Sad days and better days

The Safari said a final goodbye to mother yesterday, a hard day especially with father becoming so frail recently as well and requiring extra attention. Add to all that a whole heap of traffic problems and it was a pretty stressful day for the family. Our stress was lessened by Monty going to a doggy-sitter. He had a great time playing all day with new friends - shattered today.

For a bit of a chill-out we took him to a local he's not been to yet and let him have a rare run around off the lead. Before we left he had a few minutes in the garden where up above something had upset the gulls and they were very vocal for a few minutes keeping his attention transfixed on them.

At the park he had a good old run around 

 and a great game of fetch, which at only 16 weeks old today is getting pretty good at.

We've still no idea what he'll look like in six months time, he could be twice this size or just a little larger and he could be silvery grey rather than jet black making look well old before his years.

The field was alive with bird sounds, mostly House Sparrows - one particular Blackthorn thicket must have held abut 40 of them, all exceptionally camera-shy. Flitting across the pathways were occasional Blackbirds while overhead we saw a few Magpies and Goldfinches.  

He slept all afternoon while Wifey was out n about with eh-up Muvver and we caught up with a few hours of doing very little indeed, which was just what we needed after a hectic few days.

We agree with everything SE mentioned in his comment the other day and would add that those dog owners that bag the sh*t only to throw it in the bushes rather than walk to a bin should have their ears cut off and  those that don't pick up at all should be made to lick it up!!! Neither should be allowed anywhere near a dog never mind own one!

Where to next? Might get out somwhere locally tomorrow - we hope.

In the meantime let us know who's doing all the running in your outback.