It was a promising dawn here in Stratford-on-Avon but I was unwell again last night – twice my bearded one got up to let me out and this morning, no breakfast and wouldn’t you know it, then I was at the vets! A very nice man who gave me a cocktail of injections and six tins of special food. He said I must have eaten something unsavoury. On leaving, when presented with the bill, I heard my bearded one question in a loud voice “how much?” eighty- five pounds the receptionist repeated! I think his day would have been much improved if it hadn’t then started to pour with rain.
We were at this time committed and left our mooring and with the help of our companions Barbie and Mike we started our ascent to Birmingham, entering the Stratford Canal. They helped my bearded one and his friend Andrew up the first three locks (another twenty or so to go today) when the mission was abandoned. Soaking wet after just three, Barbie and Mike returned to their long kennel with sad farewells as they were going to stay for a few days in Stratford. We three retreated to inside my long kennel to a lovely warm fire that Barbie had lit for us. My bearded one and his friend Andrew have clearly abandoned their responsibilities, we are moored up at a lock landing. We had lunch and dried out a bit.
After lunch it was still raining but they decided to press on regardless. We managed 18 locks over a distance of about five miles and I walked most of it and was soaked, so were they. We stopped to get warm and dry, our fire was still going strong and we moored at a little village called Wilmcote. There were two pubs in this village. The picture below shows my bearded one’s friend Andrew and me working the locks in the rain.
Well done Douglas for keeping them at it. You crack a good whip. Hope you all managed to get your coats dry, especially you. Has your tum cleared up, hopefully you won’t need to go out in the middle of the night again after your injection and that nice new expensive food that your Doctor prescribed. We shall look forward to hearing about tomorrow’s adventure tomorrow. We are going to see a play by Mr Shakespeare tomorrow afternoon, it’s going to beabout a King and his naughty son.
Dear Barbie Thank you so much for your kind enquiry as to my health. I am happy to report that I am feeling much better this morning and had a peaceful night. I did not wake up my bearded one until six. I got him out of bed and took him for a short walk but nothing happened, maybe this is a bit early, I was very empty but I did enjoy a whole tin of that expensive food. My coat dried eventually and my long kennel resembles a laundry with all their coats which of course they can take off to dry. The fire stayed in just. My beaded one and his friend have gone in search of some wood to re- establish it before it rains again today. It is dry at the moment.
Love Douglas x
Dear Douglas
So sorry to hear you’ve not been well. I hope you are feeling better soon. It’s a pity the weather is so wet and that you have to go out in it. I spend 90% of my time curled up indoors, usually at my mummy’s feet, although I do go out at night when they are asleep to meet my boyfriend . . . but I had better not tell you about this because they might read this and they don’t know anything about what I get up to during the night and it’s better that way, don’t you think?
Anyway, I hope your bearded one is behaving himself and that you are all managing to keep dry. My mummy and daddy also hope that Mummy Rachel is doing well and your long-haired one isn’t missing you too much.
I look forward to reading more about your adventures.
Love and scratches
Millie