Valentine's Day - Love is in the air - not if you're the dog

Valentine’s Day 2009

Valentine’s Day has dawned wet and comparatively cold in Sydney. The weather is yo-yoing around and after weeks of heat we are now in one of the coldest February periods for 50 years. I have to confess that despite good intentions I was so disorganized this year that 5.30pm yesterday saw me trudging through the rain to our local shops to find a card for Simon. By the time I had pushed my way through the ranks of similarly desperate people, predominantly male, staring at the rows of cards the majority of cards that were left bore completely unsuitable messages such as “For my Fiancé” or were emblazoned with pictures of cute, cartoon teddy bears holding roses between their furry paws. Fortunately, I discovered one that met my criteria on picture and sentiment and so was able to present it in triumph this morning.

Sadly the morning has not been filled with loving feelings. When it is wet like this, we obviously get a lot of insects moving around in the lawn and the dog is fascinated by them. He spends a fair proportion of his time staring quizzically at the grass, one front leg cocked in classic hunting pose. This activity is combined with digging giant holes in the lawn in an attempt to run the insects to earth. Simon takes a very dim view of these excavations and in fact the girls and I are constantly refilling holes surreptitiously and stamping down turf before Simon spots the infringement. Simon’s normal reaction is to try and drop kick Pluto over the neighbours’ fence and Pluto who is an intelligent dog skulks away as soon as he sees him coming into view with murder in his heart. However this morning whilst viewing somewhat bitterly the lawn, which it has to be said does look like a war games practice zone, filled with craters and loose earth, Simon announced his intention of getting an air rifle, presumably to take pot shots at Pluto when he is overcome by the urge to dig. Being female I am thinking in more practical terms of long walks for Pluto and cold showers for Simon to calm all the male aggression.