Yesterday, I managed to tackle all admin work while Hugo enjoyed a longer walk without him needing pain relief. It was a productive day with a refreshing sea breeze as I balanced work and caring for Hugo. This was my working-from-home location during one of his rest periods.

I suspect Hugo is loving the attention of the last week since he hurt his back. My route yesterday around the harbours of Plymouth is one of his favourites because there are many cafes that he approves of. Yesterday we chose a cafe themed towards bikers with engines.

Predictably their dog biscuit offering is fairly butch. Far too challenging for fluffs with small mouths, but the industrial concrete floor soon turned a bulldog style biscuit into something a poodle could nibble at.

The slower pace of this week’s walks gave me a moment of contradiction yesterday. Despite walking past and walking into this old building on the edge of Sutton Harbour, many times, I had never read the blue plaque.

The Custom House was built in 1586 or round about. The time when Plymouth was at its zenith as a Pirate port.

Usually when I see old doors I like to romanticise about the people who have passed through them but certainly I cannot imagine too many pirates saying,

” Have you seen the new Customs House, we must pop in there on our way to the bars and whore houses, when we dock”

” I just cannot enjoy myself and really let go until my Import Tax is up to date”

That must have been quite the job to have in Elizabethan Plymouth. Everyone strolling right past pretending they haven’t seen your open door and welcoming toothless smile.

No playing Wordle in a quiet moment.

It is somewhat ironic that these two information boards are just a few paces from the old custom house.

The things I get to ponder on restorative, slow, dog walk days.