"Hello!" She shouted from across the road. Huh? Is she talking to me? The woman doesn't look familiar but she seems to know who I am.

"It's me!" She shouted. Yes I can see that, but I haven't a clue who she is. I look around in case there's someone else nearby.

Oh no, she's walking across the pedestrian crossing toward me and she's got a big expectant grin on her fiace. You know, this is going to be embarrasing. I simply make a gesture of ignorance and tell her I haven't a clue who she is. Does she try to jog my memory? Nope. She just gets annoyed and mutters darkly. Walk away Caldrail.

Uh ioh. She's following me. To be honest, the woman doesn't look dangerous but this is getting spooky. There's a set of traffic lights across the main road ahead. I've pressed the button to change the lights but as with all british pedestrian crossings, they're designed to wait until you've been waylaid by loonies. No, I'm not waiting. Across the road I stride - a bemused driver rolls past, trying to figure out why I was crossing the road when he has a green light, but thankfully the next car observes the Highway Code and remembers that cars must stop for pedestrians on crossings regardless. I've escaped! The woman waits for the lights to change and I walk smartly away.

Don't talk to stangers, children. That woman seriously sent shivers down my spine. It sounds ridiculous I know, I should have laughed, but I didn't.

leap of the Week

Earlier I'd had a stroll around Coate Water. A pair of dogs, retrievers, had jumped down off the pathway and were sniffing around the waters edge below on the cobbled slope. Both dogs weren't young, a little overweight, and looked ridiculously short-legged. Nonetheless, when their owner decided it was time to go, both dogs leapt up the wall like nothing I've ever seen. Very impressive.

You see, I know how difficult some dogs find vertical jumps. years ago, I was walking our dog down the old Swindon Station site in Old Town. Back then it was a disused plot with the platforms still in place. The dog was happy, running around, sniffing and cocking legs, like dogs do. They leave calling cards for strangers that way. Then he noticed I was on the brick platform and decided to join me. He leapt up but didn't make it. His front paws clinging to the edge, his back legs desperately clawing for grip. It's rare to see to such things in a dog's face, but I sware his eyes opened in alarm as he realised he was about to fall off.

Bump. Down he went, on his backside, and rolled over in an undignified heap before walking away with his feathers ruffled. I shouldn't laugh... but I did.