Show us your dogs.

Mottie · 15 Nov 2020

My dogs mother has had to be put to sleep tonight. She’s has a growth in her lung for nearly a year, is on steroids and has had the odd bad day. Only this morning though she was out with us and running around like a puppy! She's been going downhill rapidly over the past few weeks but she took a turn for the worse tonight, really struggling to breath so our friend took her to the vets and had to make the kindest decision to put an end to the suffering. 12 years old and she was the matriarch of the pack. Only pet owners will understand the heartache of losing a much loved member of the family. Only consolation is that all our dogs have truly wonderful lives. I’m walking with her owner and her other dog tomorrow and I won’t even be able to give her a cuddle.

Poppy. Third from right. R.I.P.

fillyboy · 15 Nov 2020

Sad news mate. RIP.

Ihavenojob · 15 Nov 2020

Mottie said:
I’m walking with her owner and her other dog tomorrow and I won’t even be able to give her a cuddle.

Why not ? If you're both OK with it, we are still human.
RIP Poppy.

Mottie · 15 Nov 2020

Ihavenojob said:
Why not ?

This bloody pandemic and social distancing unfortunately.

ellal · 16 Nov 2020

Mottie said:
This bloody pandemic and social distancing unfortunately.

Now before you do your usual 'tedious' posting bit, take this as a serious comment...

We go out to our local stores, and staff there are mostly not wearing masks and often you have to pass by them in close proximity as they are stocking the narrow aisles.
And shoppers who wear anything from a simple mask (or don't) to the 'full monty' often do the same rummaging around of goods that they've always done.
So in effect should the 'virus' linger, then it makes no difference if it's on a tin of baked beans or a jacket.
If your partner goes out without you (or vice versa), do you know exactly what each other does and who you have interacted with deliberately or inadvertently?
And do you 'decontaminate' all your goods or deliveries you may receive?

Thus I fail to see the problem with a quick 'masked hug' outside, other than the fear of 'doing the wrong thing' that is being instilled into every aspect of our lives...

There are contradictions all around us and differing dates we are told to 'do this and do that' which very often make no sense.
So common sense should prevail rather than religiously following the latest random decree where it makes no sense imo.

Mottie · 16 Nov 2020

Ellal. Thanks. Yes, I know, understand and agree with all that (except for the 'tedious posting' bit LoL) but I was saying to my wife about what I should do when I meet her this morning and whether I should give her a cuddle or not but it’s more her than me. I’d willingly give her a comforting hug but she lives alone and is ultra careful. My wife reckons she will recoil if any of us were to try to give her a hug so I’ll just play it by ear. It’s totally up to her.

ellal · 16 Nov 2020

Mottie said:
Ellal. Thanks. Yes, I know, understand and agree with all that (except for the 'tedious posting' bit LoL) but I was saying to my wife about what I should do when I meet her this morning and whether I should give her a cuddle or not but it’s more her than me. I’d willingly give her a comforting hug but she lives alone and is ultra careful. My wife reckons she will recoil if any of us were to try to give her a hug so I’ll just play it by ear. It’s totally up to her.

It's a strange old world. Had a tradesman come to do a quote in a property and we both instinctively went to shake hands but both pulled away and 'did the bump'.
But a short while back a close friend lost someone and we did a quick hug and a 'manly backslap'!
We will have one of our kids return shortly (hopefully) from abroad where the regulations are different (at the moment), so do you think we'll not have a hug?
We can't lose our humanity through this whilst being aware that others are maybe more concerned about the risks thus taking a few reasonable precautions ourselves isn't an issue.