Today, I talked to two complete strangers. One after another. Both had a beautiful dog on the lead: Archy, 7, and Leila, 5.
It was a beautiful, sunny morning. The soccer fields were not very damp, just right to walk on. I had all of them completely to myself! Quite a few large patches of clover had appeared all over the place and were a lovely sight, since they are in full bloom. However, the grass was pretty dense in some places for no lawn mowing tractor had touched the place for a while.
I managed to cross the fields in full sun and felt quite elated for I had taken my lovely light Jean jacket off, and was wearing only a skimpy top with no bra underneath! It felt so good to let the sun touch much of my skin! I went slowly, for it was not easy to get my rollator to make it through some of the rather high patches of grass. After a while I made it to the bench number two at the footpath. It was still in the shade. I actually set down on that bench rather than on the seat of my rollator. So I took my water bottle out to have a sip. I also thought of putting my nice jacket back on! Through some trees I could see some cars on the carpark where recently a test site had been established. They even had put a huge dome up as protection against wind and weather!
Sitting on that bench was very enjoyable! I contemplated that easily somebody else could be sitting there with me, for there seemed to be ample room for social distancing! For months on end though I had during my morning walks never ever seen anyone sitting on one of the benches!
Usually I put one of my masks on for my morning walks, even though never ever anybody does come at all close to me! But I tell myself, it is good to get used to wearing a mask in case I would go sometime somewhere where mask wearing is required by law. Maybe it is even required in that nearly totally deserted park! I mean, the few people that I do see crossing this park are never ever close to each other except perhaps for some family groups with a few children usually on the way to the playground in the distance. But it is seldom that any children are actually seen on the playground. The people, that walk their dogs, are usually single people that walk very briskly. Some people let their dogs run freely across the grass fields, but only for a little while, and then they are gone again.
So after I had relaxed on that park bench for some time, a mature, not exactly skinny man passed. He had a very skinny looking black poodle dog. on the lead. Some polite greetings were exchanged, but the man didn’t actually stop. Still I had the presence of mind to make him stop for a bit by asking some questions about the name and age of his dog. So, this poodle was 7 year old Archie.
Soon after the man had disappeared with Archie, another much younger and rather skinny man appeared with a female dog of good proportions. He was the owner of beautiful looking Leila. He said that Leila was getting old. I protested, saying that 5 years was not very old for a dog. I was allowed some patting of Leila! Then the man wished me a good day, and I wished him a good day too. I think Leila was black too but not quite as black as Archie.
I went back home all the way on that bumpy footpath, thinking that asking these questions about the two dogs, had made my day! 🙂
AuntyUta 
Sounds like a lovely walk, and a lovely day, SweetUta! It always lifts our spirits when we can engage in conversations 🙂
We enjoy meeting other dogs while Cooper and I are walking. And often Cooper even has to go greet the people who don’t have any dogs. I think Cooper thinks he is a Human-Bean! He likes the people better than the dogs! 😀
Cooper is almost twice Archie’s age! 😮 Coop is a senior adult now. 🙂
(((HUGS))) 🙂 ❤
PS…your descriptions in this writing are so beautiful! I could just feel the sun on myself, too. 😉
Yes, Carolyn, this walk in the sun felt very beautiful. Usually I see some of the neighbours around and talk to them a bit from a distance. Today I just kept to myself after the walk. So despite this lovely morning walk it was a rather lonely day. I regret now, that I did not try to keep myself a bit more busy rather than spending a lot of time on the computer. Watching too much News can give rise to depressing feelings. Maybe tomorrow I’ll be able to see everything from a more bright side again. I think today I have just been too much on my own. I do need some cheering up again! Sorry, that this does not sound very cheerful. I am just not in a very good mood. But it is going to pass, sure it will. Yes, tomorrow everything is going to look much better again! 🙂
Victoria, where my son lives, has close to 2000 cases now. The virus seems to have Victoria totally in its grip. When is it going to end? When finally are the borders to Victoria going to be open again? ?
