Rescue dogs.

Every dog we had when I was a child was a rescue, not necessarily from a rehoming centre. Usually we got them because a friend or neighbour didn't want them any more.

So when Steve and I decided to get a dog I chose a rescue, we looked around several local centres but most of them had only large dogs. As we lived on the boat at the time there wasn't room for anything too big.

I also knew Steve's interest in any dog we got would be fleeting at best, so I decided a smaller dog would be ideal. I did think he'd be a better owner than he has proved to be. He has never fed Beano and only walked about four times in all the time we've had him. He is constantly aggrieved because Beano prefers me.

Beano is more comfortable around women than men when he first meets them. He is scared of teenage boys and some young men. This can be the problem with rescue dogs as they can have suffered in their earlier lives. My daughters dog had been badly abused when he was a puppy but he is a happy dog and seems to have no memory of the abuse he suffered.

When I took Beano out for his first walk this morning there were council workmen felling a nearby tree. This meant I had to persuade Beano to take a different route to the usual first walk of the day. To my surprise he was perfectly content to walk in a different direction. Mind you, it's been so cold today that Beano has done every walk at a fast trot.

Some in, some out.

I'm aiming to keep the status quo with my clothes so although I've bought new stuff, some stuff has gone. 

None of my  clothes have gone to charity shops as that would mean catching two busses into town.

One dress that was too big was passed on to a friend of my daughter. 

The leggings I'd shrunk out of were passed on to my daughter as she is the same size as me but taller.

Everything else I'm getting rid of is beyond acceptable wear.

My old leggings had numerous holes in and two of my tops had burn marks from when I used to cook on gas on the boat.

These items have been disposed of in a textile bank by my other daughter who has one in her village.

I'll admit I'm lazy about recycling, if I can't do it locally, stuff will go in the rubbish bin. The recycling bins here in the flats are frequently full to bursting as people out empty boxes in without folding then down. They are very limited in what we can put in, as in no glass etc.

This is not Beruit!

Steve has been scaring our neighbours.

One of them wanted to sell a recliner chair, Steve asked how much, not that he wants a chair. When he was told the price he kicked off about how it wasn't worth that much. He did the same a few months back when another resident was selling her car. As neither of us drive he obviously wasn't really interested. He just wanted to tell her how clever he is.

if Steve knows anyone is selling anything he shows an interest. But only so he can tell them how silly they are expecting so much money for an item that is valueless. Obviously when Steve is selling something he always asks for way more than the item is worth and is upset when he can't get the price he wants.

He's now turned his attention to urban myths and is telling everyone terrifying tales of people who tried to sell an item and were later burgled. Or who were out in their car  and approached by someone who beat them up and stole their car.

Murder, bomb threats, burglary, he has endless tales of things he's been told that happened, not to him, but to someone he'd been talking to in the pub.

My new leggings.

 

I do like a bit of colour!

Still spending!

I've had a lazy day, mainly snoozing on the sofa between walking Beano. Steve has been very subdued, he probably has a hangover

I've now bought two new dresses to go with the tights my daughter gave me. I've also ordered a new pair of leggings as after I'd given the larger ones to my daughter I only have two pairs left. I wear leggings every day as dog walking can be chilly in the winter time. I've ordered Llama leggings instead of Snag for a change, they are patterned and very brightly  coloured. If I like them I will buy another pair. I also recently bought new knickers and new socks too.

Yesterday I bought a new toaster as mine had given up the ghost, it was only a cheap one and we'd  had it almost four years and it was in daily use.

Then I noticed that I've gone through the sole of my slippers, they will soon be unsafe to walk in. I've ordered new slippers as well.

Bad night!

Steve sat up until silly o'clock listening to music. By the time he came to bed he was drunk as a skunk. He tripped and fell on Beano, Beano grumbled as he'd been so suddenly awakened. Steve started to shout and swear. Accusing Beano of attacking him!

By the time they'd both settled down I was wide awake and stayed that way until 3 a.m.

Morning walk.

As I walked Beano this morning I saw two schoolboys walking to the bus stop. They were kicking about and scuffling. They were equally matched for size and both grinning. There seemed to be no animosity between them.

It reminded me of the time I was called into school for my oldest son. It was secondary school, a single sex boys school. 

I'd chosen this school specifically for him, he's dyslexic and I was given the choice between a school that would keep him in a special unit for children with assorted problems or one where he'd be in with the main stream but given support. We talked it over, visited both schools and decided on the one where he'd be in the main stream.

Al was, by now in Year Three and was settled and doing very well. I was called in as he'd tripped and ripped his trousers badly. I arrived at the school with a pair of trousers for him and was escorted to one of the offices. There were concerns about the incident, was he being bullied would I speak to my son, who wasn't very forthcoming, and find out what was going on.

I was taken to the med room where my son was, Al seemed a little cautious until the other staff left the room. Once we were alone he told me what had happened. He'd been sat on the back of a bench with his heels hooked into the gap between the back an front of the seat. His best friend had come up behind him and tickled him. He'd lurched forward ripping his trousers and skinning his knees. He refused to say what had happened as he didn't want to get his friend into trouble.

Once he was changed I returned to the office and assured them that all was well, that Al wasn't being bullied and that it had been a genuine accident. Whilst I was still in the office Al's Head of year walked in and the situation was explained to him. He looked at me, grinned and said the Peterson boy was it? 

The Peterson boy was Al 's best friend, they'd just been lacking around.