Sunday, January 30, 2011

Electronic publishing.





Off to the rugby with Wilf. A typical wet January afternoon in South West France. By the time we get to the stadium the rain and the mist are melding seamlessly together. The visiting team, from the Cote d'Azur, in a comment generating canary yellow strip with pink highlights. Our local boys in their rather more conservative red, white and blue. The crowd full of thirty something farmers with a six and a four year old son in tow. Maybe two dozen dogs, the smaller of them sitting on their owners laps. The sheepdogs, like Wilf, nestled under the bleechers, emerging briefly on the rare occasions a try is scored. At half time the car park full of beret wearing fans exercising their tyre christening charges. The family fellow is in his element.

Wilf remains the perfect companion. Even tempered, affable and content. Over the last week his eyesight has weakened. His night vision is now almost certainly gone. He is having to learn to navigate around the house by scent. A process that involves much confused bumping into things and unexpected, and sometimes lengthy, diversions. Laughter, patience and understanding all thrown into one big pot.

We've been trying to find the right balance for his insulin . His glucose levels have been high. Probably from the stress of having a house and garden full of strangers. Last night, another accident. His second. Instead of turning right to go outside, he turned left into the drawing room. An event which clearly upset him. A devastated ' I didn't mean to ' look on his face. Ten minutes of serious, and I mean serious, tickles from 'the font' before his male pride was restored. Who would believe that dogs can be embarassed ?

In the lunchtime post a hard copy of the old, pre-France, 'Life in Italy' blog. 'The font' had arranged for it to be printed up and shipped over by a firm in the US. The photos are a bit small and the page breaks leave something to be desired. Despite that it's really good to have a record of our journey that can go onto the library shelves. When the time comes we'll have them print and bind this blog.

30 comments:

  1. Blog to Print it looks like. I did my blog in print too and I love having all of that like a journal. If the blog goes as it most certainly will someday I'll still have all my posts and pictures.
    Wilf it's okay if you make wrong turns in life you are allowed that.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I read somewhere putting different scents on each side of all your doorways (say clove on the left, mint on the right) can help a blind dog to navigate.
    Affable is a lovely word.

    ReplyDelete
  3. We use scents for Molly specially for her beds as she had trouble finding them, the trick is not to move a thing. She was a tinkle monster too but that is the insulin for you, have you tried making his meals smaller but more often as that often helps with the glucose levels.
    Big Hugs to wonderful Wilf

    Lots of love
    Momma Tea
    xxx xxx

    ReplyDelete
  4. Blog book. What a good idea. We get embarrassed if we have to wear anything or have a radical scottie clip. So we understand Wilf.

    XXXOOO Daisy, Kendra & Bella

    ReplyDelete
  5. How sweet of the font to have your wonderful blog published for you. I have often thought of having mine done, but by now I wonder how many pages that would be!

    I so miss rugby games - my husband played for different Marine bases where we were stationed until he got too old! It's a young person's game.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Good morning sweet Wilf! Rugby? I've never seen a match, but I have seen a bumper sticker that reads, "Give blood, play rugby". I think watching sounds better than playing. And all those tires to mark and remark! Sounds like a perfect day. Try to remember that the only time you never take a wrong turn is when you never take any turns. Keep taking turns Wilf.

    The Font's gift is truly wonderful and very thoughtful. Bravo.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Did you mean that the human fans were christening the tyres? Giggle... Wilf plus a bunch of people out all competing for the precious tyres!

    Laughter and understanding are what your family seem to be very good at with Wilf. He knows how loved he is - I'm sure of that.

    I wondered about the quality of the blog book that I've seen advertised. It sounds like it's good. What a fun thing for the font to do for you!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Wilf, love. Don't be so upset about your accident. Everyone makes mistakes. Letting a bit of urine in the drawing room is a small one, indeed, compared to errors in decision making we humans make each day. If it happens again, forget about it and throw yourself into enjoying the font's loving attention! God bless all.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hmmm, and I have no doubts that you would have a best-seller on your hands should your book get into the hands of a publisher. We loyal commanders would be first in line. You could be the Peter Mayle of the Pyrenees....then again, that might be too much of a good thing!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Angus-sign me up for a copy of your printed blogs. Your writing is beautiful and heartfelt and the dog pictures are over-the-top darling. Big hugs flowing your way for the slightly embarassed Wilf. Life is an accident, it is all in what we learn from it. In the grand scheme of things a little pee never hurt anyone.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh Wilf, you are such a treasure - it is worrisome when we turn left and it should have been right but forgiveness and lots of love and tickles always make it better.

    So many tyres - what to do but let loose....

