Notes from Summer Wood...

Suzie from ItchtoStitch told the lovely story of how she and George met- so I thought I would tell you how MrP and I first met too.
We are going to be pitifully short of photos in this story unless I decide to pinch someone elses...
First a brief history- MrP is my "third time lucky" husband- my first left me after 17 years (and 3 children) for his boss because I had got fat! My second was a huge mistake! An alcoholic who was very controlling- fortunately, I got out fast from that and vowed to forever be on my own- if that was the cost of a relationship, it wasn't worth it and I would much rather be alone and happy...
And so I was- I had a good job, a pretty cottage looking over fields and woods, my kids, my gorgeous grandkids, my dogs, my horse Romeo, great friends, my Pekin bantams and my beloved allotment- life was very full and fabulous! "Who needs a man?" I would say.
While I was taking my turn I heard a scream from one of the other girls- I ran out- Saffi had seen a rabbit- cleared the veranda fence and taken off thataway after the rabbit.
The others safely indoors we all set off in search of Saffi- rows upon rows of caravans all looking pretty much the same, she would never find her way back! That awful pit of your stomach sicky feeling came over me and it wasn't hangover (in fact the hangover was completely gone! Not that I recommend losing your dog as a hangover cure you understand...) We spread out asking everyone we saw "Have you seen a black dog with a pink collar?" I could feel hot tears pricking at my eyes by the time I saw a guy sat on his veranda with a beer "Have you seen a black dog with a pink collar?" "Yes it went that way like a streak!- Do you want me to help look for it?"
The guy walked the length and breadth of Filey with me- stopping patiently every few yards for me to catch my breath - then took me in his car to the police station and the golf club house - we walked the golf course, the beach, the nature reserve... the light was fading, the girls had gone home (work in the morning) , the other dogs were in my car, then this guy who I had never set eyes on before that day said "Look I'm going to have to go too- but here are the keys to my caravan stay as long as you need to- here is my phone number- I hope you find her."
I sat in the strangers caravan and sobbed into my other dogs- with first light I phoned the police - no signs of her- I headed home feeling numb and heartbroken. As I walked through the door of my cottage the phone was ringing "Have you lost a dog?" Lucy - the kindest woman in the world- had found her exhausted, collapsed on the nature reserve, taken her home fed her, then taken her into work with her so I could go and pick her up- I never got around to thanking her properly I just managed "you're an angel thank you so much" when I picked Saffi up (so if you know someone called Lucy from Filey, thank her from the bottom of my heart)