She wasn’t broken. ‘Fixed’ is a euphemism for having a hysterectomy.
I didn’t want her to have it done and had put it off as long as possible. I’d considered all the arguments for and against.
Most experts said that a female dog should be allowed at least one season. (Another euphemism.) I allowed her two, letting her get to almost two years old.
She faithfully followed me into the vet’s surgery, where I handed her lead to the vet who took her away. She looked back at me cowed and confused.
I collected her late afternoon.
She wouldn’t look at me.
Walking with obvious discomfort she followed me to the car and I had to help her up.
She forgave me a few days later, but I still feel like a complete traitor.
I’m envisioning the battle to get her into the vets on Friday to get the stitches out.
She’ll know where I’m taking her this time.

On the way to work today, I saw an article in the Metro, which initially made me smile.
It had a photograph of a handsome deer leaping over a street café table.

‘Havoc: A wild deer causes chaos in city centre as it flees storms. The 153kg (24st) animal hurt two people as it leapt over chairs and tables at cafes in Bolzano, northern Italy. It was cornered by police and hunters and shot.’

My smile faded.
This animal was simply frightened and patently not dangerous. Why kill it?
My low opinion of humanity sunk even further.

The entire household went to the movies on Sunday.
This is a rarity nowadays because of the age difference of the children. The eldest will usually pull faces at the younger ones choices.
This time though it was a fim everyone, including my wife wanted to see.
It’s a CGI movie, but done with true affection.
My smallest child has been bursting to see it ever since he saw the first poster.
It was actually a classic Chinese story featuring an idealistic youth, wise mentors, heroes and a terrible villain.
Good fun and a nice moral.

Sunday was the local Church fete. My Eldest and one of her friends went early and I took my two youngest ones a little while later.
The sun was shining and everyone had fun.
Bouncy castles, second hand bookstalls and games.
The highlight though was the face painting.
The two girls chose butterflies but the boy chose a lion.
Whatever anyone tells you; boys and girls are different from birth.

I just did an online ‘Free’ IQ test.
Just twenty straightforward questions.
I struggled on three of them and was forced to guess.
My IQ?
Apparently 145!
Then the ‘Free’ site asked for my personal details.
They must think I’m stupid.

Yesterday was my eldest daughter’s Sports day and I went along with my wife and youngest to cheer her on.
She was representing her house in three events: 100 metres, Long jump and Relay.
She won the Long jump with a distance of 4.15 metres.
4.15 metres!
I don’t think, even at my peak, I could have jumped that far.
She did very well in the 100 metres but didn’t win and she dropped out of the relay to allow another girl to run.
My favourite bit (apart from the Long jump) was the fact that she’d covered her entire face in her house colours.
Green!

No one warns you about what being a Father really means.
Ok, you’re told about the ‘sleepless-nights’ and the ‘photos-where-your-money-used-to-be’.
What I never realised was how much time I’d lose simply ferrying my children about!
Saturday’s duty was: take my youngest to a party in Whetstone at 12 noon, but drop my wife and middle child to a different party in Totteridge at 11.30am first.
Then I had to collect them again after my youngest’s party had finished and drive everyone home.
After that I had to collect one of my eldest child’s friends from St Albans and bring her home for an hour before taking them both to Enfield to see a stage show.
Then I drove home for an hour before going back again to collect them.
(I should have brought a book really.)
All I achieved in the day, other than that, was to twice walk the dog.
As for Sunday?
Much the same again.
If I'm not careful, when my children think of me, they'll just think of the back of my head!

Yesterday was my youngest twos sports day.
11am until 2pm.
It was chaos, with all the children running around twenty or so events simultaneously.
The youngest ones were awarded stickers just for taking part in an event, the older ones though had to ‘win’ an event to get one.
They both had a great time, but at the end, when my youngest proudly displayed his fourteen stickers, his older sister was miffed to only have six.
Life’s not fair when you’re five.

I'm getting a bit podgy around the middle.
Not too bad for a man of my age, but then, not too good either.
Due to the dog, I exercise... a bit and my diet is all right, with plenty of fruit and vegetables.
So, bar joining a gym or becoming a vegan, there's nothing much I can change.
My plan therefore is to alter my eating habits outside the home.
No more fast or cafe food for lunch. (Unless I'm meeting friends or family.)
A 28-inch waist by Christmas!