Working at It

Yesterday Hugo played with his new squeaky ball for over 15 minutes, a massive record. Normally he's had enough after retrieving three or four throws of it or teddy, but not yesterday. He couldn't get enough of the squeak, which must remind him of the awful noise his prey makes when he is killing it. It was a joy to see him playing, especially by himself. And all the time his tail was wagging. I long for the day he'll bring something to me to throw for him. The only game he never tires of is chasing me around the kitchen table, or from bedroom to bedroom, each time he catches up with me a cause of rapture for him. Alas I don't have his youth and I stop long before he wants to. But I'm going to keep this new behaviour going. It will make a good interruption of the 23 hours sleeping he's currently getting.

I've been watching The Crown on Netflicks, and I have to admit I'm hooked. When I first heard about this multi-million pound production I couldn't see the point of it: we know that story, don't we? But it's really awfully good, very moving and fascinating. Matt Smith is nothing like the handsome Prince Phillip, and yet he conveys something of the man that is quite special, a laughing, devil-may-care attitude that is attached to a very strong sense of loyalty and duty, just like his wife. I'm surprised at how much I'm enjoying it. 

My new trampoline came yesterday and I've been bouncing on it every time I pass it. It's a rebounder really, a piece of sports equipment, but it isn't half fun. In the long absence since Mary, my trainer, has been here I've been doing my best to keep up the work but it's easy to put it off for another day. We resume on Wednesday, so I have to be able to show her that I can keep going for an hour without flagging. Exercising is so boring, as Ruth pointed out when she mastered the weighted hoola hoop the other day. "Now I can do it I don't want to," she said. I know what she means. So maybe I'll revert to letting Hugo chase me around the room for the next few days. It might be exhausting but it's not boring, and it'll be a cardio-vascular work-out if nothing else. Here boy, Hugo! Catch me if you can!