A rebel without a clue.

And I am already missing quality time with Lola. Yesterday, between gardening chores and restfulness, I cuddled, tickled and blew raspberries on her belly many many times. Once I had eaten my late lunch, after returning from the allotment, (and after I'd gone for a brief snooze) up she came nuzzling me for another walk. She's got a body language all her own. I can read when she's jealous, peeved, disgruntled etc, which I know she has been since I 'willing' dog sat for Archie for 36 days... I've been unable to give her undivided dedication, but she will always have my true loyalty. Still a little frosty around the edges this morning. I awoke on the dot of 5:30, however, but my body is still attempting to recover from the improbable Sunday with Mark. But I am one whole day away from that and, as I plan to walk out of Beauvais tomorrow, tonight will be a quiet evening at the Gîtes. Yesterday Lola was making the doggy equivalent of a purring noise when she appears t...

What I should have done and what I actually did are not the same: it's why I am constantly ill at ease. Firstly the long walk up to Waitrose via St Chad's in Headingley, which was a test to see what the shoes I've been wearing for dog sitting/walking duties since July would be like on a long walk through suburbia to the pain on my left arch area, was a good thing. Then I briefly saw Glenn who was a little shifty and wouldn't come for breakfast across at Fika, so I stupidly bought two doughy bunlike affairs at the bakery/deli just off Hollin Lane which didn't give me the kind of energy I sought. Walking into Meanwood, through the park I didn't feel right so after the purchases I made at Waitrose I wrongly had two sour half pints - one each in Terminus and Alfred - and then, because the new Meanwood Tavern doesn't open until October - where I was going to have one more half and then head back to the flat - I walked back into Leeds along Otley Road, going over ...

Left mother's at 8. Thoroughly packed and walked down into Wetherby to catch the number 7, which is the first bus into Leeds on a Sunday. It might be a longer journey, but it drops me off on Vicar Lane, it's slightly more picturesque between Wetherby and Leeds, via Boston Spa, Bramham and Thorner, I can see the new East Leeds Orbital Road as it passes on its way to the A64 and it's now only £2 per journey in West Yorkshire. Passing Bramham Park Estate and the Festival is being broken down. I've walked through this area twice. Once to Temple Newsom and once to Aberford. God knows how many years ago that was? During this time of contention millienials will give way to recessionals... Walking up to Headingley for elevensies through Hyde Park I feel as though I have just escaped a prison or endured my time to be allowed to leave through gates...

The final day of this long dog sitting summer. Ruby is asleep up at Chestnut Avenue, but with an empty stomach, as she barely touched her breakfast, after the lovely early morning walk. It was just the two of us: often she came for a cuddle and kiss along the way - such a cutie and very delicate Took Iskara and David some courgettes (mine and a couple from Ruby's 'pawrents' as I can't get to the allotment today really), touched base with Archie Bub and returned their second set of keys. They will definitely have me again, but I am not sure I could do another school holidays in Wetherby, unless the few individuals all cease to exist here? That's the wrong thing to think, but I mayest... Thou mayest. Not thou shalt. God gave us a choice to sin or not, to be good or bad, to be up or down. I chose down... *** Left Ruby around noon having walked Lola and her around 7. She was still off her food... No bother. She ate the two boiled eggs and kidney, but not the raw meat as...

Ruby is such a sweet pupster: she's forever young! There is not one aspect of her that seems 3+ years. Yesterday, once we returned from depositing Archie and Lola, she wriggled and messed about on the bed hysterically. Now she's by my side on the small sofa put aside for her in the kitchen/dining room. The previous two nights, with either Archie or Lola here, she spent the morning upstairs on mummy's bed. Yesterday afternoon we walked across The Stray together and came into Harrogate a direction parallel to the railway tracks, more towards the Odean than I expected on Homestead Road. Valuable to discover because Harrogate offers little else to me other than around 6 places to stop for a half and a doggy biscuit (although Major Tom's doesn't provide them and it's not open prior to 4pm on a Thursday). 8 beers then back in the number 7. No more Harrogate... Lola, Ruby and I are off on an adventure Saturday morning, but no further than the causeway bridge over The C...

Into the final day of Archie, who stayed with my mother last night as he upset Ruby over a tendon and this is her home. Lola stayed over with me instead. Ruby doesn't have any issues with Lola, but Lola gets a bit grumpy if I spend too long cuddling Ruby in the morning. It has been very nice to settle beside Lola in the bed and now at my side, on the sofa as the clock ticks the seconds down in the corner. 36 days in Wetherby. It's been eventful with the various moments of conflict and the long hot and dry summer? This morning I am resisting Lola's stare as I intend to go out with her and Ruby prior to our breakfasts. If you're busy Lola can wait, but if you're by her side it's intense her state! It's September, Thursday the 1st, and Archie's parents/owners will arrive in Leeds around 4pm so I guess I'll see them around five? If they get delayed I'll keep Lola again and mum can hand him over with the stuff from the allotment... I should be able to...

Geese flying south on the final day of August... This morning with Archie and Ruby as we passed over the railway bridge to Millennium Field. And I thought a storm is coming. Not far away now. The end is near. And I am not talking about Archie's back end? Wouldn't that be something that on the final day of that final dog he broke in two again in some haphazard moment which I was forever to live with. There was a moment brewing near Ashdale Lane, as Sally(Nick's current divorcee) ignored me, and up near the copse when Archie was a little too playsome. I was concerned he'd snap that spinal cord and I'd never live it down. It's a fear I've had since the start, but now - with Ruby - something like that is possible? So I will have to keep him closer to me for just another 24hrs... Ruby will treat it as revenge for his viciousness at her food bowl last night: his snarl was nasty! It's a quiet Wednesday lunchtime in Wetherby. I popped into Ask for an espresso, b...