Here we go again – Day 41

Today we went for another walk with Ann's friend, Fiona. We trekked around on Mortonhall Golf Course and Braid Hills Golf Course and Ann wore her new winter walking gear. For the last month or so she's been really cold when she's been out on my walks. The temperature has gone down as low as -9C and even though she's been putting on lots of layers she's still been cold. Her new gear eventually arrived on Friday evening so here she is, very toasty warm, in her thermal lined waterproof coat and her thermal lined trousers. Mmmmmm................... the temperature is going to be 10C tomorrow. Looks like that's been a waste of money then?!! Oh well, ho hum, I suppose as long as she doesn't get any fatter her coat and trousers will last for years!

We trekked around for about 3 hours and guess what happened when we got about half way through our walk?............................ Fiona said she needed a rest Ann never lets me have a rest so the humans sat down on a seat (socially distanced of course) don't think they're allowed to do that but we've not seen a policeman in months, unlike proper lock-down when they seemed to pop up even if you stopped to tie a shoelace and Fiona produced two cans of Chilli & Ginger Gin so that they could have a little refreshment and nothing for me. In normal times Fiona would never come on a walk with me. I'd get left 'home alone' and Ann & Fiona would go out for a meal or drinks or go to the cinema. But these aren't normal times are they?.................

…...........And this brings us onto the next topic of conversation...................... Since last summer, I've hardly been left 'home alone' at all. I am literally with Ann 24/7. I get left for about an hour if she goes out in the car to do a supermarket shop (which obviously she hasn't done this week because the car is still under 6 ins of snow), but if she shops local then I probably only get left for about half an hour. And I get left for approx 3 hrs every couple of weeks when Ann goes to see her support bubble. And that's it. Last year she had three holidays cancelled so that would have been 3 times when someone other than Ann was looking after me.

Today Ann took off her snow grippers while walking on the golf course (cos the snow was quite deep and they're really just for ice) and when she came to put them back on again she gave my lead to Fiona. Fiona attempted to start walking down the road with me, but I wasn't having any of it. I cried and started pulling on my lead to get back to Ann. The same thing happened when we went to Ann's support bubble, Susi's house a few weeks ago. Ann went to the toilet and left me in the kitchen with Susi and I cried until she distracted me with cat treats. And when we went to Kay's a few weeks ago, Kay looked after me in her garden while Ann nipped into her house to see her new bathroom and was literally only in there for a minute. But I cried. These are all some of my most favourite people that I have known since the very first week that Ann adopted me.

When I get left home alone, I'm OK Ann thinks. I'm always just snoozing in my bed when she returns but obviously I'm not getting left for very long because Ann isn't allowed to go any where. I'm 2 years old and apart from a couple of friends babysitting me when I was a weeny, teeny puppy, on a couple of occasions, no one apart from Ann, has ever looked after me.

It's all a bit worrying. Ann just feels that she worked really hard socialising me and turning me into a well-adjusted little collie and now, through no fault of her own, all that good work is becoming un-done. And she hasn't a clue what to do about it.

And here we are........................ Day 41 of lock down. Apparently Boris is outlining his route map out of lock down on 22nd Feb. Let's hope Nicola is going to do the same. We all know Ann RANTS a lot and she knows that she's a lot luckier than a lot of people, but........................ the fact still remains that we have no income coming in because we are not allowed to rent out our house in Cornwall, and are not allowed to go there ourselves, even though we are paying full council tax. Nor is Ann getting any work as a 'Meet & Greeter', through no fault of her own.

Oh and to all these people who say that people who have two homes are really rich, greedy, people; try looking at the rich, greedy, persons personal circumstances first. A lot of people who don't know my human very well think that she has a 'perfect life', where in normal times, she's eating out & socialising all the time. Well, she's hardly likely to post a photo of herself on FB eating a meal for one in front of Coronation Street is she? 

….........Back track 30 years ago, and she was working full-time as a primary teacher, she worked two evenings a week in a video shop, taught two aerobic classes a week, (and also took part in at least another 7 classes a week) worked a Sunday afternoon in a pub, was doing an Open University Degree, went clubbing at Cinderella Rockerfellas on a Thursday night and still had time to meet friends. And between 1997-2003 she was the Assistant Manager of a hotel and regularly worked 12 hr a day shifts. So it's not like she hasn't worked hard is it?

…..............And now her life is.................... walk dog...................... watch TV................... walk dog............... watch TV.................... walk dog.................... watch TV................

OK RANT over!!!

#lifein2021