Dog walking and other things.

There's nowhere better than Findhorn Bay on a beautiful day (or any day in my opinion.) Yesterday there were enough people to make it lively but leaving plenty of room for solitary thoughts. My grandson sported in the rough sea and I had the thoughts. I also watched the dogs. Dogs everywhere. I dread the day when the beach is closed to dogs or they have to be kept on a lead. I love seeing them enjoy their day out as much as I enjoy seeing children having a squealy good time. A Chihuahua (spelling?) met a St. Bernard and they seemed to get on. A small herd of Jack Russells (my favourites) met the St. Bernard and friendship flowed. The Jack Russells were a bit nonplused by the Chihuahua though. How often do they meet people smaller than themselves? Maybe they thought they were being upstaged.

I have thought about getting a dog. It would force me to get some excercise. I'm an indoor sort of person and have to be forced out. If I did I think I might risk another jack Russell but I'm put off by the memory of deep brown doggy eyes looking at me reproachfully whenever I left the last one for whatever reason. I hate feeling guilty and can do so at the droop of a whisker.

Then there is the problem of where to walk. I hate walks where the dog has to be on a lead and there are fewer and fewer pieces of countryside left where that is possible even here in the more sparsely populated North. Too many Estates where pheasants are raised for the gun but not for the pleasure of the pet pooch. No law of trespass but - try it at your peril!

I have to say that as a dog owner I lack the necessary discipline. Jenny Russell behaved abominably and undoubtedly that was my fault. I had no idea that it would be so important to establish a pecking order with her so she saw me as leader of the pack and didn't come to feel SHE was.

Business has gone back to being so slow I wonder why I bother, but that's not hard to understand with sun and sand as the alternative day out. I've read a lot, bought and cleaned some William books (Richmal Crompton) and tried to remain philosophical.

There will be two fairs soon, Forfar and Ballater. Hopefully they will bring in some cash.