What a difference 48 hours makes

Today the sun was out, the air was electric with fresh smells and, for the first time in ages, it actually felt as though summer was nearing the runway.

A very different picture from Monday when a cold snap had me reaching for an extra duvet and  hustling to find the gloves I had neatly packed away. I was hoping against hope that the Wonderdog would take one look at the dreich and refuse to go for his walk. Sadly, he is not that kind of boy but as we trudged into the hills after work, it started to hail. Big, hard chunks that scared him witless and led me to say very bad words.

I'm not sure Bristol has ever experienced hail and he's so fragile, the shower probably hurt him. So he did what any Mama's boy would do - he ran behind my legs and lifted his front paws so I could pick him up and envelop him in my coat as we both sheltered under a big oak tree and waited for the storm to pass.

It was soooo very cute - Bristol needed his Mama to protect him and so I did. In my doggie-centric world, that is the sweetest thing that's happened in a while.

It's also been a while since I've featured a roll-call of some of the cuties found during many rabbit-hole hours spent on Tumblr. Prepare for your heart to melt (if not, then why are we even friends?!)

      (Pic Credit: Tumblr)

Friendship

A day of catching up. The first with a friend who tracked me down via Linked In who I haven't seen since we were students with part-time jobs at KFC. Yeah, I know (incredible that I spent three years slinging that crap; now not only do I not eat meat, I'd rather grow a third arm than put that kind of fast-food bollocks into my body).

Anyway, our conversation ranged over careers, relationships, kids (his 10-year-old twin girls and my four-legged babies), families (I did a magazine story about his fashion designer sister once) and about how growing up in the tragic suburb we did nevertheless had its merits (the strong survival instinct it honed in us, for starters).

Sadly, we both had to go back to work but I'm sure there will be a round two soon.

After work, I met my friend Heidi to sit in the blazing sun and drink tea and chat until our tongues almost fell out of our heads (sad git that I am, I'm having a dry January so moved our meeting from a pub to a cafe). It was all manner of lovely and as we walked home, I realised how lucky I am to know the people that I do.

Today's visuals are of cute woofers from Tumblr. Yes, I know I may as well hold up a sign saying 'I've run out of ideas' but sweet baby Jesus, these wee treasures make my heart swell.