Quick update - my partner has been working flat-out at the vets. At a dinner party tonight to see the new year in...
Betty is to return for a week in a few days' time, which has caused much joy in the household.
Gisele's behaviour has improved beyond anything one might have anticipated and she has become all that I could have wished for my partner - a loving, devoted companion; whilst losing none of her cheeky, saucy, mischievous, independent and lively personality. So different from myself - and happily so.
Pretty Giz consented, in a moment of Christmas weakness, to go on a date with Archie, the Jack Russell from the house at the end of our terrace, who has long lusted after her. It was not a success.
More to follow anon...
Wednesday, 31 December 2014
Saturday, 22 November 2014
Saturday 22 November 2014
Well, I should like to be regaling you with information from sweet Gisèle - but when I chatted to her about her news and about what she wished to bark, when she began with "Hihihihi... I's on heat - write my 'phone number and address and tell all boy dogs to come and visit pretty Giz, hihihihiiiiiiiii...", I knew that it would not end well.
Instead, therefore, whilst our diminutive heroine "cools down", here is a piece written by my partner; composed as she visited the WWI commemorative art installation of poppies at the Tower of London.
What have they come to see? The sea of red spilling from the mighty Tower & filling its moat, representing the blood of the fallen? The art installation that is the current zeitgeist, the pièce du jour, to keep pace with fashion? An opportunity for a “poppy selfie” to prove to their Facebook friends that they were here?
Or do they fix their eye on one single poppy & spare a thought for the lost life that that individual ceramic bloom commemorates? Perhaps a 19 year-old Tommy, shot in the throat by a German sniper, fallen to the ground in abject terror; the last coherent sound he is able to fix upon as he begins to drown in the endless mud & his own blood is that of his mates being yelled at by their commanding officer: “Forget him! Leave him! He’s gone; there’s nothing you can do! Keep going…!”
Perhaps some do see these poppies as the 888,246 individual lives snuffed out so brutally. But for the most part – today, at least – more visitors seem keener to push & mutter obscenities at the back of a stranger’s head, when they deem him to have “taken too long” to capture his photograph & his memory.
Instead, therefore, whilst our diminutive heroine "cools down", here is a piece written by my partner; composed as she visited the WWI commemorative art installation of poppies at the Tower of London.
Blood Swept Lands & Seas
of Red
This
was the name of the art installation in London London
The Tower of London
They
are coming in waves. Something vaguely
unsettling [is] going on here. [On my] arrival here [earlier, there was] only a
certain amount of good-natured jostling followed by apologies & awkward
smiles. But now tourists of all hues
& accents pour down Tower Hill as the coaches & tubes disgorge their
contents in droves. A man holds a ladder
above the heads of the slowly-moving morass & a pair of Police-officers
keeps a vigilant watch, mounted atop powerful, patient horses, both of whom
blink unflinchingly as their photographs are taken & their noses are
repeatedly tapped by strangers.
The
art installation is undeniably beautiful. A single poppy for every UK soldier
lost in the bloody slaughter of WWI – & [in this] setting; England’s mighty
fortress, which has held firm for centuries -
stronghold of our crown & resting place for executed monarchs & traitors
alike. The mere words “the Tower” once
filled Londoners’ hearts with dread – & now it is almost impossible to
withstand the huge tides of people rushing to its walls, marshalled by a small
army of people with loudhailers trying desperately to keep the crowds in motion
& avoid a devastating crush.
There
is something ugly about this now. People
are pushing to get at the front, for the “best” view. An heavily-pregnant woman has just stumbled
after being shoved. Those with
high-powered cameras seem utterly oblivious to the presence of tiny children in
front of them as they jostle & position in order to get the best
angle. One man barely notices that he
has kicked over a toddler, so absorbed is he in focussing his lenses, & he
grunts the most cursory of apologies to the tot’s parents. Helicopters offering “aerial tours” fly &
hover noisily overhead at regular intervals, & still more surges of people
come.
What have they come to see? The sea of red spilling from the mighty Tower & filling its moat, representing the blood of the fallen? The art installation that is the current zeitgeist, the pièce du jour, to keep pace with fashion? An opportunity for a “poppy selfie” to prove to their Facebook friends that they were here?
Or do they fix their eye on one single poppy & spare a thought for the lost life that that individual ceramic bloom commemorates? Perhaps a 19 year-old Tommy, shot in the throat by a German sniper, fallen to the ground in abject terror; the last coherent sound he is able to fix upon as he begins to drown in the endless mud & his own blood is that of his mates being yelled at by their commanding officer: “Forget him! Leave him! He’s gone; there’s nothing you can do! Keep going…!”
Perhaps some do see these poppies as the 888,246 individual lives snuffed out so brutally. But for the most part – today, at least – more visitors seem keener to push & mutter obscenities at the back of a stranger’s head, when they deem him to have “taken too long” to capture his photograph & his memory.
I
wonder what the ghosts of the Tower make of all this? I found elements here more ghoulish than even
Anne Boleyn’s reputed spectral wanderings.
Friday, 14 November 2014
Friday 14 November 2015
Nothing coherent from Gisele this week, though I am prepared to forgive her; my partner is - even at this moment as I bark - at BBC Broadcasting House, raising money for Children in Need.
0500 22 11 22 today - help raise some money for the human pups!
See you anon!
0500 22 11 22 today - help raise some money for the human pups!
See you anon!
Saturday, 8 November 2014
Sunday 9 November 2014
I was left with no choice, dear reader. Kind cajoling, implied threats, humble pleading - all came to naught. And the only option remaining to me was that of the "ultimate weapon". It has been successfully deployed on a now suitably-chastened Gisèle. I like to think that her looks of contrition and apology were genuine... (hmmm...).
Having finally consented to fulfil her duty, I turn back to the post that had been only partially completed when 'Sèle decided that her time would be better employed in things other than the upkeep of the blog (not necessarily in order of preference nor a fully-comprehensive list: playing and gossiping with Betty; flirting with boyfriends Boris and Monty and assorted other suitors, visiting her buzzard "friends" (we'll get on to that in a bit); and maintaining her youthful beauty. I insisted that my work of 25 August should not go to waste - and so here it is:
Monday 25 August 2014
At last, after some three or four days, Gisèle was able to look at Betty without grinning and peace reigned in our small world once again. Not for long, alas.
Repairing for their evening exercise to one of their usual favourites, Betty and Giz were happily occupied in caperings and gossip for most of their walk. Until, that is, little Giz spotted the most part of what had formerly been a pigeon just off the woodland path (pigeon-shooting often taking place in the woods). Seizing it by the remaining shoulder, Giz snatched it up and dashed off with it. I believed I could guess where she was going. Betty followed dubiously.
"Hello, nest-babies!" squealed 'Sele, triumphantly displaying the gift she had brought them to one of the adult buzzards. "This is only a bit manky, but I hope that you will all like it! Bye!" She skipped away, pleased with herself.
"I thought you promised me that you wouldn't associate with those buzzards any more?" Betty demanded angrily, as Giz pottered up to her.
"Eh?" replied a momentarily-puzzled 'Sele, "No I never, I - oh sh*t - er, uh, I mean... um... what buzzards...?"
"Pathetic, Gizzle, you invidious weasel," sighed Betty, shaking her head, "Just pathetic." She sighed deeply again. "Well, you cannot bark that you've not been warned. I will not say that I have 'washed my paws of you', but you must accept that you are mistress of your own fate. I urge you to rethink, before it is too late."
"Hihihi, OK!" yipped Giz, before dashing off on the scent of an incautious squirrel and leaving Betty, still shaking her head despairingly, on the path...
Betty was able to claw back a modicum of revenge later though, when
And that is where it ends. I cannot think for the life of me what Betty's revenge ultimately turned out to be. Giz pretended to try to remember, but Boris is staying with us at the moment and so she is at her giggly worst. I doubt she could recall what she had for supper this evening... If I remember, I shall tell you, but my hopes aren't high.
If truth be told, Gisèle is not really barking to my partner at the moment. The uneasy atmosphere has persisted for almost two months. The reason for this is that my partner has taken proactive action to get rid of the last vestiges of her debts once and for all. Her insolvency is over (see THIS ENTRY for the beginning of that wretched affair), but the last after-effects still needed considerable 'mopping up'. And it was for THIS, dear reader, that I tried so hard to stay alive for my partner - and why I could not leave her even after I lost my fight with the Big C. I had vowed to myself that I would not abandon her; that I had been there at the beginning of the IVA and I would support her throughout. Alas, that was not to be; in a physical sense at least. I hope this helps to explain my steadfast determination not to let go.
I digress somewhat. Rather than moping and feeling sorry for herself, my partner has gone out and secured a second job, in addition to her full-time one. This second, part-time, job - and it mortifies me to have to bark this - is at a Vets' Surgery.
A Vets' Surgery. Oh yes.
My duplicitous partner is their evenings and weekend receptionist. She does her day job from 9 - 5 (like Dolly) on Mondays to Fridays, after which she dons a jaunty uniform and works 7pm - 11pm on weeknights, 2pm - 10pm on Saturdays and then 9am - 7pm on Sundays. It seems to be tiring for her, but she has the gross temerity to claim that she "enjoys it". The double-dealing wretch. After starting this additional job halfway through September, it was a full month before Gisèle could bring herself to even look at my partner. And the occasional gift of a gravy-bone from a well-meaning vet has done nothing to placate her. Her one consolation is that it is not our vet, but an out-of-hours-only one - based, coincidentally, at Betty's vets. Sweet 'Sèle has derived some cheap humour from this at Betty's expense, but she remains still largely unimpressed. My partner has promised to buy Gisèle a special Christmas present, now that she is less financially-embarrassed, but I suspect it will take more than that for 'Sèle to fully accept the situation...
And so - now that I have secured Gisèle's agreement and her (not entirely convincing) mitigations; let us trust that normal service will now be resumed! Hurrah!
And the ultimate weapon...? Why the worst that there could ever be.
I simply took Gisèle aside and explained that I was not angry with her; I was just disappointed... How many amongst us would not prefer the righteous irate b*ll*cking?! Certainly not Gisèle-Stephanie, hehe...
Onwards and upwards!
Having finally consented to fulfil her duty, I turn back to the post that had been only partially completed when 'Sèle decided that her time would be better employed in things other than the upkeep of the blog (not necessarily in order of preference nor a fully-comprehensive list: playing and gossiping with Betty; flirting with boyfriends Boris and Monty and assorted other suitors, visiting her buzzard "friends" (we'll get on to that in a bit); and maintaining her youthful beauty. I insisted that my work of 25 August should not go to waste - and so here it is:
Monday 25 August 2014
At last, after some three or four days, Gisèle was able to look at Betty without grinning and peace reigned in our small world once again. Not for long, alas.
Repairing for their evening exercise to one of their usual favourites, Betty and Giz were happily occupied in caperings and gossip for most of their walk. Until, that is, little Giz spotted the most part of what had formerly been a pigeon just off the woodland path (pigeon-shooting often taking place in the woods). Seizing it by the remaining shoulder, Giz snatched it up and dashed off with it. I believed I could guess where she was going. Betty followed dubiously.
"Hello, nest-babies!" squealed 'Sele, triumphantly displaying the gift she had brought them to one of the adult buzzards. "This is only a bit manky, but I hope that you will all like it! Bye!" She skipped away, pleased with herself.
"I thought you promised me that you wouldn't associate with those buzzards any more?" Betty demanded angrily, as Giz pottered up to her.
"Eh?" replied a momentarily-puzzled 'Sele, "No I never, I - oh sh*t - er, uh, I mean... um... what buzzards...?"
