The promised break in the recent hot and sunny weather arrived with a vengeance in Beetley today.
By midday, it was dark enough indoors to put on lights, and the rain soon followed, preceded by loud thunder, and lightning flashes. I was in the middle of doing some housework, and carried on, hoping it might clear up in time for the necessary dog walk with Ollie.
But it didn’t.
Despite the strong winds and deluge, it wasn’t cold. I left the house wearing shorts and a lightweight jacket, having to trust to my full-size umbrella to keep off the worst. After five minutes over on Beetley Meadows, I was soaked through. The rain was coming at me from all angles, driven by gusty winds, so the umbrella could do little more than keep my head dry. The water hadn’t had time to soak into the hard dry ground, so I had to wade through puddles fast-accumulating on the paths. My old leather loafers were soon saturated, and inside them, I was walking in a mixture of rainwater and mud that was squidging between my toes.
As always, Ollie was oblivious. Despite stopping frequently to violently shake the excess water from his fur, he was trotting around as if on a sunny afternoon stroll in the south of France. You would think that all that water would suppress whatever it is he likes to smell so much, but I had to presume that didn’t happen, as he happily sniffed at every overhanging leaf or plant stem. Fifteen minutes later, I was so wet, that I thought I might as well take him across to Hoe Rough for a while. Once we had arrived, I was a little concerned about being in an open area with so much lightning, especially as I was holding an umbrella tipped with a metal spike. The thunder crashed almost overhead, and made me wonder just what would happen if I was struck by lightning. With nobody else around, it would be a good while until they found my body!
The high grasses and low bushes there soaked my legs and hips even further. My shorts were heavy with water and translucent, stuck to my legs like cling film. I was having trouble staying in my shoes, and even my boxer shorts were sodden. The lightweight jacket was so wet through, it appeared to be black in colour, instead of mid-blue. Almost an hour later, I had well and truly had enough. The only diversion was the appearance of large numbers of small frogs, (or possibly toads) making their way across the paths into the longer grass. But even this brief natural wonder didn’t make up for being so wet.
When I stopped to put the lead on Ollie before heading home, he looked at me like a child told Christmas was cancelled. Anyone seeing me walking back must have thought I had been swimming in the river, fully-clothed.
The joys of dog ownership…
“I was walking in a mixture of rainwater and mud that was squidging between my toes.” To that, I reply, “My kingdom for a squidging between my toes!!” You just don’t get that in Southern Nevada…
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We should swap places for one day. That’s all I could stand of 100 degrees +.
Best wishes, Pete.
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I really liked this post-glad you made it home safely
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Thanks, RPD. Glad you enjoyed this one. It’s always good to get home out of that rain!
Best wishes, Pete.
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yes it is! My dog, Cash does not like rain at all.
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We have the threat of a storm almost everyday at the moment as temperatures hover around 30c. Great for the crops, which are doing well, but not good for BBQs!
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It dropped to 16 C here today. Exactly half of the same day last week!
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Stay safe Pete, that is dedication and love, to brave the rain for his benefit.
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I have to do it, Ron. It finally stopped raining at 2 pm, after 26 hours nonstop!
Best wishes, Pete.
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Hats off to you, Pete, for walking in such atrocious conditions!
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Thanks, Sue. It just has to be done, if you are a ‘responsible’ dog-owner, with a dog that won’t ‘go’ in the garden. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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😊
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that was a lot of rain, Pete! and lightnings are scary. hope Beetley is dry now. 🙂
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It rained for just over 25 hours. One month of rain, in one day. It has stopped for now, but there is some more forecast for tomorrow!
Best wishes, Pete.
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That sounds quite scary but I am glad that Ollie was having fun!
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Still raining, Abbi! 25 hours, non-stop… 😦
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Bloody hell. It rained all night in Chelmsford but fortunately it had mostly stopped this morning in time for my commute.
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The heavy rain stopped just after 2. it’s only drizzling now… 🙂
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You must have enjoyed the walk in the rain 🙂
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Sorry, no. It was wet and miserable, I’m afraid. We get too much rain here, and not enough sunny days to enjoy. I have to walk my dog every day, whatever the weather, so I get very tired of the wet. It has been raining non-stop for 24 hours now, and it is dark outside at 11:30 AM.
It’s supposed to be summer! 🙂
Thanks for your comment, and I send you my best wishes.
Pete.
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Yes, we too are having heavy rains, our monsoon season started early this month and will continue till October. We depend so much on rains, we need them but they also bring so much misery to so many. But it is impossible to imagine life without water. Thanks for replying, Regards, Lakshmi
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I hope the weather is better today, even if I’m sure it must have been a welcome change. Here it’s supposed to change today or tomorrow, but so far it is sunny.
I have another stint of looking at my friends’ three dogs coming up in September. You’ve reminded me that perhaps I should invest on waterproof trousers…
Thanks, Pete.
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I have three pairs! Heavy rain continued all night, and still pouring today. 22 hours so far!
Best wishes, Pete.
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Sorry to hear about the weather there Pete. Here, we have thunderstorms every afternoon.
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It is still raining, Arlene. Almost 20 hours, and no sign of stopping!
Best wishes, Pete.
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He does keep you fit though. Imagine without Ollie you would probably never venture outside!
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Very true, Jude. I would still go out, but mainly to visit places of interest where dogs are not allowed.
Best wishes, Pete. x
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We have just had thunder, lightening and dime size hail. Our dog would have no part of it and looked at me as if I had made it all happen just to aggravate her!
