Mea Culpa, mea culpa, I am so ashamed

Animals
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Today we had a short trip out in the car, first to the post box as I was expecting a parcel, then to the cemetary to use the water bottle I keep in the car to water Fran’s hyacinths, then to the river field to walk with the dogs, then back to the cemetary because the water in the bottle was frozen and I had left it there to thaw, and finally back home.

Once in the garden, I shut the gate and opened the side door to let Jules out then, totally inexplicably, retreived the post from the front seat leaving my warm jacket and hat there before coming into the house to put everything away. While I was pottering my son called me from Macau and we had a 90 minute catchup during which time he was trying to persuade me to accept the smart-phone or a smart-watch that he wants me to have in case of another fall. Apparently I have to do nothing, it alerts him all the way to China if I trip over again. But I won’t have a smart-phone, I hate the bulky things, I won’t have a watch because I haven’t worn one for 30 odd years and in any case he would always be alerted because I often trip over especially as he plans to get one for his Mum too. Mind you she probably doesn’t fall ever, she rides her bike to and from the shops and the allotment every day for goodness’ sake.

So 2 hours after arriving home, have you spotted anything yet? I couldn’t see Galys, she is always in and out but never far from me for long. I searched the whole house, and the garden down to the front gate and back towards the house, and as I passed the car I heard a little ‘yip’, and then saw a white figure in the cage at the back of the car. :astonished:

I rushed to let her out and opened the cage door, the bar at the bottom of the doorway was bent inwards where she had been desperately scratching at it, her nose was red raw and the mole on the side of her snout was red with blood. She ran straight to the nearest bowl of water and drank her fill and then turned to me for a long cuddle. How could she be so forgiving, and she has kept coming back for cuddles ever since. I am absolutely stricken with guilt. How could I have forgotten her? I try to do normal things in the same way everytime, knowing the shredded memory I have these days.

I normally leave the car and shut the front gate, then open the side door as I pass towards the rear to open the back. Then I return to the passenger door to collect whatever has been purchased and my bag before going into the house. It is automatic, I do it always, I never change. But I did this time.

Ageing is a terrible thing, step carefully people, and double check, frequently. There simply isn’t a smiley to cover what I feel, so there isn’t one.

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Oh David, I know you feel awful but things do happen and if it wasn’t for the phone call you would have noticed so much earlier! Please don’t beat yourself up :bouquet:

We also had a boo boo yesterday. Hubby went down in the day to check for eggs and fill water and food for the chooks. When I got home I went down to lock them up. I was surprised to see both doors locked and no chickens! They were huddled in an old TV they have as shelter from rain and sun on the freezing ground :sleepy:. I had to catch them one by one with my phone in my hand too (torch mode,) to put them to bed. I felt so bad as it was well below zero by then. Rémy opens the coop in the mornings and when it is freezing he can’t manage the pop door so opens the big side door instead. Hubby had unthinkingly closed that after checking for the eggs so they were locked out!! Things happen, we can only try.

Be kind to yourself and give her those extra cuddles xx

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You do the very best you can, each and every day… so please don’t beat yourself up over this slip … make a great fuss of Galys and keep an eye on her wounds. :+1:

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David, @toryroo is right. The phone call put you all out of kilter and Galys loves you dearly and has already forgiven you.

There is no need to be ashamed. It was a one off.

We all know you would never normally have done anything like that, so just continue giving her those extra cuddles but don’t forget that Jules may want some loving too!

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Dare I say…time to buy a head torch…?

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I have about 3 but it was so cold I didn’t want to walk all the way back up the garden! I was expecting a 2 second job of locking the pop door!

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David - do not beat yourself up. Age is not to blame. I had much the same forty years ago in NW Australia, which you know is very hot. I got totally sidetracked and left a dog in a LandRover longer than I should have despite my love of dogs, I had to shoot her. Time does not pass when I wrench myself on the thought.

She does not blame you. A dog’s love is unconditional.

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So true, and thank you all for kind thoughts, but I can’t blame it on the call, I should have opened the back door immediately after the side door, it is almost one movement, but for some totally inexplicable reason I turned back instead to the passenger door. Then afterwards everything continued in one normal order. I am just so pleased that she is ok.

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Age can increase forgetfulness, but not anywhere near as much as we think. It’s just that, as we get older, we tend to think that the instances of forgetfulness are caused by age, rather than - like here - a bump in the routine.

I wonder if you’d consider it an act of kindness to your son (not to mention your many friends on here) to allow him to buy you a smartwatch and/or phone, though :wink:

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She has forgiven you David otherwise no cuddles from her. I had to put my boy with a family in the next village who take dogs in privately in their own home when the owners need to go away. I had always used a really good pension before but he hated it, refused to eat and go in the sheltered part so this was a better solution. However when I went to collect him as soon as I got back, he more or less gave me the paw as if to say I ain’t leaving these digs, I’ve got my own sofa and TV. It took a few days for him to return to me for cuddles and sitting on my lap so I think you have got away lightly. Hope the wounds heal quickly, my boy had to have the vet the first time away from me as he howled for a week non stop and lost his voice.

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I think rather than forgiving me she does not link me with her being imprisoned so sees no forgiveness due. For a couple of nights before this happened I noticed that she had gone into my bedroom and fallen asleep on the bed, right in the middle just below the pillow. When I went to bed those nights I squeezed in under the covers, but beside her, to listen as usual to The Archers and then read for half an hour or so. Then, as I settled down to sleep she went back to her own bed next door. Last night I had to go back in the room for something I had forgotten and she followed me out and went to her own bed. This meant that when I went under the covers it was actually where she had been sleeping and I have never been so warm and comfy climbing into normally ice cold sheets. :joy: Both of these two, Jules and Galys, exude enormous amounts of heat and last night I was the real beneficiary. :joy:

@Porridge Sorry but no, I could not possibly be that kind, I have avoided smart-phones since they were invented, and watches for as long as I can remember, because I would not, do not, find them comfortable at all to carry around and find no need in my life for either. If I knew the date when I will shuffle off this mortal coil, and it wasn’t too far distant, I might agree to the imposition, but the thought of carting around such a burden for possibly years to come is too much to bear. I appreciate the sentiment, but no. :grinning:

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Several years ago, I went downstairs and opened the back door. I was surprised to see my Border Collie, Jess, who had been accidentally left out for the he night! At least she had a blanket of snow to keep her warm. I gave her a good breakfast!

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