Wednesday was my 71st day on this planet, and I'm delighted to tell you it was the BEST DAY EVER!
Even though when Gail opened the kitchen door to greet me first thing that morning, she actually apologised.
"Sorry Nobby, but garden time will be limited today as a couple of men are coming to perform necessary surgery on some of our trees. I'm sure they won't want you under their feet, and anyway, I suspect you'll find all the noise from the saws and woodchipper rather frightening and will want to stay inside most of the time."
There comes a time in every youngster's life when they learn that information and advice from those whose role it is to care from them is far from infallible.
So these are the men who supposedly would want me out of the way. (And yes, they are taking pictures of me to send to their families.)
And here's me being terrified of their equipment..,
Steve - he's the one in orange top - told Gail how his family has owned fox terriers for decades, and how he absolutely adores the breed. Especially puppies.
They had a good laugh when I grabbed one of their work gloves and made Gail chase me around the lawn to retrieve it. And yes, I am fast.
Steve even offered to take me home with him in lieu of payment for the tree work.
I hope the reason that Gail rejected this offer was not solely because I cost more than the price agreed for making sure our maple, holly, cherry, birch and ash trees are not interfering with the overhead telephone cables.
When Steve and his colleague finished their work, I carefully inspected the results and found it all satisfactory, and thus was able to allay Gail's fears that they'd spent so much time making a fuss of me they might have neglected the task at hand.
I confess to being slightly worried that a post about chopping bits off trees might not be consistent with the spirit of the LLB Gang's Nature Friday blog hop, but until I'm allowed out in the wide world (only two weeks to go) it will have to do.
