At the Cosy Kettle Cafe all human (and dog) life is there
On Sunday mornings I usually get a phone call from my cycling mate, Peter to see if we are meeting up for toast and coffee somewhere. In the past, when we were both less decrepit we would extend the day to take in a sandwich lunch at a pub somewhere, both on normal bicycles, and cover about 40 miles.
These days we are both on ebikes and the 20 mile ride is usually for a morning only. Health problems have meant that our "proper" club cycling days are over but the addition of an electric genie has meant that we can still enjoy a jaunt around the countryside. We vary our cafe stops among about three over Romney Marsh. This morning it was the Cosy Kettle (again).
It is a small cafe, part of its charm, and tends to attract the cycling and walking fraternity as well as locals. There is a small area outside where tables are set up on fine days and as these were already taken by the members of the Hythe Cycle Club Peter and I sat just inside at a table by the open patio doors, a position where we could people watch as customers came and went.
A couple walking a greyhound arrived and sat adjacent. The dog was wearing a set of rather nifty bootees - which is not a usual sight. Dog people are always chatty about their animals so in a quiet moment I asked the lady owner, "Why does he need them?"
Turned out he suffered from corns and the only way he could still enjoy a walk was with protected feet. "He was never good enough to race, so we got him 10 years ago as a rescue dog, but we take them off when we get indoors. He will have to wear them outside for the rest of his life, but at least he can still enjoy a full life because of them".
As Peter and I rose (stiffly) and collected our e-bikes to ride off over The Marsh I felt an affinity with that old dog.......
10 comments:
sounds like we are just up the road from you this week,in Kennington outside Ashford.
If you knew Arthur Goodall,from the Ashford Wheelers and until recently living at Harrietsham,his funeral is at Charing Crem at 1.20pmtomorrow
Welcome to the Garden of England! (It is still there, but less of it and harder to find. But worth it when you do).
Thanks for the funeral notice about Arthur Goodall. Afraid I do not know any of the Ashford Wheelers. We moved to this area from Maidstone when I retired just over 20 years ago and I have always ridden with the Cyclists Touring Club local sections.
I have left a couple of comments on your recent, local posts.
Thanks Avus..,Molly sounds like the Pirate's mum's first cousin....maybe...
Just had to smile at the greyhound bootees. Lovely post.
Tom:
Glad the poor old dog brought a smile to your face. He seemed very happy with the boots.
What a great thing to have a friend to go on bike rides with and a cup of coffee to boot (sorry about the pun!) Twenty miles! Wow. I think I'm doing well if I do twenty minutes on the tread mill!
Kay:
But I guess the treadmill does not have the benefit of electrical assistance?
Cycling friend Peter and I have a symbiotic relationship. Each gets the other out to keep active. Sometimes I don't feel like going cycling, but if he rings me I go and always am glad I made the effort.
The story needn't stop there.
Imagine yourself sipping tea - little finger crooked - at the Cosy Kettle (Obviously used to warm beds in winter.), the door opens, a matched pair of mastiffs walk in, accompanied by a UKIP voter on a leash. "We're trying to break him of bad habits," says the male mastiff. "Is it working?" you ask. "He voted Green in the locals," says the female, "but alas he spoilt his ballot paper. It's a start."
You look again and notice the UKIP voter is wearing polka-dotted Theresa May sandals. "Is he proving indecisive?" you ask, careful to adjust your tone of voice.
The mastiffs look at you with loathing, yank on the leash and leave without ordering.
When you get home you discover an email from the Cosy Kettle proprietor, banning you from the premises for eternity. "Questions are no substitute for genteel conversation," the email concludes. "We suspect you've been keeping company with a journalist."
RR:
You have a fertile (journalistic) brain. I enjoyed " pair of mastiffs walk in, accompanied by a UKIP voter on a leash." The lack of apostrophe after voter gives it its humour!
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