Thug Life

Another photo of a Kniphofia. But this is a special Kniphofia -- it's the one that I transplanted to a pot last year after watching it struggle in an increasingly shady area of the garden, where it was slowly being smothered by the surrounding plants. This is the first flower it has produced for years. I'm glad that experiment in transplantation worked out!

Yesterday was very low-key. I read more Len Deighton; I walked the dog around the neighborhood and back to the cemetery.

I came across these two characters on a rubbish bin on West End Lane. Google can't identify them. Any guesses? The hat on the guy above says "Thug Life" backwards, so I guess the photo is supposed to look like a selfie in a mirror.

Did I mention that I've arranged a trip to Florida at the end of September? I just bought the ticket the other day, and got a pretty good deal, I must say. I'm going primarily to spend some time with my friend Sue on Anna Maria Island, but also to see my stepsister and brother. I'm not quite sure what we're going to do with Bailey yet, since Dave will be working, but we'll figure something out. Maybe he'll come home to let her out at midday or maybe we'll hire a short-term dog walker.

Dave returns from his own trip to the states this morning, by the way. I also have a tree-trimmer coming by to give us estimates on yet another round of tree work. It's never-ending!

I gathered the rest of this week's footage from the wildlife cam for a more complete sense of what's going on in the garden since we got Bailey. I showed you a short video of some foxes several days ago; well, they're still around, as are a couple of cats -- Pale Cat and Mustache Cat -- and of course Bailey herself, bounding around like a maniac after squirrels in the trees. At 0:58 you'll see a fox carrying one of those mysterious dog treats that they occasionally find somewhere.

My impression is that many of the animals aren't lingering near the house now, but staying more in the back of the garden. I'm not seeing many small animals like birds or squirrels on the ground, but then, I often turned the camera off during the day so it wouldn't record excess footage of Bailey and me.

One of the videos ended on this frame, which made me laugh. That captures the energy of our insane dog about as well as anything.

West End Brown

Another shot of our canna lily, which is definitely having a good year. I guess it likes all this sunshine! And it's in a pot so we keep it watered -- from its perspective, what's not to like?

We had a quiet day yesterday. I wanted Bailey to rest up after our urban outing the day before -- and frankly I needed to rest up, too -- so we stayed near home. I read some of the Len Deighton novel I found in that stack of books outside my neighbor's house several weeks ago, and I also worked my way through all the articles I'd bookmarked on my computer for later reading, so I'm caught up now.

When I walked Bailey in the morning I found that one of my neighbors had discarded two orchids in their yard waste bag, so of course I grabbed them and brought them home and put them in new pots. I now have 13 orchids, which is insane. The next time I complain about having too many plants, remind me why. I just can't pass them up, knowing they will bloom again given enough time.

In the afternoon, we walked to the cemetery. This is West End Green (above), soon to be renamed West End Brown.

And here's the cemetery, with Bailey parked next to that bench for photographic purposes. She still doesn't know how to pose as well as Olga, who was a natural in front of the lens, but she will learn. That's the so-called "butterfly garden" behind the bench, but I didn't see much sign of life there yesterday. The flowers have all gone to seed.

When we came back I knocked on the new upstairs neighbors' door and introduced myself officially. I met the dad and the daughter, and the "wee dog," Wally. I told them Dave was away but as soon as he returned we'd have them over (sans Wally) so they could see the garden and we could all get to know each other. Since they're Americans too, I feel more of an affinity with them than with previous occupants of that flat!

A Dish and Parched Westminster

Our sunflower is as high as the satellite dish on the outer wall of our living room! In fact I had to move the planter to the side by a few inches to keep the flower from bonking into the dish as it grew. I should blog a picture of the whole thing so you can see it in context.

That dish is old and no longer works -- as you can see part of it is broken off and hanging, and we've removed the related cabling indoors. We've asked the landlords to take down the dish as well. (Doing so requires tools that we don't have, not to mention a ladder.) Mrs. Kravitz has complained about it and it's true that the side of the house would look much neater without it and all its associated "gubbins," as the landlord called the bits and bobs required for such a device.

That's the Russians' terrace above the dish. Or the terrace of their apartment, now occupied by another family. I still haven't met them. Bailey is barking less at their upstairs noises, so that's a good sign. I think she's getting used to hearing them.

Speaking of Bailey, I'm sure you're all wondering how our adventures in London went yesterday. I took her into Westminster to meet my friend Chris, a former co-worker, for lunch. We met in Parliament Square (above) and went walking along the Thames back to Vauxhall, where Chris lives.

