Diet Day 1

Last night Archie was on his wanderings again. I don't hear him - I wear ear plugs - but then he suddenly barked. Once. JR took him out. He piddled. He pooed. He was sick... Jings! That was very good of him to warn us! I am hoping that this signals that he really does know that he must insist on asking to go out when he needs to.

He got more Brownie points today when I was able to go out and hang the washing up, and he watched quietly from the dog gate. And sometimes he couldn't see me, but he was bark-less. Well done, Archie.

We sat down for our usual reading/snoozing session about 10am. Turned out to be a snoozing session for both. This big double chin I have developed (side effect of the pills) is very handy for just tipping my head forward and being comfortable enough to sleep. I remember doing this on a long train journey in Malaysia, sitting upright on wooden seats, fighting for knee space with the person opposite (who may or may not have chickens on their lap). I had a blow up pillow, which I'd pop under my chin, and sleep. Now I can carry it with me at all times for quick snoozes in buses and trains.

The diet is going well, so far. Mind you, I've only been doing it for this morning, but don't discourage me. I've downloaded a couple of apps to monitor food intake. This is serious!

Archie and I went down to the Meadows - haven't been there for ages. We met a couple of nice dogs and owners. But boy! There was a freezing wind. He's great at walking to heel on the way home, even when I walk really slowly. He had a couple of wayward barks, but there were more good behaviours than mistakes.

Half the time, in the wind, Archie's beard and eyebrows must render him practically blind. In fact, though I took lots of photos, most of them show just a mass of hair on legs. With big rabbit ears.