Modelling, whelks and mountain goats.

First an apology relating to last weeks post. I was not brought up to believe that stealing was OK, even if it is the theft of veg from my mums veg patch. If I wanted veg I should simply have asked. Or in the words of Jud from Poldark "t'aint right, t'aint fair, t'aint fit, t'ain't proper". In my defence it is partly Mum's fault for growing such good veg (and I didn't know that my mum was reading this blog).

Secondly I just wanted to thank my sister for forwarding the link for the blog to mum. I'm sure that she did it with the best of intentions! My sister and I are close but hugely competitive and she was probably trying to steal my position as favourite daughter.

Well it comes to something when your dog has more work than you do! Billy, my Westie has now twice been asked to be a model. The first time was  a few weeks ago and he was enjoying his morning walk doing what dogs do best (chasing seagulls, peeing, sniffing, rolling in muck, cocking his leg, greeting other dogs, weeing, chasing his ball and cocking his leg yet again (how can such a small animal generate so much urine?). It was a cool, fresh early morning and the sea mist was just lifting and we were walking on the green infront of the beach. Out of the mist appeared a chap with a huge camera round his neck. He explained that he was a student at the local art college doing a project on a day in life in Cornwall, and as dog walking is a popular activity, could he take a picture of Billy (not me mind, just the dog). Billy posed beautifully.

The second time was last week when one of my former colleagues who is now working for a holiday cottage company wanted a picture of him for their brochure (in the brochure they had blurb about their employees and she said that she enjoyed walking friends dogs, so needed a picture of said dog). No payment for either of these pieces of work but as everyone knows job search is often about networking and getting your face known. So maybe I won't have to get a job but can send the dog out to earn his keep, its about time he did something useful.

We had a good weekend away further up the coast despite doing the steepest piece of coast path ever. It's the section between Lansallos and Polperro, and in places it felt practically vertical. We did a 6 and a half mile round walk, so not too far, but it felt like we had run the marathon up Ben Nevis wearing concrete boots by the time we got back to our caravan. There's something good about being physically tired though and it certainly helps to sharpen the appetite and achieve a good nights sleep. We  did a bit of foraging on the walk and picked some wild garlic which we mixed with tomato and onion to go with our curry that night.

Whilst away we visited my Aunt who is in a care home nearby. She is suffering from dementia but seems happy bossing everyone around in the home. However some of the other residents didn't seem quite so happy, one old dear constantly wanted to go and make us a cup of tea in spite of not being able to walk, an old guy wanted a phone to call his son and another elderly resident wanted us to take her home with us. I hope that if I get to that stage in my life I end up more like my Aunt than some of the other residents, happily telling my visitors that I have made them whelks for tea and am going to get a St Bernard dog.

So another good week despite being workless. A week where I learnt that it's wrong to steal but OK to forage (go figure!), that I am not cut out to be a mountain goat and that whatever your age sisters will be sisters. Finally should anyone need a professional (well nearly) dog model just let me know, his rates are very reasonable however my agents fees are quite steep.