Bert and I headed to Somerset today for a well-earned mini break. It’s been a stressful few weeks, so perfect timing really. On our way, we made a very special stop so that I could meet up with a very special person.

Jo and I met in 2021 while doing an online course. We connected over the content initially. That turned into supporting each other through the ups and downs of life. We message each other most days. We’ve become really good friends. Today we actually met for the first time. It was surreal and wonderful.

We were both a bit giddy to start off with. We’ve been talking about meeting up for years. But living so far from each other we weren’t sure how it would happen. There seemed to be a divine plan in place that made it happen.

We talked non-stop. It’s so funny how we’ve been part of each other’s lives for so long, without being in each others lives if that makes sense. The wonders of the online world huh?!

It’s amazing how you meet people really when you think about it…

Bert has been doing his best Florence Nightingale impression since we arrived. He’s been checking on Grandad regularly.

He’s also been wanting Grandad to throw his ball over and over again.

I think he likes coming to Grandad’s. Like me, he’s got his steps in going up and down. He even discovered that his ball could go through the stairs for more fun.

He rolled two balls under the dresser in the dining room. They were rescued. Eventually.

My Dad is on the mend. Thankfully. As Bert and I head off on our next adventure tomorrow. The Baby Sprocker is fast becoming well travelled.

Two rather cool things happened on our walk today. First up, we bumped into a lady and her pug Stella in the woods. OK that sounds a bit dodgy. It wasn’t. Anyway, we got chatting as Bert and Stella played. She asked if I lived nearby, so I explained that I grew up in Haywards Heath, but now live in Norfolk.

She told me that her Aunt lives in Norfolk and she spent every Summer there as a child. She said that that morning, she’d been thinking that a move to Norfolk could be on the cards. Her Aunt would love her to move there. Then she met me! She felt it was a sign. I mean, I’ve been called worse.

Then on our way back, I spotted this sign. Somewhere in the back if my mind I remember being told about this. But rather cool to see a sign in honour of it.

I spotted this sign when I took Bert out for a walk. It’s a new one on me! Not the sign as much, but in the 30 year plus that I lived in Haywards Heath, I can’t say I’ve seen that many amphibians crossing the road.

I’m guessing it’s a new thing. I mean, I haven’t lived there for over 20 years. A lot can change in that time.

The sign is near the College, so made me wonder if there was a connection. I’ve seen a lot of students crossing the road.

Rather than frogs and toads, it was cats and dogs today. Yes, I’m referring to the rain. Honestly, enough now. My Dad’s garden is a clay-based quagmire. I’ve had to put towels down to they and keep the muddy paw prints to a minimum. Bert is getting rather good at having his paws wiped too.

The kitchen floor still looks like a CSI scene. Good job I am well-versed with a mop and bucket.

My Mum used to love elephants. Or heffalumps as she called them. It’s a reference from Winnie the Pooh. She used to collect elephant figures. There are lots in my parents house still.

I know it’s not my parents house anymore. It my parent’s house, but I’ve been calling it that all my life. I still haven’t change ‘Mum & Dad’ in my phone. Some things are really hard to change.

I spotted the elephants today as I was pottering about. I’ve seen elephants in captivity, but never in the wild. I will be putting that right next January as I’ve booked another bucket list trip. I am off to South Africa on Safari. Eek!!

I wanted to go for my 40th birthday, but the World Cup was on in SA so prices were insane. 16 years later, I’m finally going…

And I’m staying in Elephant Lodge. Kinda fitting really.

When I went to see my Dad on Sunday, he was filling in his food choices for the next day. One option was cheese and onion pie. I was rather envious as I love cheese and onion pie. Let’s face it, I love any sort of pie. But I hadn’t had one for years.

So imagine my delight when I popped to the Co-op today. That was dinner sorted. And some. It was considerably bigger than I expected. Size isn’t always my forte…

Neither is buying toilet rolls it seems. Does anyone else have that one thing they always run out of? For me it’s toilet rolls. I’ve lost count of the number of times I thought I had a spare roll only to find I’m out. Just me?!

Hence my reason for being needing to go to pop to the Co-op. Why do we say that?! Why are we popping places? I pop to the shops. I pop to the yard. Another one of life’s mysteries.

Anyway, I now have toilet rolls and a full belly. The pie was lush. No comments needed on the toilet paper.

Buddy and I had a friend on our ride today. I’m not very good at bird of prey identification, but I’m guessing kestrel as it was hovering over the field.

Then as we got closer, it landed on one of the telegraph poles. Each time we got closer, it flew down the lane to the next pole. It happened over and over again.

I love birds of prey. There’s something very special about them. I see them a lot. As we were coming back, I saw a buzzard and a red kite too.

I remember someone telling me that it was a positive sign seeing them. It meant I was guided and protected. As I navigate another medical issue with my Dad, I’d be grateful for both.

I’ve been on that particular emotional rollercoaster for nearly 7 years now. First with my Mum, then my Dad joined in. Now it’s just my Dad, but it’s still tough. I’m also very grateful that I still have one parent. Getting older sucks…

I did a flying visit to see my Dad in hospital today. Bert came along for the nearly 300 mile round trip. He’s not the best company – he slept most of the way there and all of the way back! Luckily I had podcasts and online learning content to pass the time.

My Dad is still quite poorly, but he’s definitely better than he was. Fingers crossed he keeps recovering well…

I thought I’d take advantage of the fact it wasn’t raining to take Buddy out for a hack. The sun even made a welcome return earlier too. I actually over-layered, which makes a huge change from being cold!

I foolishly choose today to road test my new Winter breeches. I had very toasty thighs. Pleased to report that they were also really comfortable.

There was a bit of shooting about. It put Buddy a little on edge. But he held it all together. Well that was till a deer flew out of the undergrowth. Twice!

Horses are weird. He spooked at a deer, but was totally cool with a shed on the back of a trailer going past him! He also stomped through a huge puddle.

I needed to clear my head. Time with Buddy definitely did that.

So apparently it’s National Love Your Pet Day. Umm isn’t that every day?!

It makes me laugh how many ‘Day’s’ there are. And some of them are a little random. I share my birthday with the international day of the potato amongst others. I love potatoes, so I’m good with that one. But do potatoes really need a day?!

Bert was showing me the love earlier. He’s been a bit of a limpet this week. He knows I’m upset. I spent a lot of the morning making phone calls about my Dad. Bert sat with one paw resting on my shoulder. Emotional Support Bert once more.

He wasn’t so supportive when he decided to do zoomies round the field on our walk. Well one of us walked. The other was having too much fun! The Baby Sprocker has brought so much joy to my life…