The walk on the beach was a great success on October 5th, 2008. Despite the rain and the hard wind, there were many participants.

Beach walk on Sunday, October 5th, 2008

Unfortunately the previously planned Thai day was cancelled because of too few applicants. What a pity! I moved Heaven and Earth to get a day off (after a lot of trouble I was finally able to switch shifts) when in the end it had to be cancelled. Too bad, because that day the weather was perfect for a walk with the dogs and Thai friends. The following Sunday was awful and it rained cats and ogs !

The forecast wasn’t predicting any good weather all week. Normally I don’t really trust the forecast, but that Sunday the forecasters were right! Nevertheless, the dogs had to go out anyway and whether I get wet walking the dogs in Kerkrade at the beach, I’d rather go to the beach. (I’m sure the dogs prefer the beach as well. They only get to go on occasions and during holidays, because it takes a long drive to get to the beach).

That Sunday the alarm clock went off at 6 AM to walk and feed the dogs and guinea pigs,We cleaned up (for what?? We could have taken our robes with us, because a free shower was arranged by the weather gods) and eventually were in the car by 7.30 on our way to Brouwersdam. Because we live south of Limburg, it was easier to drive past Antwerp. We had very bad weather on the way.. Showers, wind and torrential rain.. What a misery! My fun-barometer dropped every kilometer, but as soon as we passed the Dutch border, the rain improved and the black clouds made room for grey clouds. My fun-barometer was climbed up again. After a bit of searching (Els, de female version of Tom Tom, doesn’t know everything) we arrived at “De Strandtent” in Brouwersdam around 10.30. We were welcomed with some hot coffee/ tea and a piece of apple pie with whipped cream. We had some time to have a chat with acquainted and less acquainted people and dogs. Later on we al defied the weather to have a nice walk on the beach.

There weren’t many other walkers, you could almost count them on one hand (but with this weather only the true “die-hards” go for a walk on the beach) so the Thai and 4 Rhodesians and their owners had almost the entire beach at their disposal. Although sometimes you had to jump out of the way of the so-called beach surfers, who would race over the beach in their karts. We started the walk with the wind in our backs, a bit scattered over the beach because not all dogs like other dogs, but still it was obvious we belonged together. We made a group photo on the way (I don’t know if all dogs can be seen, because they had to face the wind and Fai (my youngest bitch) decided she wouldn’t get as wet when hiding behind my legs. You’re either a Thai or not right? So we will see as soon as the photo’s are posted on the website). Occasionally a Thai would check out the sea from up close, carefully stepping in and/ or running away fast or going in a bit further, giving their owner wet socks. Kiyo, my elderly bitch, is always fishing for stones in the water, but she doesn’t like the aftertaste of seawater, so she spits them out quickly!

And Fai…Fai is a real Nutria and walks straight into the sea, but she does not understand that sea water is not drinkable. She is very perseverant and keeps trying, but eventually she gives up and decides to stay away from the sea, so she can resist the temptation! Shariff, the Shar-pei is normally the biggest Nutria of them all, but now he was so busy keeping an eye on the other dogs, that I doubt he even noticed we were near the sea.

After a while it was time to turn back (I wonder how that works. Nobody says anything about going back, nobody actually turns around and suddenly the entire group turns to another direction…did you ever notice that?) Maybe that should be examined… Maybe we al have a bit of instinct in our genes? Cathelijne you are straying from the subject.. Oh yes I’m sorry, so the moment of going back had arrived and it was HORRIBLE!! As long as we were walking with the wind in our backs, we didn’t notice how hard it was storming, and most of all how hard it was raining!! But we found out soon enough! De rain was lashing the faces of dogs and owners and despite the waterproof clothing we were getting soaked. We quickly walked back to the beach café. We quickly used a towel to dry the dogs in the car where they could sit nice and warm, so we could have a nice hot cup of tea in the café and have a chat with each other. Unfortunately we could not stay too long, because old Zoef (dog number 4) had to stay at home. I don’t like to leave my dogs unattended in the car and he had to go out as well of course.

So around 2 PM we went back home with the heater set to high, because with 5 wet individuals in one car it quickly becomes very damp. At around 5 PM we were back home, walked the dogs and then a hot shower. We earned that one. Despite the bad weather and long drive Frans and I thought it was a successful day. (I think the dogs agreed, I didn’t hear one of them the rest of the evening and even the last walk that day they groaned “ok, if you say so..” But they didn’t go eagerly I must say)