Reinforcements and restlessness

I sometimes wonder if my impatience when it comes to finishing the pool and garden stems from the fact that Tony’s death happened so suddenly. One minute we were discussing a possible move to the Sussex countryside and the next he was gone. We never had that time to sit back, relax and just enjoy life after work. The restlessness is still within me, perhaps because I am scared this new start will be taken away from me before I have the chance to do what we should have had the chance to do.

The old saying ‘time flies when you’re having fun’ has never seemed truer, especially the last two months. With the pups now nine weeks old, two of them left for their new lives yesterday. Sophia is on her way to Switzerland and Daisy (Sabrina) is already making herself at home in North-West France. The journey from birth to bye bye has been the most fascinating experience not only to study but also for the most part, delight in. That is except the dawn wakenings and endless poop. Alice thankfully can’t count so hasn’t noticed that two of her babies have flown the coop but surprisingly the other pups have. The remaining have decided they hate each other which has upset Sherman completely, being the biggest and first out means you have to calm everyone down. I have a real soft spot for my little tank, I think it’s because he reminds me of Macgyver when I first saw him. They have the same ‘old soul’ aura about them. Maybe this is why Sherman hasn’t found a home yet, perhaps Fate has decided he already has.

I took all the pups to the vet earlier in the week for check-ups and vaccinations. The stoicism of the Border Terrier shone through as not one of them whimpered as they were pricked and microchipped. Yogi Bear needed to have the two stitches in his paw removed after the lump removal, so I dragged him along as well. For future mental notes, Norfolk Bears are not the most courageous of creatures – taking two sutures out of a shaking foot took longer than six jabs in six puppers.

With Callum now settled and up to his eyeballs in sawdust and turps, another family member arrived last night – big brother Simon. It’s wonderful to have him back home, not only because he’s my sibling but also because we needed extra muscle to move the huge dining table out of the garage and into the dining room. At least now, we have extra hands for all the sanding, painting and putting bookshelves together (he took them apart after all). Tomorrow we also have the headache of cement being poured into the fragile pool walls, all of which are currently reinforced with every spare piece of wood on the property. The whole process is, I’m told, as technical and exacting as a surgeon performing a triple bypass. With Denis waiting for a hernia operation (not my fault), poor Lionel has been left with the stress. At least once it is done, we can put the liner in and attach all the pipework leaving only the decking for him to do. That should be a piece of cake compared to everything else but I shall say nothing until there is water in that bloody pool. And my sunbed under the parasol…..and relax….perhaps…

“We must be willing to let go of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” (Joseph Campbell)