Back to another reality.

The things which don't exist until I step out of the flat's nighttime sleep into awakenedness: the long return to another reality. The neverending real blandness of the yo-yo ping-pong of getting my shit together for the trip to 42 Braine Road to take Lola for a couple of walks.

***

Wednesday morning. Archie decided to sleep on his bed beside the unlit fire in the front room so I slept until 7 without any real distractions. We both needed a little extra sleep because on Monday evening his guts were churning and he was shaking his ears a little at the base of the bed. There was some tapping in the night, which I realised was rain on the velux windows at the back of the house, when I initially thought it was Archie coming up to the top floor.

Yesterday I managed an hour at the allotment, the first visit since the icy frozen the week previous and my final walk in Spain of 2022 the ten days prior.

Christmas gathers it's force with the hyper annoying ornamentation and awful overplayed music dedicated to it: so tedious - I don't know how anyone can cope with it? Archie's owners have decorated the house for Christmas, but they're not here ...

***

Last night I took Archie, unwilling, for a walk to see if he required a bowel movement - but he didn't, and dragged me to mother's where he decided he was going to stay and have a quiet night. Perhaps he sleeps downstairs some nights because I snore? He wants to be close, but also doesn't like being disturbed in his slumber?

Lola, Archie and I walked along the riverside to Collingham, stopped for a coffee and then returned via Stammergate Lane across the golf course to Scaur Bank. Two hours of good walking - Archie was tired, and so was Lola, and so was I from looking after two dogs separately, after we'd reached back to mother's, from around 11am.

***

I'd like to go somewhere other with him today, Friday, before Christmas Eve looms into view and I am considering Roundhay Park on the bus - as he's quite accommodating and I don't have Lola this morning either. As Lola gets older I consider her energy levels more and always give her a day off when I can. She had a very intense zoomies moment as we reached Scaur Bank - the lovely girl - but I know it's like the end of the tank for a day and she's lazy on the sofa as a result. Archie is mainly on the lead due to his back issue, and around other potential dog hazards, so isn't as frenetic.