A minor indiscretion …

Oh my woof, life moves on at a pace! Actually, talking of paces, I am somewhat disappointed that I caught Alex watching YouTube videos the other day on how to stop a dog pulling on his lead. I have been improving recently after my surprise visit from Amanda from Happy Buddies, but Alex seems obsessed with my pulling. He seems to think that me pulling on a lead and his torn tendons are in some way related! Honestly, he really isn’t that bright sometimes … most people drink from the fountain of knowledge but he only gargled, if you get my gist! How can me going towing him round the village have any relationship to his bad arm? The very thought of it!

On Wednesday I had a surprise caller in the morning – only Chloe from Waggies of Godstone! Now, I will admit that I did play a bit hard to get – one doesn’t want to come across as easy! Once I had come to the conclusion that I was going to get a bath whether I liked it or not, I decided that actually I do quite like it. Chloe – she’s my personal stylist, you know – walked with me back to her house and seemed quite surprised when I marched in like I own the place! Anyway, I hopped in to the bath and stood there patiently(ish) whilst Chloe gave me a jolly good spruce up.

Would you believe it, once I was dry and smelling distinctly better than I did when I arrived, you’ll never guess who was there too – only flamin’ Myfanwy! Obviously, she couldn’t resist my good looks and charm once she saw me. She just had to come over and give me a big kiss! I do have to admit, I was a complete picture of handsomeness and my cologne did make me smell rather irresistible! I must say that if, like me, you find your owner’s grumbles about you smelling a bit too ‘Eau de Dog’ or that your coat is not quite up to scratch, a visit to Waggies of Godstone is highly recommended! I’ll even let you have a session with my personal stylist Chloe, although I’d rather you didn’t make too much of that – I must always remain the most handsome dawg in dogdom!

Wednesday wasn’t a great day weather wise. In fact, it rained for the majority of the day. He was clearly reluctant to go out for a walk in the rain, but a dog must do what a dog must do! I tried dropping hints, but it didn’t matter what I did, he still didn’t get it! Even when I took my harness to the front door, he took a photograph instead of going out with me for a walk! Mind you, I did get him back when we finally went out. We got drenched … and I mean properly drenched … walking around Bay Pond and then, as we walked down Green Lane and I did my best to collect as much mud as possible on my coat, I had the stunning idea or taking a dip in the dirty stream too! He didn’t think it was great, but I did! A quick dip in the dirty stream and who would ever know I had been to visit my personal stylist just a few hours earlier! Frankly, as I rolled around on the new floor in the dining room and he tried to get me dry with a hair dryer (he tried the towel but I didn’t like that much and I ripped it off and gave him a gentle bite and a growl just to let him know), I was laughing my paws off. What a state I was in! Absolutely brilliant!!

Thursday was a better day for weather and it was a mixture of sunshine and just the odd shower (which we avoided). It did seem rather strange though – it was the first weekday for seven weeks when we had no builders in the house! Now, just before you get too excited, no it is not finished – Simon had to go off and do another job for a couple of days and, since the majority of the remaining work is bits that Simon does, there was nobody in at all. It did mean that we didn’t spend the entire day in the study and I was able to lay on the new floor which is lovely and cool whilst Alex did some cooking. We both had quite a good day!

Friday was hydrotherapy day! There are upsides and downsides to my hydrotherapy sessions with my personal therapists Emily and Katie. The downside is that it means a trip in the car but the upside is that I really quite enjoy it when I get there. The thought of the car though does sometimes put me off a bit. I knew the time was approaching (I can sense it) so, whilst he wasn’t looking I nipped upstairs. It wasn’t that I wanted anything up there, it was just that it is more difficult for him to get me down to go to the car. Anyway, whilst I was up there I did perform a minor indiscretion. You see, as I was sniffing around for a good place to hide, I came across Richard’s roll of poo bags. I can hardly be blamed for pinching them, jumping on the bed and ripping them to pieces now, can I? After all, they are for me anyway!

As usual, he was muttering something about “that muddy dog!”, or at least, it was something like that – it is difficult to hear when he starts muttering! Anyway, once he had cleared up the bits of torn poo bag from all around the place, it was on with my harness (he’s getting a bit too good at getting that on me in one sweeping movement!) and straight around to the car. Before I had time to protest, we were in and on our way to Hydro Hounds. I know the journey now, so I am slightly more comfortable with it. When we arrived in Coulsdon I hopped out of the car and marched straight for Hydro Hounds. In fact, Emily was watching as we arrived and she did comment that I rather lurched across the road dragging Alex behind me. The first thing she did was ask Alex about his bad arm. Who cares about that? My hydrotherapy sessions with my personal therapists are all about me and not his silly arm!

On Friday evening Alex and Richard put the dining table back in the dining room and, for the first time for many weeks, they sat down and had dinner at the table! I think they both enjoyed it because they said “cheers” quite a bit and seemed very happy! I have to admit I did quite like getting under the table and pushing out a few ????s like I used to before the builders arrived. They didn’t appear to be too slow on Saturday morning and I took them out for a walk on a new route down Oxted Road and up Church Lane before wandering down Bay Pond path to the St Nicholas Youth Centre. When we got to the Youth Centre there were lots of people there for Café Connect. I have looked Caré Connect up on Doogle, but there were no results. I have looked on Fidopedia, but again, nothing. In the end I had to ask! Apparently it is held every month on the first Saturday of the month and people go and drink coffee (nope, no idea), tea (again, no idea), and eat cake (I think they made me a liver cake about 100 years ago!) and buy things from stalls that sell all sorts of things from jams to bric-a-brac. All the proceeds go to a different charity each month, so I think it is a good idea. That said, Alex went inside and when he came out he was holding a piece of wood for hanging coats on – I have no idea what he is going to do with it, nor does he!

Today it is Sunday already. We have been out a couple of times. I took Alex for a walk around Hilly Fields this morning. I produced a wonderful two bagger when we were in Hilly Fields – I rather like doing it there because it means he has to carry it all they way until we get back to the High Street near the end of our walk! As we got into Tylers Close I did find myself needing another poo. This time it came out with a string attached which Alex attributes to me eating string somehow, although Richard thinks it might be part of the Persian rug they have put back in the lounge. Anyway, who cares! It did mean that by the time we got to the High Street, Alex was carrying three bags, a long line, his mobile and me on a lead in the other hand! All hilariously funny!

Our second excursion did involve the car which I wasn’t desperately happy about but it was quite fun to got to a horse show near Biggin Hill. When we got there I discovered that Fran and Iain were there with the Lions Club (no, I don’t either but Lions are the King of the Jungle according to Doogle, so it must be good!) cooking burgers. I spent the first 10 minutes barking at the horses but when I realised that they weren’t going to hurt me, I stopped barking and just watched them. Alex and Richard had a burger and then we went and watched the dog show. Now, I don’t like to complain, but we went to a horse show and watched a dog show – this human is flamin’ complicated! I am now just a little bit bored, so I have decided I will take them out for a walk. Must paws … ????