The Pet Minder

Another mild day dawned, a great day for taking two English Cocker Spaniels, and a Weimaraner for a walk on the Loop Track.

Filled with pine trees, rabbits, and other wild life, this is a great place for dogs to walk off lead with no chance of doing too much damage to anything.

Binka has to stay for the hour long trek, on his lead, as he has been known to run, and while he is so busy sniffing where the rabbits have been, he forgets that he is supposed to come back with the rest of us.

Off he trots, his nose permanently on the ground, with loud snorts emanating from his face, as he runs as fast as the lead will allow.

Bryson and Chelsea stick together like glue, each checking out the others find in the grass or amongst the pine needles.

Only once have we seen a rabbit, and Binka was the only one with enough intuition to actually run after it, while attached to his lead. The others were too busy sniffing where it had been.

The afternoon was very quiet, with three dogs stretched out on their beds, no doubt, dreaming of the next adventure on the Loop Track. Perhaps, next time, the bassets, their pals from down the road, will be walking with them.

They arrived on QF47 from London, via Sydney, on May 7 2009, each in a seperate crate, but each knowing the other was close by.

Leo, the cheeky ginger boy, Shumba, the shy retiring white and tabby boy, and Luna, the marbled tabby female.

With each passing day, their personalities have developed more, and with their owners also visiting, life, at this point, is not too bad, in this new country.

The scratching post is Leo’s property. He runs down to it every morning, and sits on it looking at me, as if to say, ” its mine, and I’m not moving”. Luna, who goes to the cat jungle-gym behind the tree, and hides in the bottom, and looks down her nose at Leo and me.  Shumba takes his time to get out of bed, and has at least three long stretches before he has completely unfurled. Then, if he decides he wants to, he will join the others for a taste of the clean country air.

Every morning, Lukis the Cornish Rex, comes by to rub noses with Leo. A true friendship of like minds.

Lukis has been training Leo to be his sidekick spidercat. The only problem is, as soon as Leo realises he is five feet or more, off the ground, and turns around to confirm it, he has to fall down, while the Rex continues on with his adventures, to the top of the water tank, and beyond.

The afternoon ritual is usually the same, everyone crowds around for a cuddle, and Shumba takes his time, pondering the positive and negative, of why he should get up at this time of day.

These lovely cats are due to leave later this month, for their new home in Wellington. They will then have the luxury, of doing what they want, when they want, as only cats do.

The Duel
by Eugene Field

The gingham dog and the calico cat
Side by side on the table sat;
T’was half past twelve, and (what do you think!)
Nor one nor t’other had slept a wink!
The old Dutch clock and the Chinese plate
Appeared to know as sure as fate
There was going to be a terrible spat
(I wasn’t there; I simply state
What was told to me by the Chinese plate!)

The gingham dog went “Bow-wow-wow!”
And the calico cat replied “Mee-ow!”
The air was littered, an hour or so,
With bits of gingham and calico,
While the old Dutch clock in the chimney-place
Up with its hands before its face,
For it always dreaded a family row!

(Now mind: I’m only telling you
What the old Dutch clock declares is true!)
The Chinese plate looked very blue,
And wailed, “Oh, dear! what shall we do!”
But the gingham dog and the calico cat
Wallowed this way and tumbled that,
Employing every tooth and claw
In the awfulest way you ever saw–
And oh! How the gingham and calico flew!
(Don’t fancy I exaggerate–I got my news from the Chinese plate!)

Next morning, where the two had sat
They found no trace of dog or cat;
And some folks think unto this day
That burglars stole that pair away!
But the truth about that cat and pup
Is this: they ate each other up!
Now what do you really think of that!
(The old Dutch clock it told me so,
And that is how I came to know.)