Saturday
Was carried out to the vet again this morning for my injections. Was still wondering why I’m not allowed to walk on the streets when the day started to become most peculiar – and it got stranger and stranger! My bed and food bowl were packed in a bag – which was perturbing to say the least – then I was taken in a car to a place with lots of people. Some of them had big bags, so I guess they all brought their beds and bowls too. Louise had trouble getting tickets with all our bags, so a man held my lead. Then we went on a train, which is like a car but bigger and noisier. I got to sit on a seat. When we got off the train, we sat around for a while, and then David appeared – wherefrom I can’t imagine, since last time I saw him was at home. We went in another car and I went to sleep until we stopped at a pub and I had lunch. Then I slept in the car again until we met lain and Archie and lain’s dad gave me some biscuits. It’s alright this travelling lark!
In the evening we stopped at a big, big house and went inside. It was so big it was guite bewildering, especially with Louise, David and lain rushing about in all directions squealing with delight! Eventually I joined in. It was quite exciting really, and even better having supper and going to explore the smells outside. Lots more people arrived later and I greeted them most enthusiastically. After all, people mean games and food. Went to bed guite tired – it seemed a long day.
Sunday
Woke up early this morning and realised where I was. Can’t wait to get out and explore. Must wake Louise up. The door’s shut, but if I howl loud enough… Yes, here she is. Goody, goody! Now we can go and play. Oh, after breakfast of course. We ran round the house, then went down to the beach to explore. Was going to have a swim, but discovered the water to be cold and wet, so have postponed it. Louise waded in up to her knees to show that it was possible, but then she does do strange things sometimes. Why, just think of her and David climbing round my shed over and over again! No, swimming can wait.
A long time later the others appeared and I played with some of them, then we all went out in the minibus and when w e got out, I was allowed to walk, at last! We walked up, and up, and up.I walked with lain and Louise climbed the rocks, then w e stopped for lunch, which was great, specially with so many sandwiches around for afters. I thought we’d go home then and have a nap, but I followed Louise and went on, and up, and up. I’m too hot, my legs ache – they’re shorter then everyone else’s – I’m out of breath, haven’t we gone far enough now? Oh, wonderful, I’m saved: lain’s going to carry me in his pack. Well, this is comfortable, life’s not so bad really, what a nice view there is up here – better then down in the heather.
Louise and lain and I wimped out of the rock climbing (after all, I only mastered the stairs a fortnight ago) and made our own way down by a stream. The sun was out and I started enjoying myself Oops, a steep bit. I’m not going down there , well perhaps I could try, no I can’t, oh no they’re going without me, I can’t, oh thank you, perhaps I will be carried for a while. The flat bit at the bottom was nice and I ran around, then it got even more interesting, with sheep and chickens and other lovely farmyard smells. I seemed to be on a lead for some reason. Some of the others were spotted on the hillside and we waited for them, then we walked back to the minibus, and when everyone was back, we went home.
An awful thing happened this evening. Everyone was sitting around after dinner when suddenly I was shut in the kitchen and everyone else began roaming the house. At first I was resentful: I’m good at games, why shouldn’t I play? But the house became quieter and quieter – they were all vanishing one by one. I was going to be all alone in the world, I would starve to death in this kitchen and no one would ever know.
Although they all appeared safe and sound in the end, I’1l have a hard time sleeping peacefully in here again on my own.
Monday
Thought I heard Louise coming downstairs this morning, but it was David. Oh well, he’ll do. Must show him my appreciation anyway. I expect he’ll produce some food – he’s very generous with his dinner.
Went for another walk today – not as long though. We started off in a big party, but lost first lan, lain, Archie, Sarah and Phil, then. Jane, Andrea and Amanda. Just as well, I think, since Louise and I got back quite a bit earlier then the rest, and I was dog-tired. We did some scrambling on the beach which was good. I can feel my confidence growing. In the afternoon, Louise did lots of cooking and I slept by the Aga.
Then I played with everyone and slept by the fire.
Tuesday
Travelled by car today with Louise, Archie, Janet and the other David. It was very hot but we dark place with cars in it and very worrying steps out of it. hot vory or ng finally came to a big:
When we came out we were in streets with lots and lots of people. Hoped they’d all want to play and give me snacks, but it didn’t turn out that way. After walking round the streets we went in the car to another town and had a short walk to a big tower. Louise carried me up all the steps that went round and round and came to a little square – a bit like my yard at home, but with nothing to play with. When we got down, I had my lunch, then we went back to the car and drove home. David and Andrea were there already, but there was no sign of the others, I tried to sleep by the fire, but there was a terrible atmosphere, and at times you sould hear a dog biscuit drop a mile away. Perhaps everyone was worried that the others wouldn’t come back and feed them. Yes, that must be it. When they all did come back, they were very subdued. Something funny’s been going on today.
Wednesday
Wonder of wonders – Louise got up first today. We played a bit and the others staggered down one by one. Went in the car again with Louise, David and lain and we went to a big building whence Jane appeared. Funny thing I’ve noticed about Jane – she doesn’t like me jumping up at her leg any more.
People are so changeable! I went with lain and Jane about the town while Louise and David went up Glen Nevis. It seems they walked and crossed the wire bridge and went bouldering and scrambled in the rocks by the waterfalls and generally had a wonderful time. It’s not fair. I must find a way to prove I do that too – after all, I did some climbing on Sunday
I’m a great bog-hopper now. Had lots of energy this evening to welcome everybody back, but slept so soundly by the fire that I hardly noticed them standing on my ear, nose, feet etc. while playing “Animals”.
Thursday
Louise is certainly back into her old habits. She was last down this morning. Think I’ll put in for a transfer to David – much more reliable. Having worked out last night how to prove myself capable of interesting scrambles, this morning I leapt in front of everyone from the third stair to the ground.
Unfortunately I fell flat on my face and everyone laughed. As it turned out it didn’t matter as Louise took me walking anyway. We went up the hill in front of the lodge (1900 feet high!). There was lots of very hard snow, but it’s easy to walk on when you weigh 20lb and have built in crampons. We came home along the beach and after lunch I slept while Louise transcribed this log from the comments I’ve been dictating at bedtime.
Just as I was starting to wake up, lain, David, Mark and Tim came back. What good timing they have. Louise, David, lain and I went to the pub but I wasn’t allowed in being under age, so Louise and I did the hill again in the reverse direction. The snow was much softer than this morning but there was not a breath of wind. At the summit we stopped and I got cold.
[Transcriber’s note: the little hill is a superb viewpoint and having sat down on the summit cairn, I couldn’t bear to go back down until I’d watched the sun setting behind the ridge. It’s going to be hard to leave.]
Got back to only find Mark and Tim in, with David and lain arriving shortly afterwards. Don’t think I noticed the rest of the evening. Friday
Today we all went out in the minibus. There was rain and a big mountain to climb. We all made it to the top. Louise did some rock climbing on the way up and fell off, which meant I got my lunch sooner than I would have. When we got back to the minibus I was very wet, but Louise’s jersey made a very good towel and then blanket and I slept all the way back and for a while afterwards. When I woke up, everyone else went out and shut me in the kitchen. Later on I slept again while they played their silly games.
Lizzie.