WALKING A STAR

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Yanouk

On thursdays I pick up Yanouk for a long walk. His mom is babysitting her grandson. When I open the door and put on his leash, he takes it in his mouth and leads me to the sidewalk. There he decides in which direction we would go. As I have no other plans I just let him walk me. At the beginning I look like somebody being on invisible water skies, pulled by a dog instead of a boat. He takes me from tree to tree from wall to wall from corners to corners. It is amazing how many things there are to sniff at and to water too !

Years ago men looked after me because I was quite a pretty girl. Today they look after Yanouk, because he is the beauty now. People I have never seen great me because they haven't realized that I am a different person as Yanouk's attendant. He is the king of the road. Little dogs bark their soul out of their bodies behind safe fences, Yanouk doesn't care, he doesn't even look.

While following him I am amazed how many plants, trees, corners etc he can water and he is still not empty. He always safes the last drop for just before his home. Sometimes we don't agree about our way. Especially when he feels that it would be the way back. Then he sits and looks at me, his eyes saying : try to pull my 60 kg (132 lbs) ! Of course I try, I am almost with my bottom on the sidewalk and pull and pull and he sits there and admires my gymnastic, until I remind myself that I am the boss and tell him that now, we really have to go.

Each time he sees a hedge he pulls me over there to scratch his back, he loves it and if he would be a cat he would purr. Then with his hind legs he scratches and throws the gravel or ground all around. I have to pay attention not to get it in my face.

When I bring him home, first thing is he drinks loudly a whole bowl of water and then collapses somewhere on the floor. He is exhausted and I too !



Should'nt have taken the last picture, it is not very decent !

SMILEY SATURDAY - My neighbours

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When I got home yesterday I saw a new dwarf scenery in my neighbours garden. I am not at all a fan of garden dwarfs, but this decoration always makes me smile because it is done by my neighbour's 14 years old boy. For Halloween he had posed them with pumpkins and faking a funeral, for Easter there were Easter bunnies with the dwarfs and now they are lined up and watch over the entrance, or sit on the fountain.

When I hear around me what usually 14 year old boys do or not do, it warms my heart and makes me smile. Now don't think he is an angel, he is a very normal and very friendly 14 year old boy.





While I was taking these pictures, Yanouk saw me and ran quickly with the elegance of an old grizzly bear to the gate to great me !







and was disappointed that I didn't take him for a walk !

DISCUSSIONS WITH A DOG

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Mr. Gattino doesn't move enough and the Doctor told him that he has to walk every day. So he walks each morning from his car to the café where he takes his coffee with his friends. Of course the car has to be parked as close as possible to his café.

But my friend and neighbour Dominique has a beautiful dog who needs to be walked every day. On Thursdays she babysits her grandson and I thought this is the opportunity for Mr. Gattino's health, a walk with a dog ! So every thursday we have an agreement, he walks Yanouk or rather Yanouk walks him. Until yesterday !

As usual Mr. Gattino took the leash and went with Yanouk on the street. There, Yanouk suddenly sat down and had no intention to move. I have to say he is an elderly gentleman now and became quite stubborn the last year. He knows exactly what he wants and what he doesn't want. This time it was clear he didn't want to walk with Mr. Gattino.



Mr. Gattino tried to convince him



and talked and talked



Yanouk got bored and just layed down. Helpless Mr. Gattino called me "what shall I do ?"



When Yanouk heard my voice he stood up and looked at me. I understood and joined them. It was such a nice weather that I proposed to go together. But Mr. Gattino was only too happy that he didn't have to walk and he quickly disappeared to make his little afternoon nap.



and Yanouk, very happy, walked me from tree to tree and we did a big tour of over an hour. Then he was tired and ready for a long afternoon nap and I was happy I could take quite a lot of pictures !