    XXoooXXoooXxoo

    ReplyDelete
  12. I'll bet Wilf enjoyed "the font" administered tickles - also the rugby match. Lovely photos of the contented and good Wif.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I have a gift certificate for the same place, I think. I need to get it out and see what I can get printed from our blog for it. It must be really nice to see the blog from your time in Italy in print, though! I recall seeing a lot of pictures of Wilf and Digby looking quite handsome and mischevious there. :)

    Wilf, we all make wrong turns sometimes! It's not a big deal. I think some dogs have a much stronger sense of pride than others.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Another great hair day for Wilfie - he is a noble character, that's where is embarrasment comes from - how lovely to have such loving reassurance.
    Love the idea of the book - wishing you days full of love and laughter with the best looking polar bear - love from all of us Susanne, Daisy and Foxiie

    ReplyDelete
  15. Dear Angus, I think you are right with your suspicion about Wilf being thrown off guard because of the interruption of the routine in his life by the builders .It must be hard for him and his little dog brain to figure out why he can't see that well, and this will be unsettling- and he must figure out he is not 100%, so extra things on top of this will be slightly unnerving . Would it not be possible to postpone the goings-on ? Or get Wilf an area were he feels safe and uninterrupted, like a big cage with his bed in a quiet area in your room where you are all the time where no builders will go ? Maybe you have already arranged this so I apologise for suggesting it , as I am sure , reading your blog, you look after Wilf incredibly well.The stage he is in now sounds like you are dealing with a dog who may need tender care like a young puppy, and I suppose they need constancy and quietness and routine to deal with all the new things in life.Wilf also has new things going on, like his deteriorating health that he has to learn to deal with...
    Sending you much strenght and lots of love for Wilf.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I thought about doing the same thing with Jack's blog, but, as you noticed, the formatting is not the best. Plus the fact that I didn't want to pay several hundred dollars to get it all done! :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. What a sweet gift from the font. Perhaps one day she could provide her own insights on the blog! I've often challenged my husband to do it, but he's demurred.

    We feel so sorry for Wilf's embarrassment at having an accident -- knowing what he's been trained to do for so many years, it has to upset him. But those tickles must have been hard to resist!!!

    Add ours to the font's!!!

    xxxx Joan

    ReplyDelete
  18. Such good news about the book.
    You are my favourite blog writer.

    ReplyDelete
  19. I was hoping you would decide to publish this blog. So many pearlsthese past months. Glad you men had a wonderful outing.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Oh poor Wilf. It reminds me of how, in old age, when Hamish went deaf, he clearly became disturbed by things he had previously taken in his stride. I do hope he has a better week.
    Gail.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Living with a geriatric dog is like living with an old person. My 16 year old Scottie lost hearing, vision and the only thing that worked was his sniffer. If we walked where he didn't know where he was, he would panic. So we just began to walk our block many times a day and he felt OK about that.

    I love how kind and patient you are with that gorgeous Wilf!

    Kisses,
    Jo and Stella the dog.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Angus, I have heard of people who have gotten their blogs put into hardcover, and I really like this idea. What you've written in both blogs is so worth having in print because it chronicles your lives so well and I've no doubt these books will remain and become family treasures in the years to come!

    We've had similar problems in the past with our pups too--I always say that when I'm their age, with their health issues, I hope there's someone like me/us to reassure us that it's all okay!

    ReplyDelete
  23. 1. LOVE the hair in picture #1! Outstanding!!

    2. The book of the blog is a great idea! a good read and wonderful memories.

    Wilf's shivering friends in Alaska send greetings!

    ReplyDelete
  24. If you decide to publish your blog we will be first in line to buy a copy! Thank you for stopping by today and helping us celebrate Maggie Mae's birthday. It means so much to us that you take the time to visit her blog. :) Hugs and kisses for Wilf.

    Blessings and Love,
    Janelle and Maggie Mae

    ReplyDelete
  25. what a great idea to have your blog printed and bound. you will cherish these memories that you are making.

    poor Wilf. we feel for the proud fellow. it sounds like he still has a lot of good times though and that's most important.

    ReplyDelete
  26. You printed your Italy blog??? What a magnificent idea!!! Is your Italy blog still online??

    We so agree with Stella above about living with an older pup...the dignity that you are giving Wilf is considerable...and the lessons we are all learning from him and dear Digby are wonderful.

    Our old fox terrier developed cataracts at age two. Some of his vision mistakes still make me laugh...he crept up on a stone dog once and attmepted to attack it, then had the funniest expression on his dear face. They have so many human emotions...

    Love to all...

    Stan, Lacie and Scruffy and their Mumsie

    ReplyDelete
  27. Wow, that's impressive! You're not publishing for general sale?

    ReplyDelete
  28. such a great idea to have your old blog made into a book. i've seen a couple mentions of this around blog land.
    my old dog, whitney, lost a good deal of her vision in her later days. she would often walk into walls, but somehow she always knew exactly where a table scrap had fallen!
    accidents or no accidents, wilf knows you love him dearly. :)

    the booker man and asa's mama

    ReplyDelete
  29. I've missed you and Wilf so much! I've kept him in my prayers daily and will continue to do so.

    I believe dogs can be embarassed. I've seen it in my own dogs before.

    I've heard of people having their blogs printed up and made into books. I don't think I'll do that with mine but maybe, you never know... It will be nice to have to look back on the memories.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Thanks for sharing, I will bookmark and be back again



    E Publishing

    ReplyDelete