Short Exciting Walks

Our walks are short at the moment.

For two reasons – Tima has very short legs.

And then she has to stop every few minutes to play ‘Gleeful Manchurian Mustache’  The Game (the rules are obscure) with TonTon, who can call out “Help me!” in 17 different languages.   Actually the rules of the game seem more fluid than obscure as Timatanga Moana always wins. 

And then secondly, Big Dog is very old. Almost 16 years old I think. Though he was here way before me (I have only been here eight years) so it hard for me to say but he is very doddery so we walk slowly.

But we also have to walk watchfully as he has a dreadful habit of wandering off the track and falling down into The Ditch.  He used to run down into the ditch that used to be a creek and play in the water daily. The ditch is about 18 feet down.  Straight down.  The depth of the water depends on the rain. Yesterday it rained!

We have a system for when the Big Old Dog loses his footing and rolls down into the ditch. Or maybe he does it on purpose, who knows. I go down into the water and grab the floundering Cooder around his body, lifting him up so he does not drown, Boo comes down with me, Tima and TonTon shout encouragement from above. Then, standing in the creek with my arm around The Big Old Dog’s skinny body and the other hand holding onto Boo’s collar I shout “See TonTon, See TonTon!”and Boo rushes at speed and with all the strength and purchase of a well fed, sleek, young dog, straight up the bank at TonTon – always the fastest way not the most comfortable way but beggers can’t be choosers  – and we are hauled up unceremoniously, holding on for dear life because life is dear, straight up the bank as Ton and Tima back up to give us space to get right up and over the bank.  Boo is dragging me, who is dragging The Big Old Dog, whose name is Cooder. All 10 of our legs working as fast as possible.

Once we are all safe and sound back at the top of the unbridgeable bank, we shake ourselves, folding our soggy bodies back into order,  readjusting our skins – we all sigh, we check that all our body parts are where they should be, then we turn for home.  My three dogs and one little piggie. The eldest and the youngest need a wee lie down after all the excitement.

We collect Sheila and Poppy on the way back through the fields  (Sheila does not like Poppy to go out the gates) and promenade with all the joy and arrogance of the living – back home. Home.

I hope you all have a lovely day.

Your friend on the farmy,

celi