Autumn Days

We're actually having some dry, sunny weather over here in the wilds of north Wales this week. I took my cup of tea out in the garden this afternoon and made the most of the sun for a few minutes. There is a particular quality to the light and warmth of an autumn day which distinguishes it from spring. There's a freshness in the air and a hint of colder, crisper days to come, but although I am not one  who welcomes winter, a dry, sunny autumn day gives me as much pleasure as a day in spring or early summer. It awakens memories of schooldays, a new academic year, the smell and feel of a new school satchel, sharp new pencils, the first page of a brand new exercise book, memories which were usually short-lived as I recall, but let's not spoil the moment.
Even when I was teaching, there was something of the same anticipation of a brand new year, new class and hopefully, less targets, paperwork and government interference. Oh dear, that element of cynicism will creep in, try as I might.
So for today, I relish the moment. No more do I live my life around the acedemic year. Hey! I've even managed to remain in ignorance of the dates of the half-term holiday. These mid-afternoon moments before the sun disappears behind the next trail of cloud, are mine to appreciate, to daydream in and to savour.

Off to the seaside

The forecast was good for today, so we decided to head off west towards the sea for the day. Wales is such a compact little country that we can do that quite easily in a couple of hours or so, even though we live in the north east and even when we stop in Bala for breakfast and very delicious coffee. Mind you, we didn't have unremitting sunshine and blue skies as we had been led to believe, but it was mild and it wasn't raining or blowing a gale, so I guess that was all to the good, and we got to inhale lots of sea air, also good.

We stopped at Morfa Nefyn and Paddy got a walk on the beach. (Yes, that's me in red) He also made friends with a nice chocolate labrador, who stuck to us so closely that I thought we might be taking him home with us, but no, it turned out that he was like that with all the dog visitors - anybody's for a kind word.
Then there was a secluded little place which we stumbled on called Porth O'er which had a tiny beach, also secluded, so secluded that to get to it demanded a climb down a Welsh version of the face of the Eiger. OK so I am exaggerating slightly, but, with Paddy dragging madly on the other end of

the lead, I declined to allow myself to be dragged down there head-first, so Keith very kindly took a  photo.

"A cold coming we had of it..."

So off we set in my little Renault Clio, which Keith is minded to refer to as a 'jelly mould'. Today's journey was to deepest, darkest Yorkshire. Bravely we struggled through gale force winds, traffic cones and the vagaries of the Leeds road system but eventually, we made it, without my having to say to Keith, "I'm going out. I may be some time." Made it where? To Daphne's pad of course, to meet her and Silverback. I have met Silverback before but Keith hadn't and neither of us had met Daphne before. I made a slightly facetious comment about it being like meeting film stars, but what I meant was that meeting fellow bloggers feels a bit like meeting people in the public eye because, having been a follower of their blogs, I feel I already know a bit about them and it's interesting to make the connection between that and the 'real life' them. It was also lovely to meet Daphne's husband, Stephen and her mum, of whom I am definitely in awe as she swims in the sea at Tenby in all temperatures and I can't even stand under the shower unless the water is good and hot.

Unfortunately, we couldn't stay very long as we had to carry on to Bradford for an afternoon with my grandson, Paul and Claire and her partner, Chris. I will gloss over the fact that there are two separate roads of the same name but not quite in the same area, both of which can be reached by typing  the same postcode into one's satnav and the fact that this caused quite a degree of frustration. ("Well, we're here, why aren't you? Did you pass a Sainsbury's and a housing estate?" "Actually, no!") Suffice it to say, once more we got there in the end and there they were, patiently waiting for us.
It is about a month since we last saw Paul, and again it was a bittersweet time. Claire and Chris are brilliant with him. Chris has already built up a good rapport with him, which is what we wanted as we feel that the more positive male role models he has in his life the better, but watching him and Paul chasing each other on the grass outside, I couldn't help thinking how it should be Hugh playing with him, as he used to do.

A Mother's Story: Wednesday 30th September

A Mother's Story: Wednesday 30th September

In which I mess it up again!

Jenny took me out for my usual walk today. It was a bit later than usual but we set off on one of my favourite walks, around the valley. When we go on this walk, Jenny takes the long lead and lets me have a bit of a run and a good sniff at all the lovely smells around there. We met two ladies with four littles westies and I was very good. I let them sniff around me and didn't try to jump on them or bark at them at all. I think Jenny was very pleased with me for that. Later we met another little white dog and again,  I was on my best behaviour. So far so good, but then we met a family with a big brown dog on the way back and I'm afraid I slipped - just a little bit - well, rather a lot actually, although I couldn't help it, you know.
Jenny had pulled me over to the grassy bit at the side of the path so that the family could pass but I just couldn't resist having a bit of a bark and a leap towards that other dog. Unfortunately, I took Jenny by surprise and the next thing I knew, I seemed to be pulling a heavy weight. When I looked behind me, I saw Jenny lying full length on the ground! Imagine that! A little dog like me being strong enough to pull her over! I don't think she was very impressed though and I got a smack.
Later, I heard her telling Keith about it. He was much more angry than she had been. I think I heard the words 'rescue centre'. I hope that doesn't mean he wants to send me back. I think I'd better keep a low profile for the rest of the evening.
Doesn't look as if I'll be getting any biscuits tonight either.....  (sigh)

Sleepless in north Wales

Hmmm - doesn't quite have the same ring to it as 'Sleepless in Seattle' but the end result is the same. Between twenty past three and four o'clock is the time when I usually surface from the arms of Morpheus (Yes, he's there too - no wonder the bed's so crowded and no, it's not the one from The Matrix. Just click on the link!). After that, it's the luck of the draw whether I go back to sleep again or stay awake, tossing and turning, listening to sounds of snores (Keith) and snuffles (Paddy).
This morning, it was the latter, so eventually, I gave in, got up and here I am, at a little past five in the morning, with my cup of tea and whatever rubbish there is on television at this time of the morning.
I'm not complaining really. I am more a morning than a night person, so for me, early morning is the best part of the day, especially during the summer months, when it is light by now and the birds have been performing the dawn chorus for the past hour and at least I no longer lie awake telling myself that I must go back to sleep as I shall have to get up in x numbet of hours for work. These days, life is more relaxed, rather like Yorkshire Pudding's - a leisurely breakfast, followed by a longish walk with Paddy and then coffee with Keith if I don't have an 'early' morning client (These days 'early' is ten o'clock) and then on with the rest of the day.
But for now, I'm sitting here waiting for the day to begin and the birds to start singing.

My trip to Sheffield

Well, Jenny and I went off to Sheffield to see Kathy on Friday, as arranged and we had a lovely walk in the afternoon. Mind you, we only did about six miles, which is a piece of cake for me. Jenny kept complaining that I was pulling at the lead, but really, there were so many lovely new smells to investigate - Yorkshire smells instead of Welsh smells. It makes a difference, you know. And then, back at Kathy's, there were some very appealing, plump hens in the back garden. She really knows how to look after a little fellow like me! Unfortunately, Jenny wouldn't let me get anywhere near them! I only wanted to say hello and maybe play with them for a few minutes.
In the evening, Kathy and Jenny went off to see a friend of Kathy's and left me in the house on my own! However, Mark came in soon afterwards and I actually got to sleep on his bed for a couple of hours, as Kathy and Jenny were rather late coming in. I'm not sure if Mark really wanted me to lie on the bed, but he was too polite to object.
The next morning we had a little walk in the nearby park and I was very polite to the other dogs in there. Jenny wondered why I can't be like that to the dogs round here. I do too, but I don't really know the answer to that.