In Stockinged Feet 30 March 2011 8.18pm.
This morning, feeling cheerful and dressed ready to go out, wearing glossy tights, I’m half-way downstairs when I slip on the bare wood and swiftly bump from step to step, mostly on my bottom; I arrive in a shocked state sitting on the Hall floor wondering if I have done myself any damage (or ruined an expensive pair of tights). ‘Dog’ comes to sit beside me until I feel robust enough to try to stand up. I talk out loud as much to comfort myself as to reassure her. I feel quite cross at not being more careful, more aware and more ‘present in the moment’. I was thinking of the things I had to do in the busy day ahead; how unwise. This evening I feel achy and stiff and relax in a long hot bath.
But back to this morning. ‘Dog’ and I must still walk around the neighbourhood before I leave so I make a huge effort and out we go. It is a gloomy overcast day with a hint of rain to come. When we get back I supervise her frolics in the front garden –she seems especially to love this as it’s not usually permitted; I look at my plants. There are hyacinths and grape hyacinths; Pieris with new red leaves; self-seeded white violets up the edge of the path and favourite bulbs, Snake’s Head Fritillaries in the lawn; only a few because the squirrels will dig them up for dessert.
‘Dog’ bounces in through the opened front door, to ‘Reward’ biscuits and Radio 4 and settles into her bed by the child safety gate which will keep her in the kitchen until I return. I move her bed temporarily from its customary place to the doorway because that’s where she waits for me and I like her vigil to be as comfortable as possible. A while ago I discovered this is where she sits, by feeling how warm the floor was where she had obviously been. (Oriental fashion we always leave our shoes in the porch outside so I was, as usual, in my stockinged feet). When I drive home she hears me arrive and barks her welcome before I’m even out of the car. Once I’m inside with the shopping bags on the kitchen floor she nosily inspects each one – just checking! How I love that dog.