Introducing our new correspondent
I'm Denise Smith and I grew up in Plymouth, training as a nurse before joining the pharmaceutical industry as sales representative, then training manager. We moved to a Grade II listed building set in two acres of rural South Gloucestershire 14 years ago, when Colin left the Royal Navy.
This home I share with Colin, my husband of 26 years who balances being a full time engineer and a bee keeper, son Austen, 17, daughter Bryony, 15, and two springer spaniels, Nutmeg, who we have had from a puppy and who is now five, and Paddi, who we rescued a year ago when he was three.
Being a ‘housewife’ for me involves juggling a single shift as a staff nurse with maintaining the home and garden, running the onsite holiday let, caring for the dogs and a flock of approximately 50 chickens. To relax I attend one lesson of tap dancing and as a student of taekwondo manage to fit in at least two hours of training a week.
Denise writes:
8am, dogs walked, chickens mucked out, time to exploit my Alpha status to warm my back with tea in hand and contemplate life from my bizarrely favourite spot by the stove.
‘Dog Training in a Weekend’ the manual said, I think author meant that’s how long it would take to read the book, not complete the training!
Clothed in a bright orange waterproof jacket, hat and wellies (an image that thinking about it now would give Gok Wan nightmares), I soon got to know the neighbours whilst conducting many a lesson out in the fields until Nutmeg was very much ‘my dog’.
This was a big problem though, as the hubby was still without ‘his dog’ so the quest for a companion was on.
Concomitantly, the arrival of an incubator transformed my utility room into a midwifery suite. Nurses are generally not squeamish, yet the prospect of handling these little squirming creatures made me queasy. I had felt much the same about handling hamsters but overcome this for the sake of the kids so with a big breath I put on some rubber gloves and ‘delivered’ the first who had become ‘stuck in its shell’.
Now according to Joe Irving’s book ‘Training Spaniels’ Nutmeg is, despite her pedigree a bit of a ‘sticky potterer’, unlikely to have made the grade as a gun dog yet brilliant as a family pet.
By the same criteria Paddi, a dog denied the opportunity to fulfil his vocation in life had turned into the ‘uncontrollable, neurotic monster’ described by Cesar Millan.
Unsettled was expected, barking the house down on his first night was not.
Bleary eyed I remember stumbling down the stairs at dawn for the normal stroll across the fields. Eying the newcomer warily, Nutmeg seized the opportunity to scuttle off in search of adventure while I endeavoured to hang on to Paddi as he dragged me up the drive.
Believe me, creeping around your neighbours’ garden trying to dodge the security lights with a semi wild animal attached to one arm whilst trying to retrieve Nutmeg, who was cheerfully helping herself to the contents of an abandoned bin bag, was not fun. Meanwhile Paddi tried to pounce on every passing leaf, cock his leg on anything that didn’t move quickly enough and chase wildlife into hedges with me in tow.
Returning home exhausted I plotted how to achieve a good night’s sleep. Question was ‘how’?
Read more from our Countryside bloggers here
- Di - 18/03/2011
As your neighbour I can vouch for your devotion to Paddi - not only has he benefitted from your kindness - you are fit and delightfully trim after all the enforced yet enjoyable excercise!
- Alan and Mary - 17/03/2011
Enjoyed your new blog - felt tired just reading it!