Look at the poor sad grass in that picture. All of England looks like that -- absolutely parched. Here are some dramatic photos, and here are more. The grass will bounce back, if it ever rains again, but for now it looks like California. In fact the weather feels like California -- days and days of sunshine and temperatures in the 70s and 80s F. It would be paradise if all of nature weren't struggling.

I had Chris take a photo of us on Westminster Bridge. Bailey was very interested in what was going on beyond the railing. (A big boat had just gone by.)

As we walked along the south bank of the Thames, we passed a dry spot in the river where lots of seagulls had gathered. They weren't making noise and Bailey couldn't see them, but she must have been able to smell them, because she kept trying to peer over the railing.

Finally we found a pub called the Pilgrim in Vauxhall, and we sat out on the patio. We spread Bailey's blanket on the ground and she settled in and was perfectly calm. I had Waldorf salad with chicken and a beer, and then we moved on to another pub for a second beer. Bailey only ever got overexcited if she saw another dog, as per usual, and fortunately they were few and far between in the middle of a weekday.

We left Chris at a plant nursery near his flat -- he was buying some stuff to revive the plantings on his outdoor terrace -- and Bailey and I made our way back to Westminster and the tube. (And she was fine on the tube, by the way -- didn't seem to mind it at all, though I'm pretty sure it was her first time.)

All in all, a good day out and a good test of the dog's behavior. I'm more and more pleased and comfortable with the way she conducts herself, and we're both more and more comfortable in each other's company. I think Dave is a little jealous that I'm creating such a one-on-one bond with Bailey, but he returns on Monday so he'll have plenty of time with her after that. I know she'll be ready for "chair time" in his recliner!

Bumbling Along and Watching Corrie

I've been bumbling along with no camera since our Italy trip, and I've missed having one. The phone does a good job, don't get me wrong -- the photo above was taken with my phone yesterday morning and I'm pretty happy with it. (I wonder what "Graphic House" is? Freelance graphic design, maybe?)

I recently submitted some photos to the Royal Photographic Society to be considered for a London street photography exhibit being mounted in Mayfair next month. I chose these six and of those, two are phone shots. Last night I participated in a Zoom call to go over everyone's submissions and narrow them down to three apiece -- one to be printed and two to be shown digitally. Of my photos, the picture that was everyone's favorite I took on my phone. So there you have it -- phones can take good quality photos.

Still, I intend to get a new camera and I've been gathering some ideas, but with Dave gone and me alone with Bailey I haven't had a chance to put them into action. Dave will be back Monday morning and hopefully after that I can go camera shopping. I still haven't heard from our insurance whether my old camera will be covered but here's hoping.

We have a new challenge with Bailey -- one that I've anticipated and I'm not sure how to deal with it. She's very sensitive to noises -- hearing people talking in the street or slamming a door will send her into a fit of barking. She's not a terrible barker overall, but she barks more than Olga did.

Anyway, since we brought her back from the shelter the new upstairs neighbors haven't been home. Until yesterday, that is. Now they've returned and they're clunking around up there, and Bailey finds this intolerable. Every time she hears them on the stairs or walking across the floor (our ceiling) she barks. And she barks when they're out on their terrace. Now, obviously, we can't have this going on forever. I'm trying to discourage it and there are signs she's becoming less hypersensitive, but I'm still a bit embarrassed about it.

To make matters worse, apparently they have a dog. I haven't seen or met this dog yet, but I know Bailey is going to go nuts when she sees it up on their terrace -- at least until she gets used to it. Dear God.

Today we're going to have a new adventure and go into the city. I'm meeting a friend for lunch and I'm going to take Bailey with me. Fingers crossed that will go well!

Back in our garden, the Kniphofia are looking good (above). And I'm starting to see the first few Japanese anemones, which are always a sign that it's about time for the new school year to start -- for Dave, anyway. This year I get to luxuriate in my new retirement!

When my dad retired, he began watching "The Guiding Light," which as many of you will know was a popular and long-running American soap opera. He really enjoyed it and became quite addicted. We all laughed at him, but now I've decided to go down the same road. I've started watching "Coronation Street," a well-known British soap opera that just celebrated its 65th birthday last year. As Wikipedia says, it has "become a significant part of British culture" and I figure I should at least become familiar with it. It's often the source of pub quiz material, like "What's the name of the neighborhood pub on 'Coronation Street'?" (Answer: The Rovers Return Inn, often just called The Rovers.)

