Good Grief!

So lovely to look out the attic bedroom window and see the mist - and the blue sky! Time to head to the allotment! The first job was staking the tomatoes - pleased to say none broke as I did so! Next job was harvesting - and you can see from my extra just how much there was to harvest!  More gladioli broken by the wind the previous day, more gorgeous blackberries, my first lemon crystal cucumbers and tomatillo sitting on top of the blackberries! I gave one of the cucumbers to a new couple on the plot who kindly closed the gate for me as I left! loads of beans and my squash doing fairly well too! Finally picked some fresh lettuce, spinach and Swiss chard to go with my lunch. It was just so lovely up there I didn't want to leave - but my tummy told me it was time to eat!
FD posted a video of her puppies from her Berger Picard - oh my they are gorgeous! They are a rare breed of dog that used to be used in France for herding and are the oldest of the herding breeds used.Berger is the French word for shepherd and Picardie is the region of France where they originate. Fd was communicating with a woman in the USA who is buying one whilst she was staying with me. One of the pups from  a previous litter was shown at Crufts! Before I knew what I was doing I asked if she had any left - she did, just the one. I asked to buy it!!!!
I had thought the first thing I would do when I retired was get a dog. I didn't get one after my gorgeous dog Max died as I didn't think it fair to leave it all day whilst working. I had the dog when I moved to Plymouth from London, and at the time I lived close to where I worked so walking wasn't a problem. In Max's later years he came to work with me as he was diabetic and needed insulin injections, and the dog walker I had moved away. When I did retire, not knowing what the future held I didn't get one, which was good seeing how the next 2 years span out with Friend. But now I feel it is the right time to get another. It feels a bit like coming full circle - when I moved to the village I knew no-one and the only socialisation out of work was with other dog walkers! In fact it was one of them who had moved in up the road from me who introduced me to Friend and Vegan Jo!  He had a party to meet the new neighbours! Now I have friends - some true, some I realise just social acquaintances, and I have come back to leading a more solitary life, and one that does not involve work of any kind and I realise never will! 
Both my cats are elderly so it's a matter of time before they will leave me, I got them as Max was aging and they fitted in with my working life easier than a dog would. I love animals and a home to me feels dead without one. So now time to revert back to being a dog owner! It will get me out on days I don't go to the allotment, and will be company for the walks I love to do but have got out of the habit doing. It has always felt strange walking without a dog! 
I'm not sure what the cats will make of it - well Fat Cat will hate it as she hates everything! Milkshake I hope will come to love him! FD owns a cat and the puppies have learnt to give it a wide berth as it's none too friendly! So I'm hoping it does the same with my cats! 
I won't get the dog till oct when it will have had it's rabies vaccination and FD will be moving back to her own house after collecting the pup and it's mum from France. Her soon to be ex-partner will look after them till then - he is French and will be staying in France! It's an amicable split. Oh and the dog is called Oscar and I will have to learn the commands in French as that's what he is used to! 
I did phone my sister to hear a voice of reason as to why getting a dog is not a good idea - she was so excited and gave not a single argument against it!! She has never been comfortable around animals, she didn't inherit the love of animals from my Grandpa like I did! However she came to love max and now watches Crufts and is delighted by dogs!