Rusty's Journal 9

A forever place at seaside: Rusty the tale of two beds.

I have landed on my paws, my humans have got me a forever place at the seaside, at least that is how I see it. Two minutes stroll from the beach and no more than five minutes walk to my favourite café I have to say it is quite well chosen. I realised we had been spending quite a bit of time visiting this place, a building site when we first saw it and then the female human kept buying things like lampshades and pillows, far too many for the bedrooms at home. Now it all makes sense.

It is finished and cosy it is too, with my favourite laminate floors (those who have read my earlier tales will know the female human has a brother who has been wise enough to install them in his house!!) and a conveniently situate radiator in the hall against which to doze. My bed co-ordinates quite well, I think the female human has had the upper hand in décor choices, and I hear a whisper that my pal TJ might be visiting.

If I had to choose somewhere to live (other than the very dog friendly Wetherby) it would be Filey, where the beach is open to dogs all year round and the sea, though cold at New Year is fantastic for a bracing swim. I am of course already registered with the local medical practice (no green travel card required) though I am hoping not to have to avail myself of the facilities any time soon. I am sure they will have forgiven the little “accident” I had in the front porch as a direct result of the tummy bug that hit most of the Filey dogs in 2008. That was an experience to put “behind” me, as you will recall.

I suppose I will have to get dual dog tags now, just in case I find myself parted from my humans. I am not given to running off, though I once had a pretty unnerving experience with a couple of rather overbearing German Shepherds who thought it was great fun to pin me down and jump all over me. I wasn’t scared you understand I just thought I would give them the slip and it took me a while to shake them off, by which time I found myself back at home under the garden table, about a mile from where my female human had been walking me. Luckily my pal TJ and her human popped round to find me and I was re-united with my somewhat anxious human. She really should not wander off!!! I wonder if humans have a chip that can be scanned if they get lost??

The experience did put me off German Shepherds for a while though I have recently met quite a nice one at the river. He has come all the way from Canada, with his human, so Odie, Teddy, Max and I have tried to make him feel at home with a good chase round the playing fields and several dips in the water. Not sure that “Apollo” saw things that way and Odie ended up confined to the lead for most of the walk, can’t imagine why.

Maxs’ human is on a diet at the moment so much of the walk is taken up with discussion about “points” and “calories” and how much weight has been lost. Apparently she attends something called Weight Watchers or “Fatty Chattys” as my male human refers to it, where you pay money to be told you are too fat and need to eat less, funny how when we left the river last week we passed her car outside the sandwich shop???

Odie was missing this morning, his transport is on the blink. The back door handle of the Landrover got stuck last week and he had to cadge a lift with Teddy and his human. Just as well it happened before he was in the back!!! That could have been a bit awkward, manoeuvring 8 stone of Ridgeback over the seats and through the passenger door would have been “quite” a challenge. Anyway I imagine I will see him tomorrow, along with Tess who brings her human twice weekly to join the gang. She tends to monopolise Odie but to tell you the truth I don’t really mind, being rugby tackled by a brawny South African might be some peoples idea of fun, if for instance you are part of the British Lions teams.

Then on Friday afternoon (I have heard a whisper we are off to Filey) let the fun commence. The female human will be getting her customary facial, I shall run for miles on the beach and the male human will have his favourite latte coffee at the café. All in all should be a good weekend…………..I am a lucky dog.

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