A strong squad

Me and my 'Tuesday girl'

Can I tell you about my team of wonderful humans who are now helping Gail keep me exercised and entertained?

Close neighbours Kirsty and Edith do Mondays and Thursday afternoons respectively. Both are also dog owners and Edith's cocker spaniel Stroma and I rub along together companionably enough, but Kirsty's wee poodle Ella is elderly and never was a fan of my more boisterous side, so she doesn't usually join us for our walks. 

On Tuesday at the moment it's Anita. I'm told Anita has a penchant for running endurance marathons in the mountains when she isn't sailing around the world. But so far, and somewhat to my relief, we've stuck to the less challenging territory of Aberdeen's parks and green spaces.

My Wednesday lady is Sheila. She is, like Kirsty, a retired vet. Sheila clearly adores walking and dogs and in turn I adore her.

Friday it's the turn of Imogen, another action woman, who somehow finds time to fit me in between her cycling, kayaking, cello-playing, swimming, volunteering and other activities. Exhausting even to read that list!

First choice on Sundays is Gail's former colleague John, who likes to drive me out into the hills and give me a good workout.

Oh and finally let's not forget Saturday, when lovely young Ola and Struan take me for a walk and, if I'm super lucky, we might also go to the pub next door to their flat - a familiar spot from pub quiz evenings where I feel quite at home and am, in truth, rather spoilt.

All the best teams are backed up by first rate talent on the substitutes bench and you'll doubtless be hearing more about some of my 'reserves' in good time.

As readers will have realised, I'm having to adapt to some big, sudden and wholly unanticipated changes in routine since Gail came out of hospital, and she tells me that henceforth things will never be quite the same as they were before. 

But you know what? I'm friendly and adaptable little chap and I'm doing just fine.

Me and Stroma