A story about my old dog Honey

Last night my old dog Honey came to visit me in my dreams.

I have no idea why she popped into my mind seemingly out of the blue. I hadn't been thinking of her. 

In my dream she came to see me where I am living now and we went out for a walk and I showed her around my neighbourhood.

It was so good to see her, even in my dream, and she was still as fun and energetic as I remember her, but she tire quicker and had to sit down and rest between spurts of energy.

Honey and I first met around 12 years ago when I was living in another part of Birmingham. I had a large house and already 4 cats. They were the result of doing voluntary work at the cattery at the RSPCA! 

I can't remember my exact thought process around deciding to get a dog. It wasn't long after I told the boyfriend I was living with to move out. With him gone, I had the place to myself. I could do what I wanted. I didn't have to consult or consider, it would be fun and I might even do more exercise with a dog to run after! I guess it went something like that. 

I had never owned a dog before, and I don't remember doing much research about owning one, but that didn't stop me and off I went to the city's dog home. 

I found a little male cross breed dog I liked. He was quite unremarkable looking really. A sandy colour with little legs that reminded me of sticks and made me laugh. He loved being picked up and I was all set to get him when the member of staff that was showing me around said 'oh, I've thought of another you might like! Come and meet her and then you can decide'. 

We went into a big hallway and out ran this springer spaniel and headed straight for the food area! She paid absolutely no heed to me, and had to be brought over to me and even then you could tell she was just thinking 'food!!'. The lady gave her some lunch and that seemed to satisfy the dog. I umm'd and aaah'd over which dog - how hard to chose!! 

Less than an hour later I had a springer spaniel. I bought a collar and lead, signed some paper work and paid £70. I named her Honey, and she happily led me out the front door of the dogs home. I then led her to the bus for the journey home. I called my mum, 'Guess what I've got?!'. 'Not another cat?!'. 'No, A DOG!!!'. 'Oh Karen!'. 

When Honey entered the house, the cats scattered every which way! They weren't expecting this intruder. And I wasn't prepared at all. I had no dog food, or dog bowls. What do dogs need? Hmm, now how do I co-ordinate going to the shops with the dog? Do I leave the dog at home? Do I take her with me? Do I tie her up outside the shop? How do I carry shopping AND hold the leash? Somehow I figured it all out and by dinner time Honey had a dog bowl and some food. 

Honey settled into her new home no problem. Eventually the cats re-emerged and even became friends with Honey and cuddled up to her to sleep. I got into a routine of walking her every morning and as soon as I got home from work. Luckily I there were some fields nearby and some huge ponds too. 

I didn't know much about Honey's background. She came from a dogs home in Wales before she arrived at the Birmingham Dogs Home, and I was told she was around 4 years old. She wasn't too keen on men unless they were friends of mine, which makes me wonder if she had a bad experience in her former life. 

Honey was a delight. She was naughty, had boundless energy, was a smart cookie and a quick learner except when it came to walking nicely on the lead. She dragged me everywhere. I tried and tried with her. I looked up every training method going to see if I could get her to walk nicely beside me. I remember one method said that as soon as you step outside the front door and the dog pulls on the lead, you turn around and head back into the house and that's the end of the walk. The poor thing didn't get a walk for about four days and I couldn't keep it up any longer and gave in and took her back to the big fields where I could let her off the lead and she could go mad running about. 

I could never, ever tire her out. If she was outside, she could keep going and going for hours! I would tire before she did. She loved the water. Give her a pond, river or lake and she would throw herself into it. One Christmas day there was snow on the ground we went for our morning walk. The big pond was frozen over. Did that stop Honey? She dived straight in and through the ice! I panicked. I lay on the snow covered ground by the side of the pond, grabbed her collar and somehow managed to pull her out. I took her straight back home and by the time we arrived a few minutes later she was like a snow ball; her wet fur attracting big clumps of snow. She was a right as rain. Nothing seemed to bother her. 

And so we continued for a few years, but as time went on I got unhappy with work and where I was living. It felt like I was existing, and getting by, but I wanted MORE than that for myself! I had to do something radical and overhaul my life. Big changes had to be made and one of those was to move home. I had my heart set on Moseley, but I knew I couldn't afford a big house with gardens like I had and knew it would have to be a flat. I handed in my notice at work, went travelling for a while and prepared to move house. 

But of course, what about the pets?! Four cats and a dog! It was a no-win situation. I would be unhappy if I stayed where I was, yet I'd be unhappy if I didn't have my pets. It was an awful dilemma to be in. I felt guilt right to my core.