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Many dogs are wary of storms, I know. For some reason, nothing seems to bother Ollie!
Best wishes, Pete.
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He’s always game for a walk. Who cares if it is raining!
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Not him, Cindy, that’s for sure. It has been raining for 20 hours non-stop, with no sign of it stopping. Looks like another wet walk today…x
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That’s my boy. Ollie makes the most of a poor situation!!
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He always does, GP!
Best wishes, Pete.
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Three thoughts: I can see you all wet and uncomfortable. Good man for walking Ollie under those conditions. I worked with a man who was stuck by lighting. Fortunately, it did not cross his body but went down one side. He got burns but lived. His groceries, he was carrying in a bag ended up cooked. As to dogs holding it for long periods of time, we took our Lab camping once. Since we were living outside and in a tent, she was very confused. She gave every sign of needing to “go outside.” But we were outside. Finally, I thought to put her on a leash and walk her to the road. She decided the road was appropriate. Finally.
Warmest regards, Theo
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Thanks, Theo. Some years back, Ollie decided to stop ‘going’ in the garden. Since then, he will hold himself for a seemingly unlimited time, until he sees ‘different’ grass!
I have to walk him, whatever the weather. Not just for him, but for me also. Otherwise, I would be blogging instead!
Best wishes, Pete.
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I completely understand that Ollie would not use the garden. And I do understand the need to get away from the keyboard at least once in a while. 🙂
Warmest regards, Theo
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Thanks, Theo. I knew you would.
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In true New England fashion, we’re supposed to get downpours and thunderstorms later today Pete. But we’re also having a break from the air conditioning, so I’m not complaining!
My little Lacey used to love walks in the rain. I swear, she used to seek out every mud puddle she could find to splash around in.😊
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Ollie just doesn’t care. rain, snow, heat, or hail, it’s all the same to him, Kim.
Best wishes, Pete.
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No storms here (yet) but rain and cold, and I’m very glad I don’t have a dog! I am surprised you don’t have a waterproof set of clothing. 🙂
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I have lots of waterproofs, FR. It was almost 20 degrees though, despite the rain. So, too warm to get wrapped up. Looks like we have another 12-18 hours of this here, from the last forecast.
Best wishes, Pete.
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I’d take 20, shivering around 15 here! Outlook no better 😕 roll on July and hopefully a bit of sun again.
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This week looks to be a washout for us in the East, FR. Oh, well. Wimbledon soon. That usually heralds more rain! 🙂
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Absolutely!!
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Mud squidging between the toes is the worst!
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Indeed. It’s not a natural feeling, to be walking so long in soaking wet shoes. x
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How good you are to Ollie. I doubt most of us would have made such a trek for over an hour! Weather is a funny thing isn’t it? We had record breaking temperatures in the upper nineties over the weekend here, and by Monday it had dropped by 30 degrees.. fortunately no major storms such as you experienced! hoping you get something more mellow soon!
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Believe me, I didn’t relish heading out today, Susanne. But I would feel very guilty, if Ollie got no exercise. Something less extreme would be welcome. Monday was quite nice though, so I can’t really complain.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Short info: We had wonderful, a little bit cooler weather today. But Pete, isnt this not the normal weather in GB (little smile). Michael
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It is very much normal for Britain, Michael. Many of my posts on this blog are about walking in heavy rain with my dog! 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Yes, i read it. 😉
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Reblogged this on Die Erste Eslarner Zeitung – Aus und über Eslarn, sowie die bayerisch-tschechische Region!.
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Thanks as always for the much-appreciated reblog.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Also best wishes to you. Have a nice day ahead! 😉 Michael
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Thanks very much, Michael.
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Oh good news! 🙂 Sorry, Pete … But it’s sooooo good for the garden, juchu! I do hope the rain reached the coast as well. All the butts have been empty for so long.
Greetings from Norway to you and Julie and Ollie. Here we have all kinds of weather, except heat vawe,
Dina & co
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I think the rain has reached most of the country, Dina. More overnight too!
Love from Beetley, Pete and Ollie. X
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What a wet adventure, Pete….at least Ollie had a blast!
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Fast asleep on his rug now, John! 🙂
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Dogs are amazing…I have a dog that survived Katrina on her own and to this day when the wind picks up and the rain starts she finds it safer under my desk……she would explode before doing business in house so by the time she can get out she is ready to relieve herself and she has a pleased semi-orgasmic look on her face…..ain’t dogs a wondrous thing? chuq
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They are certainly good company, and they way they hold themselves from going to the toilet is amazing indeed.
Best wishes, Pete.
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My Jaz made my rehab a bit easier…she was always there to remind me not to take myself so seriously….chuq
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They do have a way of grounding us, that’s for sure.
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Amazing how much they just enjoy being out on a walk, no matter the weather! Choppy hates going out in the rain – that first step into the rain is never fun for her – but once she is out there and wet, it’s like she doesn’t even notice it.
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They so love to get outside, though I have friends whose dogs won’t step out at all when it’s raining heavily. Ollie is an all-weather dog!
Best wishes, Pete.
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We have very violent thunderstorm here in South Africa, Pete. The heavens open and the rain literally pours down. I am very scared to lightening as it is dangerous here. Look after yourself.
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There are stories of people getting struck by lightning here, usually on golf courses. Must be all those metal clubs! The rain is getting heavier, and the sky is almost night-time dark as I type…
Best wishes, Pete.
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