Feeling low

Today was back to Guide Dog puppy training and for the second month in a row we made it through the whole class with reasonable behaviour - that's Vespa's behaviour not mine of course. Though when I come to think of it, I was pretty well behaved too!

As the weather has degenerated over the past few days back into winter, my mood has degenerated too and I find myself feeling pretty low most of the time. I can hardly be bothered to go out and it's far easier to sit and watch the French Open on telly than go out dressed in my winter gear. Thank goodness for tennis.

On Saturday Vespa and I did manage to get into Edinburgh for a fundraising event for Guide Dogs. It was in a pub in Rose Street and Vespa, along with his pal Paddy, had to sit around looking cute and being much admired by all and sundry. Vespa finds this part of his job very easy, though he does have the dreadful habit of sitting with his back legs sticking out which somehow detracts from his handsome features, but does cause a lot of laughs from the petting public.

Vespa and Paddy with their Guide Dog chum

I've had a couple of book reviews to do. Both of them are non fiction. The first one - Flirting with French - was ok, but not all that great and I think I did a great job of actually finishing it so I could write a proper review. The second one is amazing. It's called Age of Ambition: Chasing fortune, truth and faith in the new China. The only problem is it's quite a tome. Almost 400 pages of dense text with some amazing facts and figures. And I'm supposed to write the review pdq and I don't want to skim read it, but I think that's what I'm going to have to do in order to get the review written on time.

So in some ways, with the tennis and the book review to do, it's not so bad that the weather is crap. The only thing that's really suffering is my lack of exercise, which has been highlighted by my Fitbit. However, yesterday it looked like I'd done loads of activity as by mistake I left the Fitbit in the pocket of my pj's which I then put in the wash. Amazing what a wash cycle can do for the activity calculator! And I have to say I'm also pretty amazed that the thing hasn't decided to give up the ghost as it's not supposed to get wet and that's the second time it's found it's way into the wash. Better not chance a third time.

I've also had some work (on Monday) and some pleasure in the form of my friend's 60th birthday dinner (on Sunday), which was fun. Just as well there are these necessities to go out otherwise I could sit in my pj's all day with my hot water bottle, my book and the telly and not see the light of day apart from through the window. And just as well Mountain Man has been home this week to take the burden of dog walking on, while I moan and complain about lack of sunshine and warmth.

It can only get better can't it?