Monday, December 2, 2013

Beware lest you lose the substance by grasping at the shadow.






Eight on a frosty Sunday morning. Most sensible God fearing villagers are still tucked up safe and warm in bed. By contrast the dog rearing villagers are up and about. Or, to be more precise, the dog rearing villager is up and about. Bob has been ready to go for an hour. He sits by the side of the breakfast table and stares at me in silent reproach. Nothing like a cold frosty December morning to appeal to a PON boy.

While I head off across the fields with Bob, 'the font' takes Sophie for a power walk round the lake. After the incident with the fisherman and the fish in the bucket Bob is still persona non grata when it comes to walks round the lake. Sophie is not a power walk dog. She likes to stop every five minutes to look at the ducks or sit wistfully watching the waves on the water. The reed beds a source of limitless delight. Bob can do a circuit of the lake in thirty minutes. With Sophie it's an hour if you're lucky.

Bob and Angus are just finishing their second cup of coffee by the time Sophie and 'the font' make it to the cafe under the arcades. Our time has not been wasted. The waitress has slipped Bob some croissant scraps. He beams.

13 comments:

WFT Nobby said...

I am wondering how often Bob and Sophie are walked together at the moment?

Angus said...

They get an hour together along the roman road in the valley in the afternoon plus most of the day in the orchard. With siblings its importan for them to spend some quality time apart to bond with their human folk.

Bella Roxy & Macdui said...

We don't do power walks either....too much to sniff.

XXXOOO Daisy,Bella & Roxy

Julie said...

Did Bob really beam or was it a smug grin ?
Hope Sophie also got to partake of some illicit croissant.

Katherine said...

Our power walks have slowed to a more amiable pace due to a naughty and highly curious bull terrier, so I empathise with the Font. I'm sure she finds, though, asI do, that it's just good to be outdoors with our trusted companions.

VirginiaC said...

I hope Sophie was privy to some croissant scraps as well when she arrived at the cafe.

Whispering Walls said...

Not much frost here yet

houndstooth said...

If only Sophie knew what all that dawdling had cost her!

Jake of Florida said...

With Just Harry, I call it going for a sniff, not a walk! Interesting information about giving siblings time apart so they bond with their humans.

Angus said...

Having two from the same litter has great attractions - they never suffer from separation anxiety, they're rarely if ever bored, they look out for one another. The downside is that unless your careful two PON's can form such a close bond that their human folks are seen as less important members of the pack. That's why were careful to give each of them time alone with us for walks and 'tickles'.

MLou said...

Love the photo of Bob lost in the sea of icy grasses.

Louise said...

I'd love to see a photo of the lake one day. I don't recall seeing it, and I do so love pictures of your village and the countryside.



Anonymous said...

Me too.