medicine.
However, I like to think that I have passed something on to her - let me see now...
Looks, charm, intelligence ..... need I say more?
Oh, and maybe an understanding of the benefits and satisfaction which come from sheer hard work. She certainly does plenty of that.
Paddy's bug
On Monday, I woke up feeling most peculiar. I dragged myself out of bed but I felt so hot and shivery all at the same time. Jenny and Keith looked very worried and talked about taking me to see a 'vet', whatever that might be. I just hoped it wouldn't be a painful experience, as I felt as though I had gone 10 rounds with the mad German Shepherd across the road. I tell you, if a cat had come and sat inches from my nose, I wouldn't have taken any notice.
So we went to the vet, who turned out to be a very nice lady. She said I was a lovely dog and in very good condition. (Obviously a woman of taste!) She thought I must have picked up a 'bug', whatever that is, and she gave me two injections, which didn't hurt at all and by the end of the day, I was almost back to my usual self.
However, the vet had told Jenny to bring me back yesterday in case I needed more treatment, so she did. This time, I was feeling full of life, bounded up the steps into the waiting room and .....
there was a CAT!! It was hiding in a box but I knew it was there and, boy! was I dying to get at it. Needless to say, there was no chance and I was made to stay by the chair, but they couldn't stop me whining and scrabbling. Actually, I don't think the cat's owner liked me very much. She kept glaring at me and she seemed very relieved when it was her turn to go in to the vet.
We were there for about twenty minutes and it was a VERY stressful time for me because, at one point, I was surrounded by cats. Personally, I don't think they should be allowed in. They're only oversized squirrels really.
Anyway, even though I was really good for the vet and didn't move a muscle when she was looking at me and giving me another injection, Jenny wasn't very pleased with me.
And to make matters worse, on our way out we came face to face with another cat!
I heard Jenny explain to the owner that I don't like cats, (does anyone?)but I thought I'd have a go anyway. Before I knew it, I felt myself being dragged, very roughly for a recovering invalid, I thought, down the steps and bundled into the car.
No biscuits for being good today either, then. (Sigh!)
So we went to the vet, who turned out to be a very nice lady. She said I was a lovely dog and in very good condition. (Obviously a woman of taste!) She thought I must have picked up a 'bug', whatever that is, and she gave me two injections, which didn't hurt at all and by the end of the day, I was almost back to my usual self.
However, the vet had told Jenny to bring me back yesterday in case I needed more treatment, so she did. This time, I was feeling full of life, bounded up the steps into the waiting room and .....
there was a CAT!! It was hiding in a box but I knew it was there and, boy! was I dying to get at it. Needless to say, there was no chance and I was made to stay by the chair, but they couldn't stop me whining and scrabbling. Actually, I don't think the cat's owner liked me very much. She kept glaring at me and she seemed very relieved when it was her turn to go in to the vet.
We were there for about twenty minutes and it was a VERY stressful time for me because, at one point, I was surrounded by cats. Personally, I don't think they should be allowed in. They're only oversized squirrels really.
Anyway, even though I was really good for the vet and didn't move a muscle when she was looking at me and giving me another injection, Jenny wasn't very pleased with me.
And to make matters worse, on our way out we came face to face with another cat!
I heard Jenny explain to the owner that I don't like cats, (does anyone?)but I thought I'd have a go anyway. Before I knew it, I felt myself being dragged, very roughly for a recovering invalid, I thought, down the steps and bundled into the car.
No biscuits for being good today either, then. (Sigh!)
Female heating
Being of that age where I suffer from what I like to refer to as my 'personal central heating', I was complaining mildly about it last night, which got Keith into divergent thinking mode.
"What we need," he mused, " is to be able to harness all that heat and put it to good use."
"Really?"
"Oh yes. We could encase women in rubber tubing."
"Yes, that would really help to cool us down," I interrupted sarcastically.
"No," he said, patiently, "The point is to make use of the heat generated. It could be converted into electricity and you could have cold water pumped through the tubing and it would come out at the other end as hot water."
Very green and eco-friendly. I just hope there are no politicians reading this.
"What we need," he mused, " is to be able to harness all that heat and put it to good use."
"Really?"
