March 23rd A Strange Saturday

What a series of strange events for a Saturday.  Usually when I walk Minnie, I let her take the lead. I know that is contrary to all dog obedience rules and she should be so many steps behind or beside me. But to my way of thinking this is her time and she should choose where and how far we go. Which she does.

Until today...  It's obvious she is getting older as our walks are shorter than they used to be. And she has a set route and set pee points. ie Cross the road, a wee in their driveway, walk so many paces another wee, a wee on the corner and turn right, and so on and so on.

Today, I wanted to go a particular way. Believe me, she was not happy. She kept trying to cross the road and I kept pulling her back. Until we got to the corner and she resigned herself to a turn left instead of a turn right.

This is where sadness comes into play. On this historic and much longer route, we got to know who lives where, the elderly dears in their gardens that we often would stop and chat to. We came upon where our first elderly dear lived, and there was a huge for sale sign at the front and the house is obviously empty.

Carry on around the corner with a slightly heavier heart. I spied in the distance amongst some large trees, a man who looked like he was drunk and passed out. As we got closer, I noticed he was fast asleep. His phone was on the grass in front of him and his cap was also on the grass. What would you do in this situation? I didn't know whether he was pleasantly asleep in a deep alcoholic dream (a 1/4 full bottle of beer was in front of him)  or some P addict that would attack me if I gave him a poke in the chest. I went back to the shop which is not even 50 metres away - and the lady came out with me to inspect him - I must say from the safety of the front of her shop. Her husband was away, so she couldn't leave the shop to get up close.  And still he did not move. We both agreed that as I wasn't returning that way, she would wait half an hour and if he was still in that same position, she would ring an ambulance. George is on a course today, but when he touched base with me later, he said he would call into the shop for me and enquire as to what happened. Fingers crossed there isn't a Police cordon with tapes in that area :(  (a late update - all good and strange passed out man has moved)

Down to the corner and a left turn, and I was so pleased to see my furry plant still intact. It has the kind of leaves you can't walk past, without giving them a gentle rub. Furry Plant hedge remains - yay for that. Allow me to present Furry Plant hedge.

Down the road we go. Blow me down, another For Sale Sign on another Elderly Dear's house that looked empty. All my old dears are leaving the area (either for nudge nudge up there or a rest home somewhere).

Onwards we went, and back to normality and a walk around Lake Rotokaeo (which is actually Forest Lake). A piece of did you know needs to be inserted here. Kaeo means Fresh Water Mussels, and Roto is Lake - so at one time Forest Lake was full of Fresh Water Mussels (presumably)

Slap Bang in Suburbia - who would know?

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Birds of a Feather?

Duck Duck

Back to suburbia, and someone on our street is having a birthday.

mmm we might have Lithuanians living on our street - that is the colours of the Lithuanian Flag (another did you know for the day). Curiouser and Curiouser or just a mad coincidence?
And isn't it grand how the letterboxes are in love!