Discipline and a storm

This blog, after the mammoth effort yesterday, is going to be much shorter. I've had a really enjoyable, really lazy, day and the large part of it I can't talk about as it is a secret surprise for the Special Guest. So shhhhhhh.

Taken from in bed

I slept really well and with the pleasure of no alarm I woke about 6 as normal needing the toilet and the sunrise was looking amazing but there was no way I was bothering to take a picture and I was back to sleep again really quickly and woke again at 8 to the boys barking for breakfast, and finding that the early morning scattered clouds had drawn closer together and while there was sun around, it was very much broken clouds.

I snuck his lead on while he was eating

I pulled myself out of bed, made a brew, and went to feed the boys. Ralf had not been let out at all since his acting out yesterday and so was super excited to see me. Rambo was also quite hyperactive and I was struggling to get there carrying two bowls full of food, and extra empty bowl for water, Ralf's lead, my brew, and a big bottle of water to refill their bowls. I got them fed and then while Ralf was eating I put his lead on. He didn't notice as he was so focused on eating. They had run out of water in the night and so were both very happy to get two big bowls of water. Once Rambo stopped eating he came over and noticed the lead and got very excited, as he does. This is a challenge but I am in control of him enough to stop him going too mad.

He's a good boy really

I had decided to start a new routine of far stricter training for Ralf, to reinforce his obedience, that fact that I am "Top Dog", and to get some more commands ingrained so he becomes easier to control in the future. I started as soon as I went to put the food down (though this is not new) as he was forced to sit and wait until I let Rambo start (who is already so very good at breakfast time and sits without even hinting towards the bowl until you tell him he can eat) and Ralf was pretty good this morning. After eating, obviously on the lead, he never even went to its extent but came and sat next to me quietly and calmly.

Lettuce is sprouting!

We then headed out on the morning rounds, first of all doing the hose for the pots and the entrance and then filling the watering cans. It wasn't that easy while keeping Ralf on his lead but he was again pretty well behaved, though he is a bit scared of the hose when it is dragged near him. He trotted along behind me quite happily and only pulled a couple of times when Rambo was running (he always chases Rambo) and when he wanted to go and sniff at the top of the fence. At the end of the round I was very pleased to confirm what I thought I had seen yesterday; the lettuce is sprouting and I have a few shoots showing on both sides.

Road workers at it on a Saturday

I may have had success with controlling Ralf being naughty but his subdued behaviour was rubbing off onto me and I was also feeling quite down and tired after this. I ate some breakfast (bacon and eggs with some mushrooms) but even that left me feeling a bit hollow so I decided to get my chores out of the way first thing (I hate shopping anyway) so went to Lucy (still parked under the tree on the track) and headed into town. The men were in working away putting the final top on the new road and I held the camera out the window as I rolled past to get some pictures. I think this is the end of their job, though I hope they put some barriers up over the bridge as it's a fair old drop if someone skids on the new road surface.

On the way I saw three or four Egyptian Vultures circling to one side of the road. Times like these (and they happen all the time!) I really wish I had my zoom lens on me. Oh well. I picked up everything I needed in town but decided that going to the pet shop to try and explain that I want a vet to chop Ralf's balls off was beyond my patience today so just came straight back. One thing that was on sale in Lidl was a camping shower so I grabbed that; I hope I never need to use it but at least I have one now and it was pretty cheap.

Someone got wet (look bottom right - DOWNPOUR!)

Apart from the secret thing I can't tell you about, that pretty much does my day. I had a lunch of chili baked beans on toast (gorgeous, specially with real butter) and watched the cricket and trained Ralf (I have him responding to "sit" and "wait" before taking food I give him now, and he really is getting good at walking behind me at all times) and emptied the kitchen collection box into the humanure (testing Ralf outside off the lead and he was obedient) and I also have two full humanure buckets to do but I'm waiting for my hands to fully heal first. The main thing about this afternoon has been two storms. The first one approached quite fast but went past without bothering me; there was only a few flashes in the distance and some impressive rumbles and it was away over the valley.

And the second, huge, slow moving one

The sky then cleared and it was really pleasant again, so nice that I sat out on the balcony and really enjoyed the feel of the heat through my clothes and hands and feet where I was resting on the floor. A bit later I heard more thunder and there was a major storm heading over which was moving really slowly; for a good thirty minutes it was raining at the back of the house but not at the front. This rain didn't last long but the cloud is moving so slowly that t is still overhead, about two hours later. This is typical as tonight is a "super moon" here and I was really hoping to get some great shots of the moon. I'm crossing my fingers that I can get up in the night and try. You'll find out about that tomorrow.

So that is it; it's a short blog but talking to my parents, eating and other things have made me take ages again. I'm going to sign it off now.