Puppy Puppy Puppy 9 June 2008

The big news is the arrival of a new puppy. Totally unplanned, he 'found' us. Last Wednesday, we were heading off to Shanon airport as Jim was going to the UK until Saturday. It was teeming down with rain. Our lane to the main road is a mile long and about half way along we came to a grinding halt. In the middle of the road there was a wet, soggy, shivering bundle of puppy. I got out and moved it to the side of the lane, thinking someone would be nearby. It ran under our car. I tried again. It ran under our car again. I think walked about 20 yards behind our car and rushed back to it. The puppy bounded after me and ran under the car.... Well, we were getting nowhere and the puppy appeared to be on its own. We decided we'd better turn round and take it back to the barn out of the rain until I returned, which is what we did. I left him in a cardboard box with a big blanket, cold, wet and miserable!

Dropped Jim off at Shannon airport then did some shopping, including some dog food, just in case. It was quite late when I got back and I put the puppy in the car go try and find the owner. I only got as far as our neighbours down the lane. They only knew of one family with puppies and they said they weren't like this one. I decided to go back home and try in the morning. The puppy came inside in its box and drank some milk, turning its nose up at the water.

The cats were not amused! The poor thing grunted like a little pig and shook with fright. I put him in our conservatory so the cats wouldn't be able to hurt him and went to bed, having chatted to Jim on the phone.

Thursday saw a very different puppy, all bouncy and full of fun - and cat biscuits! The cats still didn't like this think much and moved every time he tried to get near them. I had to go into Gort, our nearest 'largish' town to finish getting the adverts for the Gort Show Catalogue, so left puppy in the conservatory again, with some toys.

It poured with rain in Gort, and hail!! Still, ads done, I stocked up with cat and dog food, 2 soft toys from Mrs Quinn's Charity Shop (1 euro each) and headed back to Killanena. I thought that if anyone at all had heard of a lost puppy it would be Mrs Broderick in her little cafe opposite Broderick's Furniture Store, so I stopped there on the way home. It's an amazing place, no prices, no menu and all for charity. Mrs Broderick's sister is a nun and is in Zimbabwe where she helps provide things for the poor children there. Mostly care and school uniforms and books, etc. The money donated at the cafe is all sent over to help. They collect an amazing amount.

I was duly given a cup of tea and a scone (I didn't ask, Ann Broderick knows I like them)!! I asked about the puppy and she didn't know of anyone who'd lost one but would ask around. By now I'm beginning to think the poor little chap has been abandoned. Mrs B realised she had to go and pick up her Grandchildren and take them swimming. She left me in the cafe alone and rushed off. I finished my tea and scones, washed up and put the jam, butter and milk in the fridge and left. No door locked. What a wonderful place. You won't find many like that in the UK.

By now, puppy has decided I'm Mum. As I wander about, I'm now followed by 2 cats and 1 dog! See for yourself (oh yes, I took photos on the first evening)! I think it's a Beagle or Beagle cross. He is utterly adorable and now ours. Mine. LOL. So I haven't achieved much since Wednesday. Lots of mopping up of poos and wees and playing with 2 cats and 1 dog. This morning we're off to the vets to get him sorted and see whether he has any problems. He certainly seems to fall over a lot and we wonder whether he has some back leg problems. We're having name problems. He's been Samson and Rocky but neither of those seemed to fit. Jim wanted to call him Jeremy, as in Jeremy Beadle!!! Hmmm. I think I'll call him Beagly. Any other suggestions? Photos on Facebook or here of course. How jealous are you all now?

I collected Jim from the airport on Saturday, 11pm and took Beagly with me. Half way there, the car filled with a noxious odour! I stopped where I could and pulled over. Beagly was not in his bed in the back but had crawled under the back seat and onto the floor behind the passenger seat, then onto the floor behind my seat. It was pitch dark and I could smell but couldn't find the offending 'present'. I plonked Beagly back in his box and pulled out this little mats. Aha, one was the little parcel, all splodgy and yukky. I had little choice, as time was passing, but to leave the mat at the side of the road! I drove with the windows open to drive out some of the smell.

At the airport, the plane was delayed, so I had a bit of time. Oh, also I was almost out of petrol. AAAAH! Anyway, Beagly was a bit messed up from his journey, so I took him into the ladies and washed him off in the sink. He thought this was ok, but didn't like the dryer much! Took him back to his box, came back and gave me a thorough wash! The plane then landed and I rushed back to the car and got him so that he could be there to meet 'Dad'!! Now the petrol problem.

Jim realised we were very low and we had to decide where was the best place to go where there might be a garage open at 12midnight on a Saturday night. He decided Ennis was probably a good choice and drove very economically along the new road, both of us watching the needle dropping further and further. I was so scared we'd run out and was feeling very guilty because it was my fault for not filling up the day before. Well, as we drove into Ennis, there in the distance we could see the lights of a petrol station shining in the darkness and welcoming us. Phew! That was a VERY close run thing.

Much relieved, we chatted dog most of the way home, missed our turning so decided to carry on and into Gort to buy some food. Back home and that's about it. Jim's back is in an awful mess so he hasn't been able to do much. A recurrence of the problem he had a couple of months ago. I think he needs the vets too. Poor man is in a lot of pain and can't get comfortable. He's also feeling sickly, probably from all the pain killers.

On the plus side, the garden looks lovely. The grass was very long and Jim did manage to mow. I cut all the edges hard back and it all looks very neat and tidy. Yesterday evening I did some bramble and nettle clearing from the other side of the fairy hill. It was getting very overgrown and some of it hadn't been tackled at all. The tiny midges drove me inside at 10pm!

So, our life has taken an unexpected turn! I know little about puppies so have bought a book on ebay about training your puppy and have read up about Beagles. Seems they have a few behavioural problems, but nothing we can't sort I'm sure.

The bottom 2 photos are from the first evening. How miserable does he look? The top right hand one is the following day, his tail wagging at last. Happy puppy.

Happy me.