Today marks four years since Lenny came to live with me.
I was surprised to see people at the door to my house. I was assailed by a pup of about eight months of age and we proceeded to run around like idiots having fun. When the ladies who delivered Lenny left we kind of looked at each other with some trepidation and then proceeded to run our parents ragged for about two weeks whilst we got used to living together. It was like dropping a furry hand grenade into my life.
He’s been here four years. We have been to all sorts of places, seen many things and met many people. Lenny has settled into his life of safety. He has learned some commands and knows he will get ear tickles and head scratches if he’s a good lad.
Whisper this but I am so pleased he’s here. We may annoy each other and do silly things but I know he’s safe and loved which is the best thing ever. Happy fourth Gotcha Day Lenny Lendog.
Often I will look at Lenny and wonder what is going through his mind. I don’t ask him as I like to think he is content with his lot now he has been here for two and a half years.
I wonder if he is thinking back to Cyprus, to his earliest days when he was lost and then found, transported to his new life here in the UK. I know he came into this house like a furry hand grenade which took a while to get used to. However he has settled now and I think he enjoys his life of luxury.
Sometimes our thoughts are better kept to ourselves. They don’t always need to be shared with others when we are pondering the uncertainties of life in general and our own lives in particular.
I’m just pleased that he has settled and is happy. That much he has told me.
I’ve been blogging about sad subjects recently. In order to redress the balance I thought I would see what I was doing five years ago today. It seems like I was enjoying life and being on holiday in the Lake District in the UK.
It was my first trip, my first holiday if you will. We had sat in the car in a seemingly never ending queue of traffic along the motorways. When we arrived it was dark and I didn’t realise the beauty of the area until the following day.
Brotherswater. Stunning.
For a beagle or, I suspect any dog, the Lakes are a wonderful and magical kingdom of scents and sights. I went to Patterdale, at the lower end of Ullswater, for a week. We explored so many places that I could hardly take it all in.
Over the past few days a couple of my good friends have made their longest journey to the Rainbow Bridge. This has made me sad as well as feel a little introspect as you my have noticed from the last couple of blogs. I make no apology for airing my feelings now and then, as it is apparently good for you and may allow me to think more clearly.
One thing it has allowed me to see is that I am still a lucky beagle with a great life full of comfort and security. Others may not have these assets and I feel a little concerned by that.
We only get one shot at this life. It’s probably best to be a bit more beagle, a little more Lenny.
We suffered a cold snap last week when temperatures barely lifted themselves about zero Celsius for swathes of the UK. I know this isn’t as bad as other countries have endured however, for us, its a perennial big news story. The allegation is that if London gets more than 1 centimetre of snow, it grinds to a halt. I’m not so sure.
In any case, the sun seems to be showing its face this week making a welcome return as far as I am concerned. Lenny and I have been exploring the highways and byways around our new home. The ground is drying out so we can go careering across fields and along bridle paths at top speed. Actually thats not strictly true as we could go careering along if we weren’t shackled to parents. The flowers have started to flower and the tips of the shrubs and trees are due to burst into their Spring coat in the near future. This means the smells and colours will be ours to enjoy very soon. I like Spring. It’s a sign of the rebirth and regeneration of the life which has lay dormant for the Winter months.
We’ve been doing quite a bit of relaxing in our new home. I mentioned in a previous post that Lenny seems to have settled far quicker than me. This still remains true to a large extent however it has been noted that I am beginning to chill out much more readily during the day which is always a bonus for everyone concerned. I got some very helpful and thoughtful comments and advice from many friends to my post about my inability to relax here and I am thankful for each one. I assure you that I am feeling more at home now, even though its taken a month and I am still scared of the bleeps on the induction hob when its switched on. We can work on that though.
I’m off for a snooze. My brain and nose have been filled with the scent of flowers, trees and squirrels today. I even stood in awe as Lenny spotted a herd of deer prancing across a field today and yelled his head off. I am proud of my protege.
As if yesterdays sad blog wasn’t sufficient for the near future, I heard today of another kind and happy soul who has made their way to the Rainbow Bridge in a distinctly untimely fashion.
My friend Fred lived in Germany with his parents. I came across Fred early in my Twittering career and he has remained a resolute and funny pal ever since. Most weekends I would see that he was accompanying his mum on her Parkrun and he was clearly the centre of attention for the volunteers who were there to make sure everyone got around safely. Let’s be honest, he was always going to be the centre of attention, the handsome devil. Even when it was time for dinner I would see Fred waiting im-patiently beside the counter for his mum to hurry up and make the food, cut up the fruit and ensure that he had something tasty to eat. Typical beagle you may say. There is nothing wrong with making sure our parents do things right and on time, say I. Whether it was sunshine, rain or snow (I wonder if he ever had all three?) he was outside and enjoying his life running around being silly and making everyone smile.
