Dear Friends

Dear Friends,

Well, we are back in Europe again.  On our return journey from Bolivia we passed through Brazil again and, although our flight was slightly delayed, we managed to get  to Madrid by the skin of our teeth to catch the plane to Málaga.  The airline staff were very nice and had Paddy and me booked straight through to save time.  The only problem was that we couldn’t get out to do our business but we just held on for another hour, which wasn’t too bad.

When we got to Málaga our neighbours were there to meet us and we had a fine old time jumping all over them and kissing them like mad.  I think they came specially prepared with their dog clothes on.  Then, we got back home and would you believe it? We remembered everything about it - where the water bowl should be and the food drums and the cats and the goat .......  I suppose it is not so strange that Paddy should remember because he was already grown up, but I was only a puppy when we left.  Then, when we had checked the whole place out, we had a game of chases round the bushes in the same sequence we used to do it before we went away.  That was great fun.

Since we have been back I have had a lot to do.  The first thing was to let all the dogs and other inhabitants of the place know that we were back and this was ours, so we had to bark at everyone as they passed by - goats, sheep, cows, dogs, neighbours, cars, motorcycles - you name, we didn’t let a single one off.  This business of patrolling the territory is a very arduous job but I have had to take it on, and once you take on a job you might as well do it right.  This means that every morning and evening I have to patrol my land and make sure that all is in order and that nobody trespasses.  

When the patrols are over, then I have a rest.  This was particularly important during the heat of the summer, but today it has started to rain so maybe the autumn weather will be setting in soon.  Well, I thought it would be a good idea to have a secret place where I could take a nap without anyone knowing where I was, so I made myself a hideout under the fronds of the pampas grass plant.  Nobody can see me there because the trunk of the strawberry tree blocks off the view of the entrance and the fronds fall right to the ground all the rest of the way around.  

I am sure all you beardies will understand (maybe our folks won’t) that all this patrolling involves running through brambles and thorn bushes and around trees and that doesn’t help the coat, because the truth is that I leave half of it on the bushes.

Nevertheless, last Saturday they took me to the Gibraltar Dog Show.  I had a great time watching all these big dogs growling at one another, because some of their silly owners make them face up to each other, and little dogs being spruced up and sprayed and combed and I don’t know what.  I just found myself a quiet shady corner and lay down to watch the world go by.  For the first time since I left my Mum and Dad when I was a puppy I met other bearded collies.  


There was a very nice little lady nearly the same age as me and I wagged my tail at her.  The only thing was that her owner wouldn’t let her move in case she creased her skirt so I just had to make friendly signs from a distance.  Poor thing!  Just as it was her turn to go into the ring her owner, who was wielding her grooming brush, gave her an energetic comb and one of the metal bristles came loose,  perforated her skin and made her yelp.  Then they prodded her about so much that the bristle went further and further in.  I don’t know what happened after that but I must say I felt sorry for her.

All in all it was a lovely day. The judge was very nice to me. I think he was most impressed with my gait despite my lack of coat.  He was very gentle and patient with all the dogs - and particularly their owners.  These humans are a bit neurotic, don’t you think?  They get all worked up about silly things and then make us nervous with all their shenanigans.  You would think it was them who were taking part in the competition instead of us.  Well, not much we can do about that, is there?  We’ll just have to be patient and understanding and put up with them.