Doodles, Devon and Dinkydots

She’s got this bright red bag that we take away when we go There. I know to watch out for the signs of putting stuff in the bag. Friday morning we went out for my Just-Before-She-Abandons-Me walk but we weren’t in the usual hurry. She dawdled and took a plastic box out. While I found dock leaves and thistles to pee on, she started poking at some sharp twigs with some black berries, picking the best ones to put in the plastic box. Evidently best meant they didn’t have no passengers. I’d have thought the passengers were the best bit. Anyway, it was a pleasant surprise when she didn’t go to Work and was messing about with the bag and putting lots of stuff in her shopping basket too. Jam, biscuits, bottles, sausages. Hmmm sausages. I thought.

When we go There or Cambridge or The Middle of the World, I get myself settled down on the back seat for a good sleep since long drives are very tiring. She was getting out of the car when I woke up,and saying she wouldn’t be long so I expected this to be the Meat-and-Bread stop. She came back with lots of warm, nutty smelling bread and some other things that I couldn’t quite place. Meat wrapped up in pastry. I had rather hoped to investigate them properly but she put them in the back bit of the car where I can’t reach.

Expecting it to be the Throw-Money-at-it-Bridge next, I was a bit shocked to find that we had parked outside a Strange House. Well, strange to me. C’mon, Mossie, out you get and be sociable. So I got out expecting to be on Best Boy Behaviour when this young fluffy effort shot past, did a handbrake turn and came back all breathless. Hello darling, she said, I’m Twiglet. Have you come to see my new baby brothers and sisters? Then she nudged me and asked if I wanted to play. While I was trying to work out what sort of a dog she was, a wobble showed up. Nice chap, bit serious. Afternoon, I’m Jack. Belong here, now. Tess, the old lady, huffed up gave me a long hard stare and asked what had happened to the Princess. When I mentioned that she’d Gone, Tess turned away and puffed a bit more. Happens to us all, eventually, she said. Then she sneezed and we all jumped back to avoid being covered in snot. While I was trying to work out if I had any quick post-snot grooming to do, a Very Gracious Lady came up behind me and told me she was so pleased to welcome me to her home and how I should make myself comfortable and, when ready, could come in to see the Babies as long as I didn’t get too near. That’s my Mama said Twiglet. Isn’t she beautiful? Scrumpy. Cor. She is too. I wondered where the Sire was but evidently he don’t live there. Time was … but all I can do is remember now. And dream.

So after I’d been polite and peed on a bit of the garden, I went in and saw the Babies. Eight. No wonder Scrumpy gets extra meals.



Goodbye Twelve-Dog-House, hello Devon. Red-and-Gold Woman and Tall Man’s house by the river. Cat with a bit of an accent and a deal of language. I try explaining that 1) I like cats since I’m a farm dog and 2) I’ve been cussed at by a professional. Don’t make no difference. MBNAD woman brings in my blanket and I sit down in the kitchen all homely.

One of Scrumpy's babies is going to live with Red-and-Gold Woman and Tall Man so I'm just introducing the Cat to some canine ways. Don't seem keen.




Just before dinner, we go out for a walk. I remember the Princess telling me that they used to say that when she died she’d go to Devon. Looked pretty Devonly to me. She also told me that I had to go to visit Wilf. Out the gate, turn right and keep on till you get to the Basket Factory. Off we went, and at the top of the driveway was a slightly wuffity spaniel, Wilf. Gave him the news about HRH and then we had a short commiseration about castration. He’s just been done and keeps hoping they’ll grow back. I explain to him that bollocks ain’t like toenails.

Back to the Red-and-Gold Woman and Tall Man’s house. After dinner I thought we might go Here or There. But apparently, we’re Visitors. There’s another Lady staying too who makes a fuss of me. I like being a Visitor. Fuss, new places to own and a cat dinner to steal. Grand. Just grand.

In the morning we went to the next village to collect a Girlie. It’s a Girlie that belongs with Red-and-Gold Woman and Tall Man. I gave her a nice bit of blarney and in return she gave me lots of hugs. More people, related to Red-and-Gold Woman. They had crisps. Not bad this Visiting.




Time to go back to Here. Long drive, rain. But when we got back, the Little Dark One was there, waiting for us. Lovely, I thought, she’s come with a case, so she’ll be with me all week.

Lies, all lies. How could she? When MBNAD woman took me out for my Just-Before-She-Abandons-Me walk, I thought, great, I’ll have the Little Dark One here all day. Not a bit of it. How could she? They went to Work together. I’m not happy. Bitch., I grump.

Yes, alright, I do get to walk with both of them in the evening, and MBNAD woman takes me out first thing and my DB is back. On the upside, they come home together and we go out walking in the evening. Me and the Little One and my MBNAD woman.
But, still. Bitch.

My MBNAD woman really likes outside food. As we sat and watched the light go, two little shadows appeared in the garden.




Little dinkydots from next door. Under the fence. Hello Mossie. Hello Dinkydots.