naelife

my desktop

Dead-dog Day

Yesterday wasn't a good day. Let me explain how it panned out.

I knew that there would be unpleasant element to it as it was the day of my Aunt's funeral. She was 78 and had been ill for 2 or 3 years, but who likes going to funerals?

I've also go the cold which has been exacerbating my asthma, so I've been taking my Ventolin inhaler a lot. My asthma is only ever an issue when I'm exposed to cats or I've got the cold. I'd been getting heavy duty heart palpitations, however, and they were quite worrying; my heart would stop for a second then batter itself back to its normal rhythm. Quite disconcerting, and more than a little uncomfortable. It got so bad that I made an appointment with the doctor - the receptionist told me to come straight down, which I did.

the doc's prognosis was that the inhaler was causing the palpitation. So either I do without it, and struggle for breath, or take it and get heart palpitations. Quite a choice.

Anyway, I came home and of course our dog Blu needed a walk. Our son wanted to come with me, but as I like listening to my iPod when I'm out with the dog I told him to stay in. Which was just as well.

Blu's a young dog - about 18 months. We got her from the cat and dog home when she was about 6 weeks old. She's part of the family. She's also essentially Cameron's - our son's - dog. The problem with Blu, however, is that she's a bit hyper. She's great with the children, we never have to worry about her being around the kids at all. But when we have visitors she tends to get a little excited...

Anyway, I took her - as is my/our custom, over to the field that lies just across the road from our home. I let her off the lead, and as usual, she sprinted off. She usually runs about mad when she's off the lead, which is cool - it tires her out! I could tell right away she was unusually hyper, though, leaping about the long grass like a gazelle, her ears forward, tail straight out behind her (there's some pics of her somewhere in this blog).

But she headed right down the field and under the small wire fence that separates the field from the road. This road links the village we live in, and the nearby town, to the motorway. The field is secluded, but you're kind of aware of the traffic. The speed limit on the road is 60 mph. Anyway, Blu sort of ducked under the fence and stood all erect and cocky in the middle of the road. I screamed at her and whistled. Thankfully the road at this point was quiet, and she ducked back under the fence and into the field again.

She'd done this once before when she was chasing a bird, of all things. She can be a stupid bitch. I realised she wasn't in an obedient mood, so I'd keep calling her back to me as we walked through the field (well, I walked, she darted), but she wasn't having any of it. We walked as far as we were going to, then we turned around and started to head back up the field towards home. But then she spotted a bird and sprinted off after it. Towards the road. Again.

I remember thinking "it'll be just like the thing, she'll end up running on to the road again and get killed!". This thought lasted as long as a thought does; milliseconds. But then I realised she wasn't going to stop at the fence. I shouted on her and whistled. But she didn't stop. She ran under the fence and onto the side of the road. A car must have just missed her. 1 second later another car, obviously traveling at speed, stuck her. Both wheels. There was a sound like that of a large piece of brittle wood being snapped over a knee. Blu was flipped upwards and backwards and back into the field.

I knew right away there was no way she'd have survived it. The car didn't stop. The driver probably wouldn't have known anything about it, it was so quick. I didn't run towards where I could see her body lying, a few feet inside the fence. My iPod was playing a Nirvana song. "I got so high I scratched and I bled, love myself better than you..."

So many thoughts were going through my head; what sort of state would I find her in? What was I going to tell Cameron? What a stupid dog! What was she doing chasing a bird?! I also had thoughts about how our lives now wouldn't have the hassle of having a dog; let's face it, it can be a bind. Thoughts about how our lives would now be emptier without having a dog; let's face it, a family dog can be a great thing.

She was lying on her side. She was still. Her left eye was open and there was some blood around her mouth. I just stood looking at her. She took a laboured breath. But I knew there was nothing I could do for her. My heart was in my mouth, and I turned from her and started to walk back up the field. My asthma was making my breathing difficult. I got home and shouted for Gail to come into the kitchen. Fortunately Cameron didn't follow. I told her what happened. She was upset. We both felt like crap.

We didn't know what to do with her. I thought it would be easy to just dig a hole in the field and bury her.

I went out to the shed and got a spade and headed back down to where her body was. But of course moving a dead animal - your dead family pet - isn't easy. I called home and asked Gail to contact the RSPCA. I walked back home again. When I got home Gail told me that the RSPCA don't come out to collect dead pets, we had to phone the vet. We phoned the vet and they said they don't come out either, you have to bring the dead pet to them.

It took me about an hour to get her body onto a sheet and carry her to the boot of my car. By now it was nearly time for my Aunt's funeral. I had time to quickly get changed into a suit and drive to the vet's to drop her body off (that'll be £34, please) before heading off to the funeral.

Cameron took the news well, but it's all he talked about for the rest of the day. He's under the impression that we're going to get another dog soon. Which we're not.

This morning, however, we're all feeling pretty down. I keep seeing and hearing her being hit by the car. I mean, I had Nirvana playing in my ears, but I still heard the impact.

We keep expecting Blu to come into the room. We're still careful not to leave the back door open, in case she gets out. We're careful not to leave anything in the kitchen that she could smuggle into her bed to chew.

We just miss her.

iPod

Looks like my iPod will be with me within the week. I've got a tracking number and everything.

I feel midly jealous of it, because according to the USPS website (www.usps.com - bizzarely enough) it's sitting in the Bronx, NY. Having once been to the Bronx and thoroughly enjoyed the experience, I wouldn't mind switching places with it. All of that being said, the poor thing's surrounded by Postmen/women. So, I'm thankful for small mercies.

Getting the news that it has finally been dispatched has stopped me worrying about when it'll be finally dispatched. Now I'm worrying about;

whether it will work ok - battery problems are well known and I've been reading at www.ipodlounge.com about audio problems - a whining noise heard through the head-phones. Of course that could just be the sound middle-class, tube-riding, starbucks cup-clutching, iPod-listeners make when they talk to one another*
how much duty I'll have to pay...the storm clouds of VAT etc have been gathering for a week or so - the price has now jumped to £200 (or the $ equavalent; I can't remember the exact amount in $) now that the NY 10% or so sales tax has been added, plus shipping with insurance. As a result I'm saving, oh about...£19 due to choosing to get it sent from America. If I've got to pay duty (and a guy I know recently had to pay £40 in total for 2 t-shirts from Japan...) of any amount up to £19 then I've really screwed myself over with my own impatience. Needless to say guys are punting iPods on eBay from the States for £200 all-in...But I've got to do it the hard way.

*I recognise I'll soon be an iPod owner, and this is not to refer that iPod owners are middle-class whiners, I'm just trying to be ironic or something.

Ok, if anyone wishes to track the progress of my iPod, go to www.usps.com and then track and confirm and enter ED31 7099 991U S

HAVE FUN!

Where's the words?

This blog has sort of descended into a place to post pictures taken on my mobile phone.

There will be more posts where I reflect on stuff again soon - check back here for my reaction to getting an iPod! (My friend in NYC managed to source one for me - I actually had to track it down via the net - BestBuy on Lexington Ave had them in stock - so it should be with me (fingers crossed everyone please) by next week)

I plan to post pics of the whole opening-box-setting-it-up thing here and no doubt I'll be inspired to write acres of dribble about it.

In the meantime, enjoy the pics.