Calm down, before I get a batch of messages from animal lovers, no animals were actually hurt in creating this blog, although I did give it a bloody good try. It all started out on my weekly walk with my friends, these friends shall remain nameless in case this blog is used as evidence against us regarding any future incidents. Trust me our walks are events. Todays walk took us up another Mountain, trying to get our bums in shape for summer. We walked up and up, it was never-ending, you can always tell when the incline is steep as it is the only time we shut up and stop gossiping about everyone we know. As we reached the top of this mountain (technically a big hill), I see a lady heading towards the three of us, accompanied by a German Shepherd. In her hand she has one of those, long I can’t be bothered to bend, Ball throwing things. She throws the ball and good doggy runs after it to fetch it back. Just for the record I am terrified of dogs, no matter how big or how small. I have no real reason to be this fearful, but I am. So at this point I am frozen to the spot. I am up a mountain with no means of escape, out of breath, with a very bouncy dog and his ball heading my way. I hope and pray its owner will see us and put a lead on him, obviously God couldn’t give a flying fig about my terror, because with the next flick of the owners wrist she launched the ball directly at us, not close, directly at us, I am, at this point giving myself the last rites. I hear a thud followed by a large panting dog, my eyes are closed so I don’t really know where doggy is, both my friends are laughing, obviously not cursed with the canine terror gene. I open my eyes slowly and there he is right at my feet, the sweat starts pouring off me, doggy didn’t seem to care, he drops the ball and waits. “Go on throw it” says Mrs you will like my dog. “No it’s ok”, I say as if she was offering me some treat, but this dog and its owner were not going to be palmed off. I eventually picked the ball up and the dog starts getting all excited, I think I can do this. In one swoop I swing my arm back and throw the ball, go get it and bugger off, unfortunately I didn’t quite let go at the right time and the angle of my throw went a little wonky. I threw the ball right off the side of the mountain, closely followed by an eager dog who jumped off after it. Then there was silence, I just looked at the owner and she was just staring over the mountain side in sheer disbelief. Now I know I don’t like dogs but I promise you I didn’t want to murder it. We spent at least ten minutes looking and calling for Paddy (the dog), until eventually he climbed up out of a prickly bush, at an angle resembling a mountain goat. Praise the lord, I am not a killer. I was in such shock, all I could say to the owner was “I told you I didn’t want to play ball”. She looked at me and to her sheer horror, there was doggy at my feet with the ball again. This time she didn’t push me to play……..Love as always Helen xxxxx