Waiting to meet Charlie

Today is Friday and I’m feeling a little sad to be honest. I was due to go to France today and meet my new friend Charlie but, because of my car sickness, I can’t go. I’m really disappointed that I can’t go today but Alex and Richard have promised that, with the help of the vet, I will be able to go very soon. Not really too much has happened since yesterday, but there have been a couple of ‘events’ that are worth a quick mention. Yesterday Alex took me for a walk around my preferred route through Salisbury Road, Dewlands, Court Road and back up the High Street. He forgot that he has stopped walking that way around because I like to play the ‘lie down and refuse to move’ game. Huh! He paid for that mistake! No sooner had we got into the High Street, I started the game. I lulled him into a false sense of security first by just stopping a few times. Then we got to Sniff Halt and that was it – I stopped, lay down, dug a stone out of the drive and started chewing it. Sheer fun! Alex wasn’t too impressed and, after about 5 minutes he managed to lure me a bit further up the High Street to just outside the garage. That was it. Full on game now! I lay down, continued to chew my stone and refused to move under any circumstances!

After about 15 minutes of people having to walk round me whilst Alex stood there trying to coax me forwards (I think he feels a bit foolish which just adds to the fun!), he only went and trumped me! I don’t know how he did it, but he got Zena to appear out of nowhere. I couldn’t resist – I had to get up and say hello! Then I followed her home … only we didn’t go home, we went straight to Bren and Cathy’s – what a treat! I couldn’t believe my luck – Zena, Bren and Cathy all in one hit. What more could a dog ask for?! I had a lovely time with them all. Cathy gave me cheese (which I had to sit for) and Zena made a real fuss of me. Bren was in a lot of pain with his knee so I had to be extra careful that I didn’t get too close to it. I had a lovely time but eventually it was time for us to leave. Alex was quite keen to get me home after my games. He said he was a bit disappointed with me because I had been walking so well up until I started my games. I didn’t want to disappoint him but sometimes a dog has to do what a dog has to do.

Talking of things one has to do. Alex is also not very keen on my plant pot game. He spent quite a bit of time yesterday cleaning up his greenhouse and putting all plant pots out of my reach. Another game spoilt! Actually, he spent quite a bit of time working in the greenhouse  doing a variety of jobs … many of which seemed aimed at putting things out of my reach. I decided the best approach would be to let him get on with it and then explore afterwards to see what I could find to be part of a new game. Actually, it was quite nice lying in the entrance to the greenhouse – it was nice and warm but there was a tiny breeze coming through the open doors which was lovely. Talking of lovely, you won’t believe what happened in the afternoon … Zena only came round and we went on a long line walk! Oh my woof it was fun! Zena couldn’t believe how well behave I am on a long line.  She and Alex just wandered whilst I sniffed what I wanted to sniff, ran where I wanted to run and basically did as I pleased. The only time they shortened the lead was when we met other dogs, which was fine. Just to show my appreciation I did a gargantuan poo, with smell to match, for Alex to pick up. Fortunately (he said) it was very near a doggy poo bin!
When Richard got home from work, Alex said he was knackered (whatever that is) because he had been “De-Montyfying’ the greenhouse as well as a couple of good long walks. Now, I may not be an expert, but I can find no such word in any Human/Woof dictionary that I know of. I think he made that word up, although Richard seemed to understand it. So, Richard took me out for another nice walk. We went down to where Jean lives and then through the little twitter by where Claire lives and into Ivy Mill (where I wanted to turn left but we went right) and back up the side of The Green before returning home. We met loads of people and said hello to them all. Many commented on my faultless charm and good looks but, of course, you already know this! It was really good and when we got home I was pretty much ready to lie down in the lounge and push out a few ?s as a precursor to going to sleep for the night. Alex didn’t seem any less knackered but he did manage to cook dinner before he fell asleep on the settee.

This morning Alex remembered the ‘lie down and refuse to move’ games of yesterday so he was taking no chances! We went straight out and round the other way so that I didn’t get a chance to play. Actually, it was a really nice walk and I walked the entire thing on a loose lead (well almost). On the way around I found a humungous stick which I took rather a liking to. I picked it up and carried it for the rest of the walk. When we reached Sniff Central I spent a good 20 minutes chewing the stick. I was rather enjoying it until some chap came along and said, “Every time I see that dog he is lying down somewhere. He won’t get very fit like that!”. I rather took umbrage to that so I stood up in a marked manner and walked to the edge of Sniff Central. Unfortunately, the chap had already moved on chuckling to himself so I feel my protest was rather missed. Being already up, I didn’t feel the need to lie down again but I decided on a round of  ‘not lying down but still refusing to move’ game. It didn’t go all that well if I’m totally honest. Alex didn’t try to persuade me to move (he knows better than that!) he just grabbed my stick and started a pulling game. By the time I realised what was happening we were half way along Salisbury Road! He got a bit clever actually, because when I realised, I stopped pulling and let go. He then waved the stick tantalisingly just out of reach and I ended up following it all the way home! Hmm, I think that on this occasion I was out manoeuvred! Today is a day of ups and downs. A nice walk, a great stick, a new game but, unfortunately, not yet able to meet Charlie. Oh well, this inventing new games every day is very tiring. I think I should push out a few ?s, so once again, must paws … ?