Dog day

I’ve been wondering whether poor Dillon
the evil Jack Russell gets an unfairly bad
press on this site…so just to redress the balance here is photgraphic evidence that even ADHD dogs relax sometimes.
This bout of inertia was achieved after a splendidly blusterywild and woolly walk on Cleeve Common, where both dogs chased endless rabbits with no success whatsoever, because, after all, that’s what terriers do.

They also chased magpies and skylarks, since they are obstinate in their refusal to believe that running faster will not one day finally give them wings.
To my relief, they stopped short of chasing golfers, mainly because they failed to notice the presence of balls. D in particular is an obsessive-compulsive where balls of any kind are concerned, but we managed to follow a route that avoided most of the holes, and I resorted to the lead when it all looked too tempting.. Clearly this means that both Dillon and Mufti now join the ranks of those who see the game of golf as "a good walk spoiled". They were also prevented, by a very determined fence, from investigating some extremely charming young cattle, who were equally interested in getting to know us. I've no idea of their breed, but they were clearly the bovine equivalent of saddle-back pigs, and boasted delightfully long and fluffy coats, more at home in the toyshop than on the hillside.
I enjoyed myself too, though having grown-up by the sea I still tend to feel that a howling gale is rather wasted anywhere else. Cleeve feels so like the South Downs in some ways, but with this crucial omission. Wish there were ever time to get as far as the sea on days off, - but the need to collect boys from school when I can gives a rather short day. Not to worry. It was still lovely, though of course, being me, I would have welcomed more conversation than the dogs were offering!