Dog Cuddles and your Weekend Reading

Our trip to the old folks home was a wild success. Although apprehensive, the moment we were through the two big sliding doors Ton’s nose hit the floor and he smelt his way right down the corridor to the lift. We had to have a wee pause after the lift to catch a wee doggie breath because someone had an attack of the shakes. So we sat for a bit and he laid his head heavily on my knee for a bit and blinked rapidly.   Soon he nodded and said OK I am better now and we went down the long corridor.

Much to TonTon’s surprise there was The Old Codger sitting in the corridor.   His tail and indeed half his doggie body began to wag  and his head and feet picked right up. The Old Codgers whole face smiled when he saw Ton and poor old TonTon tried to bury himself IN the man and pushed him in his wheelchair right out into traffic trying to get as close as he could to The Old Codger.  The Old Codger decided maybe Ton would be happier in a side room and  off they went for a little korero.  Neither of them would stay still for a  shoot so I just took a few photographs and left them to their reunion.  It was lovely seeing this old man’s hand pushing and pulling through that dogs coat, his hands were never still.  You want to get into my lap he said to the dog.

Don’t encourage him I said and they both looked up at me as though they had forgotton I was  even there. Wonderful.

So now to a little weekend reading.  Just a little as it has been a busy week.

The Dragonfly Woman – This young woman works tirelessly to document and study and research dragonflies.  She is a scientist, so there is much that she writes about that I do not understand  and much that I am learning, but if you see a swarm of dragonflies, take a photo and let her know, she tracks them and would be very grateful for the information.

Gretchen – This blog is the most amazing find.  The words were written by Margaret Shanks for a column in a Scottish newspaper from 1893 to  her death in 1925.    Yes, an original blogger. The short pages are published one by one by a descendent of hers. Margaret who published under the name Gretchen, lived on a farm and I am absolutely entranced by both her language, her ironic dry humour and this fabulous gorgeous intelligence.  We cannot exchange comments but still I feel a connection with her that is ethereal and yet so grounded. I would love to know what you think. 

Elizabeth Minchilli in Rome. She is a published writer, born in the US and living in Rome with her Italian husband. On her pages we see a little of everything. She loves balance, beauty, gardens, food, lists and wine.  And if you are visiting Rome I hear that she will also arrange a tour.  Certainly a lovely page to relax and visit and find good things to eat.

Granny’s Parlour Granny’s pages are affiliated with a company that makes garden implements and kitchen thingys and so forth.  Granny tries these things out and tells us about them. I have to say that usually I do not point you into commercial blogs but Granny is a real person with  a delightful sense of humour and also researches both the history and impacts of many of these gadgets. Yesterday it was a wheelbarrow.  She has a particular love of preserving so I am sure we will be exchanging info when the season starts. As well as that Granny also does what she calls a weekend round up of blogs who have visited her pages, which is fun.

So I shall leave you there.  While my internet is actually working I want to race about and visit some of YOU before I go out to do chores. In the evenings lately my computer freezes again and again and again trying to get enough signal to turn a page. It is so frustrating.

Windy here still, windy but just above freezing.  Have a great weekend and don’t forget that tomorrow I am writing on another blog. I shall post here as usual in the morning and give you the co-ordinates, though they will not post that page until about 9am.

Good Morning!

celi