When I got the animals I thought I was going to be able to provide them with a home for life. I had never imagined that I would have had to change my life to the degree where I would be without them. I really thought I was doing the right thing when I gave them a home. I felt like a terrible pet owner, like I should never have taken them in. I didn't deserve them. How could I even think about re-homing them?! I had a duty to them. 

On the flip side. I had a duty to myself. I had to make changes to my life and give myself opportunities. 

It was an awful time. I felt like the worse person in the world. These pets that had given me so much happiness and laughter and love, and there I was betraying them, but slowly and surely I found them all a new home. 

Well, actually, one of the cats, the youngest one, got run over. His name was Marble and he was such a sweet little thing. He looked like a female cat. 

Kim went to a new home with a family and was the only cat there. She had been getting stressed by the other 2 males cats, so at least she was better off having a house to herself. I got a few phone updates from her new family. 

Thank goodness my best friend stepped in and took Toto and Jess. That was such a relief! I got updates and photos from their new home in Lincoln. Jess has since passed away but Toto is still going. I think he must be 16 by now!

Then there was Honey. I found a springer spaniel rescue centre. Coincidentally in Lincoln. The lady who ran it said that she had a couple looking for a female springer. The day I took Honey to Lincoln and said goodbye was heart breaking. Honey had no idea of course and just saw all the travelling as a big adventure. 

She went into her pen at the rescue centre as good as gold. I gave her her chewed up favourite teddy - you can see it in the background in the photo at the top - and said my final farewell to her. The next day the her potential new owners visited with their spring spaniel and he stayed the night with Honey and they got on. Then Honey went for a sleep over at their house, and it all went well. The couple had a little boy too. Soon Honey was in her new home and she settled in really well. She was living in the country side and would have had more stimulation in the house with the other dog and the little boy than she would have done with me, so I guess it all worked out for the best. 

I moved to Moseley and I swore I would never get another pet. I did though. A little harvest mouse. He lived for two years and broke my heart when he died. Once again, I've said never again! Besides I want to move house. I've been in this flat for 8 years and that's the longest I've ever stayed in one home - 6 years is usually the max. And I want to travel. Without pets I am free to do that. 

I've been feeling a bit humdrum this week, which is very unusual for me. I dare the say the constant rain of the British summer is having some affect. Dreaming of Honey last night made me remember a promise I made after I re-homed my pets and moved house; if I was going to give up my animals then I must make it for a worth while reason and not let it be for nothing. 

You may be thinking that Honey was 'just a dog'. I get that. Though she wasn't 'just a dog' to me. 

I searched for about 30 minutes tonight to find a certain photo of Honey I thought I had in a frame somewhere. This is what I found. 

I've taken the photo out and put it somewhere safe, but it's in such a safe place I can't find it! The photo is of Honey on a hot summer day just after she threw herself into a lake and was having the time of her life. 

Honey could somehow have fun every moment she was awake. I could learn a thing or two from her, even all these years later! 

Say Hi on twitter: @karenstrunks

New and improved karenstrunks.com

I hope you will think so too!

This has been a work in progress since the beginning of this year.

To back track a little, and to bring you up to speed karenstrunks.com was initially just for my photography business when I started that in 2008. A lot of things have developed since then as my interest and work in social media has grown, and I have really wanted to update my online profile to reflect everything I'm involved in.

Without further ado, may I introduce you to my new portfolio site!

There are still a few tweaks I want to make, but it's an improvement on what was there before I think. It was ok, very simple but it was rather a static web page and I don't do static very well! ;)

My old website on karenstrunks.com

I have moved my photography website over to karenstrunksphotography.com. What I am going to use karenstrunks.com for is a 'hub' for all my online activity; an at-a-glance picture of what I'm doing and where!

I'll still be blogging here (there and everywhere!), but I just really felt the need to have one place that reflected my work.

Say hello on twitter! @karenstrunks
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A trip down memory lane

Yesterday was Operation Garage - almost a full day of sorting out all the boxes in my garage so I can make room for my car in the winter.

Luckily my Mum came over to give me a hand.

When I moved into my tiny flat about 7 years ago I left a large 2 bed house that was packed to the hilt with 'stuff''. I gave away practically everything I owned bar some essentials and some items that had sentimental value.

