2019 March – Green Spaces, On the Move, New Habitation, Lakeside, Are we staying?

Green Spaces

This is a picture of me in Hodges Woods.

Mum has been telling me all about the supposedly healing powers of being outside in green spaces. She heard it on Radio 4 so it must be correct.

Being in green places is good for lowering blood pressure and causes the brain to make all sorts of happy chemicals.  Even looking at trees in the distance or moss on local walls is supposed to be a good thing.

Mum keeps on saying all this walking in the woods must be super good for her blood pressure then.  She’s beginning to sound a bit smug if you ask me.

Now, as you know I’m not a gambling dog, but I’m willing to bet that, given my reactive nature, being out in the woods with me is not at all good for her blood pressure.

But I won’t tell her if you don’t.

 

On the move

This is a picture of me next to boxes.

There is an awful lot of packing stuff up and putting things in boxes going on.   Apparently we are moving house.

I’m looking a bit tired in the photo.   But make no mistake, I will put up a fight if Mum and offspring #3 try to pack me into a box, I can tell you.

 

Today we have had removals people here.

To be fair they’ve lived up to their name.  Pretty much everything has been removed and put it in a big lorry.   I have nowhere proper left to sleep.

Neither has Mum or offspring #3.  They clearly haven’t thought this through at all.

I have been pretty stressed today with all this upheaval.  So I’m having a quick, emergency, recovery kip.

 

 

New Habitation

This is me looking a bit confused.

We have landed in a new habitation and our stuff is everywhere but nothing actually fits anywhere.  Including me.   To help out, offspring #3 has bought me a new bed.

But I’m not sure about it.

I am trying it out in stages – just in case.

This is the final stage.

It has taken me all day to get to grips with this new-fangled bed thing.

Actually it’s quite comfy. Offspring #3 says it was the biggest bed in the shop, but it’s quite a snug fit for me tbh.

Maybe all the dogs round here are quite small.

That would suit me fine.

 

 

Lakeside

This is a picture of me out super early.

Woah! This place is amazing.  It’s at the end of our new road.

Mum thought it would be best if we didn’t meet anyone on our first walk so it is 6.30am.   I’m slightly astonished.  Mum doesn’t do mornings.

There are ducks and herons and rabbits.  I went in a large patch of baby nettles after the rabbits, so now my paws are all tingly.  I also went in the lake after a duck because they were floating around and it looked like fun.

Saffron’s don’t float like ducks.

Now we’re home I am de-mudded and (mostly) dry and the only patch of morning sun is on the settee so I went and sat there.  Mum pushed me off straightway and then went and sat there herself.

Cheek.

 

Are we staying?

This is a picture of me needing a bit of reassurance.

If I’m totally honest with myself, I’m not that good with change.  Mum and offspring #3 have not left me alone at all so that is helping a bit, but still.

Sometimes I just need a cuddle.

That feels a little better, thank you.

 

 

Saffron’s recommendations this month:

Music: Talking Heads – this could be for you if you’re looking for something that doesn’t really fit the mould and is one of the most critically acclaimed bands of the 80’s.  Art school punk with a bit of funk and a clean cut new wave image. Vocalist David Byrne, a keen cyclist, designed bike racks in the shape of a $ sign for Wall St and an electric guitar for Williamsburg.  A self diagnosed autistic, some of the lyrics are great, if mildly eccentric.  You might recognise these tracks.

Psycho Killer

Cities

Once in a Lifetime

Crosseyed and Painless

And She Was

Lazy  (by X-Press 2 ft David Byrne – see the weird and slightly cool video – it is of it’s time) 

 

Reading: A Short History of Tractors in Ukrainian by Marina Lewycka, published by Penguin.    A culture clash between eastern and western Europe and a dip into 50 years of Europe’s darkest history.   The Economist (eh?) wrote this about the book;   ‘Thought provoking, uproariously funny, a comic feast.  A riotous oil painting of senility, lust and greed’.     

 

Film: The Jurassic Park films.   Dinosaurs(tick) Sam Neill & Jeff Goldblum (tick), genetic engineering gone mad in a theme park (tick),  ensuing chaos and action AND velociraptors (tick).    Why on earth wouldn’t you want to watch these 5 films?  If you haven’t already, go on, you know you want to.  

Two iconic quotes from Jeff;  ‘must go faster’ (also used with good effect in Independence Day) and ‘life, uh….finds a way’ 

Jurassic Park (1993)

The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)

Jurassic Park III (2001)

Jurassic World (2015)

Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom (2018)

 

In the news:

Chancellor Phil Hammond says that gas heating for new houses will be banned by 2025, although gas hobs will still be allowed

The Dept for Transport says that the UK will adopt speed limiting technology that will become mandatory for all new vehicles sold in Europe from 2022

Thousands of protesters flock to London for the second People’s Vote protest march, asking the UK Government for a second referendum on leaving the EU and to permanently revoke Article 50

The EU agrees to delay Brexit until 22 May 2019, if MPs approve a withdrawal deal; or to 12 April if they do not.  MPs reject PM’s Theresa May’s EU withdrawal agreement for a third time