Friday, October 8, 2021

Golden Retriever


These are some of the colorfully painted crosswalks around Piccadilly Circus installed this summer in an "art takeover" that saw the area transformed by public art.

I took these pictures at the beginning of September, by which time the takeover had technically ended, and these were merely brightly painted afterimages. I believe they're the work of artist Vanessa Jackson, and though they look like lettering (to me) they're apparently abstract designs.


My picnic with work colleagues yesterday was a damp experience. Although the weather forecast called for no rain, the skies were gloomy and no sooner did we spread out a picnic mat in Regent's Park and sit down, we were enveloped by a fine, misty precipitation. We stayed put, though. As I always say, in England, if you wait for good weather to do anything, you'll never do it.

We were fine until someone's golden retriever piled headlong into our food in the middle of the blanket, moving with the speed and purpose of a heat-seeking missile. Most dogs, when they encroach on a picnic, will at least make a pretense of wagging their tails and being friendly to the people involved. This dog didn't care. It had fire in its eyes.

The owner apologized and pulled it away, and we agreed to throw out our crackers and several other packages of food that had been trampled and/or licked. And then, maybe half an hour later, the dog came back! This time the owner was nowhere near, and I lured it away with another cracker and sat with it until she strolled up. It was actually a very sweet dog and it knew it was in trouble. I think it was a bit underfed and was very hungry.

Anyway, other than that, it was an uneventful picnic. Except that I could have maybe possibly drunk a little too much champagne. I am feeling fuzzy this morning.

50 comments:

Yorkshire Pudding said...

If you are feeling fuzzy you should have a shave.

e said...

Chuckling here at 2:30 AM!

e said...

That poor dog needs a new human...

Moving with Mitchell said...

I agree with “e.” As for the weather, sounds like a Seattle picnic.

Frances said...

I remember my previous dog dashing up to some picnickers and stealing a sandwich before I could get to him . I was so embarrassed !

gz said...

A damp but eventful picnic!

crafty cat corner said...

Such decadence. Champagne in the park, I like it.
Love the crossings.
Briony
x

Pixie said...

There is a golden retriever at the off leash park that I go to. The first time I met it, it came barrelling up to me and then sat right on my feet, waiting to be pet. They are attention hogs but lovely.

The Bug said...

I love that the Goldie crashed your picnic - they're such pretty dogs. I have an impression that they're lovable galoots, but I might be thinking of labs. Ha!

Ms. Moon said...

When you think about that picnic, you'll probably remember the dog above all else. "Remember when that dog...?"
Was there a special reason for the picnic? I mean- champagne on a Thursday afternoon?

Anonymous said...

You're so kind to give that hungry dog a cracker even after it crashed your picnic. I love that!
Interesting painted crosswalks.

Ellen D. said...

You are a kind person, Steve, even to stray dogs trying to steal your picnic! What a sweetie you are! :)

Kelly said...

I know I've said it before, but....geez, you librarians have such fun! (and in the middle of the week!)

My irritation turned to sympathy for that dog. Goldens do seem to crave attention.

Edna B said...

That dog had to be very hungry to try to steal your food. Thank you for being kind to it. Shame on that owner. You have a super day, hugs, Edna B.

Linda Sue said...

Dogs be dogs, any one of the dogs i have ever had , except Dexter, the gentleman, would have done the same thing, Not being naughty just that they are survivors and eat when they can- old instinct i guess.
Being a librarian does have its perks- bubbly afternoons in the park. Tough job.

Bob said...

It's never the dog, but always the owners.
And that dog's owner had no treats for him so he came stampeding into yours!

Ed said...

I'm thankful for those reminders to look right as I have nearly been run over a time or two in England simply because I was looking left as is my habit.

The Padre said...

Doggie Love And Drinking In The Daytime - Sign Me Up - Enjoy The Weekend Brother Man

Cheers
P.S. Olga Girl Is In Need Of A Just Because Biscuit

Sharon said...

