Well, off we set for Goring, having worn the dogs out in the park with a bout of squirrelling, brushed all the rubbish out of their feathering, piled the car up with their worldly possessions and one little bag for us, and two hours later we arrived and got the baby gate up immediately. The dogs were very happy to see our friends (especially Bella who has a thing about trying to plant a smacker on Michelle's face and makes it her mission each time she sees her), and within minutes they were playing tug with their new string of plastic bones.
We went for a lovely 2 hour walk up some big hills and through some beautiful woodland (and lost Bella briefly which was a bit of a worry, she just disappeared for a while, Zorro didn't know where she was and all 4 of us were searching for her then she eventually appeared looking very relieved, so god knows where she'd been…
) and by the end of that the dogs were absolutely knackered. So then we just spent most of the rest of the day sat round the kitchen table chatting while the dogs snoozed in their baskets.
Later on we moved into the living room and the dogs were allowed in with the proviso that they stayed on the floor. Bella was a little angel and just went to sleep in front of the fire, but Zorro was on a mission with his new hero, Mike, who he had attached himself to during the walk and kept nudging as we trekked up and down hills. So Mike sat down on the sofa and Zorro came and put his paws up on his lap and did his best soppy face, waggly tail, you can't resist me act, which worked a treat. Several minutes of petting later, he went for goal number 2, climbing into Mike's lap, which was met with smiles and an "okay, you can sleep on me but NOT on the sofa" warning from Mike. A glass of wine later and Zorro had niftily slid his body onto the sofa and was snuggled tightly into Mike, using his thigh as a pillow. Mike looked down at him, raised his eyebrows but clearly couldn't bear the thought of turfing this cosy, comfy little silky-eared dog off the sofa
, so he stayed put. By the end of the night, Zorro had won his cause paws down, and was stretched the full length of the sofa, snoring away, with Mike sitting on the floor. How's that for dogged determination?!
So, lots of nice walks and not too many disgraceful moments later, we came home leaving their kitchen covered in muddy pawprints and bits of leaves and twigs from the woods, but with a definite invitation to come and stay again soon. Hurray!
