Another Landmark! The 1,500th Post

So, another landmark for my blog! This is the 1,500th post. When I started this blog, back whenever (not sure exactly. I'll have to check.) I really didn't think I would be able to keep it going. I admit that some posts are mundane, but that's the whole idea of it in some way. I imagine when Samuel Pepys wrote his diary, he committed boring incidents to his journal, the everyday goings-on in his life. Not that I would consider my ramblings are in any way equal to his jottings, but who knows, someone a couple of hundred year's hence might find my blog posts of interest.

So, we're finally out of the EU! Boris got his deal approved by The Commons by a huge majority. We have two vaccines to deal with the coronavirus. Hopefully, by the spring, we might possibly be able to see a light at the end of the tunnel and the possibility of getting on top of the pandemic. Boris did say around a year ago, at about the time of the General Election that he would 'Get Brexit Done,' and he has done that, but it's been four and a half years to get to this point, with a great deal of effort and confusion along the way.

(New Year's Day) Nothing exciting to report. I did see the New Year in. I had a Whiskey Mac, my ideal drink on such occasions. I imagine my Scottish heritage takes over. I just like ginger wine and a slosh of Scotch never hurt anyone. I could hear fireworks being set off somewhere. I don't think it was an 'official' firework display. No doubt kids letting them off on Oldbrook Green. I shall no doubt find much evidence when Alfie and I walk around. 

(Later) I did find evidence for fireworks being set off on Oldbrook Green when I took out Alfie later. A lot of remnants of those fireworks and it looks as if someone had burnt the cardboard cases of fireworks by a couple of the bins which are scattered around Oldbrook Green. Alif wasn't in the least bit bothered by the noise as he has been in the past. Poppy was scared stiff of the noise and really needed reassuring around Bonfire Night. But if people will insist on setting off fireworks (which, according to a couple of notices around the Green, set up by Campbell Park Parish Council, which states that no fireworks are to be set off on the Green. Not that these individuals would take any notice. Similar to those dogwalkers who insist on not picking up after their dogs. There are notices on the dog bins which say 'we are watching you,' which is totally untrue. Just a pity that those that don't obey such notices don't get fined if they refuse to clear up after their dogs. It's a pity the Council doesn't have some sort of warden patrols to check on such behavior. They could also catch those who drop litter. It's shameful how much there is around Oldbrook Green, but at the moment, what with the pandemic, they have other issues to deal with. Although, saying that, I often see Council employees in hi-vis jackets, picking up litter.

I'm constantly meeting other dog-walkers whenever I take Alfie out for his daily walks as I have mentioned in my posts on here before now. We go out at least four times during the day. He's a dog that more or less insists on going out. I think because we have dogs it creates a sort of bond and I often talk to other dog walkers. I've mentioned Toto, a shizu, and when he sees Alfie he runs towards him. But we haven't seen him or his owner for a few weeks. He's probably taken out when I'm in the flat and we don't meet at times when we're both out. Some dogs can't cope with Alfie's friendly attitude. He always wants to be friends with the dogs he meets. Some can be very friendly but then others can be quite aggressive. I think this may be because they have been over humanized and not socialized to be with other dogs. A pity. Alfie has no issues with socializing. There was a rather nasty Yorkie we came across the other week which was very aggressive when it met Alfie on the path going round Oldbrook green. I made sure we kept away as I didn't want it to bite either myself or Alfie.

A couple of weeks ago we came across a dog and its owner, walking along with the patch towards Oldbrook Green. This dog looked remarkably like Poppy, and I almost thought that Alfie agreed. Does he remember Poppy? It's difficult to know. Probably. Anyway, the lady who was this dog's owner (I forget the dog's name now.) said, walk along and let the dogs get to know each other on the Green, which we did. I let Alfie off, which isn't something I often do. I think I'm just being over-protective, basically because, having lost Carol, Alfie is my best companion and I don't want anything horrible to happen to him, such as getting run over or attacked by another dog. Alfie was having a lovely time, running around and really enjoying his freedom. She noticed my colourful socks. Something else I got from Oddballs. I also got a wooly hat. You get freebies when you spend over £30. I said there was no way I was going to wear dull clothing. Most men's clothing is grey, brown, or striped or has a check pattern, on shirts, etc, and socks were likewise dull, grey, black, striped, etc. 

