Big dog!

The temperature was reasonable but the very heavy cloud cover meant that the insects were just not chancing an appearance today, so I decided to have a go at the abundantly available four legged 'almost' wildlife.

The owner of this mature but very handsome specimen was chatting it up with a few other dog wranglers, so I decided to take some liberties and sat on the floor for a better angle. I was immediately mugged by a bulldog type eating machine, who wiped his runny nose on my skylight filter. It would have made a nice soft focus effect, but I was not comfortable until the mucus was removed, fortunately I carry some soft tissue for just these occasions.

This stocky little terrier just kept coming, like he was demanding to be blipped, but I just could not keep up with the fidgety little brat. It kind of looked like an oak log on four stubs, but still cute in a manly sort of way. It was so close to the ground that it has road rash on its belly!

Despite the jaws on legs trying to consume my 28-80, I still managed to collect some cool shots of the more sedated canines. The owner was very happy about me shooting his dogs, metaphorically speaking of course and was particularly keen to have this fine fellow recorded.

I took his business card and promised to send the JPEG's if they were any good and now await his reply after sending four images that I am confident that he will enjoy. Maybe even a chance for a proper photo session, as he needs some images for his Wirral dog food website, a business in its infancy.

For today's difference, I was going to write about the attitude of people. The UK lack of communication as people pass each other in the street pursuing their daily routines. But I was largely wrong and I do not see the difference that I once experienced and assumed in my distant past.

The fact is that I have changed, due to circumstances in my new chosen life. Because I am 'different' in Indonesia, big, bald and white, people are naturally inquisitive about me, they will stare (especially kids) and they are very quick to start up a conversation with me. I have learned to break the awkward stare moment by greeting people with a 'hello', how are you, etc. This has become a natural habit with me and I continued in the same manner here in the UK.

To my surprise, the response has been no different to Indonesia, a 'good morning' and a smile back at me. Conversations have kicked off and the beginning of acquaintances made. Of course there have been disappointments, the occasional woman thinking, 'why is this escaped rapist talking to me'! But this is the exception rather than the rule.

It only needs one person to start a conversation, I have just decided that that person is going to be me. The film 'pass it forward' springs to mind, if everyone struck up three conversations with complete strangers every day, even if it is just a simple 'hello' or 'good afternoon', I feel that the world might just be a better place than we thought it was, slightly naive, but! More than a paragraph, but an important point that needed making.

Dave