Oops!

If you look closely at Oscar you will see he has two paws in the air - he fell off of course! It was quite a spectacular full sideways bodyroll to the ground! But he jumped up unhurt and was soon doing the "Dog Walk" with Nellie again! 
This is the new place a friend recommended. They have 4 secure areas with double gates so you can drive the car in then shut the gate so at no point can the dog escape or meet other dogs! The place has 4 paddocks - Agility, Ball and Splash Paddock and the Enrichment Paddock which we used with a huge wooden tunnel, log pile and tyre walk!  I'm not sure The Agility Paddock is a good fit for Oscar - unless I tie his hair back so he can see where he is going!! In the last extra Oscar is looking at some other dogs in the Agility Paddock ! 
The other dog in Extra is Luna - my evening walkers dog who I am dog sitting whilst he goes to his daughters graduation. She is such a sweetie! Oscar and she are just chilled in each others company.
I realise I've not blipped since my physio appointment ! So a health update! The Physio was great - told me my range of movement was good and showed me some more exercises and said I could walk without crutches! I had been unsure about walking without them and potentially walking in an incorrect way so that was good news!  
So I've been doing the exercises and can certainly feel the improvement - standing on tiptoe was the only  painful one but my foot has now eased out! So I have walked around the block, down to the postbox and even given Oscar an eve walk! However.....as I live on a hill the walk down and back was a trial and the eve walk with Oscar scary! I was anxious about what may come round each corner and was very aware that if Oscar reacted I would probably put undue pressure on my knee if not be pulled over! I won't be doing that again anytime soon! 
The significant news is that I can now drive! I took the car for a drive round the block and up the hill and it felt fine! So I've booked the field for tomorrows evening walk!!! If I can drive without the knee flaring up I can gradually take back   the main walks in the two fields. This will not only give me a sense of normality but will be cheaper than the dog walker!! 
I will have a phone consult with the physio next week. I must admit a phone consult seems a little bizarre - it means I have had only one proper physio session this entire time. So I have gone online and found more exercises on Youtube!! They address strengthening not only the thigh but the hip muscles. I also found out that the expected recovery to full fitness for the severe break I have is between 6 months to a year!!! The Dr told me in my pre-op consult that it would be 6 weeks non-weight bearing then 6 weeks weight bearing. Ha! He was not telling the whole truth! I can walk but my knee still hurts and after the exercises, walking and  on waking my knee is hot and still swells up. I also don't have the stamina for anything more than a gentle walk round the block! So proper walks with Oscar are a long way off! This longer recovery  time has actually reassured me! I was thinking something was wrong given the 6 week weight bearing deadline! Looking back I can see the improvement I have already been making since the operation 11 weeks ago -  so with a good regime of exercises and walking maybe 6 months is looking like a realistic goal? So that would be November or maybe December - I can then start the new year on a good foot!!!