I went out later in the day and as soon as we got out onto the path in Strudwick Drive I saw the same lady with her dog once again. Her little dog does look remarkably like Poppy, even down to her colour. I'm sure Alfie thinks so too. We had a chat and then walked on to Oldbrook Green and let the dogs off their leads. Alfie had a lovely time running around. He does come back to me when I call him. He follows me around, doesn't leave me for a moment. I know he won't run for it is let off his lead. He seems to know that he's going to be safe with me. He just loved being with the other dog (I don't know her name.)

Alfie had a slight problem. I don't need to describe exactly, but he needed cleaning up. I couldn't do it on my own, because he had been very difficult if you attempt to cut his coat. It needed scissors to deal with the situation. Eve (the lady's name.) suggesting going to her home to do this as she had scissors there. I don't usually go to ladies ' homes without being invited, but this situation needed dealing with. So we walked there and as she held Alfie, I used scissors to clip off the offending matter. Situation resolved! And Alfie was really none the wiser. We had a mug of tea and a chat and I returned home to Dexter House. Alfie was getting restless. I think due to his routine being changed. He was barking and it was somewhat distracting and once I'd bade farewell to Eve, Alfie took me back to the flat.   

Spring is in the Air!

It's a bright and sunny morning. We walked with Alfie, our Yorkie, to the Academy. It might be sunny, but it's very deceptive as there is quite a chill in the air. There is a definite sign of spring all along the Redway, trees beginning to show signs of buds, blossom on the trees opposite our house and the grass at the back of the house is growing to such a length that I'm going to have to get the mower out and cut it, which, at the moment, I am reluctant to do, as you can imagine. Carol has put some fresh food on the bird feeder and we're getting a good variety of birds who come and use it.

A little later . . .

I have made the most of the sunshine and started mowing the lawn. I did the first 'shift' (for want of a better term) during the morning and then did the second bit around midday. It was just as well I did it when I did because the grass was long and the mower was having a real struggle to do it's job properly. I hd to use my G.T.N. spray as I was beginning to get some slight angina pain in my chest, but I'm not letting that get in the way of what I'm doing. I always have a few puffs of this before I go swimming as I am prone to slight twinges of angina pain when I have swum in the past.

I am currently watching the Channel Four documentary series 'Mutiny.' It's a recreation of the epic journey the sailors who were cast adrift after the 'Mutiny on The Bounty' incident in 1789. This documentary series pits 9 relative novices against the full force of the Pacific Ocean as they make the 4000-mile journey from Tonga to Timor. It's about how they manage to not only survive the ocean, but also the confines of the re-created 23-foot long boat, open entirely to the elements, as well as managing to take on board instructions from a 'captain' and manage with the most basic of essentials such as water and food. They follow Captain William Bligh's log which he managed to keep during the voyage. This is definitely 'must see' television, making so-called 'reality' television shows such as 'Big Brother' or 'I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here' look really tame in comparison. As I enjoy anything with a history element to it, then this is perfect viewing. I enjoy those programmes which put modern people within a historic environment, such as 'Victorian Pharmacy' or 'The Victorian Slum.' 

Large Lorry With Fencing On Parked Outside Our House

We really thought we were going to get our long-promised fence. There was a very large truck (H.G.V.) Heavy Goods Vehicle (a large lorry or truck to my overseas readers) parked right opposite our house overnight. It had 'fencing' written all over it and pallets on the back. It wasn't clear when I looked whether it had actual fence panels on it, but by the time I noticed it this morning it had gone. So, no chance that our beloved landlord has purchased and actually had them ready to replace the crumbling wreck of a fence we have surrounding our garden. No such luck. After yesterday's ordeal early with Alfie our Yorkie doing his disappearing act through the hole, it might have solved this particular problem. Never mind. One lives in hope. I have come to the firm conclusion that they have now forgotten all about the fence being repaired.

It's again another overcast day. Grey and gloomy is about all I can describe it as, unfortunately.

