The boy is back

Finally after 9 months of separation, the day arrived. Yogi Bear and I stood there in the arrivals lounge (if you can call a little space with a few chairs such a thing) at Carcassonne airport, waiting for the opaque doors to slide open and our boy walk through. My precious Callum had made it to France after two cancelled flights and the terrifying prospect of France becoming a ‘no-go’ for UK travellers. A hug has never felt so good. Yogi of course, was beside himself with happy woofs – there is nothing like seeing your best buddy again and I am one happy Mum. And his first words to his dear mother? “You’re looking so much healthier, your wrinkles have gone”. I’ll take it as a compliment.

One of the lessons you learn about living in this area of France is that in order to to get work done when the mercury hits scorch level, you start at the crack of dawn. The wonderful Lionel has been in full pool construction mode from 6 a.m which has meant getting the dogs out fifteen minutes earlier so as not to get in his way. Getting out of bed just as the sun is coming up has become a regular occurrence since the puppies came into our lives which is also a good excuse for Alice to shoot out the door for a run with Arry and I. Now that the little velociraptors are weaned, Mama dog keeps her teats as far away from them as possible. With the large pen in the garden serving as an all day creche, they snooze in the shade oblivious to all the construction noise.

Callum and I had the chance to pop over to L’Horte yesterday, I hadn’t been for at least a month because the paths had become so overgrown. Fortunately with the help of a couple of friends in the biz, the terrain is now walkable so the two of us plus a few woofers went off exploring the old homestead. The river did look very inviting but without swimsuits and the prospect of being drowned by Arry, we decided against it. The place is stunning now as Mother Nature is claiming back what once was hers. Pop would be happy.

July seems to have raced passed, most of the pups will be leaving us next week for their new homes. We still have to find someone for the gorgeous Sherman but I am optimistic that the right family is out there. Of course, a little part of me would like him to stay – I think he is the best of the bunch with his laid back attitude to life. And now that I have my Callum home, I am beginning to feel the same…

“They say a person needs three things to be truly happy in this world: Someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for” (Tom Bodett)