Fat Fight

I could count the number of walking hours on one finger at this stage. I have been a bit under the weather for the last two weeks. A little health problem surfaced and completely took over my life. When these things happen we realise how much we take good health for granted. It cost me €60, a visit to the doctor and two days off work. The doctor is really a luxury at that price but I had no choice. I think I am on the mend and will be taking to the road ernestly in the next few days.
We had a visitor over the last week. It was a Jack Russell Terrier who we named Charlie. He was an absolute pet of a dog. Lorna who works with me found him wandering near the motorway in Leixlip on Sunday evening last. She put him in her car and took him home but could not keep him because she had two dogs of her own. She contacted PAWS the pet rescue crowd and they would take him but would send him to their place in Tipperary the following day. I thought it would be easier to have him here and try to find the owners so Charlie came to visit on Monday evening. He was such a pet, very well trained and just full of love and fun. He would not go to the toilet in the garden under any circumstances and had to be walked morning and evening. This job Lisa and Mark took to readily, he was easy to walk and seemed to go out of his way to please everyone. I made posters with his picture on them and yesterday evening Lorna was contacted by a woman who claimed him. Sadness in our house, he had really nudged his way into our lives with his wet snout. The woman who called had gone on holidays and left the dog alone in an apartment with her neighbour coming in to feed him every day. I could not believe it. I was worried that he would not be claimed and we would all be back at work and school next week and he would be alone. A dog like that needs company and locking him up in an apartment for whatever period of time was wrong. Enough said we had the honour of looking after him for a time and it was a pleasure.
My previous post was a difficult one. I dip into the Dali Lama every so often and I came across that passage in "The Art of Happiness". At first it seemed a bit far-fetched until I though of the eulogy by Sebastian Crean's mother at his funeral and realised that it was possible to embrace that prayer even in our own lives, in our world filled with so much hate greed and confusion we must aspire to something far removed from where we are at present. Seb Crean's mum did this at probably the lowest time in her life and rose above the dark forces like a phoenix from the flame. Of course it will still be difficult for her but she has faced the horror head on and her great strength will see her safely through.

I am getting my front garden done on Tuesday, it will cost a bit but will be worth it. It should tidy up the front a bit and I can put a nice flower border in.