"Oh yes. We could encase women in rubber tubing."
"Yes, that would really help to cool us down," I interrupted sarcastically.
"No," he said, patiently, "The point is to make use of the heat generated. It could be converted into electricity and you could have cold water pumped through the tubing and it would come out at the other end as hot water."
Very green and eco-friendly. I just hope there are no politicians reading this.
Shopping
Sainsbury's is the supermarket closest to me. I have tried others, including the so-called discount supermarkets, but I can't get the final bill any lower wherever I go, so I save on petrol and stick with Sansbury's. One of the good things about it is that they offer to pack your shopping for you. At least they used to, but it hasn't happened for weeks now. Sometimes, if I'm feeling like being 'awkward' I ask them to give me a hand with it. Often, I just grit my teeth and get on with it myself. Someone I know told me recently that, if no help is forthcoming, he innocently says, "Would you like me to help you pack my shopping?" but I haven't had the nerve to try that one yet.
Today, as usual, I was shoving shopping into my bags when the assistant asked me if I would like her to slow down a bit.
"No thanks," I said, "But is it not the policy here to offer help with packing the shopping any more?"
She had the grace to look a little uneasy.
"Oh yes," she replied. "I helped a lady with her shopping earlier."
I didn't ask her what disqualified me from being offered help but as I left, I heard her ask the next customer if she would like some help with her packing.
Obviously, I just give the impression of being far too capable!
Next week, I'm going to try my friend's approach!
Today, as usual, I was shoving shopping into my bags when the assistant asked me if I would like her to slow down a bit.
"No thanks," I said, "But is it not the policy here to offer help with packing the shopping any more?"
She had the grace to look a little uneasy.
"Oh yes," she replied. "I helped a lady with her shopping earlier."
I didn't ask her what disqualified me from being offered help but as I left, I heard her ask the next customer if she would like some help with her packing.
Obviously, I just give the impression of being far too capable!
Next week, I'm going to try my friend's approach!
In the doghouse
Things are not going too well for me today. Let's face it, I am doing my best to curb the 'high cat-chase instinct' that the Refuge said I have. I don't try to throw myself through the window when I see one of the pesky creatures any more and only occasionally do I get tangled up in the blind, and that's only when they flaunt themselves right outside the window... But today, when we went for our walk, I almost managed to get one! In fact, I missed a mouthful of fur by inches, which was probably just as well or I would have been in even more trouble.
Then I was taken on the field on my long lead. I'm not trusted to go without a lead in case I don't come back when called, which I really think is a bit unfair, but anyway, we had a nice wander around and we were just on our way back to the gateway when a spaniel bounded up to me, so we started doing the old sniff'n smell routine when suddenly, I noticed a very nice looking golden laborador passing by. Definitely worth further investigation, I thought. "Go for it!" I thought, and I did. Well, was it my fault that I charged off so quickly that I dragged the end of the lead out of Jenny's hand? First I knew was her shouting at me to come back but by then, the lab. and I were 'getting friendly' - you know what I mean, I'm sure. Mind you, I think the enthusiasm was all on my side, but anyway, I didn't have much time to find out as I was grabbed by Jenny and hauled back home.
She's definitely not happy with me.
I take it a chewstick for being good on my walk is out of the question?
Hmm, thought so. :(
Then I was taken on the field on my long lead. I'm not trusted to go without a lead in case I don't come back when called, which I really think is a bit unfair, but anyway, we had a nice wander around and we were just on our way back to the gateway when a spaniel bounded up to me, so we started doing the old sniff'n smell routine when suddenly, I noticed a very nice looking golden laborador passing by. Definitely worth further investigation, I thought. "Go for it!" I thought, and I did. Well, was it my fault that I charged off so quickly that I dragged the end of the lead out of Jenny's hand? First I knew was her shouting at me to come back but by then, the lab. and I were 'getting friendly' - you know what I mean, I'm sure. Mind you, I think the enthusiasm was all on my side, but anyway, I didn't have much time to find out as I was grabbed by Jenny and hauled back home.
She's definitely not happy with me.
I take it a chewstick for being good on my walk is out of the question?
Hmm, thought so. :(
Happy Easter
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