Places to sniff, things to chew …

Oh my woof, Friday was a busy day! I had to take him out for a walk relatively early on because we had so much to do! We did a relatively quick Hilly Fields just to be sure he was sufficiently exercised but we had to be early because I had an appointment with my personal therapists, Emily and Katie at Hydro Hounds for a bit of hydrotherapy. Obviously, I had to drag him along half the time! Honestly, he is soo slooow sometimes. I did have to stop off in The Hollow between Hilly Fields and the haul route for an epic two bagger, but other than that it was a relatively uneventful jaunt. When we got back Neil had popped in to fix a minor leak on the hot tap that had been installed (no need for a kettle anymore!), which was strange. I don’t usually think of Neil fixing things … he usually knocks things down and destroys them!

Having finally got him home, I spent a little time browsing on Poochbook. I saw that Fudge and Bruno had posted a picture of their morning walk. They look after Amanda from Happy Buddies and I think they let her post it on Face-ache as well! (That’s the rather inferior human version of Poochbook.) We hadn’t been home long before we were off out again – this time for my appointment with my personal therapists. It did involve the car and I really didn’t relish that thought, but spending some quality time with Emily and Katie is well worth the trouble of the car! Anyway, we had a good session and apparently I have put on an inch of muscle in my right hip which is really good. I think that he regrets that because I am getting stronger and stronger! Anyway, who cares about his arm – he’s got another one!

We had hardly been home long from my visit to my personal therapists when Moira arrived to talk to him. She needed to talk about the fete … whatever that is. Anyway, they spent about an hour talking about things and then she had to go. I haven’t mentioned until this point that we have been having new gates fitted. The old ones packed up a few months ago and instead of just replacing the motors, Alex and Richard decided to change the gates from a double gate that opened into the drive into a single gate that opens against the boundary wall. It is much better. They were done by Gatehouse Security who did a fantastic job! Eddie, Andy and Louis did an amazing job and were very friendly too. I can thoroughly recommend them. I did observe them doing the work which was done both quickly and very cleanly. Of course he didn’t get any photos as they were going in, but the finished result is superb!

On Saturday I decided to have a naughty day. I have been very good recently, so a naughty day was due! When I took them both out on my morning walk, I pulled like a freight train again and I invented a new game of jumping up and nipping whilst also trying to grab the lead. It went quite well, although I don’t think that he thought it was as good a game as I did. When we got back, I got another big surprise – only a visit from Zena and Simon! Last time I saw them it was all a bit strange – they were talking to me but they were stuck inside a magic box. (I think he calls it an iPad) Anyway, the good news is that they have escaped and they came to see me! I got really, really excited when I saw them and I gave Zena lots of kisses and things. Richard and Alex were trying to sort the kitchen out a bit, so – you won’t believe this – only Jake came down! We were going to go out for a walk and then go back to his house to play, but I was still in my naughty mood and I kept jumping up and nipping him and then I nearly dragged him down the High Street to his house, so we couldn’t really go for a walk. We just went into his house and he played with me there. I had a lovely afternoon with him though whilst they sorted the kitchen out and then, when we got home, they all came for dinner, so it was really good!

Sunday began a little later than usual. I suspect that may have had something to do with the consumption of wine on the evening before! Anyway, they got up and we went for a walk but it was the afternoon that was fun. We went in the car thing again, but this time we went to the car park on Reigate Hill and, instead of going up Reigate Hill, I took them into Gatton Park. Boy is that park steep! We walked around the route that was marked as ‘Discover Gatton’. It is a really nice walk but you walk all the way down to the bottom of Reigate Hill and then all the way back up again. Walking down was fine, but, boy oh boy, is that path steep walking back! I pulled a lot on the way around, but when it came to those steep paths, stuff pulling him it took all my strength to walk up them myself!