I wanted to downsize my life and my mortgage payments, and planned to get a local job and work part time. It kinda all worked out. I found a job for 4 days a week and I was able to walk to/from work! Obviously I've since moved on from that job, but I had a design for my life in mind, and that worked out and included living in a more vibrate and creative area, Moseley.

Anyway! Back to the garage.

The first item to leave was my guitar which I inherited from an ex boyfriend who was a musician. It's too cold and damp in the garage and so it went to my Mum''s house. I only ever made a half hearted attempt to play it and the first song (and only!) I learnt was Robin Trower's Bridge Of Sighs - a very basic version I hasten to add!

Guitar

Before the guitar was whisked away, a man strolled past, said hello and picked up the guitar. "Are you selling this?" I wasn't thinking of selling it. He tuned it and started to play a tune on it that he wrote. I took an Audioboo. I'm kinda glad that the guitar had been put to use in some small way before it went back into storage.

So many leaves had blown under the garage door. Mum is very handy with a broom. Go mum! ;)

Ahh Little Ted! I think I can pretty much say he is my favourite teddy bear of all time!

This is a school art project when I was about 12. It was themed around farms or the countryside. Mum has taken it home. I hope she puts in on her living room wall. It's a thing of beauty and deserves to be displayed! :D

I kept some of my old school books. This one is from when I was 4.5 years old (it said so on the cover of the book).

This was fairly creative: "I am going to the shop with my mum and me and my dad and my sister". I haven't got a sister.

Thumbing through the book, this was a story to be told time and time again. Me and my mum going to the shop. Or, my mum going to the shop and buying me sweets. Sweets! It was all about sweets!

My first album! Doris Day - 20 Golden Greats. Stop laughing! Doris is ace! I think I had good taste as a 7 year old. I remember my Dad taking me into a record shop in London.

I played that record over and over. I remember particularly loving Que Sera Sera.

When I was just a little girl
I asked my mother what will I be
Will I be pretty will I be rich
Here's what she said to me...

Flat Cat!!! I love Flat Cat! Another childhood favourite.

I'd almost forgotten I had kept some of my Ladybird books. The Three Billy Goats Gruff scared me! Sadly I couldn't find the one I read the most: Cinderella.

This is a more recent 'treasure'. A Michael Jackson alarm clock which was presented to be by Talk About Local (before I starting working there) for the best use of photos in a blog at their unconference in '09. Lovely! It's a keeper.

I found Big Ted! When I was about 5 I remember that Big Ted and Little Ted were best friends. My mum would collect me from school and on the walk home she would tell me of all the adventure that my teddy's and other toys had during the day. I loved those stories.

My first comic subscription. Play Hour. The newsagent would keep a copy aside for me and once a week (I think it was weekly) me and my Dad would go and collect it.

Age 12. I think. My drawing skills have improved. A tiny bit. A rooster wearing clothes. I'm not sure why.

By the end of the day we had cleared out a lot. A pile for the tip and a pile for charity shops.

I think my mum would have liked me to have been a bit more ruthless than I was when it came to deciding what to keep and what to throw away.

Admittedly a few items had been ruined by the years and the damp in the garage, but I just couldn't part with them. Some things had got broken (they went to the tip). I found tons of old photos (prints, before the digital age). Love letters. Cards. Ornaments. Shoes! Lots of shoes! (I did part with some).

Looking back at what I found I was surprised at how much I remembered, even from a young age. The items triggered the memories. Pretty much all of them good.

And of course it prompted me to think about where I had been, the different stages of growing up, and where I am now, and where I want to be.

I was a bit tired after all the manual labour, so when I got back home I took a lovely bath (it was very dusty in the garage) and put on my pj's and chilled out for the rest of the day. I appreciated living on my own and having my own space. I love being single and having time and space to do my own thing. I love what I do for work. I'm glad I haven't got children and feel I've retained my freedom. It's all good.

But...! There's still plenty more time to make more memories and have more adventures! I never want to become complacent in my life and work. I don't want to get too settled or waste time. I want to be able to look back and know I've tried things, scared myself sometimes, taken risks but enjoyed every minute.

In the last few weeks I feel like I've been slowing down somewhat, and of being aware that this year is coming to an end. It may be because the days are shorter, and it's just a seasonal thing. Or maybe that it's because my diary is fairly full until the New Year and I don't want to take anything else on and I also want to leave myself some breathing space.

