The Sands of Time

Today is Sunday 27th December – four more days and we reach the year’s end. I suspect the year may not be the only thing that will end in four days.

I love my dog to bits and I would not change him for anything but I do miss Chienne and I expect that in the “fullness of time” I will stop – in  off moments –  calling him

Chienne and  perhaps giving the poor lad a complex. Unlike Chi. Benji loves the car so we have been going places, mainly to the Wetlands and a walk around the site. (2.4 klm)  He loves those walks – or is it the hot dogs and coffee  we get at the end. Provided it’s not  hot I’m quite happy to take him with me when I go out.

Early in the New Year I will start to recover much of what has been lost this year, i.e. the garden. However I find that I am no orphan in this regard and as many of the new houses are experiencing the fact that it only takes a drop of water and the weeds take over. I go out and pull weeds, use environmental friendly weed killer, but you pull out one weed and five take its place. I spent a lot getting the front garden the way I wanted it – coloured wood chip is not cheap, but all that will have to be redone. Between me ending last year in hospital,  restricted for several months until things were sorted out, then driving all over the State like a demented will-o’-the-wisp,  the area has  just become weed central. Time to get the grader back,  clean the whole area  and start over again.

Took Benji back  over to the Wetlands  again and had a walk around the ponds and gardens. By the looks of things foundations are being made for a  small footbridge over to the largest of the islands. Sadly I did not have my camera with me but if it’s not too hot we may go down again  in a day or so. I have yet to take him down to the beach and introduce him to the water. It’s an interesting area – a good defined path round the gardens and lakes,  human  drinking fountains and two dog drinking fountains, a play area for children, a good grassed area for  ball sports and a good barbecue area,  with a standing covered pergola. There is no permanent cafe but the temporary one can make hot-dogs and coffee. There are also male and female rest areas.

Yesterday – Tuesday – I drove from the wetlands to the beach and introduced Benji to the sea. After parking the car I took off

my sneakers and walked down the sand and into the water and he followed after me and the two of us happily splashed  our way along the shore. He was quite content and seemed to enjoy the experience. Certainly today (Wednesday) is a bit warmer but I think we will go back down tonight and have another paddle – probably followed by a hot-dog and a coffee. A pleasant way to end the year – and anything else.