Enter Heston, stage right

I picked up the latest addition to the menagerie this afternoon, Mr Heston. He was found in a cardboard box and had thus far been pampered by a marvellous array of ladies. It’d be rude not to show him off, though he does not photograph well. Neither he nor Noireau make it easy to be photographed.

Anyhow… here’s the day with the new puppy so far:

1:15 Meet Madame Verity for a secret assignation on the car park at St Claud.

1:30 Follow Mme V to Heston’s nounou

1:31 Fall in love with both Charlton and Heston

1:45 Put Heston and Charlton in the back of my car in their crates

1:46 C & H decided to cry all the way home

1:48 I sing ‘Three Little Birds’. Heston is quiet. Charlton cries more.

1:50 I sing ‘I can see clearly now’. Heston is sick. Charlton cries a bit less.

1:52 I sing ‘In the Jungle’. Both animals are quiet.

1:53 Charlton is sick.

1:54 Both dogs decide crying is the way forward.

1:55 I’m nearly sick because the car smells of sick.

1:57 With the windows open, I resume singing ‘In the Jungle’

1:58 I try a rendition of ‘My boy Lollipop’ which used to soothe Basil. They don’t like it. Revert to ‘In the Jungle’

2:03 Arrive home. Molly and Tilly greet Heston. Molly sniffs gently. Tilly barks and has to be shut in the house.

2:05 Charlton, his crate and his sick, Mme V and Mr N disappear. I hope they know the words to ‘In the Jungle’

2:06 Heston gets out of his crate and sniffs Molly and Steve. He follows me into the house.

2:11 He meets Tilly, who wags a little and then goes to lie down with Steve.

2:12 Heston and I have a petting session for five minutes of bonding.

2:20 Heston goes to sleep behind my chair.

2:40 Heston relocates to under the sofa. I realise I’ve not cleaned under there for ages. Oh well.

3:10 I go and look under the sofa, lying down in front of it. I lie in a puddle of wee. Oh well.

3:11 I get changed.

3:30 Heston comes into the garden with me. He rolls in the grass. He has a drink, comes back in and goes under the couch again. He comes out and plays ball for a bit. Quick little doggie. He knows what to do. Tilly never will and she’s seven. Poor Tilly Pop. She’s just not interested in playing.

4:30 No sign of life. Jake comes home from school. As soon as he comes in, Heston is out from under the couch and comes for petting. He rolls on his back then goes back to bed.

4:50 I go out to work. Steve takes Heston in the garden. Molly teaches Heston the game of ‘hit myself in the head with a popped football’ which Heston enjoys. Later, he tries the same game.

7:30 I return home to three wagging doggies and Steve. Heston has had his tea, has done a poo in the garden and a wee and he has played some more.

8:00 – 10:30 We all take turns with the mop and bucket. Pretty certain Tilly did one of the wees, and Heston’s squeezed out a couple.

Now to see how he gets on in the night…