Sparkies for Africa!

Squirrels 1

I often see a squirrel on my lawn, or climbing on the fence or a tree.

But this time I spotted three squirrels all at once, which is very rare. A scurry of Sparkies!

Squirrel 2

Though they all seemed to be youngsters, one of them was particularly young; so cute with his skinny little body.

Squirrel 3

They were very busy digging for food in my garden and generally scurrying around.

Squirrel 4

They look awkward walking on all fours on the ground, being much more at home climbing straight up a tree.

And after all that hard work time for a little drink; in the bird bath!

Squirrel 5

They have also drunk out of the dog water bowls on the stoep, but I haven’t managed to catch a photo yet.

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Of course, with all this extra activity going in in the garden I have to remember to double check for little grey bodies before I let Little Monkey out. Sometimes I forget.

Squirrel 6

LM spots them instantly and is off like a shot. One time it looked a little too close for comfort and I bellowed at her to stop! She skidded to a halt and her back legs collapsed. I like to think she was already stopping because I told her to and not because her legs gave way, but I guess I’ll never know. (Her back legs have been doing this for over a year now. No cause can be found; she is very healthy, just getting old.)

Still, I never thought that LM would become nearly as well behaved as my previous dog Lady, as you can see from this post of three and a half years ago; The Further Adventures of Sparky the Squirrel: Part Two.

 

post script: Many of these photos were taken through a window, so please excuse the blurry, milky appearance, or with my Galaxy phone, not great on distance shots.

 

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Sunday Musings #131

That awkward moment when you’re wearing *Nike’s and you can’t do it.

– Anon

 

haha I like this!

I sometimes see people all dressed up in the latest sports gear setting off jogging or on their bike. My daughter used to see girls at the gym; dressed up and wearing makeup. They had gone to socialise not work out!

The genuine athletes wear comfy clothes and shoes; often old and falling apart. They are there to exercise, not be in a fashion parade.

For myself, I make sure I have a decent pair of walking shoes and that’s about it. Yes, I own an exercise bike (gammy knees), which I use regularly at home, when it’s not too hot! For the rest, I walk Little Monkey and do various strengthening exercises.

And while I’ve never owned a pair of Nike’s in my life, I do appreciate the sentiment.

*Nike’s slogan is “Just Do It!”

 

Sunday Musings #130

My bed is a magical place where I suddenly remember everything I forgot to do.

– Anon

 

You’ve had a busy, productive day. You’ve finished off those little things that have been hanging around for a while. You’ve earned your rest.

Ahhhh Beddy!

You snuggle under the bedclothes, put your head on the soft pillow and close your eyes.

PING!

You’re suddenly wide awake thinking of all the things that still need doing; maybe I should have bought two of those; why did I say that to her?

This happens to me from time to time. Does it happen to you too?

It seems to be out of the blue. No I haven’t eaten lots of cheese before going to bed! Who knows why it strikes some nights and not others.

One thing is for sure; if there’s something you’ve forgotten, just curl up ready for a good night’s sleep – and you’ll remember!

 

Sunday Musings #129

Chocolate is great. It gives you energy which can be used to go and buy more chocolate.

– Anon

 

Hopefully you have already stocked up on plenty of chocolate Easter Eggs; you know I have!

Happy Easter to all those who celebrate it.

 

All Set

Easter Eggs

I’m all set for the weekend.

How about you?

 

Don’t judge! They were on offer: 3 for 2.

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Also, I know many will say it’s a waste of money to buy chocolate eggs and prefer to buy a bar of chocolate. But I love the thin chocolate shell; it just tastes better. Maybe because chocolate here is a little different from that in the colder countries such as UK. It has to be, or else all the chocolate bars would be puddles on the supermarket shelves!

 

Little Monkey and the Giant Pineapple

LM and Pineapple 1

Little Monkey and I have passed this Giant Pineapple many times on our walks and I’ve always thought of taking a photo. This time I had my camera with me, so once I’d safely secured LM to the lamp post, I crossed the road to get all of the Giant Pineapple in the shot.

While LM will do a stay beautifully, I couldn’t risk the chance that a CAT might walk by and that would be it: LM would be gone . . . And so would the cat!

LM and Pineapple 2

You might look at LM, notice the odd position of her back legs and think, shame man, the poor dog is getting old, look how wonky her legs are.

Actually LM has always sat inelegantly, with her legs all over the place. I guess it is the Labrador in her. She may look more German Shepherd from the outside, but her personality is much more Lab.

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Feel Good Epilogue

I was across the road from LM, bending down to get all of the Pineapple in, when a woman drove by in a large white BMW. She stopped her car by me, rolled down the window and asked me if the dog across the road was a stray.

I said, “No, No. She’s my much loved pet of 11 years; with collar and name tag, microchip and all. I’m just taking a picture.”

She said, “Oh, I can see the collar and lead now; I couldn’t from down the road. I thought she was a stray and if so I was going to put her in my car and take her to a rescue organisation.”

I was so very thankful to her for two reasons.

One: That she would stop to save a stray in the first place.

Two: That she would stop to save Little Monkey.

Why you ask?

LM is not a pretty pure bred like a Lab or tiny like a Chihuahua. She is very obviously a Mutt; a large street dog; and she looks like a male. People are more wary of males.

I always thought that if she got lost on the streets no-one would take her in, because of those things.

So this kind woman, who took the time to stop and check on my little Mutt, really made my year. After all, you and I know LM is harmless and just a big goofball, but she might not look like that to others.

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My title is a nod to the book James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl.

What do you mean, it isn’t a Giant Pineapple! Are you sure?

What is it then?

 

Sunday Musings #128

I walk around like everything is fine, but deep down, inside my shoe, my sock is falling off.

– Anon 

 

I like how this starts off as though it’s going to be some serious psychological discussion.

As if!

Come on guys, this is me on a Sunday!

Still, it is the most annoying thing to be walking Little Monkey and find that my sock is disappearing inside my shoe. I ignore it for a while, till it gets to the point where it is scrunched up under my instep uncomfortably.

Then I have to stop; *check very carefully up and down the area for any sign of an approaching dog; take my shoe off and retrieve the errant sock.

I have one pair of socks that is particularly bad, but I keep forgetting, because they are cotton and comfy; if I’m not walking too much in them!

 

*Why do I have to check so carefully for dogs? LM freaks out if she sees other dogs and I don’t fancy being caught off balance and pulled full length on the grass verge – again!