A horrid day

For the past month I've been doing a lot of angsting, decision making, decision un-making and crying.  In the end I've had to accept that it just wouldn't be fair to Jasper to move her to my new job where I'll be working even longer hours, and where the property isn't fully fenced so she'd have to be tied up outside.

Today I took her to her new home.  It was very very hard.  But she is going to be very happy there with 2 animal brothers - Pepe the dog and Toby the cat, as well as 5 human slaves - two adults and 3 adoring teenagers.

Here she looks like she's crying at me leaving.  It's a lie.  Actually she's telling me all about Toby the cat who refused to play and took a good swipe at her.  Well done Toby, no more cat chasing for Jasper!  She's met her match.

It was very hard taking her there.  Made harder by the fact that this morning my van wouldn't start and I had to get a friend around to jump start it for me. 

It was even harder leaving her there (Blenheim).  Made harder still by the fact that the van wouldn't start again.  Turns out it's not the battery but the starter motor, which is 'poked'.  I eventually got a tow start and headed home.  I'd arranged to meet up with some friends in St Arnaud for the night, but if I'd turned the van off it wouldn't have started again so I had to flag that idea.

Instead I decided to just stop in, without turning off the van, for a cup of tea.  On the way I stopped at a shop, locked the still running van with the petrol key which also worked on the door, and popped into the store.  Oops, when I came out I found out that you can lock the door with that key, but you can't unlock it!  Uh oh.

Fortunately some time ago I wired a key under the van.  I was exceedingly pleased to see that it was still there - even if it did mean me rolling around in the gravel in the store/garage car park with tourists looking at me strangely.  Door unlocked and I was on my way, disaster averted yet again.  I had a much appreciated cup of tea at Teetotal Recreation Area with friends then came on home.

Unpacked the van without turning it off, then headed down to the local garage who came and let me in - that being preferable to them having to come and tow the van down there on Monday.

Now I'm home again, to a dog-less house which I had very carefully planned to avoid tonight.  The best laid plans . . . 

As I said, an absolutely horrid day in so many ways!

I will miss my girl immensely.