"Pathetic, Gizzle, you invidious weasel," sighed Betty, shaking her head, "Just pathetic." She sighed deeply again. "Well, you cannot bark that you've not been warned. I will not say that I have 'washed my paws of you', but you must accept that you are mistress of your own fate. I urge you to rethink, before it is too late."
"Hihihi, OK!" yipped Giz, before dashing off on the scent of an incautious squirrel and leaving Betty, still shaking her head despairingly, on the path...
Betty was able to claw back a modicum of revenge later though, when
And that is where it ends. I cannot think for the life of me what Betty's revenge ultimately turned out to be. Giz pretended to try to remember, but Boris is staying with us at the moment and so she is at her giggly worst. I doubt she could recall what she had for supper this evening... If I remember, I shall tell you, but my hopes aren't high.
If truth be told, Gisèle is not really barking to my partner at the moment. The uneasy atmosphere has persisted for almost two months. The reason for this is that my partner has taken proactive action to get rid of the last vestiges of her debts once and for all. Her insolvency is over (see THIS ENTRY for the beginning of that wretched affair), but the last after-effects still needed considerable 'mopping up'. And it was for THIS, dear reader, that I tried so hard to stay alive for my partner - and why I could not leave her even after I lost my fight with the Big C. I had vowed to myself that I would not abandon her; that I had been there at the beginning of the IVA and I would support her throughout. Alas, that was not to be; in a physical sense at least. I hope this helps to explain my steadfast determination not to let go.
I digress somewhat. Rather than moping and feeling sorry for herself, my partner has gone out and secured a second job, in addition to her full-time one. This second, part-time, job - and it mortifies me to have to bark this - is at a Vets' Surgery.
A Vets' Surgery. Oh yes.
My duplicitous partner is their evenings and weekend receptionist. She does her day job from 9 - 5 (like Dolly) on Mondays to Fridays, after which she dons a jaunty uniform and works 7pm - 11pm on weeknights, 2pm - 10pm on Saturdays and then 9am - 7pm on Sundays. It seems to be tiring for her, but she has the gross temerity to claim that she "enjoys it". The double-dealing wretch. After starting this additional job halfway through September, it was a full month before Gisèle could bring herself to even look at my partner. And the occasional gift of a gravy-bone from a well-meaning vet has done nothing to placate her. Her one consolation is that it is not our vet, but an out-of-hours-only one - based, coincidentally, at Betty's vets. Sweet 'Sèle has derived some cheap humour from this at Betty's expense, but she remains still largely unimpressed. My partner has promised to buy Gisèle a special Christmas present, now that she is less financially-embarrassed, but I suspect it will take more than that for 'Sèle to fully accept the situation...
And so - now that I have secured Gisèle's agreement and her (not entirely convincing) mitigations; let us trust that normal service will now be resumed! Hurrah!
And the ultimate weapon...? Why the worst that there could ever be.
I simply took Gisèle aside and explained that I was not angry with her; I was just disappointed... How many amongst us would not prefer the righteous irate b*ll*cking?! Certainly not Gisèle-Stephanie, hehe...
Onwards and upwards!
Tuesday, 21 October 2014
Tuesday 21 October 2014
Jasper's partner here. SUCH an awful hiatus between posts, I know. Even this I am typing via iPhone... Gisele refuses to listen to Jasper's reasoning with respect to keeping his blog going - though he has yet to deploy his "ultimate weapon" which I know will not go unheeded when it IS ultimately unleashed... For now, however, these are my last moments of youth... I turn 40 in some ten minutes. Scared and alone. No Jasper to comfort me. Naught but a vain and selfish terrier. Sometimes I don't know why I bother... For the sake of what used to be, perhaps. But - dear GOD - I miss Jasper...
Good night
Good night
Tuesday, 19 August 2014
Tuesday 19 August 2014
"Mmmmmffffth...!"
The newly-arrived Betty merely stared.
"Pppffffthhtthththhhhh!"
Gisèle was shaking and biting down, hard, on a corner of a cushion as she perched on the sofa. "Mmmmrrrffthhh!"
"Oh, for heaven's sake, just get ON with it!" snapped Betty.
"BWWWAAAAHAAAHAAAAHAAAAAAAAA!" The little Parson Jack Russell Terrier gave herself over to the hysterical laughter which she had been trying to conceal. She rolled over, cackling madly, falling backwards off the sofa and landing on the floor hard on her back. Giz merely laughed on, lying on her back, all four legs and paws paddling in the air. Betty just stared at her with pursed lips, trying to maintain her dignity.
I should explain. Betty, as we generally know her, has tousled, attractively unkempt fur, as shown in this picture:
THIS is how she looked upon her recent return:
Giz laughed and laughed until she developed a slight cough and had to desist. Betty simply shook her head and darkly muttered "Oh, *** off, you poisonous ginger dwarf..."
Apart from this - and the fact that it took another three days before Giz could look at Betty without grinning - their reunion was happy and joyful; the two friends delighting in each others' company.
Less jolly was Gisèle attempt to account for one of our recent unexplained phenomena. In recent weeks, a "crop circle" has appeared in a field not far from here. This is what it looks like (and, for the record, I don't believe that aliens are even tacitly responsible for these examples of cereal-killing):
"IS it aliens, d'you reckon, Gizzle?" asked Betty one afternoon.
"No, of course not!" yipped Giz, "It's obvious, you can tell just from looking at it!"
"Seriously?!"
"Yes! It must have happened when you decided to have a sit down on your fatty bum in that field!" and before her last yip had died away, she fled. After only a moment's hesitation, Betty tore upstairs after her, yelling. Giz neatly diverted into the airing-cupboard and hopped up onto one of the high shelves, where her pursuer could not follow.
"Come here!" roared Betty
"No!" piped Giz cheekily.
"You come down here right now!"
"No!"
"Why not?!"
"Because you will bite on me until I am all sore!"
"You'll have to come out of there some time, if you ever want to eat, drink or go to the toilet again, and I will be waiting here, right outside the door when you do." And, with that, she settled herself on the landing outside the airing-cupboard to wait for her tiny tormentor.
After some twenty minutes, Betty's regular slow, heavy breathing made it clear that she had fallen asleep. A few seconds later, the airing-cupboard door opened a crack and a tiny bright brown eye peeped out. Seeing the sleeping Betty, Giz carefully clambered down from her shelf and quietly tip-clawed out and past Betty. She crept downstairs, had a drink, and put herself to bed. By the morning, Betty (though somewhat mystified as to why she had been sleeping on the landing and not in her bed) had forgotten that she was pretending to be cross with her little friend - for I have no doubt that she was never truly angry; the girls are now such firm friends as to render this impossible.
Good night.
Tuesday, 5 August 2014
Tuesday 5 August 2014
Betty returned home shortly after the events described in the previous entry - but not before she had exhorted a solemn promise from Gisèle that she would not seek out the company of the buzzard and her chicks again. Little 'Sèle was more than happy to accede and faithfully swore that she would not venture even close to the raptors' nest.
It goes without barking that, the instant she had returned to the location, she immediately bent her steps to the buzzards' nest and greeted her feathered "friend" heartily. The third egg had hatched, which was the cue for more squeals of delight from Giz. I won't insult you with a repetition of the "conversations" that ensued.
Back on safer ground, at home, Gisèle was enjoying the sun in the garden when the sound of earnest voices drew her out into the street and up to the hedge at the side of the pavement, where a group of her friends were congregated and chattering animatedly about something unseen.
"Stick your paw in it, Thunder!" miaowed Kittenjasper to his feline brother, "Go on! It'll be fun!"
"Yeah, go on Thunder!" echoed Archie, the little Jack Russell from the end house. "I dare you!"
"Honey, do YOU dare me?" mewed the hesitant Kittenjasper to the ginger cat who made up the feline trio in his house.
"I wouldn't do it," replied Honey coolly, "But you should do it, Jas!"
Her interest piqued, Gisèle took a closer glance at the focus of their attention. This is what she saw:
Intrigued, she joined the group.
"Gizzle!" yapped Archie excitedly, "Here are brains and beauty in one lovely package!" Archie was smitten with Gisèle the moment he'd first set eyes on her and had never given up hope of being successful in tempting her to his basket, despite her lack of encouragement. Sweet 'Sèle almost never considered any dog smaller than a spaniel to be worthy of her attention. "Come and get Thunder to stick his paw in this!"
She padded over. As well as Archie, Oliver (the three-legged cat who lived with Archie) Kittenjasper, Thunder and Honey at the hedge, Peaches and his tabby friend were watching from a short distance away, grinning. (Yes - you may well be surprised on learning this if you are a regular reader of this blog - Peaches does indeed have a friend. The unfortunate fallout from Gisèle's ill-starred "I Love Peaches Party", described here and concluded here, seemed to have ultimately benefited everyone in the street and taught Peaches himself the value of behaving nicely. Very cheering. More of this development to follow...).
"Come on, Thunder!" goaded Archie again, "Stick your paw in it, just for a minute, it'll be really funny!" The members of the little group giggled and continued to encourage Thunder.
"Don't TOUCH it Thunder!" yipped Gisèle, "You idiots! That is a wasps' nest!"
"No!" mewed Kittenjasper to his brother, "Honestly, stick your paw in, it'll be fun!"
"Yeah!" agreed Archie.
"You stick YOUR paw in, Arch!" miaowed Thunder.
"I'm not putting my paw in that!" barked Archie with a grin, "It's a bl**dy wasps' nest! I'm not stupid..."
They all laughed, including Thunder, and began to disperse. Though of quite how hearty their laughter would have been had one of the buffoons ACTUALLY shoved a paw into the wasps' nest I remain unconvinced (I do not forget the occasion when my pea-brained friend Ewan challenged the occupants of such a nest to a game of football - see here).
Shaking her little furry head, Gizzy ignored Archie's clumsy attempts to flirt further with her and returned to the house. She had some work to do - for Betty returns on the morrow!
Good night...
P.S. Betty, Gisèle and I (along with my partner) are supporting Pupaid - you might want to head on over and add your voice of support: Pupaid website. Thank you. JHS
It goes without barking that, the instant she had returned to the location, she immediately bent her steps to the buzzards' nest and greeted her feathered "friend" heartily. The third egg had hatched, which was the cue for more squeals of delight from Giz. I won't insult you with a repetition of the "conversations" that ensued.
Back on safer ground, at home, Gisèle was enjoying the sun in the garden when the sound of earnest voices drew her out into the street and up to the hedge at the side of the pavement, where a group of her friends were congregated and chattering animatedly about something unseen.
"Stick your paw in it, Thunder!" miaowed Kittenjasper to his feline brother, "Go on! It'll be fun!"
"Yeah, go on Thunder!" echoed Archie, the little Jack Russell from the end house. "I dare you!"
"Honey, do YOU dare me?" mewed the hesitant Kittenjasper to the ginger cat who made up the feline trio in his house.
"I wouldn't do it," replied Honey coolly, "But you should do it, Jas!"
Her interest piqued, Gisèle took a closer glance at the focus of their attention. This is what she saw:
Intrigued, she joined the group.
"Gizzle!" yapped Archie excitedly, "Here are brains and beauty in one lovely package!" Archie was smitten with Gisèle the moment he'd first set eyes on her and had never given up hope of being successful in tempting her to his basket, despite her lack of encouragement. Sweet 'Sèle almost never considered any dog smaller than a spaniel to be worthy of her attention. "Come and get Thunder to stick his paw in this!"
