![\"\"](\"https:\/\/julesforth.com\/walkingtheblackdog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/IMG_7396.jpg\")
<\/p>\n[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section”][et_pb_row background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Distances etc” _builder_version=”3.0.63″ background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”left” border_style=”solid”]<\/p>\n
September Distance: Not worth recording
\nSeptember Floors: Ditto
\nRating: Appalling<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_sidebar admin_label=”Subscribe” _builder_version=”3.0.63″ area=”et_pb_widget_area_1″ orientation=”left” background_layout=”light” saved_tabs=”all” global_module=”1260″ \/][et_pb_image admin_label=”Add map here” _builder_version=”3.0.63″ show_in_lightbox=”off” url_new_window=”off” use_overlay=”off” sticky=”off” align=”left” always_center_on_mobile=”on” border_style=”solid” force_fullwidth=”off” animation=”fade_in” src=”https:\/\/julesforth.com\/walkingtheblackdog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/WTBD-whole-map-with-route-1.jpeg” \/][et_pb_image admin_label=”Donate to Black Dog Institute” src=”http:\/\/testform1234.gofundraise.com.au\/Upload\/385023\/images\/Donate%20to%20Black%20Dog%20Institute.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”off” url=”https:\/\/walkingtheblackdog.gofundraise.com.au\/payments\/donate\/beneficiary\/39″ url_new_window=”on” use_overlay=”off” sticky=”off” align=”left” force_fullwidth=”off” always_center_on_mobile=”on” border_style=”solid” _builder_version=”3.0.63″ \/][et_pb_image admin_label=”Donate to Sane” src=”http:\/\/testform1234.gofundraise.com.au\/Upload\/385023\/images\/Donate%20to%20SANE%20UK.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”off” url=”https:\/\/www.justgiving.com\/walkingtheblackdog\/4w350m3\/Donate?clientCache=True#MessageAndAmount” url_new_window=”on” use_overlay=”off” sticky=”off” align=”left” force_fullwidth=”off” always_center_on_mobile=”on” border_style=”solid” _builder_version=”3.0.63″ \/][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_3″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Add text + images” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” background_size=”initial” _builder_version=”3.0.63″ background_layout=”light” text_orientation=”center” border_style=”solid”]<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Five months to go ..<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n This month I should have been posting joyfully about increased steps, heavier weight packs and longer, more arduous walks \u2026 Indeed, it was all going swimmingly to plan when the little innocuous sounding Flu B stepped in. Forget the proverbial spanner in the works, this was more of an industrial wrecking ball that brought me to an abrupt collapse and kept me there for a couple of weeks. I know half of Sydney has been brought to its knees with the little blighter, so you\u2019ll understand when I say that even the thought of walking from the sofa to the bed was a major undertaking, which required careful advance planning.<\/span><\/p>\n Being sick in such a debilitating sort of way was sobering. In the nightmarish way, that only fever can induce, I kept winding up in the middle of the night, thinking of how I would cope the following day if I had a 30k walk ahead of me, along the Pennines in driving sleet. In the cool, blue-skied Sydney light of day of course, I could be rational and know I would have to make a plan .. take a few days off and add the section on to the end of the walk. But Grims distort the mind, making everything feel a multitude of times worse than they actually are. <\/span><\/p>\n Towards the end of the month, I was once more on light duties. Very light in fact, with a vastly reduced pack and just small trips planned. However, even though I may be weak and warbly at the moment, my lovely doc has shown me the bright side of the Grim by telling me just how fabulously prepared my immune system will now be for any other viruses which may be standing in wait along the way. You could almost believe this was meant to be. Yeah, right.<\/span><\/p>\n I had at least finished a drawing for this post ahead of The Grim. The heavenly Bathers Pavillion at Balmoral on a windy sort of day. http:\/\/batherspavilion.com.au\u00a0\u00a0<\/a>Hope you like it. Please join me next month for a leaner, meaner me.<\/span><\/p>\n Black Dog Tails
\n<\/strong>Marcia Allen of Bettendorf, Iowa collapsed in her backyard. She was suffering from a stroke and unable to get up or yell for help. Luckily for Marcia, she had a doggie guardian angel watching out for her. His name is Mack and here he is! Read more of the story by clicking on the link in the photo.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/julesforth.com\/walkingtheblackdog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/mack_hero.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n