limitations

I just can't do everything! It's a frustrating reflection, but one I must come to terms with. I'm still juggling three jobs plus looking after the dogs (and trying to be their daddy as well as tough-mum) and living in the real world. Argh! Let me explain - I set the alarm early to go for a run (with the dogs) before hitting whichever job I was most into at the time) but have ended up with a huge blister on my heel due to taking the dogs out last night in shoes (no socks) I don't usually wear - so no running and a long(relatively) lie instead.

Then a bit of shimmying round the kitchen clearing up after last night before settling into some blog-research. Cue absorption until I realised at 1.45pm I was supposed to be picking up Zoe to take her to tennis class (she's 3) at that exact time. So I just had enough time to gather the stuff I wanted to put into drycleaning (still in the car, btw) before heading out - still in jeans and flipflops (well I walked the dogs in my crocs and no socks so save the heel and got more blisters on both feet) and no makeup. Tennis went well (from my point of view, I got to sit for half an hour and interact) then I even managed to drop her off in good time to meet her mum and older sister at the schoolgates!

Off to work as a lawyer - jeans an' all (I know but no clients to see) til 6 at which point I rememebred it was Wednesday and Maddie's training evening - no chance! Have to leave at 6.10 to get there so she got a night off. Had Emma, a Guider coming at 7.30 to go over my learnings from camp (sitting my test later this summer) so just had time to take the dogs out for their evening perambulation (cue another style of shoe and more blisters) before she arrived.

Then, although I'd intended to spend the evening continuing job no. 3 (case study for book) I spent part of it doing more lists for camp and wrestling with the girlguiding UK website (it is not letting me on and I need on to amend and print off the Permission forms for camp to hand out tomorrow evening aaaaargggh) before concentrating on the case study.

Thank God Richard's away I've gone through more wine than I intended (and a lot more chocolate, but then I haven't managed a proper meal yet today) and have the iPod on loud and it's almost 1am, and I have to get up at, like 6am cos tomorrow's a holiday of obligation (see Catholics) there's three masses and I can only make the 7am one..... I'm sensing I'm losing continuity here (I lost the ability to type about 20 minutes ago) so I'd better go to bed.

PS after poor Emma being confronted with Murphy giving her the heavy "love me" vibes (stares, shadowing and hand-licking), Maddie the general "will you play with me?" interest (hovering with tennis ball in mouth) and then Gizzy with the cat-stare (fe-e-e-ed me!) - she coped very well - I spent 20 minutes outside throwing the ball for Maddie but she still avoids me in the house so what can you do?

I REALLY must go I'm definitely havering now...  glass of wine anyone?

like

I love the woods. There's something so calming about them, particularly when it's sunny, with the sunshine making it to the ground in bits, broken up by the branches and leaves. I love the way that the trees seem to be so removed from us, with our petty troubles and short lives. They, on the other hand, are moved by the wind, but unmoved by my worries. The sun shines through them when it can, the rain patters through their leaves - I used to live in a second floor tenement flat, whose living room window opened onto a big sycamore tree. When it rained (as it did a lot that summer) I opened the windows and sat listening to the rain dripping down onto the leaves - I found it almost mesmerising. I'd torn a ligament in my ankle that spring so couldn't do anything for some months and my memories of that summer (the only one I spent in that flat) revolve around the rain and that tree. Wistful, quiet, calming, steady - a solid presence

Of course the recent high winds we had have ended up with scenes of devastation in many woods, with trees uprooted and huge branches torn off and scattered as if they were mere twigs. The trunks are left denuded, bereft and almost naked... so sad.
sigh. 
But it's nature, a force we don't understand and can't control. We must simply accept.

woodland walk

we had a lovely walk today, found a big wood a wee bit away and took a walk along a riverbank - as usual the terrible twosome had a wonderful time splashing around and chasing sticks... it was beautiful scenery

thereafter having gone to the seaside and decided it was too blowy for ice cream we found a decent beer garden and had a late lunch/early tea (about 3.30!) while the dogs behaved impeccably (for them). It's funny weather - I put a washing out about 7pm and fully expect it to be pretty dry by the time the sun goes - amazing!

the clean-up squad

"Who opened the cream?" - I stood there with cream dripping off the counter, my front, legs, skirt and feet...

