I’m sorry to say that again, I have to start my monthly verbal ramblings with the news of a sad loss. Dearest Balto went over the rainbow on the 25th September at the amazing age, for an English Setter, of 18. I so, so wanted him to fall asleep and die at home. He had been incontinent for months, was blind and nearly deaf and had an almost undetectable heartbeat. However, I came home from coffee with pals to find him in a bit of a state and he couldn’t stand up, so the decision was taken. The vet reckoned that he only had a couple of days left, so should I have waited ? No. So, another large empty space here at Poorpaws. I, and friends who loved him, miss him a lot, though do I miss washing the kitchen floor and Balto’s nether regions every morning ? Hmm, tough one.
The hunting season is well under way, so please take great care when out walking your dogs. Even non hunting breeds can get excited at the noise of gunshot and because of the hunt the deer and boar are moving around more and crossing areas where they don’t usually. When dogs get the scent of a deer they will sometimes follow them for miles and miles, right out of their locality and comfort zone. Two of my friends have recently experienced their dogs being taken out for the last pee of the day, only to see them disappear into the distance. Thankfully all returned but all stayed out all night, which meant a sleepless night for the owners. I am not, of course, a fan of hunting, I hate it, but I am always courteous and polite to hunters as they know the countryside and can often spot a stray dog in the wrong area. A few times hunters have found dogs I had lost, in the early days before we were all fenced in. The fencing does not however, stop my dogs occasionally going awol when on a walk ! I have to decide which dogs walk well together and which will be off and up to mischief as soon as they realise that we are heading home !
We all need a good chuckle sometimes, especially with all the shite that is going on all over the world at the moment. So, give yourselves a treat, come to the Quercy Troup Players pantomime and give your laughing muscles a good work out ! They are putting on their unique interpretation of Dick Whittington and panto style groans are guaranteed. Saturday 26th November at 8pm and Sunday 27th at 4pm. here is the poster which gives all necessary details.
Wow, hey, look at that ! I managed to insert a photo in the middle of a paragraph, without Colin, my patient computer guru being on the end of the ‘phone !!
I am already collecting books for the book sale in March, so, please, send me your read, your future homeless, your taking up space, good condition paperbacks (preferably, but others can be considered) and I will welcome them and give them shelter. (Apologies fo Emma Lazarus !)
Brrr, getting chilly in the evenings now, so it’s extra straw in the kennels, plants getting ready to go in the greenhouse (wonder if Santa will finally being me a greenhouse heater this year !) and reading in front of the fire to look forward to !
Well it’s November and I haven’t even mentioned Christmas yet ……..oops !
Sue x