Thief!

Oh Hugo, what have you done? I thought the sandwich incident was a one-off, but no, the perpetrator is a recidivist, a career criminal. I left a crust of bread, the end of the loaf, on the work surface to use as a topping for a fish dinner, and when I came into the kitchen it was in his basket, with teeth marks around the edge, and a demented dog grovelling at my knee. What is this? I asked him in disbelief. Why is MY piece of bread in your bed? He rubbed his face against my leg, he grinned up at me, he wrapped his body around me and he tried to look shame-faced despite his glee. That's very naughty, I told him, and his face said, I know, I know, but I just couldn't help myself. He'd have blamed the cat if we'd had one. I thought he'd got the message, but later when I left a plate in the kitchen with my lunch leftovers on it that too was cleared. I'll really have to be careful from now on. Goodness knows where the turkey carcass will go next Christmas.

So rude!

The two of us walked around the front garden admiring the spring growth, and I noticed that the postman had left the gate open. No problem, I thought, Hugo will stay with me. But out he trotted as calmly as you like and turned along the lane. Hugo, I called him at once, and he looked back at me tenderly and carried on. Hugo, I bellowed now, seriously afraid that a car would come, and he immediately turned around and came back. What's all the fuss? he seemed to ask. I'm a sensible chap. Don't worry!

Sentry on duty

Nigel helping in the garden

It's all a learning process for both of us, but a delightful one. Judith and I cracked the game he loves to play. She called him to one end of the kitchen, and when he ran to her she praised him lavishly while he wagged and wriggled. Then I called him to me, and ditto. And so it went on, and he loved it. I asked her to move in beyond the weekend but she has to go. Who will play Hugo's game with me then? We went to the opera last night, and the dog curled up peacefully in his basket, at least that's how he was when I found him. The music and singing, the whole production, were very beautiful, and I'd go and see it again tomorrow if I could - Iphigenie in Tauride. When we got home we thought the least we could do was play the Hugo game again, and so we did, and he went to bed happy. And so did I.