November 2009 - MY MEMORIES

November 2009
November has been very quiet compared to the months of summer. We had lots of visitors again this year, all people I know, apart from one little person who I don’t think I had ever seen before, his name is Morgan and I will tell you a little more about him later as he was so little and I didn’t get to play with him very much. I wasn’t even allowed to go too close to him, and I got a real telling off if I tried to lick his face.

Summer in Brittany is always very nice we have long sunny days, not too hot and very pleasant. Our back garden gets the sun all day long, but we have lots of trees out there so there is plenty of shade to lie in.

This year we spent quite a bit of time sailing on the canals near to us. Dad has a nice little cabin cruiser boat which we sail the canals on, (well he had a boat he has sold it now). I like sailing; its lovely just lying on the back of the boat and watching the water go past. You see lots of lovely sites on the canals in Brittany, the wild life is lovely, all sorts of birds including Kingfishers, animals along the banks of the canal, and lots of lovely towns, houses and châteaux. It’s all very relaxing.

We have sailed mainly on the Nantes – Brest Canal, which is a very famous canal. Despite is fame it is very quiet, even in the summer months there aren’t many other boats about. When Dad gets the boat underway I settle myself in my favourite spot and let the breeze ruffle through my fur and this keeps me nice and cool. We kept the boat at a port called Guipry Messac, it’s a nice little port, very friendly, I have a few dog friends there, and two of them are Boxers who live on a very big boat for the whole of the summer.

When we aren’t sailing it’s usually because we have people staying with us. This is the time we all like the best.

This year Aunty Sarah and Uncle Mike and their boys Lee and Connor came to stay for a while. This was good fun, as Connor is a very small person and usually has sweets or biscuits and if I follow him round I often manage to get the bits he drops. I also like the walks when Lee and Connor are there as they are good fun, they run about and play and throw pine cones and stick for me to chase, I like this.

Uncle Nick and Aunty Kellie also came for a holiday with their children, Bethany and Morgan. Bethany was nice to me but I wasn’t allowed too close to Morgan, he was only 8 months old and very small. I liked to look of his dinners, they did look yummy and I know I could have very easily washed the bits of his face for him, but it wasn’t to be, I had to keep clear of him.


My Nan came for a few days, I like Nan, she is nearly 90 years old, she gives me lots of tickles and I like to sit close to her. She came this year with Aunty Enid and we all went up to Normandy for a weekend. This was one of the most traumatic times I had ever had. Nan was going to take part in some celebrations for the end of the Second World War in France. Her husband (who would have been my Granddad) was a tank driver during the war. He landed on the beaches of Normandy and headed north to Holland, he was a real hero from what I have heard, sadly he died some years ago, I would have liked to have met him, he sounds really nice.


Anyway back to the weekend, we stayed at this little house and attended the ceremony to remember the people who suffered and died during the war. It was a lovely sunny morning and the flags were flying outside the town hall, or I should say Hotel de Ville as we are in France. There were lots of people about, and I got quite a few pats and strokes as we took up our places to watch the service. I could just envisage myself as a regimental dog, what a real honour that would be.


The vicar gave a lovely speech, and there was some singing and clapping from the people attending. As the service ended, there was this terrible banging; I did not like this at all and just had to get away. I took off taking poor Dad with me. He told me not to worry but I couldn’t help it, it was so loud. I learnt afterwards that this was from the brass band. Well I am sure it is nice for humans, but not for me I really don’t like it.

There were a lot of celebrations going on, but unfortunately there was too much noise for me, I was very uncomfortable so Mam and Dad took me to the beach and we walked along the shores where Granddad would have landed with his Tank all those years before. We had a lovely time, but it looks like I will never be brave enough to be the Regimental Mascot. Aunty Enid came again this summer with Uncle Paul; we had some good times out and about. It’s very nice having people stay with us, I get lots of attention.

Next where my favourite visitors, Aunty Jen and Uncle Dick with Sam and Poppy. Sam is a pretty laid back Golden Retriever, he is getting on a bit in years and isn’t really much fun, he doesn’t play with me. But Poppy is a beautiful slinky Golden Retriever, she is a little bit older than me, and I just love her. We have a great time running round the garden, and rolling around on the decking. We sometimes get carried away and end up running in and out of the house sending the mats flying all over. It’s great fun till someone shouts at us to stop.

We go for long walks every day and Poppy and I love to run along the beach or the canal paths. I try very hard to get Poppy to come into the water, but I think she is a little bit too posh to jump into what is sometimes muddy looking water. She must think I am a bit rough, but I am sure she loves me just the same. I get very sad when they leave to go home, but Mam says we will see them again soon as we are going to be going to England again soon.

Well they were the last of our visitors this year. It is November and now it is starting to turn a little colder here and it has rained a lot recently. Dad and Mam have been pruning the trees and clearing up the leaves in the garden. We all get very wet on our walks now, even without me going in the water. And talking of walks I think it is time I started to pester Dad as they have had their breakfast and it is time to go, I wander where we will go today, I hope it is the canal.


Looking back



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