Give Me A Reason

Hello again, furiends! 

As you saw in last week's repawt, I have been keeping quite busy around my new yard and local area, not without the occasional disagreement with the new humans. It's going to take a wee while to find our mutually acceptable boundaries. I mean, they can't have it all their own way... ...can they? 

Take Stephen, for example. Like my darling Gail, he is very active and tends to the athletic. However, he confounded me when he thought that I might take up running with him.

Now, don't be fooled by the stance of the fellow into thinking he was holding any form of enticement, the better to encourage enthusiasm for what, to me, seems an entirely pointless activity.

Yes, I run around the garden - but that is with some proper purpose behind it. Bunnies, or balls... or both. Perhaps a squirrel. Sticks, pull-toys, and other such things add purpose to movement beyond a standard trot. I even took to running somewhat when Gail took me to agility. In fact, that was about the only time that Gail herself would be found running. Walking, yes. Cycling, yes. Swimming, yes. Running? Not her thing either. Not without good reason. (Long timers here may recall Gail's reaction when I did think it might be worth attempting to beat Uncle Max's record at a Peak District Parkrun.)

So I looked at Stephen...

Give me a reason! Even if you did have liver bits in those cupped hands of yours, you'd need to be leaving them like the trail to the gingerbread house for me to consider following. 

You could try the ball on the stick a la donkey and carrot, but I guess that would cramp your running style. 

Tell me, furiends, do your peeps do activities with no apparent productive end to them? Do you go with them?? Why???

Of Bunnies, Balls And Baths

Hello there, furiends, far and near! Nobby here... Hope you haven't forgotten me. My new humum, Dru, has been a bit busy to play correspondent with YAM-aunty, but on Easter Monday, she found time to pass on my report.

It's fair to say, I admit, that I have been stretching the envelope a bit on the behaviour front. What's a WFT to do when his genetic makeup is raging? Bunnies making holes in my new territory was really annoying, so it was only right that I go digging up their burrows, don't you think? Turns out that Dru and Stephen were less convinced. They took to filling the excavations with immovable rocks...

Really? Do they want bunnies bundling all over their yard? Well, that aside, they also took umbrage at the results of my efforts, it seems, and even took CCTV evidence...

Did they not see all those posts from Gail about my ditching and diving indulgences?! Of course, Gail always managed to find at least a puddle, if not a burn, or better, a river, to dunk me in before returning to the house.

Here, though, actual baths are rather more prevalent. My adopted husibs, A&E turned up for Easter. I really like brofur E, and I thought I liked sisfur A, until she took to shampooing me! Not just a thimbleful, mind you. A full-on, total lathering. Dru let out a "goodness gracious" response to my whitey-white appearance after it! She managed to get some photos of that pristine wool as I rolled in the garden after to try and dull the odour... and the brightness...

Oh well... at least the sun was shining and the grass smelled sweet. Nothing quite like air-drying au naturel, wouldn't you agree?

Still and all, it was rather fun having A&E visit. We went for some very decent walks around the Lake District, had lots of play in the garden, cuddles, nibbles...

Oh, mentioning plays in the garden (other than bunny bating), there was a good deal of ball activity. You all may recall my obsession with my ball. Or, indeed, other dogs' balls... anyway, I have a lot of balls here now and one of the ways I got A to make amends for the shampooing fiasco was to throw that ball, and throw it again...and again... and at least 87, maybe more, times!

As you can see, my wool is also growing back apace. Spring works on the follicles, too!

Anyway, I'm having fun. Mostly. There was more to report, but Aunty tells me it's worth making another post, so I'll see you again next week! 

Toodle-pip!

Postcard

YAM-aunty here. I received a brief message from Nobby (who had engaged the fingers and thumbs of new-mum Dru to take dictation) wishing me to convey greetings and to say that there will be a fuller update soon.

Along with that message came the following postcard. Something about this scene reminded me of one of the great tales from Gail's three dogs: namely, Hamish and the Great Scone Scandal. Clearly, Nobby is now hobnobbing and starting to feel very much at home in his new place!

