FEBRUARY 2023

I am waiting patiently for someone to play with me, trying to appear nonchalant as if I am not worried either way but, believe me, I will be ready in an instant, perfectly balanced to react to the slightest movement which may result in a good game.  The Mrs tiptoes carefully around me but I am keeping an eye on her.  The Boss ignores me as he has more important things on his mind.  I check to see if he is dressed in green or camouflage which means a really good day out when work is far more interesting than play but alas he is in his overalls which mean tinkering in the garage where I am allowed to watch but not help.  That leaves the Mrs and she is still pretending to ignore me but I know her game – she will suddenly swoop in and snatch my teething ring with a view to throwing it as far as she can so I can retrieve it for her to throw again...and again…and again….

Rest assured I will never tire of this game but she often does.  I live in hope that one day she will meet my exacting standards but exercise is not her favourite pastime, she is more into wielding brushes and sitting and gazing at the view to replicate it on paper, whereas I would prefer to run all over the countryside, sniffing, rolling, fetching and retrieving with the wind lifting my ears and if there is a bit of water around that’s all the better – I’m in and splashing about.  It’s a dog’s life but someone has to live it!

 

JANUARY 2023

Just chillin’.  I find this is sometimes the most comfortable position for lazing around and being playful but the only thing against it is that everyone else is upside down.  I like rolling about playing and in the summer, when it is really hot, it allows the cool air to get to my tummy.  I can adopt this prone position if I wish to ingratiate myself with the Boss.  It shows I trust him and would like him to give me a good tummy tickle which I love.

The Mrs always looks askance at me and would prefer me to be the correct way up and not displaying myself in such an uninhibited way. She believes certain bits of my undercarriage are undercover underneath for a good reason and should not be on display in such gay abandon.  However she too will laugh and give me a good tummy rub if I wriggle long enough in front of her. 

Sometimes the wriggling makes her nose wrinkle and I have learnt that this slight flaring of her nasal passages usually has significant repercussions for me and means a trip to the bathroom is in order with copious amounts of dog towels and shampoo.  Hence I am invited to jump into the white boat and suffer a good soaking with the shower and a foaming rub all over with bubbles.  After the final rinsing the Mrs can be quite mindful of my privacy and the shower curtain is pulled across concealing my presence.  Wondering why she has suddenly seen the need to give me a bit of private time in the bath I am seized with the sudden need to shake all the excess water from my fur.  At this point she is usually busy laying my towels out across the floor and when she feels I have had enough privacy and shaking she pulls the shower curtain back and I am invited to jump out onto the towels while she rubs my coat dry.  I love this part and help her by holding the towels in my mouth and rolling all over the place pulling the towels with me and getting in a right pickle.  This usually ends with yet another tummy rub but without the nose wrinkling which is always a good sign – peace and love.