Alfie Loves Smarties

Our little Yorkie, Alfie, absolutely adores Smarties (alright, for those living outside the United Kingdom, I'm referring to the chocolate-centered sweets which come in a range of different colours and similar to M and M's.) Just bring out the packet and he'll do anything to get one. Or two . . . or three. Or more. Even after you've closed up the packet and told him 'no more' he will get as close as he can and touch it with his nose. He'd open it if he could. He's very artful. He's learnt quite a lot from our other dog, Poppy, who can be a complete control freak. She knows exactly when both dogs get fed, usually at 7.30 p.m. and knows the music that ends the 'One Show' on BBC1 and will sit directly in front of me and if I don't get up at once and move to the kitchen to prepare the food she will either sneeze, bark or come and prod me with her paw. Alfie has got into the habit of doing this, and whenever your eating he expects to get a bit of whatever it is you happen to be eating, such as a biscuit, piece of toast or your dinner, and does this so you give him a morsel. Poppy can do a trick or two, such as dancing around on her back legs. This is instead of begging, ie, sitting up with her body upright. She can do a twirl easily and will continue to do so everytime she is offered a treat. She knows that if she can get into your eye-line and you can see her clearly, her tricks will get noticed and you'll do whatever she wants ie, give her a treat or go and get her dinner ready.

Alfie, our Yorkie

Both dogs have a habit of going into the garden, and when you want them to come back in the house, they totally ignore you for as long as possible. To avoid this, we bought some doggy treats, which we keep in a small plastic box, which is usually kept either on the shelf behind the chair where I sit, or on the larger bookshelf. They will generally come in if you shake the box and make the treats inside it rattle. They get one for being good and doing as they're told. Alfie now has the trick of climbing onto the back of my chair and poking the box of treats with his nose and getting my attention so I will open the box to give him a treat. Or, if the box is the other side of the room, on the bookshelf, for example, he will stand and stare at it until he gets your attention or barks at it until you pick up the box and open it. He will even stand up on his back legs if he can see the box. How artful are our dogs? 

Our Dogs

We have two dogs, Poppy and Alfie. Poppy is a Shitsu/ West Highland Terrier cross and Alfie is a Yorkshire Terrier. Poppy doesn't like this time of the year as she is really not happy with fireworks going off all around the house and the minute there is any sound she will disappear upstairs and hides under our bed. Alfie doesn't seem bothered in the slightest by these sounds. Poppy is just over six years old and Alfie is two years old. Poppy was living with Carol before I came on the scene, and we got Alfie from a dog breeder near March, Cambridgeshire.

Poppy can be as stubbon as she likes at times. You call her when she's been for a walk and you let her off her lead and she wanders off. Then, when it's time for her to be put back on her lead she will make it as difficult to get hold of her as possible and refuse to obey you. She will walk to heal, and can be really delightful. She knows certain words, the minute you say the word 'walk' she gets really excited. Even if she sees you putting your coat on and pick up the leads she knows that she will be going out for a walk.

Alfie, on the other hand, when he was a puppy, would make the most awful noise if he thought he was being left alone in the house. He got really stressed at one time and would spin round and round, but he has gradually got better as he has got older. He would never go out in the car without there being a great deal of barking and whining and his lead would get tangled up in the gear shift in the car and would want to sit on your knee if you were driving or whoever was sitting in the passenger seat. His first outing in the car was to Stowe Landscape Garden, and I was attempting to hold him on my knee when I was the passenger. He was sick and we had to stop the car. We have since bought a cage to go in the back of the car, which he travels in whenever we take the dogs out. At first, he didn't like it, and would make a lot of noise, but Poppy travels in the back of the car with him, with the parcel shelf over the cage, and Alfie seems to enjoy this, perhaps as he has Poppy for company. There may be a few little whines, but in general, he has settled down and knows that he is going out for a walk and behaves a good deal better. Poppy has always sat in the car on the back seats and is quite happy to sit there when we go out, but there are times when she will insist on sitting on the lap of whoever sits in the front passenger seat and likes staring out of the window. It's difficult to know why Alfie gets so stressed out, but I have a feeling at all Yorkies behave like this. It may be he doesn't like the movement of the car and being able to see the road and everything outside the car moving past.

