Not always cute

This week didn't start off too hot for Horatio. His dog walkers seemed to think he was settling into the routine. I, however, have a different experience of the week. Chaos ruled in the house on Monday when the old table cloth trick didn't quite work for him.
Then he decided that biting was the best way of communicating with me and Scott. Walks have disintegrated into barking / biting games which saw Horatio tied up to a post for five minutes to calm down... I can't tell you how embarassing it is to be seen out walking for an evening with an apparently rabid dog.
I'm convinced he has been possessed by some evil spirit, which is apparent in this evil-looking photo of him. Look at the eyes!
Despite all this naughty behaviour I took him to the Lakes yesterday as my mum and brother are on holiday there this week with the dogs - Sophie, the cairn terrier and Tilly the mad spaniel. I was certain Tilly (1 1/2 year old) would be good companionship / a welcome distraction for H and give him a run for his money. However he proved me wrong again and took a strong liking to Stately Sophie who's 12 and not into playing. Thankfully Sophie has little patience for such trifles and snapped and snarled back at him!
We are signed up for some intensive puppy classes for the next month. Here's hoping the evil streak can be tamed. Irritatingly he still melts hearts and almost brought the Keswick Saturday market to a stand still with his charm and good looks. Grrrrrr.

Typical weekend

Unfortunately you can't have an adventure every weekend. Sometimes they are just 'run of the mill' - house chores, lunch with a chum and hang out with the boys on the street on Saturday night.

The weather was so foul on Saturday that Horatio and I could hardly pull ourselves out of bed. With my hip injury persisting, there's no need to go running and with the rain humming off the road, we decided it was preferable to read Country Living and drink coffee in bed. I managed to make my physio appointment with Guy van Herp AKA the Belgian miracle worker at Meadowbank and was feeling so chipper after this I dragged Horatio up his first mountain - a mini-hillock by Arthur's Seat. He wasn't too impressed with the wet conditions but soon came round when he discovered the rabbit poo. How considerate of someone to scatter puppy-sized treats liberally around the park.

Mountain dog

Next we were off to meet Bong for lunch. He's injured too so not climbing and hadn't met H yet. Shame H was too sleepy to make much impact. Not to be putoff we scooted out to Gullane to meet our favourite dog-lover, Lucy and Kipper, the friendly spaniel. Our beach walk turned into a drench-fest leaving us with wrinkled finger tips and smelly dogs. There was only one thing for it. The central heating was turned up and the kettle went on.

Lucy is an excellent cook and hostess with the mostess. Scott soon turned up with vino followed by Lucy's friend Matt and Malin (mad giant spaniel - it must be crossed with a newfoundlander!). I'm a huge fan of Gullane, however, I must say, some of the residents leave a lot to be desired. Some mad man lives next door to Lucy who is driving an awful hate campaign against Kipper (and all other four legged friends). He was hosting a community meating (sic) to discuss the matter of dog fouling in the communal garden. I hasten to add this is after he's involved the dog warden and put down poison..... right weirdo. Anyway, his meating (sic) was canceled (sic) and this combined with his poor spelling resulted in much amusement for us.

Having consumed too much of the grape juice I'm afraid Scott, Horatio and I had no option but to jump on the night bus home... hardcore Saturday!

Yobs loitering by the bus stop

Fun on the night bus

A walk in the woods

Who lives here? I believe it's the hard to spot tootflits...

Horatio went to investigate..

No one was home.

Today we headed out to Pressmennan Wood in East Lothian with Horatio for a 'fairy walk'. I was more than a little sceptical but pleasantly surprised by the evidence of wee folk living in the forest. Horatio thought it was none too bad either