Anyway, I'm surprised at how much I'm enjoying it. Poor Debbie has early stage vascular dementia, and Cassie -- who everyone has turned against, believing she spiked Tracy's drink -- was spirited away in a car by the not-so-nice Ross! What's going to happen next?!

More Bailey on the Heath

Our canna lily is beginning to bloom, a bright orange splash near our garden steps. It's interesting how so many of the midsummer flowers tend to fall into the orange and red range of the color spectrum, while flowers earlier in the season tend to be purple and pastel. At least that seems the case in our garden.

Another Jersey tiger moth flew into the house yesterday. I got out my very sophisticated Insect Liberation Kit (a glass and a postcard), captured it and took it outside.

Bailey and I had further adventures on Hampstead Heath yesterday. You may remember from previous posts that the Heath is broken up into several sections, separated by fairly busy roads. On Monday I took her to the West Heath, Sandy Heath and Hampstead Heath Extension, all of which are northwest of the main Heath.

Yesterday, I decided to take her to the main Heath. I've been a little hesitant to do that because of her aversion to other dogs, and the main Heath is definitely the busiest region of Hampstead Heath. But part of what I'm trying to do is test her boundaries and get a sense of what she can comfortably do, and I figured a midday walk in the middle of the week might be a less busy time.

It worked out fine. She is perfectly happy on her long lead and I easily steered clear of other dogs. She's perfectly fine around people so that wasn't a worry.

We did come across a young man walking a tiny white teacup-sized something-or-other who was very focused on his phone. His dog was off its lead, and while he stood staring at his screen and tapping out texts, the dog began advancing toward Bailey. I pulled her back but just as I did so, I slipped on some gravel and fell backwards, so there was a chaotic moment when I wasn't in complete control and imagined her pulling away from me and going for that little ball of fluff. To her credit, she didn't. I stood quickly and said to the guy, "Could you call your dog back, please?"

He looked up and said, "Oh." And called the dog and walked away.

No harm, no foul -- but jeez, buddy, you might want to pay closer attention when your dog is the canine equivalent of a macaroon, and easily carried away by a passing hawk.

I took Bailey up to the scenic overlook on Parliament Hill, which was quite busy with other people and dogs, and again, she was fine. I think she's better behaved than I give her credit for being.

She even got another swim, this time in a much cleaner-looking pond! This video also shows her atop Parliament Hill.

Last night I had to stay up late for a conference call with my siblings about my stepmother's estate. We really are making headway toward settling everything but it's a long, slow process. I'm bleary-eyed this morning because I didn't get to sleep until about 1 a.m. -- and then the dog had me up again four hours later.

I killed time before the call by watching two '70s movies -- "Devil Dog: The Hound of Hell" with Ike Eisenmann and Kim Richards (the kids from "Escape to Witch Mountain") and "This House Possessed," with Parker Stevenson. I have the former on my childhood movie list, which means I must have seen it at some point, though I have no memory of it at all. (It's terrible.) I'd never seen the latter, which my brother told me about and which features a pretty incredible mid-century house. Hey, if your house is going to be possessed, at least it can also be scenic!

Cat Art

Just like when I used to walk with Olga, I'm finding interesting things out and about with Bailey. Yesterday afternoon on Agamemnon Road (my favorite local street name), we passed all this artwork set out for the taking. Someone's obviously having a clear-out.

I couldn't resist two of the pieces, a watercolor and a pencil drawing:

I can't tell if the drawing is original, but I think so. The watercolor certainly is.

I have no idea where I'm going to put them, but we need some good cat art around here. We might even have a cat or two if not for Bailey (who hates them) and Dave (who is allergic to them).

I finished off the Thom Gunn biography yesterday. The end of his life was rather tumultuous and sad -- he was sensitive about aging and losing his looks, and becoming increasingly involved with party drugs like methamphetamine, which ultimately led to his demise. I think people who were attractive in their younger lives often really struggle with getting older, but so far it hasn't been much of a problem for me -- perhaps because I was never much of a looker in the first place. What have I got to lose?! There's a weird kind of freedom in that, and it makes a good discussion question for your next dinner party -- is it better to experience being young and beautiful but then lose it all, or better to be consistently average looking? The latter certainly makes for an easier, quieter life.

(Of course older people can be beautiful too. Quiet down out there!)

