Monday 25 March 2013

Well, THAT was a bit of a long hiatus, wasn't it?!  Jasper here again, by the way.  22 days - 22 days!! - of silence, for goodness' sake.  If truth be barked, we have been enjoying the lighter evenings with long walks after work, and early nights so as to save on electricity costs.

But I see that there are four new followers of my blog - and how very welcome they are! Cyndie, Angie, Horsey and Mackinleigh - hearty greetings to you all.  I must also thank Lance and lovely Steph for your wonderful words of encouragement to Gisèle, they meant a great deal.  In truth, little Giz has been very embarrassed about her inability to clearly express herself - and so that is where I have been.  Helping her learn how to articulate what she was wanting to bark.  For example:-
"OK Giz.  What d'you bark when you would like your dinner?"
"I is hungry."
"No.  I am hungry."
"Are you?  I thought you didn't eats things if when you's dead."
"No - no Giz. Not me. To bark that you need food, the barks you need are "I am hungry."
"I am hungry."
"Yes! I am hungry. He is hungry. She is hungry.  They are hungry.  We are hungry."
Gisèle was a very keen pupil, and practiced hard.  After a couple of weeks of intensive schooling, the moment for which I had been waiting arrived.
"Ohhhhh!!!!" gasped Gisèle.  Once could almost hear the distant 'clang' as the penny dropped in little Gizmo's mind and she understood it all.

She was beside herself with excitement and joy in her new-found understanding and used every opportunity to try out what she had learned.  I was genuinely delighted for her.  It transpired that Gisèle had fallen somewhere in the middle of a litter of 9 puppies, 8 of whom had survived (imagine squeezing that lot out, eh?!  Ouch!").  Apart from explaining one of the reasons why Gisèle was so tiny, it also meant that Giz's poor mother had her paws full with 8 lively sons and daughters to nurture and wean all at the same time.  Each pup was given good basic understanding, but left somewhat to shift for itself.  Like so many things in life - for all of us - it was not the skills or knowledge that Gisèle was lacking; it was the confidence to use them.  Once she had grown in this confidence there was no stopping her.

"So," I declared.  "YOU will be able to write the blog from now on!"
"No, oh no!" squeaked Giz, "Not yet!"
"Now is as good a time as any - I have LONG outstayed my time here.  You can do it!"
But little Gisèle was adamant.  She had picked up an unguarded hint from my partner that I had promised to remain until the end of a certain particular, erm, circumstance - for which I was there at the beginning and had vowed to support my partner throughout.  Oh wretched, wretched nose-cancer.  This certain circumstance is due to be concluded, if all goes well, in November this year - after six years of relative hardship.  So it looks like you may be stuck with me until then, for which I can only apologise.  Betty returns this coming week, however, to stay for a months complete - so I daresay there will be plenty more hi-jinks with which to amuse you until I make my formal handover to Gisèle...

Betty returns in a day or two - for a stay lasting a month complete.  I KNOW that Gisèle is planning mischief aplenty for when her best friend re-enters our lives - but whenever I ask her about it she just laughs and runs away.  But I am not deceived, dearest reader.  Time to batten down the hatches and gird your loins - for the evenings turn lighter and opportunities for Giz-pickles grow ever-more plentiful...

I've got a bad feeling about this...