I was absolutely cream crackered by the time we got back to the car park! The actual route isn’t that far (about 2 miles) but the hills are so steep that it is very tiring. He was huffing and puffing more than usual and I know he was equally tired! Richard seemed OK but he usually is on these walks. I can tell you that when I got home I was sure ready to push out some ????s. Now, on a somewhat different topic, whilst they have been sorting out their kitchen they seem to have been putting an awful lot of stuff to one side which is going to Cancer Research (Cathy works there part time, so she takes it in). I have been observing this ritual of picking things up or taking them out of boxes, cleaning them and then either putting them away or putting them in a box to go to Cancer Research. It has occurred to me that he has far too much kitchen equipment. I have had a quick tot up and discovered that he has 83 saucepans! He claims that this is because he had two houses and so he always had two of everything. That excuse may be partially true, but 83! (Apparently that includes frying pans and sauté pans etc.) Why would anyone need 4o odd pans in a household. I have looked on Doogle and most households have around 5 saucepans. Even accepting (which I don’t) that he has stainless steel pans, copper pans, cast iron pans and more than most people, I still think this is over the top!

Anyway, enough about him, what about me? Ah yes, now although it hasn’t been mentioned, my walk around Gatton Park was really my last special outing before my operation. It is this week, you see. I am trying not to think about it but it is Thursday morning. I have to be there at 8.30 in the morning and I don’t even get any breakfast! My personal surgeon, Bonito de la Puerta, will be performing my total hip replacement on my right hip. I am not sure I want to know too much about what is going to happen, but I have had a peek on Fidopedia and I have learned that after my operation I will be on very restricted movement for quite a while. Apparently, I should be confined to my crate for the first few weeks, but apparently room confinement might be OK. I certainly won’t be going on any long walks for quite a few weeks. I am going to miss Hilly Fields, Tylers Close field and Bay Pond path! I am really rather dreading it. On Monday I had a lovely visit from Mrs P who popped in to wish me good luck. She is very nice! She gave me a present but he won’t let me have it until after I have had my operation. I don’t think that’s very fair, but what can a dog do?! Monday was a pretty quite day – after my pulling and nipping at the weekend I went off my naughty mood because it wasn’t earning me many treats. I decided to try the opposite and be very loving and walk nicely with no pulling, no nipping and doing what I was told … well, would you Rover and Fido it … I only got loads of treats!!!! This seems to be the way to get treats, so I think I’m going to stick to that for now.

It is Tuesday already! Just one more full day before my operation. I have just got back from my hydrotherapy session with my personal therapists Emily and Katie from Hydro Hounds. This was my last session before my operation. When we got there I really didn’t feel much like going into my session because I knew it was my last one before my operation. I buried my head in Alex’s lap and pretended I wasn’t there. Then, when Emily called me, I nearly went into the therapy room but remembered at the last second and turned and ran back to Alex. Eventually, Emily did persuade me to go in, but not before I had had lots of cuddles with Katie and Emily! Apparently I have put a whole inch on my right hip of muscle, which is really good. Both of my hips are the same size now which Emily told Alex is really good. They are going to send all of my vital statistics to my personal surgeon ready for my operation on Thursday.

Oh my woof, I’m getting nervous! Amanda from Happy Buddies left me a card which I am going to open before I go on Thursday. I have a card from Mrs P too and Bren just dropped one around too! I think that they might know something I don’t. I had a lovely message on my treadmill this morning during my hydrotherapy session too. The thing is, I have rather ignored my op until now but I have a feeling it is going to hurt! Nobody has said anything, but the good luck cards, the fact that I am not going to be able to go out for walks for a few weeks, all the hydrotherapy leading up to my operation … they are all leading me to the conclusion that this is going to hurt! Alex says that I will be much better after my operation and I won’t even have to take any medicine anymore – but then he’s not the one having a new hip! I am going to have to make the most of my last afternoon and then the day tomorrow. I will take him out for a walk a bit later this afternoon – I’m a bit tired after my hydrotherapy session this morning, so I’m going to push out a few ????s for a while first. I think I’ll take him on a Hilly Fields walk. After all, that is my favourite walk and, although I like my walk around Bay Pond, I don’t want to miss an opportunity for a good run around. I will take him around Bay Pond either a bit later this afternoon or tomorrow at some point. It would be good if I saw Angela before my operation, but we don’t always see her on our walks. If I don’t see her, I shall leave her a present on her doorstep so that she knows I called! Right, time now for some ????s – must paws … ????