Alfie was no trouble getting to walk on a lead and seemed to take to it really well. He is a really bright little dog and will now walk to heal quite easily.  It was really amusing taking him to Salcey Forest for one of his first walks. It was autumn and there were leaves on the ground and he didn't like them getting stuck in his coat and made a real fuss to have the leaves pulled off his coat!

Both dogs are real creatures of habit, Poppy in particular. I always feed them in the evening at around 7.30. We watch "The One Show" on BBC 1, and once this is over I get their dinner ready. Poppy will get up when she hears the closing music and if, for any reason, I have forgotten it's their dinner time, she will sit in front of me and start doing a little shuffle. She will stare at the television screen when she hears "The One Show" music, then at me, make a sort of sneezing sound, and if I haven't made any move she will bark. If I continue to ignore her she will come up to me and poke me with her paw.

I know some people would tell us off for allowing it, but both dogs sleep on our bed. Well, they are small dogs and they don't take up a lot of space. In the morning, just before we get up, I make tea and we drink this in bed. We always leave a little bit at the bottom of our mugs and the dogs drink it. Poppy had got used to this routine each morning before Alfie arrived, but it didn't take him long to get into the habit of having his early-morning drink of tea. If we forget to let them have their tea, Poppy will tap on the mug you are drinking out of to remind us that she hasn't had her drink.

There are several places we like to take the dogs for walks, one being Stockgrove Park, near Leighton Buzzard, and the other is Salcey Forest, going out north of Milton Keynes towards Northampton. Both have cafes, so, when we've finished walking the dogs we can have something to eat and a coffee. Salsey does really nice soup and crusty bread, really perfect for cold days.

I wasn't sure what Alfie would do when we let him off his lead for the first time, as both dogs really love to be able to run when we take them out. I needn't have worried, as he didn't go far, always running ahead of us but remaining within a short distance and always looking round to make sure we weren't far away. He runs miles, going backwards and forwards and coming when he's called.  He runs for miles, and is like a little hare when he's running. For a little dog he has lots of energy. Poppy likes to just amble along, looking at this and that, but we have to be careful when she's near water as she loves to jump in and have a smile, regardless of how cold or muddy it is. Then she comes out, generally covered in the blackest, thickest mud, which covers her coat and usually smells awful. She won't go in anywhere which has a steep bank where she can't get out. We went to Stowe Landscape Garden not too long ago, and she had to jump in the lake there, even though dogs aren't supposed to swim in the lake!

Alfie isn't good at mornings. If he's asleep and you touch him by accident, he doesn't like it and growls at you. I think it's just to warn you not to come too close, but he hates being woken up.

Poppy had an adventure a couple of years ago. It was a Saturday, and we went out for the day. I have a feeling we must have visited a National Trust property. I think it was one near Stratford-Upon-Avon.

We came home at around 5 o’clock and went in the front door. This was before we got Alfie, but we couldn’t find Poppy, she wasn’t in the house. Usually when we go out and we don’t take the dogs they come bounding up to us, barking and generally getting excited when we come in the house, but on this occasion there was no sign at all of Poppy. We had left the French windows open into the garden so she could get out.

When we went out into the garden we found that the gate, which used to lead from the garden into the front of the house, was open. I remember that I had closed this gate before we had left the house and was surprised at it being open. It was at this point that we became concerned and we thought that we’d ask some of our neighbours further along the road if they’d seen her at all. Most people said that they hadn’t, but then one neighbour said that they’d seen Poppy being taken by the Police in a car, and that she’d been picked up on the main road. It seemed obvious to us that she’d got out of the garden through the side-gate. We then learned that two boys, who play football regularly near our house had kicked their ball over the wall into our garden and had gone in through the gate to retrieve their ball and must have left the gate open, which allowed Poppy to get out of the garden and wander off, presumably ending up on the main road and then being picked up by the Police who were going past in a patrol car.