I know I want to leave some space for my 4 day Fierce Earth Course that is coming up soon! I'm really looking forward to it and hoping to get a lot of it in a business and personal capacity. I've got a feeling some of my plans will change after that course and I definitely want to leave room in my diary to implement those changes. I also think the course will challenge me, and also inspire me. I think it's just what I need at this point.

Next weekend I shall be spending a few days in York with my mum. It's her birthday treat to me and she has a full schedule planned! Apart from spending some quality time with my mum it will be good to have a change of scene too.

Looking a little further ahead, I can't wait for 2012! I get so excited about a New Year. On New Year's eve itself I love staying in, on my own, and savouring the second that the old year goes and a new one arrives. A brand new year to fill! That's pretty exciting.

Say hello on twitter! @karenstrunks

My 40th Birthday

40.

Forty.

FOUR ZERO.

I still can't quite believe it!

My 30's were better than my 20's, and my 20's better than my teens, so going by that trend my 40's should be pretty damn great.

I'm resolving not to grow up and take advantage of the excuse to have a mid-life crisis ;)

Three days into my 40's, and it's so far so good, and I'm looking forward to what the next decade will bring!

I spent my birthday with my bestest friend in the whole wide world and my wonderful mum, my two favourite people. It was a perfect day beginning with present opening, a gorgeous lunch, a matinee at the theatre, dinner, cocktails and ended at a party at Nicky's.

Of course I had a hash tag for the day #ks40 so I could Storify it all. I've tried to capture as many tweets as possible. Hopefully you will get a good idea of the day.

Thank you to everyone who was part of my special birthday and for all the birthday tweets too - they really made my day. And special thank you's to my mum and best friend for making my day extra special.

The countdown begins - In forty days I will be 40!

*gulp*

This is the first time I've given my age out anywhere online. Strange you may think, seeing as I put a lot of stuff about myself and my life out there for the world to see.

But with a landmark birthday coming up, I thought it was time to mark the occasion.

In forty days time, I will be 40! That's quite a biggie isn't it? I mean, I could be potentially half way through my life at this stage!

It's given me pause for thought. It's not so much that I feel like I'm getting old (no way!), or I feel that much about actually being 40, it's more about life and experiences, how much I have done, and how much I still want to do!

I've enjoyed my thirties so much, and I feel that's when I've jumped on a springboard and launched myself into different things, and taken bolder and braver steps, more so than I did in my 20's.

So I'm looking forward to seeing what my 40's will bring and what I'll make of the next decade. Where do I want to be? Where do I want to go? What else can I experience? How much can I pack in?!

I dug out some pictures of a younger me. Those where the days when I didn't think much further ahead than going out to play!

My 1st Birthday

About 3 years old I'm guessing. At London Zoo enjoying a pork pie and cup of tea

My 5th Birthday

About 7 years old. My mum made my dress and flowers for my hair

Ages 7 again. In the school library. Rocking RED as I still do now! ;)

All those photos were taken in London. I moved to N.Ireland when I was eight. Then to Birmingham when I was 15. Then to Scotland. Then back to Ireland. Then Plymouth, Portsmouth and back to Birmingham again. I attended about 6 different schools (including a convent school!) so was always the 'new girl' finding my feet and making new friends.

And I'm still making plenty of new friends now. You know how much I love the online world! And thanks to that I'm meeting lots of amazing people who I can call my friends.

During the next 40 days I'll probably stop by here and reminisce about something or other....things I've learnt (you can't get to this age and not learn anything I hope!), and the best times so far, but of course I'm hoping that the best is yet to come! :)

Say hello on twitter @karenstrunks

Video. I've been meme'd! Answering questions on life, love, death and more!

I was meme'd by Kathryn Ashcroft, (who had been meme'd) so here I am answering the big and little questions about life, death and love!

I thought I would do it in a video form, just for quickness really. And yes, I know I've pronounced meme wrong! ;D



Some of the questions that I answered....

Which living person do you most admire, and why?
When were you happiest?
What was your most embarrassing moment?
Aside from property, what's the most expensive thing you've bought?
What's your favourite smell?
What is your most treasured possession?
Where would you like to live?
Who would play you in the film of your life?
What is your favourite book?
What is your most unappealing habit?
What would be your fancy dress costume of choice?
What do you owe your parents?
What is your guiltiest pleasure?
To whom would you most like to say sorry, and why?
What or who is the greatest love of your life
What was the best kiss of your life?
What does love feel like?
What is the worst job you've done?
Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
If you could change one thing from your past, what would you change?

And more....!

So, there you have it. A bit more about Karen. How apt! :)