Getting Out - 4 of 4

On my last day in Norfolk there wasn't really time to go anywhere very far away.  Anyhow, with my brother and sister both working that Saturday, someone had to walk the dog.  This is him on the left, the soppy animal.  His name is Galaxy (like the chocolate) or else Gal, Gally, Galvin, Gallifrey, Galvanise, Gallivanting...  

We got him from a rescue centre so we don't know exactly how old he is or what kind of cross-breed he might be, but as you can see he's a very god looking mongrel.  A collie shape, but with retriever fur the colour of a chocolate labrador.  

He normally gets taken on the same walk every lunchtime, so the poor boy was very confused when I bundled him into my car and took him to the small patch of heath near the Nun's Bridges as you leave Thetford towards Bury.  He's not a young dog any more, but I have never seen him so excited.  He was bounding - bounding! -along the path and, because I prefer to keep him on the lead as his hearing is going, I had to run to keep up with him. 

 Here's something I've never seen before.  It's a Cinnabar caterpillar, nibbling on a ragwort plant.  When it grows up it will turn itself into a lovely little grey and red Cinnabar Moth.

Although it's near the road, if you stay near the back of the common it's pretty quiet.  I remember Travellers parking up here when I was younger.  I don't know if they still come any more, but I did come across a couple picnicking by the pond in the rear corner.  Normally we only walk for an hour or so anyway, but I think I tired Gal out pretty good.

Evening coming, and it's back to Loughborough again to regroup before tackling the rest of my summer.  Over the next few weeks I have a lot to do.  I'm going to London to see some Olympic Badminton, then to Greenbelt Festival, and Venice in September.  How I'm going to get it all done I don't know, but the big quiet spaces of Norfolk have done me a lot of good.  The storms in my head have cleared...

...and left clearer skies.