I shall be there in spirit.
His parents were supposed to be married last year and Fred was to be the ring bearer. I suspect they will be sad when they do finally have their lovely day and there is no four legged pal to accompany them to make sure they do it all correctly.
Eleven years of wisdom, not grey fur.
So when today I saw that he had succumbed to a number of nasty tumours, I was saddened to see that he had made the longest journey. His parents made the bravest, and the most difficult, decision to release him to the company of those who have passed to the Rainbow Bridge before him. As with Lucy yesterday there will be far too many of our friends and allies who will be awaiting his arrival. He leaves behind a legacy of fun and a life lived fully. Run free Fred, free from cares, woes and troubles. You are once again young, healthy and you now have the warmth of the everlasting sun upon your fur.
Come on mum, run faster!
We only get one go at this life. Live that life like Fred. And Raffa. And Gunner. And Lucy. And Pruny. And Charley. And Seb. And Bean. And Port Hunter. And far too many others that I apologise for not mentioning.
We have been walking together, Lenny and I, over the past couple of weeks. Depending on the quantity of scents available this has led to a number of incidents where we are both going for the same scent and there is the inevitable tangle of leads with the even more inevitable huffing and puffing from our parents as they try to disentangle us. Lenny and I have been competing for scents and we tend to be rather ungentlemanly about each other, pulling suddenly on our leads and shoving each other out of the way. One thing Lenny has learned is to step back when I need to “send a peemail” as he’s received one of my “peemails” on his head before as he was trying to read it too early. Anyway it was decided that Lenny and I would walk separately this morning and it sounds like he had quite a fun walk. I suppose I should hand over to him to tell you more. I shall be checking later to see if he’s been cheeky.
Hello everyone, it’s me Lenny. I went out for a solo stroll today albeit attached to dad. My brother wasn’t with me so I could sniff and forage at my own pace without him trying to get to the scent first. We went on a ten kilometre anti clockwise round of Pednor, one of our favourite, if not our actual favourite, walks around here. With the new quarantine about to come into force and the fact that a major road had been reopened after works taking three months or so, we weren’t expecting much traffic. Also the schools are closed so the usual rat run type traffic should have been reduced. We were proved correct. We walked the first stretch with Dex and mum so after a while they turned left and went on a shorter walk whilst I strode out for my adventure. Don’t tell him but now that Dex is a bit older he doesn’t need such a long walk as his “weary bones” start to ache a little quicker. Anyhow I was quite surprised as we were keeping up a fair pace along the first bit of our freedom trail. The scent count was low apart from the two deer that ran across the road in front of me. I may have bayed loudly and caused Dex to wonder what the dickens was going on? Having overcome the excitement of deer, we sped along the road, across the muddy section where the council never clear out the drains properly and then got to the long hill. The road curved away to the left and we began the ascent toward top Pednor and we could see the manor house on the top of the hill. The scents got more frequent here and my pace slowed so I could inhale as many smells as my olfactory organ would allow. I need to store these sniffs in my data bank for later. Along the top and turn left again to go through the small group of lovely old houses in their courtyard. As we walked along the road we could see down to both Pednor Bottom and an old path called somewhat strangely Herbert’s Hole.
Suddenly Bella the chocolate lab appeared in front of us. She is a lovely older lady dog who we see regularly and with whom Dex and I exchange stories briefly as we pass. Today her parents were surprised that Dex wasn’t with us. I am very polite to her and I always get complimented on my gentlemanly behaviour. Sadly mum wasn’t with us so I didnt score any treats for being good. Continuing along the crest of the hill we descended Holloway and zigzagged around the lanes until we arrived back at the start of the loop.
I was getting a bit tired now so wanted to get home and have my second half breakfast when into my view came Molly who is a sweet little spaniel pup. She is such a happy dog and is always really pleased to meet Dex and I. For some reason I shy away from her and no one really knows why. She is playful like me, she is happy like me and she is noisy like me. However I try to hide behind my parent whenever we meet and they can’t work out why? In any case dad spoke to Molly’s mum for a while whilst I reminded him about my second breakfast by pawing his leg to get his attention. After a few minutes he relented and we made it home just in time for my stomach to rumble and a quick session of bitey face with Dex who seemed quite pleased to see me again. A good walk followed by some exuberant snout jousting and subsequently long snoozes on the sofa. Mum was told that I behaved extremely well and that without Dex there wasn’t any competition for scents. A good day I think.
