Saturday 25 September 2010

Not about a dog

Well, there are other things in my life, not just cats and dogs, you know. No, really. There are.


Like getting a recycled container, once filled with industrial quantities of glucose and now intended for gathering and storing rainwater on our waterless plots, delivered to the allotment this morning, and paid for with the grant we applied for so very long ago. The delivery man deposited two of them at the gate. The gate that isn't wide enough to take them through....

Earlier examples had been removed easily from their metal frames with a screwdriver, making them lighter to manoeuvre over the fence, and people came prepared. But these two required an allan key, and no one had such a thing with them.

There was some scratching of heads, some larking about (by Elizabeth the Secretary, below), and the usual know-everything suspect telling us that we only needed a screwdriver until he saw for himself that we didn't.


Then The Blokes rose to the challenge. Those containers were manhandled through the trees, my ladder and a length of timber were propped against the fence, and some physical effort applied. Brains, brawn and teamwork won the day. I took photos, as no one was looking. The nettles and the spiny shrubs did their worst, but The Blokes didn't notice.





Then I went home, got changed, and (well, of course there has to be a doggy bit in this post!) drove out of town to meet Florence and Fran at the home of our mutual friends, to have lunch and introduce Florence to them.


Floss also got to meet their lovely Harvey, another Fran graduate. He and Fran were thrilled to see each other again.


Everything went rather well..... How nice when friends' dogs become friends too!






Of course, it was all another training opportunity for Flossie and I. Mostly, I learned how excruciating it is to have a lesson in front of friends who own a superbly-trained dog when my own dog clamps her rag toy firmly in her jaws and won't 'leave' it - for what seems like hours. She got it right in the end though. I suspect Fran thinks I'm a softie. I think I've just been trained by cats, and know that in a battle of wills, it's never me who wins....



But Flossie learned to sit quietly while we had our meal. Harvey set a good example. Praise was heaped; I burst my buttons with pride.


They posed for their photo, romped about in the garden, and then it was time to go home to Tosca - the worst car-traveller in the world, which, in case you wondered, is why she gets taken nowhere - and the cats. Only 6 more sleeps (during part of which time I will be in Somerset) till Flossie joins us. Only 6!!

14 comments:

My Farmhouse Kitchen said...

those dogs are adorable...love the photo of the 2 of them looking out the glass door

:-)

kary and teddy

Anonymous said...

I somehow think you won't be sleeping a great deal for the next few nights - unless it's to dream about your gorgeous Florence. I loved the photos of the men manhandling the containers - I think I would have gone to B&Q for an allen key!!

Elizabeth Musgrave said...

Ok, not a dog free blog (dogless might be better?) but quite a lot of diversionary excitement! Does Fran operate just in the North East? I have never heard of this boarding school approach but I think it is fab.

the veg artist said...

Has Tosca seen the 'rough and tumble' photos? No wonder she looks worried!

Sue said...

Glad the training is going well. Can the cats and Tosca count?

mountainear said...

Oh, to have a biddable dog. The pointer should be but the bull terrier is a lost cause. Either that of have something small enough to pick up. Florence looks like a little star - you are going to have so much fun.

Counting sleeps with you!

Fran Hill said...

Oh, those industrial containers are so CUTE! I LOVE them!

Rattling On said...

Somerset, you say...

rachel said...

Oh, sorry, should have explained - Somerset as a tourist, nothing to do with house sales or purchases this time! I'll write about it when I get back!

Kate on Clinton said...

I so enjoy following your progress with Flossie. I'm very impressed with your dedication to training, especially for someone who has been trained by cats!

rogern said...

My back ached today after all that manhandling yesterday! In retrospect, it would have been easier with the other wooden rail that was on Alan's plot as well, with the ladder in the middle. hey ho, we'll know better next time.

Anonymous said...

Somerset? Have a lovely time - just got back from Devon myself.

Jan x

judy in ky said...

We could use a few of those huge containers of water around here. We are in a drought condition after two months of hot, dry weather. When I was in college, I had to go buy an allen key (I think it's what we call an allen wrench) to fix my hair dryer.
Enjoy Somerset!

SmitoniusAndSonata said...

Looking at all those chaps heaving the containers over the fence , I wondered if they'd put the ladies the other side to "catch" them .

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