She padded over. As well as Archie, Oliver (the three-legged cat who lived with Archie) Kittenjasper, Thunder and Honey at the hedge, Peaches and his tabby friend were watching from a short distance away, grinning. (Yes - you may well be surprised on learning this if you are a regular reader of this blog - Peaches does indeed have a friend. The unfortunate fallout from Gisèle's ill-starred "I Love Peaches Party", described here and concluded here, seemed to have ultimately benefited everyone in the street and taught Peaches himself the value of behaving nicely. Very cheering. More of this development to follow...).
"Come on, Thunder!" goaded Archie again, "Stick your paw in it, just for a minute, it'll be really funny!" The members of the little group giggled and continued to encourage Thunder.
"Don't TOUCH it Thunder!" yipped Gisèle, "You idiots! That is a wasps' nest!"
"No!" mewed Kittenjasper to his brother, "Honestly, stick your paw in, it'll be fun!"
"Yeah!" agreed Archie.
"You stick YOUR paw in, Arch!" miaowed Thunder.
"I'm not putting my paw in that!" barked Archie with a grin, "It's a bl**dy wasps' nest! I'm not stupid..."
They all laughed, including Thunder, and began to disperse. Though of quite how hearty their laughter would have been had one of the buffoons ACTUALLY shoved a paw into the wasps' nest I remain unconvinced (I do not forget the occasion when my pea-brained friend Ewan challenged the occupants of such a nest to a game of football - see here).
Shaking her little furry head, Gizzy ignored Archie's clumsy attempts to flirt further with her and returned to the house. She had some work to do - for Betty returns on the morrow!
Good night...
P.S. Betty, Gisèle and I (along with my partner) are supporting Pupaid - you might want to head on over and add your voice of support: Pupaid website. Thank you. JHS
Thursday, 3 July 2014
Thursday 3 July 2014
Hello again. Did you think I had abandoned the blog forever? I have felt deeply ashamed of my neglect. It was not entirely within the scope of my fault, however. My partner has been busy and occasionally unwell over the past couple of months. Gisèle has been out and about in the lighter evenings of late and, most significantly, our computer was infected with a behemoth of an evil virus. Specialist software had to be purchased - that's a mark of how serious the problem was... Thankfully, it was money well spent, and we are back to our regular capacity. I regard it as highly fortunate that the mighty blog itself (now, after all, in it's EIGHTH year!) was not affected by the virus. Wretched thing. But away with all this. A further regret is that we last parted on something of a cliff-hanger; the sighting by Betty of a young buzzard following little 'Sèle at the very scene of my own past entanglements with such a scourge. Let us join them once more, as they venture forth once again for an early evening stroll...
"...and that one is a woodpecker, a green woodpecker." explained Betty, as a green bird flew, chirruping, up from the ground into a nearby tree.
"Why is it called a woodpecker?" asked Gisèle curiously, "Is it made of wood?"
"No, it just pecks wood on trees to get out the insects."
"Oh... OK."
"And, over there, you can see a nuthatch - see? That little one with the orange belly in the tree?"
"Do those ones hatch out of nuts?" queried Giz.
"No, of course not, you muppet!"
"Why are they called that then?!"
"Don't know. Maybe because they like to eat nuts."
"Wow, Bettz, you know EVERYTHING! Are there any owls?"
"It's a bit early in the evening but, yes, there are owls around here."
Gisèle's little face lit up at once. "Oh WOW!" she squeaked excitedly, "I want to see a big white pretty snowy owl, like Hedwig out of Harry Potter!"
"I think those ones are a bit rare," muttered Betty, "They're mostly brown owls and tawny owls around here..."
"I like Hedwig best, as well as Ginny and Dobby and Hermione. [Harry Potter characters] And I like Sirius too."
"Is Sirius that one who was a big dog sometimes?" queried Betty, with a sideways glance at her diminutive friend.
"Hihi, yes." giggled Giz.
"I liked him too, hur hur-"
"But Hedwig is my very favourite. I wish I could be her."
Betty was about to reply with a considered response on the ultimate fate of the brave and faithful Hedwig, when a series of unsettling sounds came from within the canopy of a tree overhead. She gave a sharp intake of breath and pushed Gisèle hastily in another direction, causing the little Parson Jack Russell to stumble.
"Ow!" protested Giz, "What did you do that for?!"
"That's a buzzard's nest, up there!" hissed Betty, "Didn't you recognise the sounds?"
"I have never heard them before." replied Giz.
"Well, trust me, that's the sound of a buzzard with some chicks. Stay AWAY little Giz, stay away." But I could see that Giz had ceased paying attention at the mention of chicks...
"Ooh - babies?" she yipped, turning and trying to crane her head to look up at the nest, "I love little babies!"
"Not these ones, you won't." grunted Betty, as she firmly steered Giz away from the tree. Fortunately, Betty's vast reserves of strength and determination were too powerful for the reluctant Giz to resist.
Relief at Betty's ability to put herself between little Giz and mortal peril unhappily began to evaporate some 40 minutes later, however, when Gisèle was to be spotted slinking back towards the tree containing the nest with Betty nowhere to be seen. Unease was further heightened when, after a quick glance about her to check that all coasts were clear, the tiny terrier jumped up and began to clamber awkwardly up the tree...
"Oooff..." she puffed, as she tenaciously scaled branch after branch, sliding back on some, but determined not to be thwarted, "Errgh! Oops - hngyehh! Hup! Errrkkkk! That's it - errfff!"
The female buzzard perching on the side of the nest looked down at the small dog, with an inscrutable expression in her beady eyes. She didn't seem to comprehend what she was seeing. I can't bark that I blame her. Giz glanced up at the raptor. "Oh! Hello!" she puffed, still trying to haul herself up into the higher branches, "My name is Gisèle, but my friends call me Giz! What's your name?"
The buzzard made an uncertain noise that sounded like "Beakrip."
"That's nice! Please can I look at your babies?" The buzzard continued to gaze down at the tree-climbing dog, but made no further sound. Eventually, Giz attained a level from which she could peek at the nest. There were two fluffy chicks and one cream and brown mottled egg. "Oh, aren't they beautiful?!" she simpered. This was not what I would have called them personally, but Giz's enthusiasm wasn't to be dampened by the sight of some of the ugliest spawn known to either man or beast. "And will that egg hatch soon? What do you feed them? I expect they eat a lot and leave you very tired out, don't they?!"
The buzzard continued to watch Gisèle in silence, although it didn't escape me that she had inched closer to her around the side of her nest.
"I haven't had any babies yet, but I would like to one day. But, to be honest with you, Bea, I've got my paws pretty full at the moment with Betty. She's my best friend and is a Giant Schnauzer. She's older than me, but sometimes she does take a lot of looking after. She's nice to me now, but it wasn't always like that, I can tell you, oh dear me no. She tore into my face with her teeth once, that wasn't very nice. It's all healed up now of course - well, I say all healed, there are still some little scars although you can't see those now that the fur has grown back. But you see this mark here?" Giz inclined her head in the buzzard's direction, to show her a scar on her eyebrow, but didn't wait to see if the buzzard looked. "That was Betty as well. Oh, I mean ages ago now, but the fur didn't grow back properly. I don't mind that, though, because it's only really small. I don't know where Betty is at the moment. She went off into the woods to do some toilet, I think, but she won't be too long, I don't expect. Then I can introduce you. You'll like Betty. She can be a bit grumpy and rude sometimes but actually she's really very nice, and quite funny when she gets going. She's not very good at climbing trees though, not like me, but I've done lots of practice-"
Beakrip the buzzard simply sat there and blinked at the chattering terrier. It didn't seem as though she could even begin to imagine what a little dog was doing, half-way up a tree, prattling utter nonsense at her. Gisèle continued happily gossiping away until her flow was interrupted by an almighty and thunderous roar.
"GISÈLE! What are you DOING?!? Get DOWN from there right NOW, you ludicrous tool!"
"Betty! I'm just talking to my new friend! Come and say hello!"
"COME DOWN HERE THIS INSTANT!"
"Oh dear; she sounds a bit cross. I'd better go." Gisèle turned and looked down, pondering her descent strategy (never a strong point). "But, before I do, I should tell you - you see that clump of little trees over there?" The buzzard blinked and glanced briefly in the direction Giz indicated. "Well, there is a very fresh dead rabbit behind there. It must have just died, it doesn't even have - you know - the smell yet and there weren't any flies on it. Me and Betty wanted to eat it, but Mistress wouldn't let us. But YOU might like it, for your babies. It would save you a hunting trip, wouldn't it, and I bet your babies would love all that fresh tasty meat." Open astonishment registered in the buzzard's eyes for the first time, though she remained silent. "Bye for now then. I'll come and see you again another time. Make sure you get that rabbit before someone else does! Bye-bye!" And, with that, Giz slithered clumsily down part of the tree and fell the rest of the way to the ground. Once she was back on her feet, Betty gave her a sharp cuff around the shoulder and commenced a stern lecture on the follies of presenting one's self to carnivores who might quite like to eat one.
The buzzard silently watched the two bickering dogs as they ambled back to the car park, rejoining my partner by the gate. Then, with a soft swish of her wings, she rose into the air and glided smoothly over to the clump of little trees...
Mark my barks, dear reader. No good will come of this...
Good evening to you.
"...and that one is a woodpecker, a green woodpecker." explained Betty, as a green bird flew, chirruping, up from the ground into a nearby tree.
"Why is it called a woodpecker?" asked Gisèle curiously, "Is it made of wood?"
"No, it just pecks wood on trees to get out the insects."
"Oh... OK."
"And, over there, you can see a nuthatch - see? That little one with the orange belly in the tree?"
"Do those ones hatch out of nuts?" queried Giz.
"No, of course not, you muppet!"
"Why are they called that then?!"
"Don't know. Maybe because they like to eat nuts."
"Wow, Bettz, you know EVERYTHING! Are there any owls?"
"It's a bit early in the evening but, yes, there are owls around here."
Gisèle's little face lit up at once. "Oh WOW!" she squeaked excitedly, "I want to see a big white pretty snowy owl, like Hedwig out of Harry Potter!"
"I think those ones are a bit rare," muttered Betty, "They're mostly brown owls and tawny owls around here..."
"I like Hedwig best, as well as Ginny and Dobby and Hermione. [Harry Potter characters] And I like Sirius too."
"Is Sirius that one who was a big dog sometimes?" queried Betty, with a sideways glance at her diminutive friend.
"Hihi, yes." giggled Giz.
"I liked him too, hur hur-"
"But Hedwig is my very favourite. I wish I could be her."
Betty was about to reply with a considered response on the ultimate fate of the brave and faithful Hedwig, when a series of unsettling sounds came from within the canopy of a tree overhead. She gave a sharp intake of breath and pushed Gisèle hastily in another direction, causing the little Parson Jack Russell to stumble.
"Ow!" protested Giz, "What did you do that for?!"
"That's a buzzard's nest, up there!" hissed Betty, "Didn't you recognise the sounds?"
"I have never heard them before." replied Giz.
"Well, trust me, that's the sound of a buzzard with some chicks. Stay AWAY little Giz, stay away." But I could see that Giz had ceased paying attention at the mention of chicks...
"Ooh - babies?" she yipped, turning and trying to crane her head to look up at the nest, "I love little babies!"
"Not these ones, you won't." grunted Betty, as she firmly steered Giz away from the tree. Fortunately, Betty's vast reserves of strength and determination were too powerful for the reluctant Giz to resist.
Relief at Betty's ability to put herself between little Giz and mortal peril unhappily began to evaporate some 40 minutes later, however, when Gisèle was to be spotted slinking back towards the tree containing the nest with Betty nowhere to be seen. Unease was further heightened when, after a quick glance about her to check that all coasts were clear, the tiny terrier jumped up and began to clamber awkwardly up the tree...
