Day of days

LARGE

I took this photo while walking around Salford Quays after work. I really needed to clear my head. The wind is picking up. I think we're in for a very blustery night.
(The photo has nothing to do with what I'm about to write.)
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First day back at work and I got some horrible news about P, a guy I work with, who I've known for more than ten years.

Last week, his sister and her daughter (his niece) were brutally murdered, allegedly by his niece's new husband., As he was led into court in handcuffs, "the defendant" turned and smiled broadly at the camera.

We don't know when P will be back in work.

There aren't really any words to add to what I've just written. I just felt the need to write it down.
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A few hours later I was stood outside the office, getting some fresh air.
From where a couple of us were stood, we could see a dog weaving in and out of the traffic near our office. Even from a distance, the dog appeared quite distressed. So we approached and started talking to him, and he came straight over to us. Distressed wasn't the word. He had a collar on, but no name tag. He was also leaving bloody paw prints behind him as he walked. This beautiful bronze-coloured Staffordshire Bull terrier looked about as sad as I can remember seeing any dog look. He pretty much lay at my feet and started whimpering.

I couldn't leave him, so one of the maintenance guysgot a piece of tubing for insulating wire that we formed into a lead, and I took the staffy on a thirty minute walk to see if he lived nearby and recognised where he was. No joy.
Back to work and we waited for the council's dog warden. The obviously busy guy arrived about two hours later. My boss wasn't happy that I wasn't at my desk, but I'd effectively keyed off work so that I could stay with the dog. Every time I tried to walk away and leave him with someone else, he would start whimpering. Whenever I walked back to him, he would jump all over me like he had known me all his life.
Thanks to the wonders of Facebook(!) and the council's "Dogs In Salford" page, the dog wardens managed to get in touch with the dog's owner, and he is now home with his family. I hope he is well and that his bloody paws are being taken care of. He'd obviously escaped from somewhere, maybe a garden, had injured himself in the process.

A bloody horrible day, redeemed by the dog getting home.

I hope everyone stays safe with the winds that are around tonight. Salford is bad enough, close to the ship canal and the quays with little cover. Can't imagine what it must be like elsewhere.

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