[Dailydrool] Morse, stories about bassets and Val's critters

[Rebecca Louisa Stanton]

Good afternoon all, from a very rainy south west England.  It was
incredibly cold and frosty earlier, but the rain has seen to that.  Morse
turned 14 on 12 October, just after Rolph (Rolph on wheels) turned 14 too.
In mid July we were told that we had hours/days, possibly weeks but
definitely not months with our lad, who has haemangiosarcoma.  He is of
course proving the vets wrong and happily getting on with life.  He manages
a woof some days,  but sometimes his voice just disappears and we get
silent woofs instead.  He still digs in the garden furiously, is eating
like there is no tomorrow and still wants his little wanders every day (we
are shortly meeting his spaniel pal Zig for a wander).

I loved the story Sally told about the basset going to school with the
children years ago.  Often when we meet people, they look at Morse and will
say that they either had a basset years ago or knew somebody who did.
Usually the story will involve some sort of mishap - like breaking in
somewhere for food, lying down in the road etc.  One chap said to me quite
recently, about the basset he owned back in the 1960s when he was a child,
"oh God he was an awful dog!  He wouldn't do anything you told him", but
then continued to tell me stories about him and became quite misty eyed
talking about him, so "awful dog" or not, he was thought of fondly.

Morse almost got me banned from my local the other week.  We went in on a
Saturday night, and there were only a few diners in there and also a few of
the locals having a drink.  I am normally wary with Morse in the pub these
days as I am never sure if he will unburden himself, if you like, as he is
very liable to do these days, in very inappropriate places!  You don't
really get much of a warning.  Morse woofed for his gravy bones from the
barmaid and I got chatting to a friend.  Then Morse spied a couple in the
corner who were eating a beef dinner and proceeded to stare directly at
them.  Suddenly he did a huge WOOF.  I told him to pack it in, that not
everyone wants to be stared at and woofed at while they are eating, and
then - oh NO - to my horror his tail went up and I could see the nuggets
emerging.  Oh Good God.  No time to grab a bag and start trying to grab it,
I literally dragged him straight out of the pub (he was very upset about
this as there was a fair amount of beef still on the plate).  I hauled him
out and managed to get him outside the door, but was aware that there was a
little nugget trail leading to the door from Morse.  Thank the lord they
were firm or he would have cleared the place.  My pal came outside and said
that he didn't think anyone had noticed (!!) and to give him a bag and he
would discreetly clear up.  I did so, and he bagged it up, I binned it and
then Morse and I fled (sort of, although he was still really not happy
about leaving the beef  and put up a normal basset struggle).  Nothing
further came of this though, and as it was about 6 weeks ago I think we are
in the clear.

Val.  At least yours hear the intruder/mouse!  Morse is completely deaf.
About a year ago we were watching TV when suddenly a little mouse appeared
in the doorway and stood looking at Mike and I, who just stared back in
utter amazement.  The mouse then took off at speed and was never seen
again.  Morse never even batted an eyelid, despite being nearer to the
mouse than either Mike or I.

Becky, Morse and Pumbaa ATB

pummorse at gmail.com
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