Monday, March 07, 2016

Happy Doggie Visit Day

And a Happy Mothers Day too. At least over here in GB, I gather it's a different day in other countries !

It is another of those festivals/days of the year that's become over commercialised but we still take it as a good excuse to show the appreciation. Because I live 180 miles away from my mum and dad and the travel is harder for me now*, we look for excuses to gather up again and this is one of the better excuses. Flowers are involved too this time around and they're definitely appreciated :-).

Me and my dad hold our emotions in somewhat, it's a trait that we can find it difficult to let them out and express them.

*Travel tiredness ? I'm not feeling it as much as usual today. Perhaps this is a sign that I got better sleep over the weekend as I'm fixing on the outside ? Maybe, hopefully :-).

But you know who the star of these weekends is.
Hello Ben ! I came in quietly so the old fella didn't rouse too much from his slumber.
Happy sleepy fella. This was way past his bedtime after we finished watching SpaceX launch rokkits again. They put their satellite into the sky with the usual aplomb but disappointment again on the attempt at landing the first stage. It went splat into the recovery barge. Kind of as expected because it was a difficult launch but ... you should aim to succeed at even the hard things. They'll crack it.
First priority in the morning ? Definitely Bacon. He's a sensible dog, knows what's important. Like ...
Having a good shout at the window cleaner man. I could just hear the thoughts of : "What is that stuff you are putting on our windows ? Take it off IMMEDIATELY ! BARKBARKBARK". He's not too vocal is Ben but he brings out the bark sometimes. Look at that tail in permawag too. (Window cleaner man got a little bit of slurp later)
And then conflict ... He didn't know which stimulus to pay attention to after the bacon sarnies started arriving ... Look at that, all ready to jump into action.
Yep. Hungry puppy demonstrates that gravity is optional again. (He was getting his ham treats and that's when he gets his pain and heart tablets too - you can understand how he's associated treat with yey)
Not all jumpy though, he accepts the proffered rewards like the distinguished old gentle fella he is. A gentle grab with fingers all safe. Yep. Fingers ... but not anything in reach of that ever wagging tail.
He does show his age though when he has to take himself off for a little lie down. Poor fella. It's why we don't bring Ben and my sister's dogs together, because the young dogs wear the old fella out. I think he still thinks he's like a puppy, so he tries to keep up even though the batteries aren't up to that any more. Ha ! Like me with the cricket.
Normal service resumed. You really don't want that bacon sandwich but I know someone who does.
He likes to keep an eye out for his people too with Puppy Patrol checking out the neighbourhood. We keep an eye on him when he's out the front like that. He likes to go out there and check things out but he's a timid fella who will come back in again rather than violently defend territory like some dogs will, or run off to explore like others. Goldie was a lovely dog but we couldn't let him out the front like that. He'd be off exploring.
This scene tends to play out around dinner time when we've finished munching and the leftovers are there ... Ben would like to let everyone know that you should hurry up and take those away meatscrap smells and put them somewhere and that his munchie bowl would be the ideal place.
It's not all like that though, we train the dogs to not be beggy. This is Ben being around his people but having a little sleep to avoid being too tempted. He's used to getting food in the kitchen, not in the dining area.

Sunday !
And flowersman threat to people assessed as "Yep. I stay zzzz now." He was a bit sleepy from all those bacon scraps and ham treats with sneaky pills.
But waking up again later to resume Puppy Investigation Patrol duties. And ...
Will you play with me ?
Yes Ben of course I will because you're still a big lovable puppy at heart. Gentle play because I wouldn't want to see him try and run around on that poorly paw.
And he's a dedicated cook's helper too. Here he is going : "Smells lovely dad, don't need to cook mine too much, rare will be just right for me."

He's a lovely dog is Ben. We don't know how much time he has left but he still seems pretty strong, despite having to ration his energy out between sleeps. We'll miss him when he's gone because he's a loyal bundle of lovely slurpage. Like we miss big old wolfman Scruff and wannabe greyhound and rapier tongued Goldie.

I'm trying to take as many pics of Ben as I can when I'm there, although he is a bit camera shy. He tends to hide when I wave the phone camera in his direction. It does help to remember them, I have the two old pictures of Scruff and I know there's another one as he's about to go SPLASH in a puddle with a massive doggy grin. I have barely any pictures of Goldie.

It's a shame they can't stay with us longer. As a pic I saw again today says : "He's only here for part of your life but you are all of his life." Awww.

Pets are family.

PS Apparently my phone camera has developed a crack ! Oops, dunno how that happened !

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