That actually sounds like a very eventful picnic. Misty rain and charging dogs make for an exciting time. Your picnic weather should be slipping away this time of year While here it is just beginning.

Red said...

Street art has become common and some of it is very good.

Barbara said...

E is right, poor dog needs a new human. Champagne picnic sounds like a real treat!
Xoxo
Barbara

ellen abbott said...

uneventful picnic? misty drizzle and a party crashing dog stealing food? what would you consider eventful? I guess enough champagne evens anything out. and yeah, the dog needs a better human.

ellen abbott said...

and what were you supposed to see if you looked right? or was it just a trick to see how many people would look right?

Catalyst said...

Wondering why that dog wasn't on a leash?

jenny_o said...

I feel bad for the dog. And cross at the owner. I don't do well with those who neglect their pet-owner duties. Did she even apologize?!

jenny_o said...

The second time, I mean ...

Steve Reed said...

"Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?"

Many of the crosswalks in central London remind pedestrians to look right because that's where the traffic is coming from. Those of us used to walking in other countries would instinctively look left.

Steve Reed said...

Your wit is razor-sharp, YP.

Steve Reed said...

I agree! Although maybe the dog was on some kind of veterinarian-ordered weight-loss regimen. Dieting dogs do get notoriously hungry.

Steve Reed said...

It was very Seattle-like weather! I think England has a lot in common with the Pacific NW meteorologically.

Steve Reed said...

I think when you're picnicking in a park where there are dogs, you just have to be prepared for that possibility!

Steve Reed said...

We'll certainly remember it!

Steve Reed said...

It was quite decadent, for a Thursday!

Steve Reed said...

Awww! That's what was funny about this one -- it didn't seem to care about us at all. It was all about the food.

Steve Reed said...

I wish I'd taken some photos! Now that you mention it, maybe this was a yellow lab. Hmmm...

Steve Reed said...

It was just an informal gathering of our LGBTQ+ employee group. We try to get together a couple of times a year for an informal social. Dave didn't want to go!

Steve Reed said...

Well, I really couldn't blame the dog!

Steve Reed said...

I don't think it was the dog's fault. Plus, it's a dog -- of COURSE it's going to invade a picnic! Just part of being in a park in England (where dogs are often off-leash).

Steve Reed said...

I think it mostly craved cheese and crackers!

Steve Reed said...

Well, in all fairness, I don't know why the dog was skinny. It could be ill, or it could be on a weight-control diet. It's not unusual for people to let their dogs off-leash in Regent's Park -- I've done it before with Olga. So I'm really not sure the owner was doing anything wrong either.

Steve Reed said...

Exactly. This was just a dog being a dog. An especially HUNGRY dog!

Steve Reed said...

Ha! And we had a LOT MORE treats on our blanket than that dog-owner had in her pocket.

Steve Reed said...

Yes, they are invaluable! And every now and then you see one that says "Look Left" because you're on a one-way street!

Steve Reed said...

It was fun -- an early start to our October break!

Steve Reed said...

Yeah, this picnic was definitely the last hurrah, I think.

Steve Reed said...

It's great how cities have encouraged public art.

Steve Reed said...

Well, who knows what was going on there. I felt bad for the hungry dog, though. When I was petting it after it crashed our picnic, I was calling it a "good boy," and the owner walked up and said, "No! Not a good boy!" LOL!

Steve Reed said...

It's common to let dogs off-leash in public parks here. Olga usually goes off-leash, too, but fortunately I've never had her crash anyone's picnic!

Steve Reed said...

She DID apologize, both times. The funny thing about the second time was that the dog ran from FAR away. We saw it barreling towards us across the grass and it took a long time for the owner to catch up to it. Clearly she'd taken it some distance and then thought it was safe to release it -- and the dog had other ideas!

37paddington said...

You are a kind man, Steve, and that sweet hungry dog benefited.