Lakes and flooding

I’m not certain I understand completely about the ‘launching’ business. Perhaps you might clarify.

This morning has been very wet. We all got wet coming back from our walk as I was not concentrating on the approaching storm and left it a bit late. Even though we were not out in it for long, we got very wet. At 08:30, it’s not the best way to start the day. It poured for a bit but then slackened off, so I decided to feed them. By this time the Small Dog run sported a significant lake so the usual feeding locations were unusable. I needed some food so decided to use the softer rain to walk to the supermarket with Heidi, since she barks the loudest and it was Janne and Erica’s first morning. On my return the rain came down again much harder giving us 13.5mm (1/2″) with more forecast later and tomorrow. There was also thunder and lightning, much to Boris’ delight.

Antonis came yesterday evening to bring the frame for the new platform and steps off the east side of the decking. The table, dog feeding and hoses are at that end so I got fed up having to walk around the deck each time I wanted to go there or do anything. He planned to come to install it this morning however rain stopped play. I have rearranged things to accommodate the new arrangement and put the frame where I would like it to be. Antonis will put boards on it before connecting it to the decking. No more walking around anymore.

There is now bright sunshine so my two wet coats are drying off together with the soggy dog blankets. The Small Dogs are laying in the sun, steaming, as they dry off. At present there are two in the cage with another two on the pallet in front. Following a very brief shower, the sun is back again.

To my surprise I received a support call this morning from Mr Lawrence who was hard at work in his office.  Things have not been going particularly well with his wife for quite some time so they have been sort of living together but separately. Recently, things came to a head and Simon moved out from their home in Kingston, to live above his office. Most of the office is located in the basement, in what used to be the kitchen. He has his office desk in the living room which is at ground level in Fisher Street but first floor in Castle Ditch Lane. Simon was telling me that he’d spent Christmas in Kingston with his family but was still not living full time there. Apparently there has been some reconciliation and Jean has been suggesting they get back together and that perhaps she had been more attentive to the needs of the children in the past at the expense of her relationship with Simon. It may also be dawning on her that the children will soon be entirely separate from her and that she risks to find herself alone. Probably better the devil you know…

I had a brief chat with Janne earlier as he was asking for some weather information. I was unable to give him much cheer since it is forecast to be cold and wet for the next couple of days. He told me that Erica has a bad cold and I could hear her coughing. She should be better just in time to go home and to go back to school. The Small Dogs require a little reprogramming since they have not been discouraged from barking at anyone on the other side of the fence for the past five months.

Janne reports that Erica is over the worst and likely to survive.

Now battered by strong winds and hail in addition to more rain. Pretty much as suggested by the forecast.