My space!

Have you got somewhere special that you like to go when everything is going wrong or when everything is going right?  A place where you can sit and cry or scream.  A place that you can share with the ones you love and hide from the ones you don't  A place that means something to you?

I did.  It was a little car park that overlooked the sea.  I spent many a happy teenage afternoon and evening there when life had got too much or when it was peaking at just enough. When luck had afforded me a car and an ounce of freedom with which I knew not what to do.  I later found that this wonderful location was a well-known dogging site (and not of the canine variety either).  So, I lost my special place and have never found a new one until recently.

A bit windy is it Dumbo?

Walks are stressful.  There's no point denying it.  I would love to say "let's have a relaxing walk with Caesar."  but thus far, those words have never passed my lips.  The reason for this is because nothing about Caesar is relaxing.  He runs too fast and too far.  He tugs and pulls and screeches and screams.  He picks things of unknown origin from the ground and eats them.  And, at most, walks are...interesting.

Looks like the lead is about to fly away!

When I was knee high to a grass-hopper, which wasn't too long ago (or perhaps it was depending if we're talking dog years or human ones), my dad used to go fishing.  I remember some of our excursions.  They usually involved me dressing in a LOT of very warm clothes and then waiting for an hour in the cold, crying because it was too cold and asking to go home.  Then, usually, sitting in the car with a packet of sweets.  Dad didn't take me fishing often - I wonder why?  Anyhow, back in the day of sea fishing, sweets, waders and flat fish, dad used to take me to somewhere he called 'the gare'.  It was silent and sandy and untarnished by tourists, buckets, spades and donkeys.  I was determined to take Caesar there one day.  Unfortunately, I couldn't find how to get to it, aside for walking down the beach for hours.

Poor old Caesar - once he has freedom,
he doesn't know what to do except for come back!
Video link for phone users:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4vccJ3UZmI&feature=youtu.be

Luckily for me, when we met Sharon (one of Caesar's rescuers) on Saturday, she showed us the way.  It was just the way I remembered it...deserted!

Nothing for miles - my sort of place!

Bumbling on the beach

Although Caesar's tag claims that he belongs entirely to me; this is not strictly true.  I own only 99% of Caesar; the other 1% belongs to someone whom, until recently, I hardly knew.  I'll save the details for the book and simply say that the first person at the rescue centre to come across Caesar was a tall bubbly blonde called Sharon.  Sharon owns 1% of Caesar because she helped to rescue him and assure him a place in the centre.  Through the whole adoption process, I saw Sharon on a number of occasions.  However, as Caesar dominates any social situation that he is part of, we didn't get much chance to speak.  I knew that Sharon liked Caesar very much as she would make a fuss of him when we brought him back to the rescue centre.

Sharon and Caesar.

At the time, Caesar had a tiny fan club of people who would get excited to see him back.  It warmed my heart to know that so many people loved him and made the 6 months that he had spent in kennels more than bearable.

It was at the time of our last major Caesar success that Sharon got in touch to ask if I would like to walk Caesar with her two dogs; Bumble and Milly.  I jumped at the chance for Caesar to continue pushing himself and making new friends.  As the walk approached though, and Caesar had less and less off-lead experiences, I began to doubt whether we'd be able to do it.  Sharon assured me that her dogs were fairly bomb proof and were used to dogs in the kennels.  

Sharon is as sensible and careful as I like to think that I am and she too has a 'other dog radar' wired up to her brain.  After a few hours of walking, the pair of us scowered the beach for fellow dog walkers as Bumble and Milly played happily with Caesar on his long lead.  Well, I say happily, on occassion, Caesar did seem to manage to freak Bumble out by barking at him but at large the three charged around happily, each on their own doggy plant.  On finding there were no people for the next stretch of beach we unclipped Caesar's lead and off he went!  Although he made a LOT of noise again and was clearly full of energy, he ran skipped and played and did come back almost every time he was told to.  Two more friends for Caesar and a giant leap to Caesar kind!

Caesar with Sharon, Bumble and Milly - Don't jump off again Caesar!!

Caesar met his new friends on his lead but
later had a run around without it.  Well done C boy!