I had shaken it before opening it - to find out the hard way that it was already open!

Luckily the clean-up squad were soon on hand and licked the place clean - very tickly on the feet!

they think we're stoopid!

I happened to nip back downstairs last night after I'd gone up to bed - about 2 minutes after - and found the dogs in flagrante. When I left them Maddie was in her crate in the kitchen (looking all cosy and sleepy) and Murphy was stretched out on the living room floor next to the sofa (again looking pretty ensconced). 2 minutes later there they were - each happily settled in on a sofa each. Caught!

Maddie News!

We've had a few hectic days with the munsters, particularly Maddie. I've upped the teethbrushing, much to Murphy's delight - he loves it! It's a case of trying to get the (poultry-flavoured) toothpaste onto his teeth before he eats it.

Maddie is another matter entirely. It's not that she hates it (she's not hugely keen but likes the taste) it's just that she's got this idea into her wee head that every time I call her in the house I'm going to do something unspeakable to her - like clean her ears, groom her, brush her teeth, take something off her she shouldn't have (usually someone's slipper) etc. So as soon as I call her she heads off at great speed into her crate and refuses to come out - sigh. I've tried dragging her but that's apparently not a good thing, they need to feel safe in their den (as long as you can enter it with them which I can, well I can stick my head and shoulders in) safely.

So great frustration all round! When you actually catch her she doesn't really mind that stuff, it's all in the anticipation...

On the up side we had our test for the KC Good Citizen Dog (Bronze Award) and she passed! Yippeee! Well done Maddie!!! (and well done me too) She's very proud of her rosette - well she keeps trying to eat it anyway.

made it!

Well all you imaginary friends out there (except for one real one who I know reads this blog - hello!) will be relieved to hear that I completed this morning's 10k race in under an hour - 58.31 minutes in fact, although I'll get my proper time when the chips are processed, there was a slight delay in my button-pushing (although it's exactly the same watch I use every time I go running so why I had a momentary brain lapse as to how to start the stopwatch as I crossed the start line I don't know) so it may be a couple of seconds faster but I'm not nit-picking!

And why are you relieved, I hear you ask? Well, because I'm relieved! I've never done it in more than the 60 minutes and that's a big black line in my head that I REALLY don't want to cross - the territory of old fogies and unfit half-triers! (all opinions expressed in this blog are entirely personal and in no way represent the views of any sane or reasonable person, by the way) - so the thought of straying into this territory, due entirely to the fact that I didn't get off my bahoukie soon enough to get training, was preying on my mind.

Anyway, in the event I needn't have worried. Thanks to pleasant running weather - bit windy but overcast and with rain constantly threatening but not appearing - I managed to stagger round in the due time. Apart from despair at 5K when I realised I'd gone over the required time per k to make it, which was alleviated when the 6k marker came up very shortly thereafter (someone was 'avin' a larf, guvnor!) and I was on track after all...

By the way, if you have any close friend or member of your family doing something like this, I would recommend you go and cheer them on - it makes an incredible difference to see a friendly face cheering you personally as you stagger round, purple in the face and trying not to breathe too loudly! Richard was supposed to be running too but didn't feel well so brought the dogs and they all stood and cheered me on at 4k (OK, telling me to hurry up wasn't too encouraging but I took it in the spirit it was - no doubt - intended). And Maddie was fine with all the crowds and in fact looked quite mesmerised at all the legs going past.

I made it to the end, dragging out the last of my reserves for a wee sprint to the finish (nearly bringing on my asthma once I was over the line) and duly collected my 25th Anniversary medal - I really felt I'd earned it this time!

So - which one next?!!!