We are on an even keel. The days merge, the pups grow. I’ve set up a viewing chair (Michael’s office chair) for the friends who pop in to view the pups. Bobji does not seem to mind the audience and interest in her offspring. She continually cleans them bending them backwards to get to their undersides as they feed. White face is the fattest, and most dominant, quite bullish, pushing others aside. Even so, he is my favourite.
Lucy comes often to see Jet, takes intimate photographs, gives advice and we chew the cud and drink wine eat food. I am grateful having her walk beside me on this journey. I will take her to Laurence’s exhibition tonight, so she meets the man who casts the men who dominate the field where her sheep graze. The lambs take shelter between their big feet, and the sheep scratch themselves on the legs.
Myrtle came and stayed. Gill, John and Ross. Sophie holds one and it falls asleep, as she supports above her belly growing with a child.
14 days. I’ve missed a few moments . Eyes began to open at 10 days. 12 days open. Today they can see and begin to play. I need to secure the cage opening so bobji can get in and out but not pups.
Sunday day of visitations. Steven . I don’t really like dogs I’m a cat person. Kit. Sheila. barry finally.
Monday full to the brim. electric tripped. Water people arrived to connect up the wood site. One engineers son taken to hospital but still the work done. Green Party meeting. No electric so to Chris house. Electrician diagnosed dish washer.
Week 4 . Unsteady, wobbly, they are moving, playing. Their noses once pink are blotted with black. For the first time bobji is reluctant to enter the nest I have enlarged. They are already attempting the climb. Buster is anyhow. Virginia came round today with her acute observations. Like cats, the are kneading the tit, to encourage the milk, she saw. She also reminded me to attend to the wide variety and beauty of grasses.
Almost all day – a glorious summers day – spent in the garden. The arrival of Tinks, my sister, on Tuesday has engendered a garden pride and much has been done to get the land in order! Tinks should come more often, suggested michael, who partook by removing weeds from between the patio slabs – a fine job. In the front meadow, two common spotted orchids appeared, providing me with good argument not to cut.
Going through 400 of Michael’s photos from his Texas trip, I saw the photo and movies he look of the birthing, how beautiful to behold. Buster even then, the most active.
Week 4 continued
Pups to the vet in the ubiquitous co op basket. The whole practice came out to have a collie cuddle. Bobji looked on. Eva in particular good to see – she had saved bobji life. The vet examining was both professional and unashamedly smitten. At last some proper dogs! We don’t usually see them this small except for ceasarian of course. She felt for their testicals which surprised me ! All animals from sausage to Dane, cat to dig, come out the same size. Teeth on their way. Worming liquid, and much more confidence received.
Tinks and aloe arrived somewhat flustered and with an ittinary. Alou noticeably anxious. I keen to show them the geography, of home, wood and land. Oh and halesworth for shopping.
A torrent of emails, a town council meeting, michael phone not working, and what will we have for lunch questioned at breakfast and a growing backlog of stuff, feels overwhelming But these puppy moments are so precious. At the same time very aware I am ignoring Kali, the first, the greatest, the travelling dog. my attempts to clear my plate are tweeted by more arriving !
Pups outside on the grass – vet said ok! – but not too much sun as they have no temperature control.
We work together bobji and I. Now we share the feeding, yes first time dog food, and so dig shit. So swift each moment, each phase of growth.
Week 8
Too long since I recorded. The dream of recording daily dashed by exhaustion and mountains of things to do, a bad temper with michael who falls asleep watching the tennis as pups outside roast in our heatwave with no water! I cannot expect but madly do, and kick myself for short fuse. Meanwhile in the outside world Borris is finally outed in the brutal way the conservative politics executes, while opposition and alternative people shrill on their high horse of superior morals.
You will miss them, Justin says and he is right I will. The time goes so fast. They play, run, investigate the world around. I want to have the time to draw them, play too.
Kalikellett 