I should hand you back to Dex but he is sleeping. Must be those old weary bones he tells me about.
Dex has allowed me, Lenny, to take over his blog on this one occasion. I wanted to say that today is an important day in the life of a rescue dog. It is the anniversary of Dexter arriving in his forever home on 19th December 2013. He’s been here seven years, had eight Christmases and all that time he’s been loved and cherished.
When we waifs and strays are sitting in kennels or the shelter we dream of being able to have a bed with toys, food and a warm cuddle to send us to sleep after a long walk through the fields and lanes chasing rabbits and squirrels. He has that in abundance. To have allowed our parents to adopt him and made them into his willing accomplices is a tribute to his guile and craftiness. It’s called a Gotcha Day on the basis that it is the day he got a forever home and he rescued humans in the process.
I wonder what tomorrow will bring?
I am privileged to be allowed to spend my life with him, as I couldn’t want for a better brother to guide me through life and show me the best things to smell and eat. If I don’t listen to him when I am eating revolting things, then it isn’t his fault. Today I will let him win at bitey face games. Tomorrow it will be back to normal service with him panting and puffing whilst trying to catch me.
I hope he’s being nice
Happy Gotcha Day big brother. I am so happy to say that.
I saw something like this recently posted by another blogger and wondered what it would be like from a canine (that’s me) perspective.
A – Ashridge Estate. I love going up onto the common so I can stroll through the long grass, get far too many scents in my nose and then get back to the car with a happy smile on my face. It isn’t far from me so quite easy to get to.
B – Beds. I have seven of them. I have to share my day time snoozing beds with Lenny but we have an unwritten code that we just go onto a bed and don’t hassle each other when we are sleeping. I have my night time bed whilst Lenny has his night time cave bed and never the twain shall meet.
C – Chesham. Where I live. I like the town with all the friendly people and other fur friends I have made here. It is surrounded by open fields and countryside so I get to walk the highways and byways to sniff out squirrels, rabbit and deer to my hearts content.
D – Dad. I have the safety and security of parents who look after me and make sure I am ok. One of them is my much maligned dad who, I must be honest, loves me to bits and who worries about me far too much. I am his first dog and he does some silly things which we all laugh at. But his heart is in the right place. Lenny and I know that he would always do stuff to make sure we are safe, loved and happy.
E – Exploring. I am able to explore for quite some distance locally and nationally. All the paths and byways near my home have been walked. I have also visited many places in the UK and always enjoy seeing new sights and exploring new scents.
F – Friends. What would I do without them? Life would be so much less interesting if I had no one to woof with on Twitter and on here. I always enjoy listening to my friends when they have good or bad news. It is nice to be friends.
G – Grandad. He is my only grandparent so I always have a fun time when we see him. Since he first met me, I have shown him that I am a friendly lad and he need not be worried about me. He is getting much better at tickles and I am going to take credit for that.
H – Home. A place where I can live in safety and security. I am fortunate to have a home now. I remember when I was in kennels at the nice rescue centre. I always wanted a forever home and now I have one, I will always feel lucky.
I – Icy cold weather. For some reason I like it when it is chilly. Maybe its because I can wear my warm coat and that the scents are close to the ground. I always seem to have great fun slipping across icy fields in pursuit of the next good smell.
J – Jerky. Beef Jerky. We get this as a treat sometimes and it is very tasty. I am not allowed too much of it as it can upset my tummy a bit.
K – King sized bed. My bed for sleeping at night time. It is big sturdy and heavy. It has high sides and is fully padded on the base. I get another bed within it for extra comfort. The best bit is that Lenny isn’t allowed in there, and he doesn’t try to break that rule.
L – Lenny. My brother who isnt actually bloodline related but we are the best of friends now I have got used to his nefarious activities of trying to bite my neck, ears and ankles at every available chance. After a turbulent start we have settled into a daily routine and have now got to the stage where we more than tolerate one another. In fact, I wouldn’t be without him.
M – Mum. The best mum of all. I know everyone will say they have the best mum but, in my case, it is the truth. Someone kinder and more thoughtful toward me I cannot think of. She always look out for me, looks after me and I look up to her.
Thinking of things I like. I suppose I should include Lenny.
N – Night time sniffs. Before I go to bed, I am allowed out into the garden to do “my business”. There are often many scents lingering from the nocturnal creatures who inhabit the tress around my garden. I get to smell them before I go to my bed. I may be in the garden for some time.
O – Outside, as in, out in the countryside. To see trees, lakes, rivers, big skies, rainy skies even, is to be free in mind and spirit. I am lucky to have some countryside on my doorstep as well as visited some wonderful places further afield.
