I am sorry it has been ages since I blogged. I went South for our son's Half Term break expecting to stay a few days in England 'doing' teenage 'things' - when we ended up staying a month. Nothing could be done about it - just one of those things - but we were needed - so we stayed.
It's difficult to know where to pick up from in terms of the story so far. I am so very much better. I am writing with no shame and great delight. I suppose the inevitable has happened. I have fallen in love - and I am thrilled. It was his sense of living in the moment that first caught me - not to mention his quirky good looks - bronze, fit and shot through with almost auburn hair. He glitters in the sunlight. We haven't known each other long - but it is the real thing however difficult it is for my partner. It is true he is a lot younger than me. It is also true that I was pretty ill earlier in the year - and some critical folk who cannot let bygones be bygones might grumble and gossip and say I am letting the side down as a priest allowing my feelings to run away with me like this - I am supposed to be a morally upright sort. Well, I'm sorry - but I just can't help it. I know how I feel and what I feel is real. I am humming all the time in my head the Nina Simone song about finding life.
I am dying to tell you all about him - so here goes. Humphrey Lyttleton Wallman-Girdlestone is an 8 weeks old (today) Newfoundland puppy. He is my love and a delight to have around. He came from a kennel aptly called Joybringer - and although his breeder occasionally resembled a hell-raiser with her rather uncompromising manner - she certainly knows how to produce a beautiful pup full of joie de vivre!
We collected Humph on 21st June and brought him straight home. Sixteen hours in the car while he and later in the journey, our Golden Retriver, produced squits was not for the faint hearted. We took him straight to our vet early on Sunday morning having not slept because we wanted them both checked. Fortunately he wasn't too dehydrated so we could take him home and begin his emergency 'Recovery Plan'. Dido, our Golden Retriever, who has a strong constitution recovered quickly, but Humph isn't quite out of the woods yet. For now they are in 'quarentine' in the kitchen and the other dogs are being kept elsewhere.
There was a difficult moment when the breeder found out that I was sleeping in the kitchen with the dogs overnight. She feels this is deeply detrimental. My partner hadn't the heart to tell her that usually four dogs and two cats sleep with us in our bedroom - and that I wasn't sleeping in the kitchen so much for Humph as for Dido who is used to having dog or human company that she can rely on and snuggle!
Humph's poop results are back - and the real killer conditions have been ruled out, however, the lab' is able to grow some bacteria from the culture and will need about another six days before they can identify it. For now we are to keeping him on the bland puppy food we have and we watch and weight to make sure the outpourings do not become more syrupy. If they do - then back to the vet. Poor dog. If personality is enough he will romp back to health - but alas it isn't always that straight forward. We are taking comfort in the fact that he is very playful; happy to be left alone and feeding and drinking well. Favourite toys are a small plastic Coke bottle with treats inside and the lid screwed on. He loves the noise. Also a fluffy toy shaped as a Phesant that quacks. I have concerns that this is giving him a developmental mixed message - but he positively giggles with delight when he plays with it.
Humph is growing by the hour and his paws are like tea plates. We suspect he will have grown into his name by the time you read this!!! We may need to change it to Hefferlump.
The other dogs are being remarkably long-suffering and coping with the separations. The cats have met Humph and I suspect think he is a clockwork toy. They seem wholly unmoved. I am happy. Not just with Humph - but with the milestone he represents.
Now the mad panic begins. I am not sure if we will need to go to see our son again over the next couple of weeks or whether I will be able to attend a conference I have been looking forward to so much. Whatever and whichever - we have a new member of the Pack - and a very fine young creature he is too.
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