Monsters, Moon and Merriment

Well, you probably saw Mum's Facebook entry this morning.  I have to say I think she was most unfair to make fun of my fear - Dad was away and, as I'm only a pup, I can't protect her from monsters.  You say hedgehogs aren't monsters?  Well I have it on good authority that they are most antisocial creatures who spread parasites and are covered in horrid needles.   In case you didn't read it, I will copy it at the end of this blogpost.

Having had an early start to the day, Mum & I decided to go for a walk.  We went to get Pat so she could come with us to one of our favourite places - 2 1/2 miles starting from the Water's Edge Visitor Centre in Barton.

Part way round the walk something dead weird happened.   It started to get dark.  Well, I know we all got up rather early due to the monster in the blackcurrants and I know I eventually had a sleep, but I didn't think I had slept all day!   All the birds started to go to bed and it got chilly.   Mum and Pat kept looking at the clouds in the sky and talking about something called an eclipse.  Eventually the stopped and Mum took pictures of the sky, so I looked up..... it looked like a round monster was eating the sun.  Mum seemed more interested than worried.  Odd, is what I call that.   Mum tried to explain it wasn't a monster, just the moon hiding the sun, but it all went over my puppy-head and I asked if she'd brought any food as I was hungry.

We walked on and you won't believe it. but the sun got warmer and it got lighter again - pretty darned quickly.   So..I hadn't slept all day; this eclipse thingy had made it go like nearly-night for a little while, that's all.  No monster?  NO, no monster!

Later on we went to Pat's.   Bo & I had a tear around the garden then Mum & Pat declared they wanted peace for a cuppa and if we wouldn't settle, someone would have "time out".   That someone ended up being Bo - Pat kept telling him "NO BITS!" because he kept rolling me over and being rather personal, but he didn't want to stop.   So he got to go behind the baby-gate.   And me?  Well I know where to relax at Pat's....  Mum gave me a funny not-too-pleased look and I said "What?  What've I done wrong? Pat says it's ok!"  So she took my photo.

After the coffee stop we went back outdoors and started with the mayhem again, but 'twas shortlived as our humans had a plot.   Out came leads, but with them came goodybags [nom nom].  We had a training session in the garden and it was really hard to remember we're only supposed to listen to our own Mum, not each other's.  It's sooo tempting to go to Pat when she calls Bo, as I can look so appealingly and see if I can get some of his snacks as well as going to my Mum for mine!   At the end, Mum said I'd done very well as I did some great sit-stays, down-stays and walks-to-heel at the same time that Pat was working with Bo.



Mum's scandalous FaceBook status this morning:

"Mum...mum...mum!"
"What is it Oscar? It's 4.30am".
"I dunno. .. need to go out......"
"Okay."

We go downstairs. I open the door. Oscar shoots out, stops and looks intently at something then rushes in, tail beween legs.

"What on earth is it?"
"Mum... A monster.... o...o..over there"

A torch indeed reveals an intruder - in the shape of a hedgehog under the blackcurrants. We have to check the garden, front and back and then I suggest we go back to bed. He won't settle so we go back down in case he now needs a wee. Nope. Got to check the garden again. Mr hedgehog has gone.
"Oh no... It could be lurking anywhere... I can smell it's been all over!"

We go back upstairs but are still unsettled half an hour later. He's wide awake, so am I. Charlie cat is yelling that it's breakfast time. It is not!. So we go back downstairs for another check. He still doesn't want to risk a wee because the monster might get him. A Dentastick chew takes his mind off it for 10 min.

So here we are 5.30am all wide awake in front of the fire. No point in me trying going back to sleep now, as before long the excitement will mean he'll definitely need to go out and do something. Methinks the kettle is calling.