"Oooff..." she puffed, as she tenaciously scaled branch after branch, sliding back on some, but determined not to be thwarted, "Errgh! Oops - hngyehh! Hup! Errrkkkk! That's it - errfff!"
The female buzzard perching on the side of the nest looked down at the small dog, with an inscrutable expression in her beady eyes. She didn't seem to comprehend what she was seeing. I can't bark that I blame her. Giz glanced up at the raptor. "Oh! Hello!" she puffed, still trying to haul herself up into the higher branches, "My name is Gisèle, but my friends call me Giz! What's your name?"
The buzzard made an uncertain noise that sounded like "Beakrip."
"That's nice! Please can I look at your babies?" The buzzard continued to gaze down at the tree-climbing dog, but made no further sound. Eventually, Giz attained a level from which she could peek at the nest. There were two fluffy chicks and one cream and brown mottled egg. "Oh, aren't they beautiful?!" she simpered. This was not what I would have called them personally, but Giz's enthusiasm wasn't to be dampened by the sight of some of the ugliest spawn known to either man or beast. "And will that egg hatch soon? What do you feed them? I expect they eat a lot and leave you very tired out, don't they?!"
The buzzard continued to watch Gisèle in silence, although it didn't escape me that she had inched closer to her around the side of her nest.
"I haven't had any babies yet, but I would like to one day. But, to be honest with you, Bea, I've got my paws pretty full at the moment with Betty. She's my best friend and is a Giant Schnauzer. She's older than me, but sometimes she does take a lot of looking after. She's nice to me now, but it wasn't always like that, I can tell you, oh dear me no. She tore into my face with her teeth once, that wasn't very nice. It's all healed up now of course - well, I say all healed, there are still some little scars although you can't see those now that the fur has grown back. But you see this mark here?" Giz inclined her head in the buzzard's direction, to show her a scar on her eyebrow, but didn't wait to see if the buzzard looked. "That was Betty as well. Oh, I mean ages ago now, but the fur didn't grow back properly. I don't mind that, though, because it's only really small. I don't know where Betty is at the moment. She went off into the woods to do some toilet, I think, but she won't be too long, I don't expect. Then I can introduce you. You'll like Betty. She can be a bit grumpy and rude sometimes but actually she's really very nice, and quite funny when she gets going. She's not very good at climbing trees though, not like me, but I've done lots of practice-"
Beakrip the buzzard simply sat there and blinked at the chattering terrier. It didn't seem as though she could even begin to imagine what a little dog was doing, half-way up a tree, prattling utter nonsense at her. Gisèle continued happily gossiping away until her flow was interrupted by an almighty and thunderous roar.
"GISÈLE! What are you DOING?!? Get DOWN from there right NOW, you ludicrous tool!"
"Betty! I'm just talking to my new friend! Come and say hello!"
"COME DOWN HERE THIS INSTANT!"
"Oh dear; she sounds a bit cross. I'd better go." Gisèle turned and looked down, pondering her descent strategy (never a strong point). "But, before I do, I should tell you - you see that clump of little trees over there?" The buzzard blinked and glanced briefly in the direction Giz indicated. "Well, there is a very fresh dead rabbit behind there. It must have just died, it doesn't even have - you know - the smell yet and there weren't any flies on it. Me and Betty wanted to eat it, but Mistress wouldn't let us. But YOU might like it, for your babies. It would save you a hunting trip, wouldn't it, and I bet your babies would love all that fresh tasty meat." Open astonishment registered in the buzzard's eyes for the first time, though she remained silent. "Bye for now then. I'll come and see you again another time. Make sure you get that rabbit before someone else does! Bye-bye!" And, with that, Giz slithered clumsily down part of the tree and fell the rest of the way to the ground. Once she was back on her feet, Betty gave her a sharp cuff around the shoulder and commenced a stern lecture on the follies of presenting one's self to carnivores who might quite like to eat one.
The buzzard silently watched the two bickering dogs as they ambled back to the car park, rejoining my partner by the gate. Then, with a soft swish of her wings, she rose into the air and glided smoothly over to the clump of little trees...
Mark my barks, dear reader. No good will come of this...
Good evening to you.
Thursday, 8 May 2014
Thursday 8 May 2014
Since last writing, poor Gisèle has been laid low with an ear infection much like Betty's. Exactly like Betty's, in fact, for she caught it from her Giant Schnauzer friend on her previous visit. Betty is back with us once more (unexpectedly, but we are pleased to have her nonetheless) and we have all been hanging around the house. A plumber was scheduled to visit on Tuesday morning to attend to a leaking pipe in my partner's bathroom ceiling, but decided not to come (grrrowl).
At lunchtime, my partner got to her feet and both girls jumped up, anticipating a walk. Betty was not impressed to find that a lead was only affixed to Giz's collar and she was told that "we'll be back soon". Gisèle cackled in high glee - she shouted a cheeky farewell to Betty on the other side of the door and capered down the street at my partner's heels, yapping a rude song at the unfortunate Betty. Giz's joy was cut brutally short, however, when she crossed the road and all-too-quickly found herself in the vets' waiting room. There was further displeasure and humiliation to be had when the tiny but powerful terrier was wrestled into a muzzle and had an auroscope introduced to her ear. To bark that she was not amused would be an incredibly gross understatement.
The vet and my partner were happy, however, as Gisèle's infection is healing nicely (a week ago, she was in such pain that she wouldn't allow the auroscope to even touch her ear) but she still needs to continue with her drops for another week. Happy days... Now, one might think that Gisèle would be a little annoyed that she had contracted an unpleasant and excessively painful infection from her best friend. Not so our Gisèle-Stephanie. She exclaimed that she was glad she now knew how very painful it was for herself, so that she would better be able to comfort Betty in the future. Bless her - only one so rare as to be as beautiful on the inside as she is to the eye could look at things in that kind and unselfish way. No wonder she was able to tame the wild and aggressive Betty where seemingly-greater others had failed.
Less happily, my partner was taken extremely unwell yesterday and had to keep to her bed. So poorly was she that her parents came and removed Gisèle and Elizabeth from her care so that she could rest in complete quiet. Fortunately, the malady (an incredibly powerful migraine) has almost entirely gone, but it was not pleasant. The most concerning point for my partner came during the later part of the afternoon - weakened and in pain and hardly able to move upon her bed, my partner suffered a most alarming phenomenon never before experienced: an hallucination. That is to bark, not a visual one, but a corporeal one. She felt me jump onto the bed and snuggle up to sleep beside her, as I ever did during my lifetime, she says she even felt me beside her and heard my breathing (and - yes - deep snoring). Most alarming for, if I am certain of anything, then it is that that is completely impossible. I think my partner was thoroughly creeped-out by the experience (well, wouldn't you be?) and much relieved when Betty and Giz were brought back later that evening. Most odd.
But away with these miseries and tales of non-existent phantoms. Betty's stay has been extended, which has set both tails (well, one tail and one little blunt stump) a-wagging. They have been enjoying sitting on the patio over the recent bank holiday weekend, "helping" with the gardening tasks. My partner was showing them how some of the seeds they had planted a couple of months ago were now growing into healthy little plants (specifically, for the most part, the radishes; the tomatoes died a swift and brutal death and our hopes for the courgettes aren't high...). Both dogs were very impressed at this example of nature's magic, Giz in particular, and I could tell from her slightly misty expression that she was formulating some sort of plan.
This plan manifested itself later in the afternoon. Betty lazily got up and stretched after a nap in the sunshine, and was greeted with the sight of Gisèle carefully carrying something in her mouth which she then placed in a small freshly-dug hole in one of the borders. The large dog padded over to her friend, as she began to scrape soil over her trophy.
It was an egg. Gisèle was burying an egg in the garden.
"What, in the name of sanity, are you doing?!" demanded Betty, as Giz gently patted the top of the earth down on the buried egg.
"Gardening." replied Giz simply, as if this ought to be enough to satisfy Betty's curiosity.
"But... what - why...?"
Gisèle sighed heavily and turned to face her friend. "Lillibizzles-" Betty grimaced and clenched her teeth at this detested new pet-name Gizzy had allocated to her. "I think you and me are both very much agreed that there are few things nicer than some tasty roasted chicken. Yes?" Betty nodded, mutely, looking doubtful as to what might be coming next. "Right. So I'm going to grow a chicken-tree! Then we can have them whenever we want!"
At this point, had I not been certain that chronological and biological evidence precluded the possibility, I might have wondered if the late, lamented, lunatic Ewan's father might once have had a dalliance with little Gisèle's mother. This was precisely the sort of nonsense he used to come out with (recall, if you will, the episode during which Ewan grew concerned for cows whose milk was used to make cottage cheese; he feared for the cows who had to pass pineapples through their udders for the 'cottage cheese with pineapple' variety. Or the time he believed that he could relieve Fizzy's menstrual sufferings with the topical application of a potato... these are but two examples amongst a myriad of delusional nonsense).
"So, to be clear, Giz," frowned Betty, "You have planted an egg in the hope that it will grow into a chicken-producing tree...?"
"Yep!" Gisèle was extremely pleased with herself.
"And you think that's going to work, do you?"
"How else?! I hope it starts to grow as quickly as the radishes! Should we put some water on it?"
"Erm... I'm not sure it works like that..." offered Betty, dubiously.
"Well, not if it was a boiled egg, obviously, but this is a fresh one. I got it from the shelf in the kitchen pantry. How do you think it works then?!"
"Er, I haven't got much experience with chickens, but the gamekeepers on our estate raise the pheasants from - well - other pheasants..."
Gizzy laughed. "That's just stupid!" Betty remained unconvinced. "Look!" persisted Giz, indicating some pigeons sitting in the tree nearest to our fence, "That must be a pigeon tree!"
"Well," replied Betty, looking around, "What about those three sitting on Rosie's back fence?!"
"They're just having a rest, you duffer!" giggled Giz.
"Right." wuffed Betty sceptically, as the pigeons in the tree flew off, "So those three are having a rest, and those ones flying away have just grown and hatched out of the tree, have they?"
"Yep!" declared Giz, a rather self-satisfied look on her face.
"You are a very strange little dog, Giz, you know that?" sighed Betty, shaking her head.
"Hihihihiiiii - oh yes!" squeaked Giz happily, content with the world around her, however ignorant of it she might be.
Next time - A spotter's guide to dubious birds of prey, courtesy of Betty; from which Gisèle is not minded to profit...
At lunchtime, my partner got to her feet and both girls jumped up, anticipating a walk. Betty was not impressed to find that a lead was only affixed to Giz's collar and she was told that "we'll be back soon". Gisèle cackled in high glee - she shouted a cheeky farewell to Betty on the other side of the door and capered down the street at my partner's heels, yapping a rude song at the unfortunate Betty. Giz's joy was cut brutally short, however, when she crossed the road and all-too-quickly found herself in the vets' waiting room. There was further displeasure and humiliation to be had when the tiny but powerful terrier was wrestled into a muzzle and had an auroscope introduced to her ear. To bark that she was not amused would be an incredibly gross understatement.
The vet and my partner were happy, however, as Gisèle's infection is healing nicely (a week ago, she was in such pain that she wouldn't allow the auroscope to even touch her ear) but she still needs to continue with her drops for another week. Happy days... Now, one might think that Gisèle would be a little annoyed that she had contracted an unpleasant and excessively painful infection from her best friend. Not so our Gisèle-Stephanie. She exclaimed that she was glad she now knew how very painful it was for herself, so that she would better be able to comfort Betty in the future. Bless her - only one so rare as to be as beautiful on the inside as she is to the eye could look at things in that kind and unselfish way. No wonder she was able to tame the wild and aggressive Betty where seemingly-greater others had failed.
