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Originally posted by Gussie:
Gypsy looks lovely. How long do you have her for?

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She will go to 'big school' at 12 to 14 months. Yes, we have a really specific training programme and classes to go to every week. Lots of rules too. No balls, no human food, no getting on furniture, no paws up on people, no toiletting on walks or in the garden, no toys which are not toys (plastic bottles etc) All these rules because they will eventually be a guide dog - so need to be very reliable

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Garden. Room. Walk

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Originally posted by Sandemaniac:
Agreed, Ariel - supposed to be cricketing in said Cotswolds today - against [name drop]Brendan from Strictly[/name drop] - but the forecast isn't looking promising. We may find ourselves forced into Oxford to drink beer instead...

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Really? Brendan was one of the reasons I used to enjoy Strictly - one of my favourite dancers. Didn't know he played cricket as well - he must be good if he's up against an entire cricket team singlehanded.

If your weather forecast is anything like mine you might as well get ready for the pub now. We've been promised 8 hours of heavy rain starting mid-morning.

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Originally posted by Ariel:
Really? Brendan was one of the reasons I used to enjoy Strictly - one of my favourite dancers. Didn't know he played cricket as well - he must be good if he's up against an entire cricket team singlehanded.

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Smartypants, you know what I mean! But yes, he's a kiwi, so it shouldn't be too big a surprise.

Watching the clouds gather...

AG

[ 02. August 2014, 09:16: Message edited by: Sandemaniac ]

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"It becomes soon pleasantly apparent that change-ringing is by no means merely an excuse for beer" Charles Dickens gets it wrong, 1869

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Originally posted by L'organist:
I can relate to that.

I earned a crust as a student filling in at the local crem, particularly at Christmas when they used to put in extra service slots.

On one less than happy day I played Abide with me 13 times

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Originally posted by Sandemaniac:
Watching the clouds gather...

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Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
... I have had @#!$%^&^%$!#@ Crimond going round and round and round and round and round and round my head ...

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Poor you. I love metrical psalms, but not that one. I remember D's predecessor in St. Magnus (a very fiery Welshman) nearly blowing a gasket when, after he'd rehearsed a different tune* with the choir, the minister announced "We will now sing the twenty-third psalm to that wonderful tune Crimond".

There was bilingual swearing.

It's still very hot and sticky - the promised reduction in humidity was only marginal - so I've spent most of the day sitting under a fan trying to keep cool. We went out for a pizza this evening and it was very good, but sadly there was no air-con.

* I can't remember now which one - it may have been Wiltshire.

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I may not be on an island any more, but I'm still an islander.
alto n a soprano who can read music

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Originally posted by Sandemaniac:
Amazingly, we had blue skies for almost the whole of the rest of the match - showers passed on either side of us, but none overhead.

How was your luck with it, Ariel?

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Blimey - it started raining shortly after I'd posted that and kept up for several hours, varying from light to monsoon and cleared off shortly before 4, so that was most of the day gone. There was no way anyone could have played anything but water polo in what we were getting. Glad to hear your match wasn't cancelled after all and that you won it!

Looks like a lovely sunny day now, though the temperature is down - good day to go out.

[ 03. August 2014, 06:48: Message edited by: Ariel ]

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Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
... the organist started playing softly if he thought they had gone on too long ...

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Softly??? What a wuss. The blowing mechanism of our organ is somewhat asthmatic, and D. has been known to drop hints to over-zealous preachers by switching the wind on. Sadly most of them are impervious to this level of subtlety, and the only effect it has is to make the choir giggle.

There was quite a lot of giggling during the sermon this morning as it was: the preacher was a former Orthodox deacon who has joined us and is to be ordained to our Diaconate in October, and his delivery style was, um, amusing.

We're very well-served with clergy: we have five (5½ if you include him), although only two of them are paid.

Despite the promises of cooler weather from the lying toe-rag who poses as a weather-man on the local news, the church was extremely uncomfortable today; even with the great West doors open I was nearly passing out by the end of both services. It does seem to be cooling a little now, but that may be because it's nearly midnight ...

[ 04. August 2014, 02:26: Message edited by: piglet ]

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I may not be on an island any more, but I'm still an islander.
alto n a soprano who can read music

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Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
How often should one clean the window in the door of the oven?

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Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
How often should one clean the window in the door of the oven?

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When you say 'window' - are you suggesting that one is supposed to see through it? That the brown stain is not meant to match the oven trim? Ooo er!

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Tradition is the handing down of the flame, not the worship of the ashes Gustav Mahler.

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Originally posted by Welease Woderwick:
How often should one clean the window in the door of the oven?

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How often should one clean the window in the door of the oven?

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Originally posted by piglet:
Boogie, does that mean that you're going to train her?

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Yes - I have to train her to be a friendly, sociable pup. I have to take her in cafes, restaurants, shops, on all sorts of transport and in as many different situations as I can think of. This has already started, but I have to carry her wherever dogs might have been until all her vaccinations are done, 'tho I can put her down in shops. She must only ever poo and wee in her spending area, not on walks or in the garden. She must walk down the centre of the pavement without sniffing anything (!) and to ignore people when out and about. These are all aims for when she's 14 months old and leaves me - not to be accomplished tomorrow!!



[ 06. August 2014, 06:08: Message edited by: Boogie ]

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Garden. Room. Walk

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Originally posted by Thyme:
Gosh! How on earth do you train a dog not to sniff?

Also, if they are out for the day can they be trained not to need a wee or poo? I mean, supposing they need one? Or are dogs different from people in that regard?

What about Tatze? Presumably she doesn't have to abide by these standards so how does that work if she is allowed to do things that Gypsy isn't.

I'm fascinated by all this about Guide Dog training. I've just taken it for granted when I've seen them out and about.

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The 'not sniffing' thing is when they are working, which (for the pup) is when it's in the blue jacket. For the Guide Dog it's when it is in harness. You start with very short sessions, then the jacket is off and the dog can relax and be doggy again. So, in a cafe etc, you will see the owner take the harness off.

If they are out for the day they are trained to wee/poo on command - so, after a meal, the Guide Dog owner will take the dog out to a designated area (work have to provide one) and tell it to 'go' - and it does, because us puppy walkers have done a good job :-)

Tatze will free run with Gypsy when Gypsy is old enough - when free running they are not working so they can be as doggy as they like - but still preferably only toileting on command (so I will make sure Gypsy has 'been' before we set off).

Tatze uses the bottom of the garden as a toilet and will continue to do so. Gyp is allowed in the garden but only after she has 'been'. She is brill and already takes herself to the spending area - she has to go through a door and through the utility room to get there - then comes and sits for a treat! These dogs really are bred for intelligence.

When Gypsy is training in Jacket Tatze won't be with us - Tatze gets a good hour and a half run at lunch time every day and is very happy to snooze after that - so then, after that, Gypsy comes wherever I go, shopping etc.

Tatze has never been allowed human food, so that's no problem. She is allowed on my sofa, when I'm on it but no other time. Gypsy won't be allowed to do that but she will be fine - dogs accept such differences much better than we do

[ 06. August 2014, 10:10: Message edited by: Boogie ]

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Garden. Room. Walk