Stella and her toys

Stella has never care much about squeaky toys and these days not so much about soft toys either. What she does like are toys where there are treats involved. It started with Easter eggs and continued with a Kong sent to her from a friend of mine in US. After that I got her two of these and a couple of similar ones.

These I can find them every where except where I put them. As they keeps her busy when I’m off to work I don’t mind filling them up with treats each evening after a search for them (under bed, sofas etc).

I started to look for something else to keep her mind busy while I’m gone. And earlier this year I found some toys created by Nina Ottosson (http://www.ninaottosson.se/) at the Pet store. Not knowing if Stella would like it or what to do with it I got her a level one toy called “Dog smart”.

A piece of cake. Actually I have passed it on to Ceasar.
So I got her another one during my holiday. It was suppose to be a 2-3 and called Dog Brick.

With in a day she had figured out that if she got rid off the white “boxes” that was placed in the middle all she had to do was to get the brown things pushed towards her to get to the treats hidden under it.

So I went for something else: The Tornado. According to the saleswoman in the pet shop it would be a challenge, that would take her some time to solve. Not for my girl. Few hours after I brought it home it was solved.

Starting to give up I got my four legged girl a graded3 toy: Dog Casino. It was a toy that she wasn’t supposed to solve by just using her claws. She was supposed to bite and lift the pale blue bones up to be able to get the boxes opened. Now Stella solved the problem in another way. She figured out that if she “hits it” hard on the corner it will would “jump up” a little and after doing so few times the blue things would start to leave the hole, and then she could scratch them off.

And if that don’t work, you can always try to pull the box out with force.

But her favourite game is:

“Where are those minks?”

Holiday is over and it's back to reality

I think I have had the best vacation I had for a long time and it was probably perfect due to the circumstances in my life just now. I can't say I really did anything but doing so I have to admit I did do some things. I went to a few city walks (2 by bus) and a few museums. I had my eyes checked out and needed new glasses, this time progressive ones. Stella and I started each day with a very long walk, spent time together. I enjoyed my balcony, even had lunch on it. The tempo these four weeks were slow and that was what I needed. I have during the holiday figured out, well a little, how my sleep is. It's very light and it has been episodes where I have heard Stella but I haven't been a wake, I haven't been able to open my eyes. Odd feeling.

Now being back at work, and the pace there is slow right now, I'm feeling worse again. Not as bad as before but still. The tiredness is gradually extent ending and I don't seem to get things done. Well, besides a long walk with Stella after work I might have the energy to do one more thing.

On the bright side and to end this in a better mood:

- I have a trip to Skåne coming. It's time for Sofiero Garden Show and I really want to find some new Hoyas. This time I'm thinking of getting samples of the more expensive kind and there for a bit more rare. I am going to visit my parents too.

- I have booked a hotel room in London for May next year. I haven't been there in May since I worked there as an au-pair in 1984. I want to fulfil another of my dreams and visit Chelsea Flower Show and next year it's planed to be between 25-29th of May. Plans for what else to do is already turning up in my head.

- I have started to plan for the new kitchen too.

I do have some enjoyable and happy things coming. And memories of Stella and me on a picnic.

Feeling like a bad friend

One thing that is on the list (if my memory is correct) I wrote when I started this blogg was that I wanted to be a better friend and keep in contact with those I have and love. I still lack on this really bad. Some still get to wait for the reply of their mail and some I don't even know when I was in contact with the last time. It's really terrible. It doesn't get any better that I took a decision at the beginning of the summer that I shouldn't be on the computer that much as I normally am. It was taken after what happened in May and that I felt I needed to keep a distance to all "must do things" and I'm afraid mails where placed in that catagory.

It's not that I don't think about them. It doesn't go a day without my thought of them and yet the distance between thinking and doing seems wide like an ocean. I can only hope that they know I care.

Well, right now I'm trying to catch up and I guess that is why I really feel bad for neglecting my friends.