Less happily, my partner was taken extremely unwell yesterday and had to keep to her bed. So poorly was she that her parents came and removed Gisèle and Elizabeth from her care so that she could rest in complete quiet. Fortunately, the malady (an incredibly powerful migraine) has almost entirely gone, but it was not pleasant. The most concerning point for my partner came during the later part of the afternoon - weakened and in pain and hardly able to move upon her bed, my partner suffered a most alarming phenomenon never before experienced: an hallucination. That is to bark, not a visual one, but a corporeal one. She felt me jump onto the bed and snuggle up to sleep beside her, as I ever did during my lifetime, she says she even felt me beside her and heard my breathing (and - yes - deep snoring). Most alarming for, if I am certain of anything, then it is that that is completely impossible. I think my partner was thoroughly creeped-out by the experience (well, wouldn't you be?) and much relieved when Betty and Giz were brought back later that evening. Most odd.
But away with these miseries and tales of non-existent phantoms. Betty's stay has been extended, which has set both tails (well, one tail and one little blunt stump) a-wagging. They have been enjoying sitting on the patio over the recent bank holiday weekend, "helping" with the gardening tasks. My partner was showing them how some of the seeds they had planted a couple of months ago were now growing into healthy little plants (specifically, for the most part, the radishes; the tomatoes died a swift and brutal death and our hopes for the courgettes aren't high...). Both dogs were very impressed at this example of nature's magic, Giz in particular, and I could tell from her slightly misty expression that she was formulating some sort of plan.
This plan manifested itself later in the afternoon. Betty lazily got up and stretched after a nap in the sunshine, and was greeted with the sight of Gisèle carefully carrying something in her mouth which she then placed in a small freshly-dug hole in one of the borders. The large dog padded over to her friend, as she began to scrape soil over her trophy.
It was an egg. Gisèle was burying an egg in the garden.
"What, in the name of sanity, are you doing?!" demanded Betty, as Giz gently patted the top of the earth down on the buried egg.
"Gardening." replied Giz simply, as if this ought to be enough to satisfy Betty's curiosity.
"But... what - why...?"
Gisèle sighed heavily and turned to face her friend. "Lillibizzles-" Betty grimaced and clenched her teeth at this detested new pet-name Gizzy had allocated to her. "I think you and me are both very much agreed that there are few things nicer than some tasty roasted chicken. Yes?" Betty nodded, mutely, looking doubtful as to what might be coming next. "Right. So I'm going to grow a chicken-tree! Then we can have them whenever we want!"
At this point, had I not been certain that chronological and biological evidence precluded the possibility, I might have wondered if the late, lamented, lunatic Ewan's father might once have had a dalliance with little Gisèle's mother. This was precisely the sort of nonsense he used to come out with (recall, if you will, the episode during which Ewan grew concerned for cows whose milk was used to make cottage cheese; he feared for the cows who had to pass pineapples through their udders for the 'cottage cheese with pineapple' variety. Or the time he believed that he could relieve Fizzy's menstrual sufferings with the topical application of a potato... these are but two examples amongst a myriad of delusional nonsense).
"So, to be clear, Giz," frowned Betty, "You have planted an egg in the hope that it will grow into a chicken-producing tree...?"
"Yep!" Gisèle was extremely pleased with herself.
"And you think that's going to work, do you?"
"How else?! I hope it starts to grow as quickly as the radishes! Should we put some water on it?"
"Erm... I'm not sure it works like that..." offered Betty, dubiously.
"Well, not if it was a boiled egg, obviously, but this is a fresh one. I got it from the shelf in the kitchen pantry. How do you think it works then?!"
"Er, I haven't got much experience with chickens, but the gamekeepers on our estate raise the pheasants from - well - other pheasants..."
Gizzy laughed. "That's just stupid!" Betty remained unconvinced. "Look!" persisted Giz, indicating some pigeons sitting in the tree nearest to our fence, "That must be a pigeon tree!"
"Well," replied Betty, looking around, "What about those three sitting on Rosie's back fence?!"
"They're just having a rest, you duffer!" giggled Giz.
"Right." wuffed Betty sceptically, as the pigeons in the tree flew off, "So those three are having a rest, and those ones flying away have just grown and hatched out of the tree, have they?"
"Yep!" declared Giz, a rather self-satisfied look on her face.
"You are a very strange little dog, Giz, you know that?" sighed Betty, shaking her head.
"Hihihihiiiii - oh yes!" squeaked Giz happily, content with the world around her, however ignorant of it she might be.
Next time - A spotter's guide to dubious birds of prey, courtesy of Betty; from which Gisèle is not minded to profit...
Monday, 21 April 2014
Monday 21 April 2014
She arrived.
Gisèle was all of a dither, concerned that Betty would mock her recent fur-cut, but she need not have feared. After less than a couple of minutes' awkward silence, the well-bred Betty made a polite remark upon the weather and they were off! Giggling, chatting and gossiping, the two girls were delighted to be back together again. If Betty DID notice Giz's fur she certainly did not mention it. They had been apart for a long time and had much to catch up on. They chattered long into the night, still jabbering away as they went out to download their last wee-mails of the day prior to bed-time, but it was nice to see them happy to be together again.
They weren't so happy the following day, however, when they were out in the garden and discovered that one of the large pots on the border adjoining Rosie's (the Westie next-door) had been all-but-emptied out by paws unknown.
"Who's done this?!" exclaimed my partner crossly. As the usual principal suspects for such an act, Betty and Giz, were both examining the pot warily, they clearly weren't responsible for this one. Rosie appeared from around the corner of her house and saw them.
"Not you as well?!" she yipped.
"Hullo Rose," said Betty, "What do you mean?"
"Oh yes, hello Betty, nice to see you again. I can smell that your garden has been tampered with. Mine has too."
"Who's done it?" asked Giz.
"Don't know," shrugged Rosie, "But there is a new Tomcat somewhere around here, he's been territory-marking all around my garden and it looks like he's done yours too."
"It does stink of cat." agreed Giz, wrinkling up her nose at the scent.
"Well, I'd better not catch him at it, or he won't be marking anything until the vet takes the wires out of his willie." growled Betty. Rosie giggled and, with her owner, departed off for the day.
"Why do cats do that?" asked Giz, looking at the messy patio with a puzzled expression. "I can understand the marking and stuff, but why do they dig out all the soil?"
"I don't know." replied Betty, as my partner cleaned up the area and re-potted the plant. "I mean, who knows why cats do anything?"
The two girls sat down and began getting themselves comfortable for a morning's sunbathing. "I don't suppose they would choose to be cats in the first place, if they could help it."
"I wouldn't. Who'd want to be a cat when you could just as easily be a dog!?"
Betty nodded. After a while she asked "If you did turn out to be a cat, would you chase yourself, do you think? Or would you pay someone to chase you?"
Gisèle considered this carefully.
"Chase myself, probably." she decided, "Then I would know not to bite myself too hard when I caught me."
Betty nodded sagely. And, with that, both girls settled into a comfortable doze.
Later that afternoon my partner took the two girls out to Abbotstone, one of their favourite haunts, as a special treat. It was, indeed, a place that I liked to visit myself during my lifetime - it is even mentioned in the very first entry into this blog. Betty and Gisèle were delighted to find themselves there once more. They capered around, happily exploring. In the woods, they encountered a small young toad and watched it curiously as it made its hopping way across the path.
"Betty, what is the difference between a frog and a toad?" asked Giz. Betty thought for a moment.
"Well, erm, a fro-"
"Only ONE of them every gets 'towed' away! Hiihiihihihihiiiiiiii!" yipped Giz, before dissolving into hysterical giggles at her own joke. Betty rolled her eyes and turned away, shaking her head, but I caught a trace of a smile playing about the corners of her mouth.
As the girls exited the shade of the woods and trotted out onto the open common land, a small shadow from far above crossed over them. Betty glanced sky-wards and frowned, muttering something profane under her breath. She quickened her pace so that she could keep up with Gisèle. After about five minutes the shadow passed overhead again. Betty had been watching out for this and called to Giz.
"'Sèle!" she barked, "Why don't you come and walk a bit closer to me? Come on, come and walk right up here beside me, eh?"
"Why?" asked little innocent Giz, trotting up to her large, bear-like, friend.
"No real reason," replied Betty, clearly bluffing (though unnoticed by Giz), "I'm just getting a bit tired, that's all."
"Aww, poor Betty." smiled Gisèle, and she dutifully kept to her friend's flank. At the third passing of the shadow, the little Parson Jack Russell noticed something. "WOW!!" she exclaimed, craning her neck to look up at the sky, "Betty, look at that odd little plane!"
"It's not a plane." replied Betty grimly, without looking up. "Gizzy, don't you go wandering off by yourself. You stay here with me now."
"But if it's not a plane, what is it?"
"Bird."
Giz started to laugh. "Hiihiihihihihi... Betty, you silly! It's not a bird! No birds are THAT big! If a bird that big sat on Mistress's bird-food-table it would snap it in little pieces, hiihiihihihi!"
"It IS a bird Giz, I promise." barked Betty, watching it circle overhead.
"What sort of bird then?" demanded Gisèle impatiently.
A plaintive cry from the skies above the girls suddenly struck me with sickening horror.
Betty pursed her lips and answered the tiny terrier's question.
"A buzzard."
Gisèle was all of a dither, concerned that Betty would mock her recent fur-cut, but she need not have feared. After less than a couple of minutes' awkward silence, the well-bred Betty made a polite remark upon the weather and they were off! Giggling, chatting and gossiping, the two girls were delighted to be back together again. If Betty DID notice Giz's fur she certainly did not mention it. They had been apart for a long time and had much to catch up on. They chattered long into the night, still jabbering away as they went out to download their last wee-mails of the day prior to bed-time, but it was nice to see them happy to be together again.
They weren't so happy the following day, however, when they were out in the garden and discovered that one of the large pots on the border adjoining Rosie's (the Westie next-door) had been all-but-emptied out by paws unknown.
"Who's done this?!" exclaimed my partner crossly. As the usual principal suspects for such an act, Betty and Giz, were both examining the pot warily, they clearly weren't responsible for this one. Rosie appeared from around the corner of her house and saw them.
"Not you as well?!" she yipped.
"Hullo Rose," said Betty, "What do you mean?"
"Oh yes, hello Betty, nice to see you again. I can smell that your garden has been tampered with. Mine has too."
"Who's done it?" asked Giz.
"Don't know," shrugged Rosie, "But there is a new Tomcat somewhere around here, he's been territory-marking all around my garden and it looks like he's done yours too."
"It does stink of cat." agreed Giz, wrinkling up her nose at the scent.
"Well, I'd better not catch him at it, or he won't be marking anything until the vet takes the wires out of his willie." growled Betty. Rosie giggled and, with her owner, departed off for the day.
"Why do cats do that?" asked Giz, looking at the messy patio with a puzzled expression. "I can understand the marking and stuff, but why do they dig out all the soil?"
"I don't know." replied Betty, as my partner cleaned up the area and re-potted the plant. "I mean, who knows why cats do anything?"
The two girls sat down and began getting themselves comfortable for a morning's sunbathing. "I don't suppose they would choose to be cats in the first place, if they could help it."
"I wouldn't. Who'd want to be a cat when you could just as easily be a dog!?"
