Alloments bonfire

Something a bit different - Dad's allotments site had its bonfire last night and we were allowed to go up and watch. Mum had been feeding Diamond, John and Den that afternoon, as it was Di's birthday meal (Happy Birthday Diamond!), and we'd already had our proper walk, so this one was optional, and Meggie glued her chin to the dog-bed and shut her eyes tight like a child pretending to be asleep, so the humans relented and let her away with it.

We love that allotment site - so many interesting places to snuffle about, potential r*t's in compost heaps and so on. Also, on that occasion, potential sausages falling off the food table... you never know your luck! Dad, being on the committee, had gone up there first with us, while the rest of the diners finished the fizz, chocs and cheese off. They lingered over the final glasses of fizz and we watched the fire burn down, and people started to drift away.

Eventually, Dad brought us home too, and as we came in the door we met Mum, with Meggie on a lead, Diamond and John, all togged up (nice new Hunter wellies Diamond!) and ready to go to a bonfire. Denis had already headed for home in a taxi, being a Gent of rather more mature years. Dohhh!

So we compromised, and headed for the Rec which is on Di and John's way home, and so we got 3 walks that day. Excellent.

This morning, now in GMT, Dad whizzes Mum to Gatwick to get her on a plane to head for the birthday of the first Theo in my life (Happy Birthday, Theo). It's an early start, so they're pleased that it's GMT and they've had the extra hour in bed. We get our walk, in which we return via the allotments again to check the bonfire site and kick all the edges into the middle. Detective Inspector Haggis spots signs of a break-in through one of the back gardens backing onto the site, so we have to summon Chairman Sandra who will contact the necessary people.

Dad's then off to Challock for the final Guided walk of the year, a "fungal foray". Needless to say he's already taken a few phone calls from people waiting in the carpark for what they think is 20 minutes after the walk's advertised start time. Forgot to put our clocks back, did we? Muppets!

These are not very interesting walks for dogs and involve a lot of standing around identifying mushrooms, when we would sit by whimpering at the frustrating lack of "walk" progress and annoy everybody, so we're walked first and then left behind. Dad just about gets that done when the rain starts in earnest

We are all happy to retreat indoors, for an "old git's lie-down" (= afternoon nap)

Deefer