After two stationary weeks we leave this house later today. I feel a deep sense of gratitude that we have family who can let us stay for a fortnight so that we could empty the van and give her a deep-clean along with some essential maintenance and some aesthetic additions. For two weeks we’ve had hot water on tap, I’ve taken fresh mint from the garden for morning tea & dried bunches of garden rosemary. This sleepy village is quite…
After five years bouncing from home to home, including a year at the rescue centre where he went to five or six homes and was returned each time, Kit the lurcher x deerhound joined our family. He is so much fun. Truly a big gentle giant. He wants to say hello to everyone, which usually means him making a really weird howling noise when he sees people and dogs. He thinks this is friendly but it can definitely sound a…
Thinking about commitment & individualism: being committed to your tribe (human or animal) asks a lot. The world tells us to follow our dreams, & I believe we should, but what if that conflicts with our commitments? More & more I read the advice to cut free & do whatever we want, but how does that marry with the rise in lonely people? Just living with dogs is a commitment that means we can’t go off when we want. We…
We spent months agonizing over the layout of the van. We wanted it to feel spacious and be a place we could sit and work in as well as relax in the evenings. Because it is our only home it had to be somewhere we could comfortably fold into for a few days if the weather was bad. Also we have two large vanhounds so couldn’t have a small galley because there wouldn’t be enough room for them (yes we…
This is a journey about friendship as much as anything. Our hounds are wonderful companions who thrive on being outdoors in all weathers. They just love hikes, bikes and the sea. Bonnie’s favourite game is sticks thrown into rolling waves. I’ve never know a whippetx love the water in this way. She is fearless. She is my power animal ✊??? photo by @andyrgarside ?…
Scrambled up a hill with my best hiking buddies this morning. Think they enjoyed it too ?. Life with this pair can be a bit of a handful at times – they have so much energy and need a lot of time outside. Luckily we’re outdoor people. Contrary to a lot of people’s perceptions, the dogs are easier to manage now we’re in a van because it’s new scenery every day, new hikes that keep them curious and excited, and…