21 August 2016 (Sunday) - Borden

I slept like a log and came down to find my little dog in his basket. He wagged his tail like a thing possessed, but showed no interest in getting up. After I’d had a shave he was still laying there so I chivvied him outside for a tiddle. For the first time in over a week he cocked his leg when he tiddled rather than squatting. I’m taking that to be a good sign.

Over brekkie I had a look-see on-line. Yesterday’s geo-meet seemed popular. Logs on the event were very enthusiastic and gushing with praise; even from people who weren’t actually there. Do I delete their log? Do I not? I suppose that at the end of the day logging something you’ve not done isn’t actually hurting anyone but yourself.

I then saw on Facebook that someone with whom I once worked had retired and moved from the Home Counties to Devon. Apparently the locals seemed pleasant and she hopes that they can make some friends down there. Much as I like Devon (I’ve been there a few times over the last few years) I’d not dream of upping sticks and moving away like that. Someone else with whom I’d worked for years similarly left Kent and moved to Ireland. How can people get to retirement age and have no friends or family to make them want to stay where they’ve lived for thirty or more years?

After an hour and a half I went to wake "er indoors ^TM", and then I took my little dog for the shortest of walks. We went round the block and he cocked his leg to wee twelve times. And he scavenged a chicken bone from the KFC that he wasn’t keen to let go. But just as we got home he tensed up and wouldn’t relax. I think we may have overdone it slightly this morning. So I settled him in his basket and he had a day of rest.

We drove to collect Suzy-Pup and her entourage, and we then went to Borden. Our usual partners in crime for geo-walking weren’t able to come out to play today, so it seemed an ideal opportunity to go walk the series of geocaches they hid earlier in the year.

We parked up and made our way to the start of the walk, and off we went. The first part of the walk was a little noisy being near the main road, but that was unavoidable, and wasn’t really a problem at all. I was soon claiming “smug mode” having found the first cache, and as we walked a rather beautiful path we saw blue tits and a squirrel. Soon enough the path opened into a field with spectacular views of the M2 bridge.

From here it wasn’t long until we were walking through orchards. Plums, pears, all sorts of apples. It was only a shame that the plum I pinched had a maggot in it.

About two thirds of the way along our route we took a little diversion into Newington for a Church Micro and a Sidetracked. (it’s the sort of thing one does when on a geo-wander) We found a co-op too, and an ice-cream went down very nicely. I had a Magnum; it was a shame I got chocolate all down my T-shirt.

It was odd; we saw people in Newington, but as we walked along the lanes and footpaths we didn’t see another soul. *Until* I stopped for a tiddle, when dog walkers and teenagers on motorbikes and more walkers and more dogs all seemingly came from nowhere.

While it wasn’t an especially sunny day it was warm. And what with one thing and another and poorly dogs I’ve not been walking anywhere near as much as I usually do. We got back to the car and “Hannah” said we’d walked about six and a half miles. It felt more; I slept for much of the way home.

I was half hoping that my little dog would be waiting at the door for us when we got home. He wasn’t; he was in his basket. He was very excited to see us, but didn’t get up. Having fussed him we chivvied him to the garden to do what dogs get chivvied into the garden to do. But doing it seemed to tire him, so we settled him in his basket and after a lot of fuss he went back to sleep.

I took a few photos as we walked today; once my dog was snoring soundly I posted them on-line. Almost immediately friends and family were commenting and “liking”. This is why I am such a fan of social media. I love seeing what other people are doing, and it seems that friends and family like to know what I have been up to.

Being Sunday "er indoors ^TM" set off to bowling. I dubbined the walking boots then sat with my dog watching “Rovers” – a brilliant series. How did I ever miss it first time round?