Sleeping like a dog

Here we all are, kippin' on the bed. We're tired out here from a good chase around on the Rec. Dad's been involved all day in the plant and cake sale run by the local Hort Soc, and then up at the allotments talking to a (potential) bee keeper, who might be installing bee hives at the site.

Very complicated, this bee keeping, apparently - bees need a clear-ish flightpath on leaving the hive while they gain height - a bit like the end of Heathrow's runways - and if you "aim" the hive at heavily used paths, walkways or at anywhere an allotment holder is likely to be working, you interfere with the bees taking off, at your peril.

Naturally, this is all wrapped round with Health and Safety Regs now and failure to observe them can cause claims of negligence when bees "likely to have come from your hive" sting anyone. Also bees don't like vibration, such as caused by passing mowers, so open grass areas which the Management team feel should be mowed, are a no-no. Finally, hives and swarm combined have a value of £3-400, and are subject to both vandalism, and "rustling" if in line of sight from public footpaths. Ah well, Dad says they found between them three or four possible hive locations and pending swarm availability, the man should be able to deliver "our" hive(s) and bees soon.

So we're all tired out, and the H is also a bit out of sorts because "friendly" grey and white greyhound Polly for no apparent reason took exception to Haggis as he mooched below her head, and suddenly snapped at his ear, taking a chuink out of him and causing real blood to flow! Haggis was most put out, as well as surprised. The lady was very apologetic, but it wasn't her fault - they've always got on OK up to now. Polly was obviously having a grumpy day and H got in the way. Only once - he gave her a very wide berth there-after.

Deefski

Sunset

Sunset may officially be at 17:43, since the coming of GMT

http://www.sunrisesunset.com/

But really the sun has gone off the Rec where we walk by about 5. We just about get some running about in while the sun is still coming in over the trees on "our" (Eastern) side, but it's left the grass by the time we're walking home. We've had a good old race about with fellow allotment-holder, Chris's black greyhound/lurcher Kinsey (we think - but it might have been Ginsey). Named after a composer anyway, Chris being a "muso", so maybe this is him.....

http://www.classicsonline.com/catalogue/product.aspx?pid=656927

We will check and get back to you. Kinsey has a yellow and black foam rubber ball which I steal and then won't give back. Kinsey is a slobbery dog, so the ball is so well glooped up with saliva, that when it rolls across the grass, it's wake is a stringy vapour trail of ick, stretching off the grass like mozzarella cheese, and clearly visible against the slanting sunlight. Bet you wish you'd not read that! Gross.

We also get a lovely chase about with small black lab pup, Sam, who is rather boisterous (boisturous?) and won't take no for an answer. I put up with it for a good while, but eventually I have to fall back on "drama queen" squeaks and hiding behind Dad's legs.

Sorry about the gloop story.
Deefer

Fast Alfie

Still no sign of that snow, so we guess we've missed it as usual. We are all up nice and early to enjoy a good walk in the chilly sunshine. There's a cold wind blowing. Dad takes us down across the allotments and into the Abbey Fields behind tracing the line of the Whitstable railway and then curving Northwards towards the creek.

We meet a young black greyhound called Alfie who wants to play. We are in some close-grazed (rabbits) scrubby grassland. Alfie starts charging in huge figure-of-eight circuits, so I give chase. By cutting the corners hard (my figure of 8's are about 20 feet across, Alfie's are about a quarter of a mile!) I can keep up with him and when he curves in towards me I send him on his way with a couple of excited yaps, and off he goes again racing out on the next loop.

There! You never knew I could run as fast as a greyhound did you!

Dad then left us to Mum's tender mercies and went off to play with his Cambria restoration buddies. Came back smelling of the other Alfie, barge dog from Greta, so I suspect he may have been communing with Steve and the rest from the boatyard.

Chilly tonight - we have a coal fire going
Deefs