Teething Problems

It was Nick who spotted it first, and he pointed to my naked ride-on tucked away in its cosy corner. "Where's the cover gone," he asked, and I stared at him dumbly, and then back to the lawnmower in disbelief. Its black waterproof coat had vanished, but where could it be? I looked around the garden, and up onto the roof. I scanned the field, but I'd already walked there this morning and saw nothing. The cover was huge, and once the gale had whipped it off it would have flown like a bird, filled with air as it must have been. It could have got as far as Framlingham. I got into the car with my binos and set off along the lanes around me, but could see nothing. After 10 minutes or so, heading back past the church, I saw it in the driveway of Church Farm, lodged against a low wall. I shook it out, and it was unharmed. How I'd love to have seen it flying! Nick helped me to get it back on again, the tight elastic circumferance firmly wedged under the wheels, and neither of us could understand how it had got away.

A dog guard arrived by courier and I fitted it straight away in the car. It's  ideal, and Hugo jumped straight into the boot as soon as I indicated it. He should be quite safe in there. I've put his favourite travel bed in, and he looks perfectly at home. I'm happy too, now that he can't escape into the car. Though I should keep an open mind here: this dog can morph into the smallest shapes, and I wouldn't be surprised if he managed to squeeze between the bars. Anyway, it looks as if this is the way he is used to travel - thanks, previous owners who rehomed him, for passing on all this relevant information. We'll get there Hugo.

Or will we. I set off for the chiropractor in Earl Soham, Hugo in the back of the car. Almost immediately he started crying and pacing in his small space. I hushed him, tried to calm him, but he wasn't happy. Rather than have him traumatised by this new situation I called in at Penny and Roger's, and they were happy to have him off for a while. The chiropractor  also works on dogs, and she was full of suggestions but I'd already tried all of them. For some reason she found my hankering after Valium for both of us worrying. I think she thought I was serious: she asked if I knew they were addictive. With my aching neck and his stress I wanted to say: "Bring it on lady". But she was too nice to tease, and she's a great chiropractor.