Scalped!!!

Well, that's perhaps an exaggeration. Hello everyone. 

Dru and Steve started calling me "Fluff" because I resembled a Merino sheep more than a WFT. I hadn't had any serious grooming since I went with Gail and YAM-aunty to the place at Inverurie in November. Not that I was entirely complaining, given how cold the winter has been. However, as Dru noted, I was starting to be unable to see my ball. That just isn't cricket! 

So, it was off to the groomers we went. Not the same one, obviously. Someone local to my new home in the Lake District. Just like the Inverurie salon, I was attended to for three hours. THREE HOURS!!! I can't really claim hardship. It's a relief to walk around my new yard and find my way without bumping into stuff.

I was put into the coat to compensate for the lack of Merino covering! I think Dru forgot what a rufty-tufty bloke I am. Though, the blue quite suits me... Mind you, Dru also said I smelled a bit like a "big girl's blouse" rather than Cairngorm masculinity, putting it down to the groomer wanting to impress. That's okay, I'll sort out the whiff soon enough. I think you will agree the grooming work stands up well to scrutiny and is impressive enough without the sham and poo...

Does this scream WFT, or does it yell WFT???

Anyhow, the whole episode left me hungry, so I was very glad Steve had my kibbles ready and waiting for me back home! On a slightly distracting note, I think I overheard a discussion about dog agility.......

Familiar, Yet Different

Hello again, efurrybuddy! Last week, there was another big drive, and things got busy. I am going to let new-mum Dru tell you about it. After reading this, you might like to pop over to YAM-aunty's post about her visit and Gail's memorial.

Before Gail’s memorial tea, a party of Nobby's regular walkers agreed to meet at 11:30 AM in Hazlehead Park for a walk. Warnings of the big storm, Eowyn, meant all the sporty ladies, used to Aberdeen weather, turned up in several layers of waterproofs and impermeable footwear. Not so Dru and Steve, who had very wet feet by the end of the hour! Nobby was fine; in his ever-burgeoning coat, he was beginning to resemble a Merino sheep. No sane soul but us was out, and we did a round of the park and waterlogged golf course, Nobby running in circles, the wind in his tail, then trotting from group to group to spread his attentions freely between all his well-known friends. We were pleased to find there was nothing but natural mossy objects for Nobby to pick up. We’d spent the previous day in Torry near our Air B and B trying to coax Nobby to drop cardboard or buns - luckily dragging him away from other unspeakable litter.

No trees fell on our heads, and then we were blessed by the clearing of the wind and a calm sun coming out in time for Gail’s gathering. This was lovely and quite a surprise for us and, we infer, the meteorological office.

On Saturday mornig, we took Nobby to Duthie Park for a reminiscent stroll. He certainly knew where he was and obliged us by posing on his customary concrete blocks. 

A lady - Ola - even recognised him - ‘is that Nobby!’ However, despite saying hello to a few spaniels and cockapoos, and checking out some friendly shrubs, he stuck pretty close to us. We wondered if he now viewed the park as a spot where a dog could swiftly change hands to an unexpected set of new owners if not on the ‘Qui Vive!’. 

At the end of the gathering, the cafe let me come inside and I got to sit pretty for
YAM-aunty to give me some treats that they brought out for me!

Before departing those northern parts, though, Dru had to dash back to the cafe as she had left an item there on Friday. (Sadly not retrieved...) That meant another unscheduled meeting with YAM-aunty! She was spending another couple of nights parked, sheltered from the tail-end of the storm. There is only so much travel - and socialising - a dog can do, so after a welcome Lapsang Souchong and lengthy yarn for the peeps, and a pet and snooze for Nobby at the "Yamini Salon Du Thè", Nobby lay very doggo on his fragrant cushion in our car all the way back to Cumbria.

We returned just in time to celebrate Rabbie Burns's Birthday... and Nobby's Third birthday. A tiring but very worthwhile trip.

Haggis... score!!!