Shropshire again!

Hey everyone, how goes it?

We are off to Shropshire again. Mummy swapped her days around to capitalise on a lift back with Chris, who had meetings for work in Wales. We left on Sunday after a wonderful ride out with 'Beavis' and 'Butthead', I managed to get quite hot and used Mouse's cooling method to prevent me overheating. Mouse's cooling method involves throwing yourself in the horse's troughs, bobbing about to get really wet and in the right trough, disturb enough of the stagnant water and contents to get properly coated in stinking black sludge. The trough I chose on this particular morning was halfway between the two and meant I didn't get treated to the cold hose before going home.

I am quite proud of myself, it has taken a lot of practice for me to manage to jump in the water troughs without a scrabble. Mouse used to laugh at my efforts to join her, often I would only manage to get my front legs over the trough and would have to kick with my back legs in an attempt to thrust the rest of my body over the side into the water. Once in I was fine and had no trouble leaping out, after watching Mouse's technique I realised that my take off was a stride out, by taking off slightly further back I could clear it perfectly. Considering our difference in size, I think my trough jumping is a feight of epic proportions! Funnily enough, I think it could have also been mummy's horse jumping that gave me the idea of where to take off, I noticed that if the horse took off too close to the jump, they would knock a pole down.

Anyway, four hours traveling to Shropshire was broken up by a break at mummy's mummy's house in Kidderminster, home of Humphrey the beautiful ginger cat. We enjoyed a snuffle round the nicely laid out garden with Humprey making faces at us through the window. We were returned to the car following a good barking session at some random noise I am not familiar with and one attempt at escape. The house is on the edge of town, there are other houses close by, from the garden we can hear cars, talking and other animals several feet away. I believe the main reason for our swift return to the car was because Hurry cocked his leg up the topiary peacock which stands proudly opposite a traditional Victorian flower bed with a low neat hedge that has tiny tight fitting leaves. Nothing to do with my barking or escapology.

After a short time, we were back in squelchy wet 'claggy' soiled Shropshire and within seconds of the door being opened we had painted the floor with three different sizes of Salopian soil paw prints. Mouse had collected a selection of disgusting things she had buried on our last visit and dug up on this visit. These delightful remnants consisted of half a deer leg (suitably aged but fortunately not smelly) and a hide chew which flapped and wilted like wet card board, complete with a slug and a dead beetle. I know the beetle was dead because I tried to eat it, rather than the usual squashy warm contents, the insect was brittle and flaky with no taste. Disappointed!

Bed was without much ado, and a late morning start consisted of a walk round the top field...more pheasant chasing for Mouse with more 'bollockings' and even more 'ignoring's'.  Usual breakfast, fuss, mooch and then we were abandoned until the afternoon when mummy returned with different hair, some bags containing food and her mummy but no Chris! This really was confusing as we didn't see Chris again until the following day, I am guessing that he took mummy somewhere and her mummy brought her back. I have a sneaking suspission that she went to her 'Ludlow' office, without me! How very dare she!!!!

The following day we packed up again, this time armed with a lawn mower, small trailer and other large Chris like belongings. I guessed they were his things as they were either large or covered in camouflage and packed with comments such as 'what is that for?' reply for one of the items was 'its a pigeon hide' ??!!!??? Uh, what the hell is a pigeon hide? it looked like a big camouflage bag, similar to the bag the outdoor house came in, (that was blue and made of synthetic material stuff by the way). Other items which made their way into the packing was a large and very grand dog box! I am so excited, I had overheard mummy telling Chris about a smart wooden dog bed she had bought for us, this must be it!!! Can't wait till we get back to Suffolk to try it out!

Catch you later!
xx