Together

It is the weirdest of things that despite being in lockdown together for 8 months solid, we are rarely any of us together in the same place in the house because of work screens and teenage time zones and hardly ever are we all together. So it felt reassuringly restorative to all walk together today for a couple of hours at Haddo. And Haddo was putting on a show, its best autumnal colours framed by low, lazy sunlight. Betty was mesmerised into stunned silence by a swan that suddenly appeared in front of her. While for Betty it was the first swan she'd ever seen, it definately wasn't the swan's first rodeo. It casually stopped sifting the water to give her the most half arsed warning hiss before resuming her sifting duties.

Betty did really well today, lots of strange humans and hounds, far more than she would encounter on her walks on the hill, which most often amounts to nobody at all. When we are out and about in busier places, i've noticed autistic young folk pretty much ignore Max and gravitate with huge grins and squeals of excitement straight to Betty. It happened again today. I think it's her gorgeous colours, fox like tail, eminently boopable snoot and cartoonish facial features (she is a bit like Wallace's Gromit). But alas she can be unpredictable with strangers so we always have to pull her away before kids get too close, the young folk get sad not to be able to pet her, as do I, i'd love for them to be able to enjoy a cuddle with her. I swear if she hadn't had a crappy start in life as a rescue dog she would have been the best therapy dog ever, she is so full of love for us, the biggest, cuddliest sap at home.

Aye but it was good to hear kids muffled voices at play in the distance at Haddo. If you closed your eyes you could almost forget for a moment we are still living through covid cautious times. Grateful to be able to walk in the autumn colours...oh, and enjoy a reviving takeaway veggie sausage and tea from Mrs Smiths at the end of the walk.