No, Archie!

Another wet morning, but bless him, when I got up again at 7am (having woken him up at 6am to go out), there were two poos outside. Good boy! Sorry if I seem obsessed about toileting, but it’s most important that he masters this, so it’s cause for joy each time.

However, by 10:30 the sun came out - scorchio! Archie and I sat out in the front garden, and I had my coffee and Archie watched at all the noisy yelly schoolchildren going by, but didn’t bark.

I got a phone call from an old friend who lives in London - haven’t seen her for ages, and we’ve been asking her to come to Edinburgh for at least 14 years. It seems that maybe this August, she and her hubby might come!

While we were chatting, the conversation was interspersed with,
‘NO, ARCHIE! - Sorry, what were you saying?’

The Postie arrived and was ignored by Archie. He brought the new waterproof cover for his crate. Good. Now his crate will be able to be put outside and withstand the odd shower. Besides, I think dogs like the cave-like qualities a cover provides. Mind you, he’s more than likely to try to chew it off. No, Archie!

I had thought I might like to go to he afternoon film ‘Beyond the Edge’, a 3D re-enactment, with original footage too, of the ascent of Everest in 1953. I timed his sleeps and plays and lunch so that I could leave the house for the 2.25 bus - missing the adverts but catching the main feature.

He had his lunch and I tired him out on the back lawn without his lead - charging round like a mad thing (he was, not me). He's so funny - he stops about a foot short of the flower border, then stretches out his full length to try to reach a piece of bark. He doesn't chomp the flowers now.

Then he played with his various toys, but no sign of poos. An hour later he was beginning to flag a bit, but still hadn’t performed. 2pm came and went, still nothing doing, so by 2.15 I gave up on the idea of the pictures.

Then, just as I’d given up, he did a poo! I picked it up and checked the bus timetable. Three minutes! I could make it! I chucked quickly but gently put him in his crate with kong filled with kibble, grabbed everything (which was at the ready) and sprinted ran trotted, gasping, round to find the bus just arriving.

It was a brilliant film with amazing footage and an actor who looked so like a young Hillary. Incredible achievement by very brave men.

I was back home at 5pm - he seemed fine, probably dozed the whole time, and wasn’t desperate to piddle.

Tomorrow is the day he discovers the World! Or, at least, our street...