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

Sunday May 6th 2018 *Sunday May 6th 2018 *Sunday May 6th 2018 *

and what’s the above sunny departure from the norm? Read the post first, and then look for the *

It’s an enchanted day when Isis is reunited with her twisty paths.

The magic begins early. I am just about to let her out into the garden when I spot a pair of goldfinches feeding on one of the tall teasels a few feet from the kitchen window.

I don’t want to frighten them off, so I take photos of them through the glass of the kitchen window.

The other images were worse than this one, honestly.

I want to get a better image and I almost succeed. I manage to squeeze out of the back door without disturbing the birds, but just as I have them in the camera’s sights, Hairy One sneaks after me. This, of course, alarms the poor goldfinches and off they dip.

Thanks, Isis.

We set off to Kings Heath park.

Once she’s explored the little twisty paths, Isis does something she’s not done for about two years. The lower bowling green is empty and she trots onto it. Next she climbs the tall bank which used to be her favourite play area until a crowd of boisterous pups arrived daily and jumped on her.

She rediscovers her favourite fir tree.

Then she sniffs out the hole in the hedge

and pops through it onto the next tier of grass.

She is delighted. When she was first let off her lead she used to love running here.  That’s a long, long time ago, but she still knows where the trees are and has no difficulty in avoiding them.

She’s very happy to be here, and twirls and runs and dances.

Then she scampers along to what used to be her favourite shrubbery, up another bank by the bottom of the basketball court.

She flings herself around with gay abandon.

To make our visit complete, Bev., Gr., S and John appear with Nancy, Rufus, Nanook and Ben.

When they make their way down to the old bowling green, Isis trots off to the  Colour Garden to race around her favourite shrubbery. After a while, Rufus and Nancy collect us and we walk to the park exit with them, Bev and Gr.

It’s so good to be back.

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

*THE SUNNY YELLOW CELEBRATES OUR RETURN TO HIGHBURY. TRULY A YELLOW LETTER DAY!

The garage manages to resuscitate my car which has been standing outside the house since July, and they bring it back on Friday afternoon. To my surprise, as soon as I get into the car on Saturday, I feel as though I was last driving only yesterday. I drive around the block first, then to Selly Park – ten minutes away – to visit Polymath.

And today J., Isis and I drive to Highbury Park for the first time in nine months.

We spend over two hours there, watching Isis enjoy herself. It’s wonderful to be back. Isis is ecstatic. It’s remarkable that she isn’t suffering from tail strain.

We’ll tell you all about it on Wednesday!