A post should appear every Sunday

Wednesday August 16th 2023

Well, that was a long pause. You’ll probably think we’re paranoid, but we were loathe to announce to the world wide web that the house would be unoccupied and that the householder who returned to it would be too fragile to knock out any potential housebreaker.

A week last Sunday, poor Isis is at the kennels again. I feel dreadful about leaving her again, even though I know that she will be well cared for.

When she realises where we are, she shies away from the main gate. She doesn’t want to go in, but I insist. The staff has seen us on the CTV, and Gordon, who has an excellent relationship with Isis, has pushed out a trolley to accommodate our bags.

Generally, Sophie or Adam take her lead, she walks away without turning her head, and that’s that. I always feel a sad twinge at relinquishing her, but she is brave and stoical. She makes it very easy for me.

But not this time.

She digs all of her little claws into the ground and jerks her head backwards. When urged onward she leans sideways and attempts to cling to my legs.

Oh dear. Defeated and dejected, betrayed by Human, she’s led away.

She’ll settle, of course, she always does. Everyone will be kind to her, of course. She’ll be safe and secure. She has her much loved squirrel. She’ll be fine.

I feel horrible.

I visit Jim and we have a comforting cup of coffee.

Back at home I begin to pack my hospital bags. It’s already Monday morning by the time I finish: I’m off to  the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital, and later today will have a hip replacement.

The hospital is outstanding, the experience almost 100% positive. I expect to be there for two nights, but am not doing well enough with the crutches to be discharged, and finally leave on Saturday.

Isis is booked in at Ray’s until today, but if necessary her stay can be extended. Because of all the separations over the last few months, I want her stay to be as brief as possible.

My friend K picks me up at the hospital and takes me home. My friend Y has offered to take me to collect Hairy One. We have a struggle getting into her car: I know it’s probably not the best of ideas to be doing this on the discharge day, but if I’m not in the car, Isis will refuse to get in. Although she’s been in this car with Blitzi before, she is very anxious about being in cars which are not her car.

I remain in the car with the door wide open so that Isis will be able to smell me. Soon Gordon emerges with Isis, followed by Y who carries the ‘Dogs are good’ canine overnight bag containing Squirrel, a tuggy and the emergency food supply, (just in case).

I stretch my hand out as far as I can to encourage Isis to get into the car, but it takes several minutes, and a good deal of rearguard action from Gordon to persuade her in. Once in, she sits in the passenger well and shakes all the way home. Apparently, she had fought against leaving the kennels. I guess her doggy thinking was, ‘This is where she left me, so this is where she’ll come for me.’

In order to get her to leave the car, we have to perform a double act and emerge together; this is challenging, but never mind.

Once out of the car, Isis is happy for Y to lead her to her gate and up the path, even happier to be let into the porch and to have her lead and harness removed.

Since her return, she’s been a little angel, no trouble at all. We’ve had to make accommodations, and some of these will, hopefully, entertain you in our next post.

Since any prolonged activity wipes me out at present, I’m not able to proof-read, so I hope there are not too many mistakes.

Isis and I are glad to be home.

Isis came from Aeza cat and dog rescue in Aljezur, Portugal. For information about adopting an animal from the centre, contact kerry@azea.org or go to http://www.dogwatch.co.uk.