For those of you that don't know, we had a new addition to the family last month, Rory, our new puppy.I have wanted a dog since I left home really, I grew up in a family who always had a dog, Rufus was there before I was born and so it was all I ever knew. So the girls having gotten this far is life without having a dog as part of the family has been a bit of a niggle in the back of my mind, silly I know. There was always some reason for us not to just go for it and get a puppy, but it was Will who hit the nail on the head when he said, if we talked having children through as much as we have a puppy, we probably would ever have had any children (sorry children!).
We hadn't set out on a puppy mission this year, it was rather spontaneous in the end as a lot of things are with us. Living where we do the biggest draw back to a dog was just obtaining one!! The idea of trips to the mainland just to have a look and then what if, for example, the rescue centre wanted to check out your home first, these thoughts all over whelmed me pushing the idea of a dog out of my grasp. Then one Saturday on the walk home from dancing we took the girls into a friends to see the new puppies their dog had just had, we had put the dog idea so far down our list of things for this year that it didn't even cross my mind, until I saw them, until Will saw me with them. He knew before I did just how smitten is was and by the time we had walked the half mile home he was called Ben back to ask if we could have one. And best of all he is not a Spaniel, truly I have nothing against Spaniels but if you have ever been to Scilly before you will understand how common a dog they are here!
I am afraid the girls had no look in when it came to choosing the name, I did say I have always wanted a dog, and Rory has been my dog name for a very long time. Therefore I said they could help choose a dog bed, mistake. I stupidly forgot my taste and Jessica's taste is somewhat different, where Amelia is just going through a everything should be yellow phase. So Daddy chose, with my help... It is funny though because as I said I grew up with dogs, I still have a scar on my lip where one of they bit me and I needed to go to hospital for stitches, but I realised I have never had a puppy, and it is quite daunting. Mainly daunting because you want to do the dog right but you also have a responsibility for it being a well behaved dog. Luckily a Bedlington Whippet is a pretty easy going breed and if we could just get him to stop biting at the girls floaty dresses and humping Wills leg, we are just about there.
I could ramble more about Rory, it is rather like having a baby again where that is all you talk about, boring all those who don't have babies, but there is one benefit of inviting Rory into the family which is making my day lately and that is the early morning walks. About 2 years ago I had to give up running as on going hip, muscle problems just wouldn't let me unless I wished to be limping for the next two days after a run. It has been hard and frustrating, and a piece of it I missed most was getting up and out first thing, running round the back of the island, almost checking in with it, seeing the world afresh for a new day. Then coming home and knowing I had already been out there. Since then I tried just going out walking but it didn't feel the same, with Rory now there is purpose to it and I love it.
My morning routine for the past week has been up 6.30am, a cup of tea while Rory has his breakfast, after which he climbs up on my knee and snuggles for a bit whilst I read 10 pages or so of my book, and then up and out we go. The light has been so beautiful and the world so quiet and yet I find this can be the most social part of my day seeing others out with their dog in the distance, it's comforting to see others out doing the same thing as you, even if now you can't quite stop for a chat.. We are also finding we are heading out as a family for an after dinner walk just down along the beach, and back home, or even I have had just Amelia join me. I cherish time with just one of the girls as it can be so rare. Amelia has surprised us all, even just a few months ago she would not approach a dog almost on the verge of being quite scared of them. And now, the girl has a new best friend. I really thought this could be hard for her bringing a dog into the home, but actually the problem is getting her to leave him alone, the number of times I have to say 'leave him, he is asleep!' in a day is becoming rather tiresome.
I shall stop here as bed calls and I still have to sew on the handles to Jessica's Easter basket for tomorrow. x
We hadn't set out on a puppy mission this year, it was rather spontaneous in the end as a lot of things are with us. Living where we do the biggest draw back to a dog was just obtaining one!! The idea of trips to the mainland just to have a look and then what if, for example, the rescue centre wanted to check out your home first, these thoughts all over whelmed me pushing the idea of a dog out of my grasp. Then one Saturday on the walk home from dancing we took the girls into a friends to see the new puppies their dog had just had, we had put the dog idea so far down our list of things for this year that it didn't even cross my mind, until I saw them, until Will saw me with them. He knew before I did just how smitten is was and by the time we had walked the half mile home he was called Ben back to ask if we could have one. And best of all he is not a Spaniel, truly I have nothing against Spaniels but if you have ever been to Scilly before you will understand how common a dog they are here!
I am afraid the girls had no look in when it came to choosing the name, I did say I have always wanted a dog, and Rory has been my dog name for a very long time. Therefore I said they could help choose a dog bed, mistake. I stupidly forgot my taste and Jessica's taste is somewhat different, where Amelia is just going through a everything should be yellow phase. So Daddy chose, with my help... It is funny though because as I said I grew up with dogs, I still have a scar on my lip where one of they bit me and I needed to go to hospital for stitches, but I realised I have never had a puppy, and it is quite daunting. Mainly daunting because you want to do the dog right but you also have a responsibility for it being a well behaved dog. Luckily a Bedlington Whippet is a pretty easy going breed and if we could just get him to stop biting at the girls floaty dresses and humping Wills leg, we are just about there.
I could ramble more about Rory, it is rather like having a baby again where that is all you talk about, boring all those who don't have babies, but there is one benefit of inviting Rory into the family which is making my day lately and that is the early morning walks. About 2 years ago I had to give up running as on going hip, muscle problems just wouldn't let me unless I wished to be limping for the next two days after a run. It has been hard and frustrating, and a piece of it I missed most was getting up and out first thing, running round the back of the island, almost checking in with it, seeing the world afresh for a new day. Then coming home and knowing I had already been out there. Since then I tried just going out walking but it didn't feel the same, with Rory now there is purpose to it and I love it.
My morning routine for the past week has been up 6.30am, a cup of tea while Rory has his breakfast, after which he climbs up on my knee and snuggles for a bit whilst I read 10 pages or so of my book, and then up and out we go. The light has been so beautiful and the world so quiet and yet I find this can be the most social part of my day seeing others out with their dog in the distance, it's comforting to see others out doing the same thing as you, even if now you can't quite stop for a chat.. We are also finding we are heading out as a family for an after dinner walk just down along the beach, and back home, or even I have had just Amelia join me. I cherish time with just one of the girls as it can be so rare. Amelia has surprised us all, even just a few months ago she would not approach a dog almost on the verge of being quite scared of them. And now, the girl has a new best friend. I really thought this could be hard for her bringing a dog into the home, but actually the problem is getting her to leave him alone, the number of times I have to say 'leave him, he is asleep!' in a day is becoming rather tiresome.
I shall stop here as bed calls and I still have to sew on the handles to Jessica's Easter basket for tomorrow. x