Tag Archives: Patterdale terrier

Holding The Fort

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The fort is being well and truly held by Flossie.  She is doing admirable work looking after us all, I know, and it’s not easy.

Today Flossie came in from feeding everyone saying Tiddles wasn’t very enthused about his breakfast, so we went out after our breakfast armed with his rug and put it back on.  I think he was struggling with thinking spring is here as it still quite cold.  We’ll see what he is like tomorrow morning.  Hopefully his rug will make the difference.

I am trying to gently mobilise now so helped this afternoon with getting the sheep home.  It was nice to see that Gussie has got over his “stranger danger” and now considers Floss to be one of his best friends.

I think Gussie watches ‘Bert for his inspiration and ‘Bert adores Flossie and Daisy (don’t we all?)

Anyway, Flossie and Gussie had a good conversation.

Something about always travelling with a snack because you just never know.

And it was nice for me to be a little more out and about.

I wonder if Lambie was pleased to see me. Apparently he’s been the model citizen for Flossie (of course he would be).

And then I drove over to our neighbours who, unbeknownst to them, had Pepper.  She had long since vanished into thin air after her tea *** more sighing *** and we found her very much at home around their stables.  Steps will have to be taken now to prevent this wandering as I’m bored of it and all the apologising.

(I think she all knows we hate her – wee turd)

Bedrest For Me

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I’ve been lying on my bed all day being waited on hand and foot by my wonderful Flossie (as I type this, she is cutting up vegetables to roast with a chicken). To fill my day, I have gone through my family tree looking at Data Inconsitency Reports trying to amend errors like having a baby at 14yo or 49 (which is apparently true and not that long ago – 1846).  Poor woman – Fred was the last of 11 children!

Meanwhile, Pepper has proved to be a rotten nurse (and I haven’t seen hide nor hair of Monster either). She has been totally absent all day and was driven home from the neighbours after tea (***sigh ***).  She wants me to apologise to her for being so boring today.  No one is talking to her now, again and she’s been sacked from her job.  And when I think of the undying devotion from BeAnne Duvet who never left my side and bed through 3 spinal operation recoveries, I told Pepper – can you see the bored look on her face?

Flossie also managed to escape, sorry, went for a walk this afternoon and I texted her to take some photos as she went as I had nothing for this blog.

Anyway, it is loveley to see the outside, even through someone else’s eyes.  I know it is not as warm as it looks, hence the rugs staying on as windcheaters.

  

They don’t seem to hold anyone back.

And everyone seems perfectly happy and comfortable so while I am stuck inside, I am not worrying about them.  Just the fact that Pepper is escaping.

One Arrives, One About to Leave

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It’s been an exhausting day for everyone.

We were up an hour early to do the animals and then I drove to the airport to collect Flossie, who is taking over from Daisy (98 mile round trip).

Meanwhile, Ted went to the vet for his scheduled “dental” – he had to stay for the day and ten teeth were removed while the rest were cleaned.  Poor thing.  He’s just come home and seems relatively bright and is managing to eat soft food.

Anyway, I shall be sad to see Daisy go. Her help has been invaluable and she keeps me on track as to food, rugs and general looking after.  I need that.  And I think a wee dog will be miss her hugely as will her science companion, Monster.

So now it’s Flossie’s turn again – back to lugging buckets through the mud in hellish weather without a single complaint.

And she gets to work from home too during the weekdays, subject to the internet working.

Life goes on, apparently.

We’re Not Talking to Pepper

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No one is talking to little Miss Pepperpot this evening.

Not even her BFF, Monster.

I know Pepper was with me this morning as she helped me make Flossie’s bed for her return home tomorrow to help me around the place as it’s Daisy’s time to leave.

And Pepper was here to scoff her tea down as fast as she could and then, when Daisy and I went out to put the ducks/hens to bed and let the sheep in, no one had seen her for 30 minutes or so – each thinking she was with the other. She wasn’t anywhere. She had gone.

We asked around.

I checked my phone for any messages, shouted and whistled (two fingers in the mouth kind that gets you a taxi anywhere in London) but nothing.  No little orange dog.

And then I grabbed the car keys and off we both (Daisy and I that is, no sheep) to look for little Miss Pepper.

The first neighbour we saw said he had seen Pepper a few days’ back (really? we didn’t know she had gone) and had sent her home then but no, he hadn’t seen her today.  The next neighbour’s home was quiet and so we tried our third neighbour and guess who came bouncing out.  There she was “helping to fill haynets” along with a kind offer to happily keep her all day.  I won’t lie, at this point I was sorely tempted.

I do wish she wouldn’t do this.  I really do.  We are very lucky with our neighbours who know what a little terror/runaway she is.  She just likes visiting folk and maybe I am just her taxi collection service.

The Best Rugs

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Not much has happened today which, as you know, is how I and my back like it.  No drama, no fuss.

Everyone behaved at breakfast and that always makes life simple.  Afterwards, I spent my morning on the phone to a physiotherapist who phoned to talk about my GP referral (he never mentioned that). We had a good conversation and I felt I was understood and a plan might be made. You never know.  I am optimistic.

Then some games with Pepper, which involved me trying not to be chewed while someone tickled her tummy!

 

Pepper is (mostly) adorable and very pleased with herself because a few days back, she caught herself a mouse!  All her very own work too.

Because Pepper wanted to bring it home, I had to swap it out for one of the sheeps’ biccies to get her to give it to me to dispose of. Fair exchange is no robbery in this house.  She was a very good girl about this otherwise she would run around with the mouse in her mouth, tail hanging out like a gruesome lollipop!

The old horses and ponies are doing very well living in the centre of the summer track.  The two year old grass there is slowly being eaten down and will hopefully last a little while longer.  My plan is to keep them in their rugs (either a rain sheet or a 50 – 200g fill depending on the weather) while they live outside in bad weather 24/7.  That way, their rugs will do the job of keeping them dry and warm. I think they are happier like this and have wintered better.  They move around more too.

Anyway, that’s the plan.  It’s not a very cheap one, though.  I have learned the hard way that you get what you pay for.