Betty nodded. After a while she asked "If you did turn out to be a cat, would you chase yourself, do you think? Or would you pay someone to chase you?"
Gisèle considered this carefully.
"Chase myself, probably." she decided, "Then I would know not to bite myself too hard when I caught me."
Betty nodded sagely. And, with that, both girls settled into a comfortable doze.
Later that afternoon my partner took the two girls out to Abbotstone, one of their favourite haunts, as a special treat. It was, indeed, a place that I liked to visit myself during my lifetime - it is even mentioned in the very first entry into this blog. Betty and Gisèle were delighted to find themselves there once more. They capered around, happily exploring. In the woods, they encountered a small young toad and watched it curiously as it made its hopping way across the path.
"Betty, what is the difference between a frog and a toad?" asked Giz. Betty thought for a moment.
"Well, erm, a fro-"
"Only ONE of them every gets 'towed' away! Hiihiihihihihiiiiiiii!" yipped Giz, before dissolving into hysterical giggles at her own joke. Betty rolled her eyes and turned away, shaking her head, but I caught a trace of a smile playing about the corners of her mouth.
As the girls exited the shade of the woods and trotted out onto the open common land, a small shadow from far above crossed over them. Betty glanced sky-wards and frowned, muttering something profane under her breath. She quickened her pace so that she could keep up with Gisèle. After about five minutes the shadow passed overhead again. Betty had been watching out for this and called to Giz.
"'Sèle!" she barked, "Why don't you come and walk a bit closer to me? Come on, come and walk right up here beside me, eh?"
"Why?" asked little innocent Giz, trotting up to her large, bear-like, friend.
"No real reason," replied Betty, clearly bluffing (though unnoticed by Giz), "I'm just getting a bit tired, that's all."
"Aww, poor Betty." smiled Gisèle, and she dutifully kept to her friend's flank. At the third passing of the shadow, the little Parson Jack Russell noticed something. "WOW!!" she exclaimed, craning her neck to look up at the sky, "Betty, look at that odd little plane!"
"It's not a plane." replied Betty grimly, without looking up. "Gizzy, don't you go wandering off by yourself. You stay here with me now."
"But if it's not a plane, what is it?"
"Bird."
Giz started to laugh. "Hiihiihihihihi... Betty, you silly! It's not a bird! No birds are THAT big! If a bird that big sat on Mistress's bird-food-table it would snap it in little pieces, hiihiihihihi!"
"It IS a bird Giz, I promise." barked Betty, watching it circle overhead.
"What sort of bird then?" demanded Gisèle impatiently.
A plaintive cry from the skies above the girls suddenly struck me with sickening horror.
Betty pursed her lips and answered the tiny terrier's question.
"A buzzard."
Sunday, 6 April 2014
Sunday 6 April 2014
A wet day today, though reasonable enough yesterday to enable Gisèle and my partner to do some gardening. This far, they have onions, sweet peppers, courgettes and tomatoes on the go, with carrots awaiting planting. My partner is most encouraged by the progress of the tomatoes in particular - she has never grown them from seed before and they seem to be thriving. Indeed, until a couple of years ago, she had no luck whatsoever with growing vegetables in the garden; someone used to eat the seedlings or wait until the fruits and vegetables appeared and then plucked and ate them himself, hehe... Fortunately, neither Gisèle nor Betty have the same passion for fresh fruits and vegetables as I enjoyed.
Betty's return to the house is imminent and Gizzy has been busy getting things ready for her friend's visit. In order to stop her fretting herself into a state, I suggested that she might like to write a little more about her last holiday on Dartmoor. After all, she had only managed two instalments thus far and I knew that she had more pictures that she wanted to share with you. I did, however, point out that it couldn't really be titled Gisèle's Holiday Diary any more - it was almost six months ago now. So little Giz agreed to rename it Gisèle's Holiday Memories.
Without further ado, then:-
the blue arrow below indicates where we were when the next picture was taken...
First and third photographs on this page © http://www.richkni.co.uk/dartmoor/index.html
Betty's return to the house is imminent and Gizzy has been busy getting things ready for her friend's visit. In order to stop her fretting herself into a state, I suggested that she might like to write a little more about her last holiday on Dartmoor. After all, she had only managed two instalments thus far and I knew that she had more pictures that she wanted to share with you. I did, however, point out that it couldn't really be titled Gisèle's Holiday Diary any more - it was almost six months ago now. So little Giz agreed to rename it Gisèle's Holiday Memories.
Without further ado, then:-
GISÈLE'S HOLIDAY MEMORIES - PART 4
Oh dear, hihihi! I have been very bad and forgot to write about my holiday for ages. Naughty me. But I have been very busy, yes indeed. But I still have nice dreams about my holiday and the fun I had. Here is a link to the last writing I did about it:- here it is.
The next day when I woke up it was raining a bit - only a bit though, so I didn't worry too much. My friend Marnie had gone out somewhere, but some fresh new-laid eggs had been left by our door and I was allowed to have one boiled for my breakfast. It was the nicest egg I had ever tasted; so fresh and delicious, not at all like ones you might buy in a shop. Everything is nicer when it comes from home and is fresh (I think that is why Mistress is growing vegetables in our garden this year, but we haven't got any room to plant and grow any chickens).
After breakfast, we headed out for the South of the moor, to a nice walk which Mistress said Jasper had used to enjoy. We drove to Shipley Bridge car park and walked alongside the river towards the open moor.
 |
| Jazz used to love playing in the river exactly here. But I am too little and frightened of water - although I did paddle in the pools at the edge. |
After we had turned the corner and crossed the bridge, the road became rougher until it was just a footpath track. We headed up the slopes towards the mighty Avon Dam. Mistress had been there before with Jasper and his predecessor, pretty Tess, but I had never been. Up we climbed, stopping to chat with some walkers coming the other way (that is one of the things I like about walking on Dartmoor, you meet such lovely people along the way). Parting company with these new friends, we soon came into view of the impressive Avon Dam and reservoir...
the blue arrow below indicates where we were when the next picture was taken... |
| The vast edifice of the Avon Dam looms into view |
As we passed the Dam and walked alongside the reservoir, the rain began to fall more steadily. Undaunted, we persisted towards our destination where, sheltering ourselves as best we could, Mistress and I ate our packed lunches. But not for long...
 |
| Giz wet. Giz cold. Giz going home. With or without Mistress. |
I was very cold indeed - and it took us a good couple of hours at least to walk all the way back to the car.
Later in the evening, back at our holiday cottage, once I had been dried, warmed and fed, I heard Marnie's claws clicking on the path to our front door. After obtaining the necessary permissions I bounded out to play ball with her in the dogs' playing field. After twenty minutes or so, my attention drifted to the steeply-wooded hills on either side of the farm buildings and fields. The woods were teeming with owls, as we clearly heard at night, but it began to occur to me that there might also be squirrels lurking within. I suggested a little foray into the woods to Marnie, but she didn't seem too keen.
"Well, you CAN walk in the woods - " she barked, "But it isn't safe, unless you are very careful about where you are going. There are loads of old mine shafts in the hills and they are dangerous. If you fell down one you would die for sure. That's what those signs say there." She indicated the big notices at the entrances to both sides of the woodlands, but the words on them were too long for me to read. "You have to stay right on the path all the time, because mine shafts are everywhere."
"Why don't you do something about them?" I puzzled.
"Well, they don't belong to me, or my people." replied Marnie, "Even though they haven't been used for ages longer than 100 years ago, they still belong to the old extraction company."
"Eh? But you just said they WERE yours!" I couldn't understand my new friend at all.
"What? No I didn't!" yipped Marnie, "I said they were mines."
"Yes, exactly! So they ARE yours!"
"No!! They're not mine!"
"You DID too say that they were yours!"
"No - they are mines."
"Yes! YOUR mines!"
"No, no! They ARE mines - but they are not mine!"
"Eh?!"
"They are not MY mines. But they ARE mines."
"So if they are not your mines, whose mines are they?"
"I told you! The mine company!"
"Yes!! YOUR company! They are yours! So fix them!"
"But it's not MY mine company."
I began to think that Marnie might be a little bit mad. I knew I was right, and so left it there and we went back to playing ball.
'The mines aren't mine' indeed. Hiihihihihihiiiiii...!
Betty is coming to visit tomorrow. Yayyy!
Bye-bye love from Gisèle. x
Tuesday, 25 March 2014
Tuesday 25 March 2014
A strange week, to be sure.
Although there is much to be thankful for in our tiniest of worlds, Gisèle has been behaving strangely and my partner has been almost permanently exhausted, dejected and much-depressed of late.
I cannot attribute it to the weather - for spring has truly sprung, with warming sunshine, twittering birdsong, colourful and fragrant flowers budding and receding flood-waters everywhere, along with the promise of more better weather to come.
I cannot attribute it (wholly) to financial woes - for my partner's IVA (see this post for the onset of this particular wretched saga) is, hopefully, to conclude within the next few months. I had sworn that I would stay with my partner unto the end of this most awful trial. Rat-b*st*rd cancer; that malevolent marauder of time, denied me even this. But Death could not thwart me. It took my body - but it could NEVER conquer my spirit. Gisèle-Stéphanie, as sweet and keen as she is, cannot think upon such topics as finances; they mean nothing to her. And so I remain; watching over my most only - my partner, who saw my many faults and the manifold acts of wickedness I perpetrated and forgave me, loved me and turned me into a better dog than I had any right to be. But - not for the first time - I digress...
I wonder if it has ought to do with the sadnesses in the world at the moment? The appalling upheavals and injustices within Egypt, Syria, Iran, the Ukraine and Crimea... The dreadful and protracted tragedy of Malaysian Airlines Flight No. MH370; those poor, poor families... Oh, God bless them.
I feel SO deeply on all these things, and more besides. I should have learned to feel gratitude for the mere fact of my existence whilst I still lived. But how can one explain to those entangled in the daily rigmarole of life, work, bills, socialising, image-building/maintaining, etc... - that the mere fact that one exists and can feel is the very greatest blessing of all. It has been so long, that I can no longer remember what it was to draw a deep breath on a crisp, frosty morning, and smile at the mist produced when I exhaled. What it was to stretch out on my very OWN patio and feel the sun warming my body. To drink deeply from a Dartmoor spring on a hot day and savour the cool-crisp sensation of the water as I swallowed it and felt it travel through my warm body, chilling and refreshing all at once. Please, my friends, please enjoy these simple pleasures while you can...
But Gisèle has not yet learned to think seriously upon such things. No. Oh no.
I almost despair of her - I keep faith that she cannot be entirely lost to better thinking - though my hopes aren't high... I can only apologise most profusely for what follows.
My partner was stretched to her highest, uppermost limit by Sèle's CONSTANT whining about her ridiculous tuft. With muttered profanities, my partner finally (reluctantly) seized up her scissors and The Great Snip took place.
Upon initial snipping, a wound was revealed, and further snippage was necessary. Gisèle had a thorn piercing the flesh atop her head, which was removed painlessly, once sufficient fur had been snipped away.
I have to bark, that I was alarmed at the state of Giz's exposed face. Many injuries had been revealed - wounds from her former bullying by Betty. Wounds that I knew about - the time the left side of her mouth was torn open, bite marks on her left cheek and above her left eye; but others too, which I think Giz had concealed to try and spare Betty in those early days before they became the very best of friends. In any case, if Giz had forgiven Betty, then so could I. I followed Gisèle to the French Windows, to which she padded in order to examine her newly-shorn reflection...
"Aaaaaarggghhhh! I look like a complete TIT!" Gisèle squealed.
Well, I couldn't disagree.
