Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Bad Dogs And Bad Photos

Toby's now at the age where he can go for walks. Just short walks, mind you. I had taken him on a couple in the first few weeks, but not being fully vaccinated meant that he couldn't meet other dogs and couldn't go to the parks where all the cool dogs hang. We had to stick to concrete paths in isolation.

It's been so much fun to now walk where other dogs have trod, to sniff their scents with wild abandon and to actually meet some of Toby's doggy cousins, to say nothing of the many females who just want to stop and pat him.

Yesterday we met a couple of lovely girls going for a power walk. I could see that they wanted a meet and greet before they'd even reached us. I've become quite good at lip-reading certain phrases like 'he's so cute' and 'I just want to give him a cuddle'. When they reached us I asked if they wanted a pat. Well of course they couldn't resist Toby's charms and he couldn't resist getting extremely excited. One of the girls squatted down to give him a cuddle and that's when I discovered that my little boy needed a bit more training in the proper way to greet a new friend. Toby decided that the best way to do it was to go straight for the crotch-sniff. She was so surprised that she ended up falling backwards on to her butt which gave Toby even more cause for excitement. Yes, he's made a new friend for life.


***

I'm finally living my childhood dream. I've been immortalised in print. No, not my words - my image. I've become a model. (Damn I should have warned you all to swallow any food that may be in your mouth in case paroxysms of laughter cause choking). I'm being used in Coach Chris's advertising leaflets. 


Photos still can take me by surprise. I was pretty chunky (fat) in my late teens and part of me still thinks a little this way. I must say running has done better things for my body than discus ever did. And I'm so glad I finally was brave enough to lose the perm.


Don't you just love the special polyester track suit? I was heading off with the state team for the national athletics championships and we HAD to wear it. No, I didn't keep it as a memento.

So here's a challenge - find the photo that defines the old you and then one of the you that you've become. I'm pretty proud of the changes I've made and I'm certain that the old me will never see the light of day again.

14 comments:

  1. Ha, those photos certainly tell a story. I'll have to start digging for this challenge. Believe it or not, a 7 month old golden lab might soon join our herd of dogs. My softy heart is playing rescue the dog again.

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  2. Toby is the best dog ever, not bad :)

    I love that old pic that is awesome. Congrats on being a running model!! That's pretty cool!

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  3. I lost about a stone and a half when I started running (21lbs), and I had been overweight from the age of about 16 to 35 without really being aware of it. There are plety of pics of the bigger me, and I can't believe I didn't use to do any exercise at all, and ate all kinds of crap. You look fantastic in the leaflet - did he ask your permission first?

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  4. I've got some pretty awful old pics and I love them because they show me how far I have come.

    Toby is a GOOD dog!

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  5. You look fantastic, Char! What a neat thing to be in the ad. Now you can add "fitness model" to your resume!

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  6. I swear Old Navy has that same track suits ...you should always hang onto those oldies, they can be goodies and possibly valuable. Not the perm though :). I think we all went through the perm phase.

    I can't believe how thin you stay with all those cupcakes. I really would have no self-control and would be 500 lbs. The excess 20 I have right now is hard enough to get rid of. Bleh.

    I'll have to see if I can find any old pics. I've been running competitively since I was in high school and college, but my parents haven't been alive for many many years and I never go any pictures. I have a few though....let me look. how fun!

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  7. You look fantastic in that photo Char! I knew that eventually Mr Tobes would fall from grace but it sounds like those girls forgave him for it :)

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  8. Love the photos! Especially the vintage track suit - too bad you didn't keep it, it might be back in style one of these days - LOL!

    You are a great advertisement for the benefits of running - congrats on being picked for the flyer!

    Toby is really starting to look grown up - just like with human children, it goes fast, doesn't it?

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  9. Great picture. Love the track suit.
    Toby sounds like a nice dog. As a runner I'm not a fan of dogs to tell you the truth. I worry they'll come and bite me.

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  10. I think Puma makes a track suit just like that one...
    Oh Toby, such a fast learner. Already going for the crotch sniff, haha!

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  11. Toby is a lucky dog. Nice greeting skills - LOL. Funny post.

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  12. I love the photos!!

    You look amazing. Running model, no doubt.

    I do kinda want that track suit from long ago - still fabulous!

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  13. You MUST become a professional model. That pic is fantastic.
    I love the vintage photo: they are our story.

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  14. You should be proud! What a transformation. Losing that track suit was the best thing you ever did! haha

    Awww Toby! Too funny. Good thing he is so darn cute!

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