References

It's not often that I blog on here about non-book related matters, but the header does say that occasionally there will also be posts on dogs and life in general, so you have been warned.

I decided recently to venture out into the world of online dating. It really does seem harder as you get older to meet someone. I guess it may be because partly you're set in your ways - d'you honestly want to be bored rigid with a guy that you suspect you're not going to like when you could be watching an episode of The good wife? Time too is a real issue, you've got a long commute to work, a long day, how easy is it to go out yet again to meet someone from a distance away. Geography becomes all important. And then there's all the appendages you collect - dogs, children, difficult neighbours. Honestly dating's a nightmare.

And as for the sites themselves. Well some I have had decent chats with the guys online even if we haven't actually met. So that's been fun in itself. It's fun flirting online, and I feel pretty confident having online conversations. Great thing if it turns awkward there's always an easy get-out: "Oh whoops gotta go, the tv just exploded...the dog's been sick...a camel has walked into the living room....6 members of the French Foreign Legion have dropped in for a cuppa"; no-one would know that you're being less than truthful!
But some sites are pretty awful - you get few matches, most of those you wonder why on earth anyone would think that you two were in any way compatible; and of those that are left few respond. It can be seriously hard on the ego.

I reckon there should be a site for dog-lovers, or (let's not be speciesist) animal lovers in general, where your pets could supply references. After all they are often the ones who know most about you; they know things that you wouldn't tell your best friend, they have seen the grumpy yeti emerging from under the duvet on a Monday morning, and the less than sylphlike figure in the shower; and they appear to love you in spite of everything.

So what would my two say about me? I'd guess they'd say I was kind-hearted. I rescue abandoned dogs even ones that are attempting to bite me (said dog has been living with me for some time, and hasn't bitten me yet), cook fish pies for poorly hounds, and am a pretty good canine nurse. I put up with a chicken thieving spaniel and laugh, even if I did threaten to take him to the taxidermist.

I talk to the dogs all the time, shout at the television, and sing the Welsh national anthem before rugby matches, Welsh try scoring involves a complicated dance around the lounge accompanied by 2 perplexed but enthusiastic hounds. I once rescued an eel (only the dogs witnessed this). They know I'm a bit mad, but they like me anyway.

I do a mean Edith Piaf impersonation, and can play Bach like an angel. I'm horribly untidy, have problems working out which end of a hoover is the front, and kill most anything electrical - what's left Alfie Spaniel will happily destroy. I'm a great frisbee thrower, sing Bob Dylan very loudly in the car because it makes the dogs wag their tails, and am great at multi-tasking - can dry two dogs at almost exactly the same time while singing Mozart. Now where's the dating website where you can put up this sort of reference?