Great mates

After Chris found out that I wrote about Seamus, (apparently fairly accurately!) he told me another story, which is very believable and understandable.  But first, I have to explain....

I have come to believe, after living with my 'boys' Jock and Strap for all of these years, that whatever the surprise is that they have for us, we just love them for it!  My boys never fail to amaze me on how well they understand what we are saying.  When either Chris or I speak to them, and if they could actually master our language, they would use it proficiently.

Typical example: 

Strap sees  me opening the back door and more or less says:  "You're here!  Your arms are empty! You're not carrying any bags of stuff, and you said 'Hello, Strappy', ....that means you want to play with me!"

"Sorry.  Not now Strappy, I have to go somewhere, but you can walk with me until I get to the car shed?", I say as I head that way.  Walking in that direction, we pass Jock who is asleep on the lawn and then he rouses.

Jock:  "Did someone mention  food or cuddles?"

Strap and I looking distractedly at him "No!", we both reply, with a knowing twinkle in Strap's eye, as he knows that on my return, I will give my boys their favourite treat....

(As an aside, we got caught out the other day.  I was at the door giving the boys their favourite Lucky Bone treat, telling them to keep it on the low, when I noticed a presence behind me.  Chris was standing right behind watching the whole thing!  Drat!  Caught out!  But the boys were cool about it, they still kept their backs turned, ignoring any Chris presence after getting their treat, and ate them greedily, with their backs turned to the door the whole time - sort of like ...what you can't see us doing, you can't blame us for! )

Anyway, to make a short story even longer, back to my original point --

Chris and Seamus.

Chris told me that at times he would sit quietly on the back step of his house in Canberra, out in the sun, and just think about life, and Seamus would come along, and sit next to him.  Seamus would put his head on Chris' right shoulder, fitting his head in close proximity to Chris', and then would place his left front leg and paw on Chris' left shoulder and just sit with him.  Two boys, sitting, thinking, and hanging out together.

I like that image of them in my head--two mates just taking some quiet time together........





An Irish Red Setter, deep in thought.