Only Rosie, Sèle's friend from next-door, claimed to see notice no difference in Giz's appearance. I suspect she was just being kind, as everyone else laughed at the newly-trimmed Giz and remarked on her new "Lego-Cut" (my partner not being skilled in canine fur-dressing).
"Put it back! Make it grown again!!" demanded an angrily disappointed Giz. My partner and I gently tried to help her to understand that fur, once cut, cannot be instantly regrown. She refused to see reason, so I kept out of the way whilst my partner endeavoured to deal with the truculent terrier.
I only dared to return a few days later. Gisèle, at least, seemed happier, even if my partner did not.
"Jazz!" chirruped the little terrier, when she sighted me, "Hiiiiihiiihihihiiii!"
I winced and affected to ignore her irritating giggling.
"Are you liking your new furcut, then?" I hazarded cautiously.
"Well, no," she confessed. "Hiihiiiihihiihihihihiiii!"
I knew that requesting an explanation would be admitting weakness. But, dear reader, how can you blame me? Let us travel that weak path together.
"Go on..." I sighed, a sense of foreboding fast-approaching.
"Did you see what was is cut off?!" squeaked Giz, indicating towards her foam basket, where my partner had placed the snipped-off clumps of fur, "Enough to make a big old merkin*, hiihiihihihihiiiiii!"
"GISÈLE!!" I spluttered, aghast, "Where on Earth did you learn a word like that?!"
Gisèle looked suddenly sullen and muttered something virtually incomprehensible, amongst which utterances could be discerned the word 'Honey'.
"Honey the cat from opposite?" I queried, "That weekend after Betty went home?"
"Yes."
"So you and Honey sat in the garden, repeating to each other saucy words and laughing over them?"
"Yes. Honey told me loads, hiihiihihi... I only had a few that she didn't hear before, hiihiihihihihiiii...."
"Oh, brilliant. So you and Honey - two otherwise respectable, likeable, reasonably intelligent young ladies - chose to spend your afternoon teaching each other naughty words and giggling...?!"
"Yeh! Hihihi! It was one of the BEST afternoons of my life, hiihiihihi...!"
*Oh, just Google it. Bl**dy-h*ll; now I'm depressed!
'Night.
Although there is much to be thankful for in our tiniest of worlds, Gisèle has been behaving strangely and my partner has been almost permanently exhausted, dejected and much-depressed of late.
I cannot attribute it to the weather - for spring has truly sprung, with warming sunshine, twittering birdsong, colourful and fragrant flowers budding and receding flood-waters everywhere, along with the promise of more better weather to come.
I cannot attribute it (wholly) to financial woes - for my partner's IVA (see this post for the onset of this particular wretched saga) is, hopefully, to conclude within the next few months. I had sworn that I would stay with my partner unto the end of this most awful trial. Rat-b*st*rd cancer; that malevolent marauder of time, denied me even this. But Death could not thwart me. It took my body - but it could NEVER conquer my spirit. Gisèle-Stéphanie, as sweet and keen as she is, cannot think upon such topics as finances; they mean nothing to her. And so I remain; watching over my most only - my partner, who saw my many faults and the manifold acts of wickedness I perpetrated and forgave me, loved me and turned me into a better dog than I had any right to be. But - not for the first time - I digress...
I wonder if it has ought to do with the sadnesses in the world at the moment? The appalling upheavals and injustices within Egypt, Syria, Iran, the Ukraine and Crimea... The dreadful and protracted tragedy of Malaysian Airlines Flight No. MH370; those poor, poor families... Oh, God bless them.
I feel SO deeply on all these things, and more besides. I should have learned to feel gratitude for the mere fact of my existence whilst I still lived. But how can one explain to those entangled in the daily rigmarole of life, work, bills, socialising, image-building/maintaining, etc... - that the mere fact that one exists and can feel is the very greatest blessing of all. It has been so long, that I can no longer remember what it was to draw a deep breath on a crisp, frosty morning, and smile at the mist produced when I exhaled. What it was to stretch out on my very OWN patio and feel the sun warming my body. To drink deeply from a Dartmoor spring on a hot day and savour the cool-crisp sensation of the water as I swallowed it and felt it travel through my warm body, chilling and refreshing all at once. Please, my friends, please enjoy these simple pleasures while you can...
********
But Gisèle has not yet learned to think seriously upon such things. No. Oh no.
I almost despair of her - I keep faith that she cannot be entirely lost to better thinking - though my hopes aren't high... I can only apologise most profusely for what follows.
My partner was stretched to her highest, uppermost limit by Sèle's CONSTANT whining about her ridiculous tuft. With muttered profanities, my partner finally (reluctantly) seized up her scissors and The Great Snip took place.
Upon initial snipping, a wound was revealed, and further snippage was necessary. Gisèle had a thorn piercing the flesh atop her head, which was removed painlessly, once sufficient fur had been snipped away.
I have to bark, that I was alarmed at the state of Giz's exposed face. Many injuries had been revealed - wounds from her former bullying by Betty. Wounds that I knew about - the time the left side of her mouth was torn open, bite marks on her left cheek and above her left eye; but others too, which I think Giz had concealed to try and spare Betty in those early days before they became the very best of friends. In any case, if Giz had forgiven Betty, then so could I. I followed Gisèle to the French Windows, to which she padded in order to examine her newly-shorn reflection...
"Aaaaaarggghhhh! I look like a complete TIT!" Gisèle squealed.
Well, I couldn't disagree.
Only Rosie, Sèle's friend from next-door, claimed to see notice no difference in Giz's appearance. I suspect she was just being kind, as everyone else laughed at the newly-trimmed Giz and remarked on her new "Lego-Cut" (my partner not being skilled in canine fur-dressing).
"Put it back! Make it grown again!!" demanded an angrily disappointed Giz. My partner and I gently tried to help her to understand that fur, once cut, cannot be instantly regrown. She refused to see reason, so I kept out of the way whilst my partner endeavoured to deal with the truculent terrier.
********
I only dared to return a few days later. Gisèle, at least, seemed happier, even if my partner did not.
"Jazz!" chirruped the little terrier, when she sighted me, "Hiiiiihiiihihihiiii!"
I winced and affected to ignore her irritating giggling.
"Are you liking your new furcut, then?" I hazarded cautiously.
"Well, no," she confessed. "Hiihiiiihihiihihihihiiii!"
I knew that requesting an explanation would be admitting weakness. But, dear reader, how can you blame me? Let us travel that weak path together.
"Go on..." I sighed, a sense of foreboding fast-approaching.
"Did you see what was is cut off?!" squeaked Giz, indicating towards her foam basket, where my partner had placed the snipped-off clumps of fur, "Enough to make a big old merkin*, hiihiihihihihiiiiii!"
"GISÈLE!!" I spluttered, aghast, "Where on Earth did you learn a word like that?!"
Gisèle looked suddenly sullen and muttered something virtually incomprehensible, amongst which utterances could be discerned the word 'Honey'.
"Honey the cat from opposite?" I queried, "That weekend after Betty went home?"
"Yes."
"So you and Honey sat in the garden, repeating to each other saucy words and laughing over them?"
"Yes. Honey told me loads, hiihiihihi... I only had a few that she didn't hear before, hiihiihihihihiiii...."
"Oh, brilliant. So you and Honey - two otherwise respectable, likeable, reasonably intelligent young ladies - chose to spend your afternoon teaching each other naughty words and giggling...?!"
"Yeh! Hihihi! It was one of the BEST afternoons of my life, hiihiihihi...!"
*Oh, just Google it. Bl**dy-h*ll; now I'm depressed!
'Night.
Monday, 10 March 2014
Monday 10 March 2014
I knew that Gisèle had come up with an idea. She had been sitting upright, staring fixedly at the soundly-sleeping form of Betty for at least the last twenty minutes - since around 5.00am, to be precise. She seemed to think that the more determinedly she stared at Betty, the greater the chance that Betty would soon wake up. Whether or not Betty was aware of the two bright little eyes boring into her prone self, I cannot bark. However, twenty minutes is usually the outer limit of little Gisèle's patience and - sure enough - I heard the little frustrated sigh that immediately preceded affirmative action.
"Betty!" ventured the tiny Jack Russell, "Betty! Betty! Betty!" When this produced no effect, a little claw entered the fray. "Betty! Betty! Betty! Betty! Betty! Betty! Betty!" repeated Giz, each "Betty!" being reinforced with a prod from the claw, "Betty!Betty!Betty!Betty!Betty!Betty!Betty!Betty!Betty!"
"Go'way, 'm'sleep." grunted the unfortunate Betty.
"No! Betty!Betty!Betty!Betty!" persisted Giz, somewhat unwisely in my view, "Betty! It's urgent! Betty!"
Betty groaned.
"If it's anything other than the house being on fire, I'm going to kill you Giz."
"What? No, you have to get up now! Betty!"
"I'll bark it again. IS the house on fire?"
"Ummm... I don't think so..."
"Is there even any smoke?"
"No, but I know where Mistress keeps matches. I can put the curtains on fire if you want."
"In that case, Giz, kindly lie down on your back, tilt your head up and expose your throat."
"Oh! OK - but..." chattered Giz, doing as she was told.
"Now I'm going to tear your throat out, you little sleep-thieving parasite."
"What? Oh! Hihihihihiiiii - but no. I need to ask you a really big favour."
"Is there any chance of me getting to go back to sleep this morning?" sighed Betty.
"No."
"What d'you want then?"
"I've decided. After we were barking about fur-styles the other night, I decided it HAS to go. You have to pull it out."
"Not your bl**dy tuft again?!"
"Yes. It's GOT to go. Ever since you tore- I mean, when you bit me- ages ago, when my face was sore and open and all the fur came off... when it all grew back the tuft grew back even bigger and fluffier. I HATE it - Look!"
With that, Gisèle shook her head and rubbed it on the edge of Betty's pillow. The unfortunate fluffy tuft that perched comically atop the little terrier's cranium stood erect. Betty was unable to stop herself.
"Pfffftht...! Hur hur hur - snort - hur hur hur!" chuckled the Giant Schnauzer, "Hur - snort - hur hur, I'm not nipping off that little beauty! Hur hur hur...!"
"Oh PLEASE Bettz" implored Giz, "I hate it! It makes me look SO stupid. I won't squeal or anything - I will just lie here, good and quiet, and you pull it out. Go on - do it NOW!" Giz positioned herself carefully below Betty's jaws, squeezed her eyes tightly closed and braced herself. "Nip it Betty! Nip it! Pull it out!"
"No! Stop it, you nut! I'm not pulling out your hair!"
"Why though?"
"Because it will hurt! And if I pull it out again, it will only be even thicker when it grows back again! No!"
"I want mistress to shave it, but she won't." Giz whined petulantly.
"I should jolly well think not!" barked Betty, "The itchiness would drive you mad when it started to grow back! It's not that bad..."
"I hate it..." grumbled Giz moodily. I hoped that she wasn't going to go into one of her 'difficult sulks'. Betty looked down at her and I could tell that she was thinking along the same lines...
"It is a bit funny-looking," admitted Betty carefully, "I mean, when you twiddle it with a claw and it stands up straight by itself..." She stretched out a stubby claw and twizzled Giz's tuft into a sturdy upright peak, "You might even be able to pick up short-wave radio, hur hur hur - snort - hur hur." And with a wink at her tiny friend, Betty made a noise like the interference one encounters when attempting to tune a radio.
Gisèle simply couldn't remain in a sulk at this - she sat up and beamed at Betty, the twinkle returning to her dark brown eyes.
