Posted: Tue 11 November, 2008 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Animals, Domestic, Work-related |
This week, Herself is tiling the floor of the main bedroom at home. It’s a job that’s been waiting a while to be done, and it’ll be good to have it completed. (As has been said before, Herself is bloody good at tiling – she’s even had offers of tiling work from the various builders and plumbers we’ve had at the house, and when we were in Bracknell)
Because of the upheaval at home, and the general levels of work (along with having the out-laws helping Herself) it’s easier for me to bring Hound in the car to the office again. She loves it – sleeps most of the day, sitting up every so often for a look around – and gets taken out for quick walks/leaks etc. when I can get out of the office.
This time, because it’s a big car park, I’ve had to let the Reception desk know that I’ve got Hound in the car, that all’s OK, and she’s not been abandoned in a sealed up car. No-one objects, it’s just better all round to let people know, so there’s no silliness.
As it is, Hound has had several admirers when I’ve taken her out while on breaks or lunch – Hound may be anxious, not great with strangers and a general pain in the arse, but she is also beautiful, and gets more than her fair share of attention. It’s just that we have to be careful with not letting people stroke her, or putting Hound into situations where she’ll do something stupid.
All told though, it’s a good way to be. When I first got to know Herself, there’s no way I’d have been able to do this – Hound would have scratched the car to shit, and been a real pain in the arse. Now though, she sees the car as a place of safety/relaxation – things that stress her out when she’s not in the car (thunderstorms, fireworks, sneezes, etc. etc.) are all handled fine when she’s in there.
Bizarre beast – but at least we’re still seeing progress with her, which has to be a good thing.
Posted: Fri 7 November, 2008 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Animals, Domestic |
Following on from its demise over the weekend, we got the new washing-machine delivered on Tuesday, along with them taking away the old one for disposal. (a whole £5 extra on the delivery charge)
Wow, what a difference. We’ve used it a couple of times (there having been a bit of a laundry backlog) and it’s impressively quiet. Even at full-speed spin Hound isn’t throwing a paddy, which is a massive improvement on the previous state of affairs.
A lot of the time, we have to look at the damn thing to even be sure it’s still running – we’ve got so used to the noise of the old machine, this one might as well be silent. Somehow even the water-fill is quieter than the previous machine.
So far, so good. I just hope it lasts a similar amount of time to the previous machine.
Posted: Sat 1 November, 2008 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Animals, Domestic |
For the first time in five years, Hound is lying asleep in the living room with audible fireworks from the next village along.
For the first time ever she’s utterly unfussed by the bangs – and with no additional pills, sedatives or tranquilisers.
Although Hound is also definitely getting older – 90 minutes on the beach has been enough to knacker her out, but I’m just so pleased that we’re finally at the stage where the fireworks don’t seem to bother her. It’s taken long enough to get here, so let’s hope it lasts a while now.
Posted: Sat 1 November, 2008 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Animals, Domestic, Travel |
Tonight, the next village along is having its firework night party. I don’t think we’ll actually hear anything of it at all, but due to the date, we’re going to be spending most of today exhausting Hound.
So it looks like we’ll be off to one of the North Norfolk beaches – Wells or Holkham most probably – to let her run about like a loon. Then (probably) a late-ish lunch, another run on the beach, and then home.
It’s nice that Hound is getting older – she doesn’t need as much exhausting as she used to. After all, three years ago (as this post shows) it was an all-day affair that needed four or five walks but now we should get away with two.
All the same, there is a lot to be said for the levels of daftness we’re exhibiting. I just hope the weather’s OK, or we’re going to be thawing out while Hound snores her head off throughout the evening…
Posted: Tue 21 October, 2008 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Animals, Cynicism, Domestic, Thoughts |
I must admit, I hadn’t realised that USAF Lakenheath had stopped doing night-flights, considering the way they were flying over the house at half-ten last night.
But apparently they had, and will now be re-starting ‘night flights’ in order to train flight crews with night-vision equipment.
I suppose Winter is a good time for that training, as they can be flying from 6pm through to about 6 or 7am, however I know Hound won’t like it. She’s not keen on the overflights at the best of times, although she’s much better with the F15s from Lakenheath/Mildenhall than she ever was with the Jumbos and airliners from Heathrow when we were in Bracknell. (I don’t know why, although I assume it’s to do with the pitch of the noise – the whine from the airliners used to drive her crackers, whereas the more bass rumble and roar from the fighters seems to be less annoying to her)
Still, all part of the joys of living out in the arse-end of nowhere.
Posted: Wed 15 October, 2008 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Animals, Domestic, Work-related |
This morning, Hound was actually OK to stay in the house – and then the bloody Psycho Cat got involved.
I’d left the house, and locked the front door, with Hound safe and fine inside, no hassles at all. But then Psycho Cat jumped down from the fence, and started yelling at the front door.
And me, being a big softy (and knowing that the weather’s disgusting today, so we’d have ended up with a soaked/filthy/disgusting cat if he stayed out all day) went back to let him in. Which then resulted in Hound having a fit of the mini-hysterical type, and running out to stand by the car. And once she’s been in that state, well, it’s easier to give in than have to fight the battle.
So yes, she’s in the car at the office again.
Normality will resume tonight/tomorrow.
Posted: Tue 14 October, 2008 | Author: Lyle | Filed under: Animals, Domestic, Work-related |
At the moment, Herself is away from home – she’s up in Grantham somewhere from yesterday morning through ’til Wednesday evening. The only problem with this is that it leaves Hound in a bit of a state, and she turns into a complete fanny when it’s time for me to leave the house.
This morning, for instance, she accompanied me everywhere, and wouldn’t leave my side. Which is quite nice in a way – if nothing else it shows that she’s accepted me as a pack leader etc., but it’s also a pain in the backside when trying to get ready for work.
Anyway, there was no chance I’d be able to get out of the house without Her Ladyship either a) throwing a fit or b) getting all anxious and nippy, so she got put in the car as well, and has come to the office for the day.
She’ll stay in the car (yes, the windows are open for fresh air – and fuck it, it’s October anyway) and will be taken out for a walk at lunchtime as well as a quick squat at some point, and she’ll be happy. More importantly, she’ll just sleep – I know what she’s like, and that’s normal dog behaviour anyway – but won’t be stressing at home, or annoying the cat.
I suspect the same will happen tomorrow too, but then normality should return. Let’s hope, anyway.