Anyway, I enjoyed the book overall and belatedly realized that the subtitle, "A Cool Queer Life," comes from a line in a Thomas Hardy poem, "Her Second Husband Hears Her Story." At the end, after the wife has related a macabre tale about the death of her first husband, her second spouse exclaims, "Well, it's a cool queer tale!" Gunn used it in his book "Boss Cupid," and as biographer Michael Nott perceived, it summed up his life as a sort of double-entendre.

I also worked in the garden part of the morning. I dismantled the log pile in the back corner left over from the work done on our elder trees. I'd intended to leave it as wildlife habitat, but alas, the only wildlife I've seen in the vicinity is Ratthew, and that's not exactly what I had in mind. So I swept up all the leaves and twigs and smaller stuff -- all of it bone dry and not containing any life at all, as far as I could tell -- and put it in bags to be collected as yard waste. I'm not sure yet what to do with the few big logs that are left, but at least there's a lot less cover now for Ratthew.

Belly-rub face!

And here's a funny Bailey fact -- she watches television! Last night I was watching "The Comeback" starring Lisa Kudrow, which is a good if occasionally painfully cringey show, and in one scene Kudrow's character, Valerie Cherish, holds a squirming puppy. Bailey was immediately interested in the puppy, and jumped down to stand right in front of the TV watching it intently. She also looked behind the TV to see if the puppy was there!

I've never had a pet that responded to the television, so this is a first for me.

I'm once again using the opportunity of Dave's absence to eat down a lot of the food we have stockpiled in this house. We had some chicken and some bolognese sauce in the freezer, and once food goes into the freezer Dave is always loath to use it. He says freezing changes the texture. Philistine that I am, I don't even notice that -- so I've been eating it up. When it's gone I'll probably wind up eating bizarre combinations of odd ingredients, like dinner rolls, jalapeno peppers and peanut butter -- but I'm not there yet!

Long Lead Adventures on the Heath

Yesterday morning was about as sedate as possible around here. I did a little bit of light gardening -- watering and deadheading, that kind of thing -- and then sat on the garden bench and read my Thom Gunn biography. I think I may actually polish this book off in a day or two. As with so many books, it was slow going at first but I eventually got into the rhythm of the writing and the drama of Gunn's life and now it breezes along. (It gets much more interesting, in my opinion, in the 1960s, when Gunn moves to San Francisco and experiences the Summer of Love, the mind-expanding possibilities of LSD and the heyday of early gay liberation.)

This was the scene as I read -- parched grass, snoozing dog. (Her limp, by the way, vanished overnight. Whatever was going on apparently wasn't a big deal.)

After lunch I decided to be brave and take Bailey to Hampstead Heath. I wasn't sure how well this would work, given that I can't let her off her leash, but I thought I'd try. So I dug out the new 10-meter lead and off we went. (This leash, by the way, is not retractable. The woman who runs the rescue kennel where I got Bailey specifically told me to avoid retractable leashes -- she says they're not strong enough. That's why I've written about the challenge of using it without getting tangled up in it!)

And it worked out fine. I learned the hard way not to let her plunge into the brush in pursuit of a squirrel, because untangling the lead from the bushes can take a long minute, but if I keep her on the paths she's fine. She loves the walk and she's super-vigilant about the critters. (And on a summer weekday afternoon there weren't many other dogs around, which is a plus with Bailey.)

My real goal was to let her swim, and she plunged into the duckweed-laden pond on Sandy Heath with gusto. Unlike Olga, who used to just wade, Bailey is a full-body swimmer and even dives under to get her head wet. (There are no predators and duckweed will not hurt dogs. Blue-green algae is toxic, but I saw no sign of that in this pond, and indeed Bailey was fine after her swim.)

Afterwards, more walking. Bailey is like Olga in that she is a self-cleaning dog. By the time we got to the Hampstead Heath Extension, she was dry and back to her normal coloring. (She still got a bath when we got home!)

Here's a video for those of you who would like some Bailey action shots. Or inaction, as the case may be, as the first clip shows her dreaming in bed. Then you see a quick shot of a red admiral butterfly on our garden Buddleia, followed by the spectacle of Bailey in the pond.

I'd say the long lead works fine, with the proviso that I keep her out of the bushes. I may also want to get some gloves, because when she sees a squirrel, the risk of rope burn is real!

Last night I watched an action movie called "Greenland 2: Migration" starring Gerard Butler. I watched the first one several years ago and thought it wasn't too bad, but this was just one action sequence after another tied together by the thinnest of plots. There was no complexity. The effects were fun, but honestly, a seventh-grader could have written this movie. (And perhaps did.)