I had my longest walk today since I had my surgery four months ago. It was a walk with a purpose. Over the last few months I've been collecting a bag of things to go to the textile recycling, plus a pair of shoes and some electrical bits and pieces I didn't give to Ahmad at All about Phones to take care of. It's only about two miles away, so not much further than Pipoca and I walked there and back twice recently. But unlike Pipoca, this time I wouldn't be having a good lunch and sitting at a table for a while. I had a back up plan. If need be I could come home by bus.
On Saturday I joined neighbours for the monthly chinwag in the square's garden. We stood around for about an hour and half. Then Celia and I went to Pipoca for lunch and to get some refills of this and that. In the evening there was another gathering of neighbours at Wendy's house for a house cooling. Wendy died a year ago, and her house now cleared, is sold subject to contract. We stood in the small kitchen with our drinks and nibbles. It was bittersweet. But all that standing and no ill effects made name feel quietly confident I could get to the recycling centre and back today.
I took the route through Burgess Park. If you have seen the Lloyds Bank advert with a herd of black horses running through a green space you'll have seen Burgess Park. Admittedly it doesn't usually look that romantic. There were no horses today. I went after lunch, around two o'clock, so no school children either. Some people exercising, some dog walkers, a few amblers. The crows were busy on one stretch of grass then a few yards on it as the starlings who were in residence. My attention was caught by a dog standing very still. A lurcher, she was wearing a harness, but at first I couldn't see her owner and I wondered if she might be lost. Then I realised she was focused on a squirrel several yards away. Slowly slowly she advanced, raising a paw and holding it in the air then gently placing it on the ground. Her tail was up, her neck extended. The squirrel seemed oblivious and was nibbling something it had unearthed. Her owner, presumably inured to his dog's behaviour, stood some way off, looking up from his 'phone from time to time to check on her.I stopped to watch. Then two walkers, their attention caught by my attention, stopped too. David Attenborough eat your heart out. It was as gripping as any natural history programme. As the dog drew nearer she seemed to relax, she was only a yard or so away when the squirrel realised it was in danger. It stopped eating and raced for the tree. The do sprang after it. Too late. I was glad. Much as I enjoyed the drama, I didn't really want to see a squirrel being killed.
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