P – Pednor. Probably my favourite walk around here. The views from most parts are lovely and I can see for miles. The roads are usually quite quiet so we can stroll along at our own pace without the fear of being run over. Also the hedgerows and paths allow me to scent way too many creatures.
Q – Quiet times. Sometimes Lenny gets to walk with dad whilst I go out with mum. We aren’t in competition for scents or territory and the walks are therefore quieter and we can have a chat without having a young beagle nose suddenly pushing me out of the way. When I first arrived I had the walks to myself and enjoyed them. I think mum and dad appreciated that, and try to ensure I still get some down time away from the playful lad now and again.
R – Relaxing after a hard days work. Always good to chill out when I have had a hard day of chasing, sniffing and avoiding sharp vampiric teeth.
S – Sunpuddling. What a treat. Finding the shaft of sunlight coming in through the window, on a cold day, and lying there allowing my fur to soak up the warm rays. We tend to sun puddle close to one another but without encroaching. It is probably my weary bones that need the suns rays the most.
T – Tube trains. I get to use them when I travel into London for exploring the city. I thought I would be scared when I first saw one, let alone boarded it, however once on board and moving I enjoy seeing the world go by. Even going around the actual underground sections doesn’t worry me, usually because I am accompanied by mum or dad.
U – Up on the sofa. I was allowed up on the sofa soon after I arrived. They were covered with throws so I could try and chill out after a hectic day. Now I can take up one sofa, whilst Lenny stretches out on the other. Not sure where our parents will sit but, hey, I am sure they will find somewhere.
V – Vegetables. I know, it’s a strange one for a canine. However if they are mixed sufficiently with my meat food, I can hardly tell they are there and I know they do me good.
W – Walks. They are the best. We always get to walk and explore with our parents. Walks are a vital part of our beagling armoury and help to keep our scent and sight skills up to scratch. Fresh air and wonderful scenery abound locally.
X – being e(x) – rescue. The feeling of safety, security and love all the time makes me content to my very core. To have been rescued and homed is a wonderful feeling. Add to that the fact that my rescue freed up a kennel for another fur, then I am doubly happy.
Y – Young at heart. I feel young when I am happily running around the garden with the sun on me. Chasing my brother is always a bonus. I like to feel youthful as I think it is important to stay young at heart for as long as possible.
Z – Zooming around the garden. Running at full tilt around the garden is fun, especially if I am chasing Lenny. We tire ourselves out whilst having fun. I suspect there is an ulterior motive in there somewhere.
These are my first thoughts on things I like, what are yours?
Dad went to my nans funeral on Friday. Lenny and I knew there was something not right as dad seemed a little apprehensive on our morning walk. We had a nice walk and dad told us what good lads we are, but there seemed to be something in his voice that told me things were a little different. We didn’t mess about too much on our walk or when we got back home. We got a big hug and a kiss on the head each before he left.
He said everything went ok on Friday afternoon, kind of as you would expect a funeral to go, really. Due to the current restrictions on people attending services, there were only 26 people so it felt a little more personal than when grandad passed away and there were about 50-60 people there. He did a talk and said to people about the link with the past being cut, abruptly and leaving you with regrets that you didn’t say what you wanted to say. When he got home, dad told us that he loved us very much and we got another round of tickles. I might have scored a couple of gravy bones too, whilst Lenny was walking around the garden but he doesn’t have to know, does he?
Then on Saturday we woke up, had our first half of breakfast, went on our walk, returned to our second half of breakfast and proceeded to settle in for a nice snooze. Suddenly, knock knock on the window and Raffa Beagles mum is standing there waving furiously at us. What a lovely surprise for Lenny and I. We greeted auntie J in normal beagle fashion and then proceeded to play hide and seek in the garden. She lost as we are quite good at finding people.
You go that way Lenny
After an hour or so we calmed sufficiently to roll over and snooze whilst the humans had a chat and caught up on life. We haven’t seen auntie J since early December 2019 and then were very saddened when poor sweet Raffa went to the Rainbow Bridge on 4th February this year. We had been saving up our leg leans and licks for her since then. It was a lovely sunny day so we went into the garden and showed everyone how fast we can run circuits around the flowerbeds and across the patio. I think they were impressed. We were just settling in for a long laze and looking forward to tickles when auntie J said she had to leave so we gave her a cheery beagle send off. Then it was off to sleep.
Strange days clearly follow one another. From sadness and reflection to a feeling of joy seeing friends in the space of 24 hours. Take life as it comes everyone as you won’t know what is around the corner. As Raffa said, never give up when faced with challenges and live life to the full.
Dexter 