NSW has achieved the desired number of vaccinations now, and from next Monday some of the restrictions are going to be lifted for people that are already double vaccinated. People that haven’t the second shot yet, like me, have to wait a bit longer. A few weeks from now, things are going to be a bit better for me too! 🙂
So, dear Carolyn, just writing about it now, makes me feel already a bit better! 🙂
We do need so much to see some light at the end of the tunnel, don’t we? Our patience can wear a little bit thin. But yes, it is going to pass. 🙂 I feel bad, because I still have it so much better than a lot of other people. I should be so grateful for that and not feel so bad about my significant self isolation. It’ll pass, I know! 🙂
I hope, Cooper is going to be with you for quite a bit more time, Carolyn. Would you consider to have a second dog? Love and a big HUG from me, Uta 🙂
I hope the bright side has shown itself. 🙂
Just take one day at a time…and it’s good (and more than okay) to acknowledge your feelings and feel them. I think talking and/or writing about them does help, too.
We’ve thought about another dog. But if you take good care of the one you have it can be costly. And I’m not sure after Cooper passes if we’ll get another then. I can’t imagine any dog being as great as Cooper is. 🙂
MORE (((HUGS))) and ❤ from me to you!!! 🙂
Thank you so very much, dear Carolyn! You are amazingly perceptive! 🙂
You love Cooper so very much! Let’s hope he’s going to be with you much longer! 🙂
More HUGS from me too! 🙂
Yes Uta, people and their dogs are often a good way to get a conversation going. I go out walking Bentley and most times someone will stop and ask about the dog. Or I ask about their dog, the age etc.
Yes, watching news is not very cheerful, often very boring. I often think a good way to overcome insomnia is to listen to the news.
Gerard, anything that comes up on TV, seems to be able to put me to sleep after a while. Insomnia is usually not my problem but trying to stay awake can become a huge problem! 🙂
I found this link to the Illawarra Newroom interesting. 🙂 It seems, whenever I may need to be tested for Covid, I won’t have to go far. I can walk to the test site by using that bumpy footpath behind my house and that ends near the carpark where this test site has been established since last Sunday. They are open all day, and they seem never to be very busy. I reckon that is very convenient place for me in case I do need a test done! 🙂
On the other side of the footpath, which I use when for some reason I cannot slender across the soccer fields, there is a lot of bush that has grown profusely during the last few years. Somewhere hidden in that bush is Brooks Creek. I used to be able to see Brooks Creek. But not anymore! There is too much bush taking the view away.
So here is that link again: https://www.wavefm.com.au/news/illawarra-newsroom/164839-shellharbour-mp-welcomes-covid-19-testing-facility-for-dapto
ILLAWARRA NEWSROOM
Shellharbour MP welcomes COVID-19 testing facility for Dapto
08 October 2021
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Member for Shellharbour, Anna Watson, has today welcomed the establishment of a new COVID-19 testing centre in Dapto.
Ms Watson has been calling for the establishment of a dedicated COVID-19 testing centre in Dapto, due to the rising number of COVID-19 positive cases in the Illawarra.
“I’ve written to the Minister for Health on a number of occasions about the urgent need for a dedicated Coronavirus Testing Centre in Dapto.”
“Dapto is one of the fastest growing areas outside of Sydney, yet its residents were forced to travel to Berkeley, Figtree or Albion Park, just to get a COVID-19 test.
At a time when we were being told to limit our movements, I found it totally unacceptable that Dapto residents could not access a coronavirus testing facility in their local area.”
A response provided to Ms Watson from the Office of the Minister for Health and Medical Research on Friday, advises that Histopath, a private pathology provider, is establishing a number of testing clinics across the local health district, including in Dapto.
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The Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District has liaised with Wollongong Council to identify suitable COVID-19 testing sites within the Dapto area.
Lakelands Oval on Lakelands Drive, Dapto, was identified as a suitable location and Histopath has since established a drive through/walk in testing clinic, which has been operational since 3 October 2021.
The clinic’s opening hours are from 8:00am to 5:00pm seven days a week, ongoing as required.
Image: Anna Watson MP Facebook, Google Maps