"Bsssszzzzzzt!" joined in Gisèle with a giggle "...here is the news on Giz-FM: Everyone afraid as Betty's ar*e continues to get bigger - hihihihihihihiiiiiii - dangers of tidal waves if she sits down suddenly - hihiihiiii - public warned to stay away - army called out to monitor Betty's massive ar*e..."
"Oh, shut up, Tufty..." grinned Betty and, with that, Giz collapsed with her high-pitched giggles as Betty pretended to be cross and gently swiped at her.
With much relief I watched as the two friends snuggled close together and went back to sleep. Well, I mused to myself, it may be a mad life they lead - but it is a happy one...
Pip-pip!
"Betty!" ventured the tiny Jack Russell, "Betty! Betty! Betty!" When this produced no effect, a little claw entered the fray. "Betty! Betty! Betty! Betty! Betty! Betty! Betty!" repeated Giz, each "Betty!" being reinforced with a prod from the claw, "Betty!Betty!Betty!Betty!Betty!Betty!Betty!Betty!Betty!"
"Go'way, 'm'sleep." grunted the unfortunate Betty.
"No! Betty!Betty!Betty!Betty!" persisted Giz, somewhat unwisely in my view, "Betty! It's urgent! Betty!"
Betty groaned.
"If it's anything other than the house being on fire, I'm going to kill you Giz."
"What? No, you have to get up now! Betty!"
"I'll bark it again. IS the house on fire?"
"Ummm... I don't think so..."
"Is there even any smoke?"
"No, but I know where Mistress keeps matches. I can put the curtains on fire if you want."
"In that case, Giz, kindly lie down on your back, tilt your head up and expose your throat."
"Oh! OK - but..." chattered Giz, doing as she was told.
"Now I'm going to tear your throat out, you little sleep-thieving parasite."
"What? Oh! Hihihihihiiiii - but no. I need to ask you a really big favour."
"Is there any chance of me getting to go back to sleep this morning?" sighed Betty.
"No."
"What d'you want then?"
"I've decided. After we were barking about fur-styles the other night, I decided it HAS to go. You have to pull it out."
"Not your bl**dy tuft again?!"
"Yes. It's GOT to go. Ever since you tore- I mean, when you bit me- ages ago, when my face was sore and open and all the fur came off... when it all grew back the tuft grew back even bigger and fluffier. I HATE it - Look!"
With that, Gisèle shook her head and rubbed it on the edge of Betty's pillow. The unfortunate fluffy tuft that perched comically atop the little terrier's cranium stood erect. Betty was unable to stop herself.
"Pfffftht...! Hur hur hur - snort - hur hur hur!" chuckled the Giant Schnauzer, "Hur - snort - hur hur, I'm not nipping off that little beauty! Hur hur hur...!"
"Oh PLEASE Bettz" implored Giz, "I hate it! It makes me look SO stupid. I won't squeal or anything - I will just lie here, good and quiet, and you pull it out. Go on - do it NOW!" Giz positioned herself carefully below Betty's jaws, squeezed her eyes tightly closed and braced herself. "Nip it Betty! Nip it! Pull it out!"
"No! Stop it, you nut! I'm not pulling out your hair!"
"Why though?"
"Because it will hurt! And if I pull it out again, it will only be even thicker when it grows back again! No!"
"I want mistress to shave it, but she won't." Giz whined petulantly.
"I should jolly well think not!" barked Betty, "The itchiness would drive you mad when it started to grow back! It's not that bad..."
"I hate it..." grumbled Giz moodily. I hoped that she wasn't going to go into one of her 'difficult sulks'. Betty looked down at her and I could tell that she was thinking along the same lines...
 |
| Tuft Dormant |
 |
| Tuft Rampant (not all of it - plenty more at the back of the curl) |
"It is a bit funny-looking," admitted Betty carefully, "I mean, when you twiddle it with a claw and it stands up straight by itself..." She stretched out a stubby claw and twizzled Giz's tuft into a sturdy upright peak, "You might even be able to pick up short-wave radio, hur hur hur - snort - hur hur." And with a wink at her tiny friend, Betty made a noise like the interference one encounters when attempting to tune a radio.
Gisèle simply couldn't remain in a sulk at this - she sat up and beamed at Betty, the twinkle returning to her dark brown eyes.
"Bsssszzzzzzt!" joined in Gisèle with a giggle "...here is the news on Giz-FM: Everyone afraid as Betty's ar*e continues to get bigger - hihihihihihihiiiiiii - dangers of tidal waves if she sits down suddenly - hihiihiiii - public warned to stay away - army called out to monitor Betty's massive ar*e..."
"Oh, shut up, Tufty..." grinned Betty and, with that, Giz collapsed with her high-pitched giggles as Betty pretended to be cross and gently swiped at her.
With much relief I watched as the two friends snuggled close together and went back to sleep. Well, I mused to myself, it may be a mad life they lead - but it is a happy one...
Pip-pip!
Friday, 21 February 2014
Friday 21 February 2014
Gisèle was going to write this entry herself. I believe she was going to "entertain" you with the fact that she wasn't currently barking to me, apropos my lecture to her on morality after her frolics with Boris. She was also going to provide you with a list detailing why I was (a) wrong; and (b) a boring old fossil. These, however, are "treats" to be savoured at some future point, for events have overtaken her easily-distracted mind. Ah well. Anticipation, they say, is but half the thrill... For goodness' sake.
Betty has returned. She is, I am pleased to bark, behaving herself extremely well - despite the insolence of Gisèle, who had convinced herself that it was in honour of another visit from Boris that the house was being prepared. On discovering that it was The Hon. Elizabeth (she had not bothered to listen to my partner's prior information of Betty's visit) at the door Giz, in response to the Giant Schnauzer's hearty greeting, snapped "Why aren't you Boris?! Go away!" Fortunately Betty is used to Gizzy's habit of barking first, sniffing later and actually thinking as the merest of afterthoughts. All is well now between the girls. Now...
The very evening of Betty's arrival last week coincided with the worst of these awe-inducing and destructive storms under which much of Britain is currently suffering. The wind literally roared around our little house, the trees at the side creaked and twisted most alarmingly, branches crashed down, and the rain sounded like pebbles being repeatedly hurled at the windows. Even Gisèle, who is not normally troubled by such things, was afraid. The power flickered on and off and the two trembling dogs clung to each other for comfort and support. My partner, after having lit a few candles "just in case" suggested, in a braver-sounding tone than I suspected she felt, that Gizzy tell Betty about her nice weekend with Boris (by way of a distraction from the wild elements without-doors). The two girls trotted upstairs and I could hear them chattering away quietly.
After twenty minutes there was a sudden outbreak of hysterical screaming. There were then two thumps - one soft, one heavy - more screaming, followed by a great deal of scrabbling.
My partner and I raced upstairs. The two girls were in witless hysterics, screaming and shrieking, pushing, shoving and scrambling over each other in frantic attempts to squeeze themselves into the little airing cupboard. My partner's clothes were flying everywhere.
"What are you DOING?!" cried my partner, but Betty and Giz were both in such a petrified state that neither heard her.
"OI!!!" I roared, "Pack it in, the pair of you! Now!!!" The squealing stopped, but the desperate scrabbling did not. "Come out of there!" Giz was half-way up one of the legs of my partner's pairs of trousers and reluctantly reappeared, still shaking. Betty reversed out, wearing a pair of my partner's flowery-pink knickers on her head like a hat. My partner pulled them off her with a look of disdain.
"What's going on?!" I demanded. Both girls looked too terrified to bark. They looked at each other shiftily, still quivering and squeaking. "Come on - out with it!"
Eventually, Betty mumbled "Gizzy told me about all the naughty s*x-things she and Boris did..."
Giz corroborated this with a whimper, and then burst into tears.
"Oh, Jasper!" she wailed, "It's ALL my fault! All MY fault!!! We're ALL going to die!!!" Both girls began to squeal and cry again.
After what amounted to almost twenty minutes of extremely tiresome coaxing, I finally got the two to concede that they had decided that the weather and the flooding is some sort of Divine retribution for Gisèle's weekend of immorality. It took me a further twenty minutes to get them to accept that it was merely weather, and that the natural behaviours of two young dogs, mutually attracted, were unlikely to bring about the full Apocalyptic might of the End of Days on the entire planet. As soon as that rather heavy penny had clanged down in their relatively empty heads, they were quite satisfied and trotted off so that they could "do each other's fur-styles".
Terrific. Another evening wasted. Although I'll admit that the weather WAS pretty scary.
Betty has returned. She is, I am pleased to bark, behaving herself extremely well - despite the insolence of Gisèle, who had convinced herself that it was in honour of another visit from Boris that the house was being prepared. On discovering that it was The Hon. Elizabeth (she had not bothered to listen to my partner's prior information of Betty's visit) at the door Giz, in response to the Giant Schnauzer's hearty greeting, snapped "Why aren't you Boris?! Go away!" Fortunately Betty is used to Gizzy's habit of barking first, sniffing later and actually thinking as the merest of afterthoughts. All is well now between the girls. Now...
The very evening of Betty's arrival last week coincided with the worst of these awe-inducing and destructive storms under which much of Britain is currently suffering. The wind literally roared around our little house, the trees at the side creaked and twisted most alarmingly, branches crashed down, and the rain sounded like pebbles being repeatedly hurled at the windows. Even Gisèle, who is not normally troubled by such things, was afraid. The power flickered on and off and the two trembling dogs clung to each other for comfort and support. My partner, after having lit a few candles "just in case" suggested, in a braver-sounding tone than I suspected she felt, that Gizzy tell Betty about her nice weekend with Boris (by way of a distraction from the wild elements without-doors). The two girls trotted upstairs and I could hear them chattering away quietly.
After twenty minutes there was a sudden outbreak of hysterical screaming. There were then two thumps - one soft, one heavy - more screaming, followed by a great deal of scrabbling.
My partner and I raced upstairs. The two girls were in witless hysterics, screaming and shrieking, pushing, shoving and scrambling over each other in frantic attempts to squeeze themselves into the little airing cupboard. My partner's clothes were flying everywhere.
"What are you DOING?!" cried my partner, but Betty and Giz were both in such a petrified state that neither heard her.
"OI!!!" I roared, "Pack it in, the pair of you! Now!!!" The squealing stopped, but the desperate scrabbling did not. "Come out of there!" Giz was half-way up one of the legs of my partner's pairs of trousers and reluctantly reappeared, still shaking. Betty reversed out, wearing a pair of my partner's flowery-pink knickers on her head like a hat. My partner pulled them off her with a look of disdain.
"What's going on?!" I demanded. Both girls looked too terrified to bark. They looked at each other shiftily, still quivering and squeaking. "Come on - out with it!"
Eventually, Betty mumbled "Gizzy told me about all the naughty s*x-things she and Boris did..."
Giz corroborated this with a whimper, and then burst into tears.
"Oh, Jasper!" she wailed, "It's ALL my fault! All MY fault!!! We're ALL going to die!!!" Both girls began to squeal and cry again.
After what amounted to almost twenty minutes of extremely tiresome coaxing, I finally got the two to concede that they had decided that the weather and the flooding is some sort of Divine retribution for Gisèle's weekend of immorality. It took me a further twenty minutes to get them to accept that it was merely weather, and that the natural behaviours of two young dogs, mutually attracted, were unlikely to bring about the full Apocalyptic might of the End of Days on the entire planet. As soon as that rather heavy penny had clanged down in their relatively empty heads, they were quite satisfied and trotted off so that they could "do each other's fur-styles".
Terrific. Another evening wasted. Although I'll admit that the weather WAS pretty scary.
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