Killer Queen

The dog-owners have reclaimed the Rec after the snow-man builders retreated in the thaw, so we've had a good walk tonight in which we meet old friends Alfie the young Cav, and Patch, the rather portly JR. I also run away screaming from bouncy young new-kid-on-the-block brown-bear of a Newfoundland "Ava". She may not have got within 4 feet of me but I was outta there screaming like a stuck pig.

But the fun started when we got home and I dive straight under the kitchen sink and start squeaking like I'm in prey mode. I never go under there, so Dad suspects we either have a mouse or a rat. He starts removing cleaning materials and searches with a torch but to no avail. Eventually it all goes quiet, we all relax and off he goes to chop wood.

This is my cunning plan! If he'd known there was a squirrel there and what I was about to do to it, he'd have spoiled my fun - all that nonsense about humane traps and re-releasing them.... pah! While he's down the shed chopping the kindling I drag the little varmint out and by the time he gets back I have it despatched and on display on the hall floor.

Our running scores are now

Haggis: 1 slug and half a squirrel (joint kill with Meggie)

Megan: 40-odd rats during the chicken residence plus half a squirrel

Deefer: 2 squirrels

I may not yet be in the premiership, but Meg's hunting days are over and I am still a young dog....... Bring it on

Deefer

The North Wind Shall Blow

...well, the North West one, maybe. Suffice to say the wind has swung round to the North and is bitterly cold. After a run of mild evenings and still-ish nights , the temperature has plummeted to 3 degrees and it's perishing. Luckily we have a coal fire laid that Dad can just put a match to.

He was home at a sensible time for once, so we all converged on the Rec while there was still plenty of light, and we knew lots of other dog walkers would be about. These short evenings compress everybody into the same short hour, after work and before it's dark.

Everybody was about - we saw young male westie, Magic, red setter Bailey, an unknown Staffie came racing over to say Hi, and we met two new kids on the block. A small red spaniel (King Charles?) called Rua (which we are told is Irish for "red"), and a gorgeous blond young Goldie called Angus.

I also had a major charge about after the yellow frisbee-ring, looking a bit the worse for wear by now, but still (just) a complete ring, so throw-able. Now we're "home and hosed", fed and chilling out round the fire.

Have a great weekend, one and all.
Deefer

Classic Cars

Today is the day of Faversham's Classic car and Motorbike Show - we always head on down there because Dad's cronies from the Citroen Car Club display some cars there.

http://eventsuk.britishairways.com/sisp/index.htm?fx=event&event_id=149272

They seem to always get good weather for it, too, and today is no exception. war sunshine and a breeze. Before we've even got to the main carpark, where CCC are, we've seen the "Cheese Box" ladies with their white Citroen H Van (ah mais oui! Le Cube Utile!), and a plum red 2CV "AK" van. We know both these vehicles - the AK lives round here and the H we have seen a number of times driving past our house - we think they live in Whitstable. We have also met and fussed with Rags, who is out with "our Tot".

We have also stopped and chatted to a very spruce, clean, shampoo'd 2 year old westie called Bailey, his owners lounging in deck chairs next to their Lotus Esprit, which was in the show. The guy was amusing us by saying that on his way to the show he'd stopped for petrol, and while he was out of the car Bailey had jumped into the front seat.

The man is very proud of his Lotus (he certainly keeps it clean enough!) so when a babe came towards him coo-ing - "Ahhhh - isn't she gorgeous!!!!" he gushed - well - Thank You!, indicating the car. No! Says she - I mean the dog, and proceeds to make a big fuss of "her" (actually Bailey) while totally ignoring the car and the crestfallen owner. Wife was apparently in fits of laughter.

Deefer