Posting days: Sunday and Wednesday and, sometimes, maybe, extra ‘news flashes’

Wednesday October 4th 2017

Isis has another lovely walk with S. and R. and their patient hounds Gilbert and George. Yesterday the sun unobligingly popped out as they arrived to collect her, and nothing could persuade her to move from the pavement just outside her gate. Today, long suffering R. assures her that it’s perfectly safe if they set off in the opposite direction, and off they go, slowly at first, but gradually gaining momentum.

Hairy One returns full of the joys and repairs to her futon for a post happy walk snooze.

Episode 3: the suitcase

So there I am with both upper limbs out of action. And it’s only a few days before I’m off to make a second visit Polymath who has had a serious stroke and is in hospital in Wales.

On Saturday I reluctantly leave little Isis in her kennels – a week seems a long time. I intended to leave Daisy there too, but Ray, who runs the kennels, cattery and rescue centre (all creatures accepted) is worried. He thinks that Daisy, who has never stayed in a cattery, is eighteen and on medication, will be too stressed by the experience, so I arrange for Emma, a lovely cat sitter to tend Daisy twice a day at home.

Since I am no longer able to drive, I set off the next day for the train station, the wheels of my suitcase clacking gently behind me.

The suitcase is not heavy. I have packed the absolute minimum. Because of my damaged shoulder, there is no way, of course, that I can pull it along with my right hand. I have to use the swollen left hand.

The walk from the station to my friend’s house is usually a very pleasant one along the promenade. It only takes about ten minutes.

Today it’s not at all pleasant. The case keeps twisting away from me and I struggle to control it with my left hand which is now very painful. As I near the house, I notice that my left foot is a little sore.

The next morning, I attempt to climb the stairs and fall over.

I am aware of a pain zigging through my foot. When I look down, I can’t believe what I see. Over night the foot has swollen enormously. It is grotesquely distorted and looks like a flipper.

I can only surmise that struggling with the case the night before, I must have skewed my entire weight over onto the left foot.

So there I am in Wales, three limbs down and one to go.

At this point, I begin to feel a bit desperate!

Isis came from the Aeza cat and dog rescue and adoption centre in Aljezur, Portugal. For information about adopting an animal from the centre, contact kerry@aeza.org or  www.dogwatchuk.co.uk