It wasn’t until the following morning that we went to the local Police Station in Milton Keynes centre and got Poppy back, having had to pay out £25 for her return. The two boys who had been seen entering our garden had denied ever going into the garden when we’d gone to their house during our visit to our neighbours. But, as they’d been seen going into the garden, it was obvious to us that they had lied, which made the situation regarding Poppy escaping even worse. It was really the fact that they’d left the gate open that was the worst part. Also, the fact that we’d had to pay our £25 for her return.

Our new neighbour was something of a problem to us, and both dogs were involved this time. One evening this neighbour came to our door, and Carol spoke to him. He was quite demanding and aggressive. He told us that, according to the deeds of his property, the right of way we had along their driveway was not correct and he wanted the gate into our garden closed off so that he could have a small piece of land which was actually part of our garden. He wanted us to clear the rubbish that was there so that he could have it. This would mean, once the gate was closed off, the only way we could get into the garden would be through the garage. He wanted all this sorted out within two weeks. This could be dealt with by our solicitor. It didn’t mean much to us as we no longer owned the property and he’d have to deal with our landlord, Copper Homes. We managed to clear the rubbish away, as demanded by Mr Aggressive Neighbour.

It seemed as if all was going according to plan (but these things never seem to, for some reason or other.), until a few weeks later. It was a Saturday morning. Our beloved neighbour got really aggressive and took away the fence, so that there was a gap where it should have been. The dogs were let out into the garden (as was usual). The fence, not being there, meant that they could get out into the road. Poppy ran one way, Alfie another. Poppy has some sort of road sense, but not a great deal, but Alfie becomes completely stupid and would easily have got run over as he really has no sense at all once he’s outside and not on a lead. We managed to get Alfie back, and Poppy ran along the Grove and went to a friend’s house, where she sat on their doorstep, safe and sound. As for our beloved neighbour, I’m afraid be became really abusive to me and threatened to punch me, as I came out of the house and found him in the front garden. He could have come to us and told us his intention to remove the fence before we let the dogs out.

On discovering that the dogs were loose in the road, and fearing for their safety, I rushed into the front of the house and confronted the neighbour, who became exceptionally aggressive, goaded on by his son, who seems to have the same anger problem as his father. Mr Neighbour threatened to hit me in the mouth, and at this point his wife intervened. We did manage to get the dogs back, and the police were brought in to attempt to pacify the neighbour. I believe he had a visit from them and must have been told to keep well away from our property. The whole situation really got out of hand and could have been avoided if the neighbour had been a little less aggressive towards us. It was such a simple matter. The fence which was taken down was going to be taken to the tip, and was moved away to near our garage, ready for disposal, but a day or two later Mr Neighbour’s wife came round and told me that her husband was going to use it as part of the fence-replacement, which seems now to be really absurd, when you think of the problems all his bluster and noise had caused. He did eventually fill in the hole where the gate had been, and gained a piece of ground about 6X6 feet, which is so small that it seems trivial and pathetic. We have had no problem with this neighbour since, thank goodness, but I have an idea that he has some sort of anger management problem. He can be quite nasty, so it’s really best to keep out of the way of him.

Season Of Mists

Keats was right when he said that Autumn was the 'season of mists and mellow fruitfulness.' Driving around Milton Keynes you can see the trees changing colour. They are quite striking in their colour change, and it is almost daily that another grade of colour is added. Milton Keynes may be a modern city, but whoever designed the layout got it right when you see only trees as you drive along the grid roads. It is almost like living in a forest. I don't know about the mists, although we are almost into October. Some early mornings are quite misty and overcast, but there are none of those drifting mists you sometimes get near water early in the morning. There have been some really dramatic skies over Milton Keynes lately, really worth the time and effort to photograph (that is, when I can remember to take my digital camera with me in the car.)

My small Yorkie, Alfie (that's him in the photograph at the beginning of this post and who, I am certain, is going to feature in these writings in the future) has caught a mouse and deposited it on our bed! It was something of a shock, to say the least, but that is what Yorkshire terriers were bred to do, so he is only doing his job. I wasn't cross with him, but when he saw that I'd seen the dead mouse he ran downstairs and tried to hide, but I tried to make out that he'd been a good boy. Who wants the house over-run with vermin anyway, although I'm not sure whether he had caught it inside or outside in the garden.