Too tired - Gail explains

There's so much stuff I'd like to talk about to you today - this excellent book I've been reading, my views on rugby and national identity, your comments on my last post, the woeful state of our garden, the interesting experience of participating in Mango Minster....

But the truth is I'm feeling too exhausted to blog this morning and, reluctantly, I am going to hand over to Gail. 

Gail speaks:  Hamish is an old dog, and his health is deteriorating. Last night we were up for several hours after he suffered a fit, the second within a week. He eventually settled down to sleep, and this morning seems more or less OK, but tired and dazed. This is a new problem for Hamish and we are off to the vet later today. 

Mango Minster Entry

Hey folks! This year I've decided to participate in Mango Minster for the first time. For those of you not in the know, think of it as Cyber Crufts. This event, run by my pal the relentlessly huge Mango (a mastiff) is distinctly NOT modelled on the arguably better known American dog show Westminster.....

Gail and I looked through the somewhat irregular judging groups for the show, and found that the only category for my breed is called CDIT (Cracker Dog Insane Terriers).

What??!!

Well let me tell you, the only reason I have agreed to participate in this farrago is as a PROTEST against the outrageous stereotyping of all terriers implied by the title and judging criteria*  for this group...

As regular readers of this blog know, I am dignified, mentally stable, intelligent and good natured (usually, except at the vet, and on some other occasions....) I do not have mad staring eyes and as a veteran gentledog I certainly do not go in for lunatic athletic feats. Neither do I have obsessive traits. When faced with a problem, I calmly consider it from an intellectual and analytical perspective.

So here is a picture of me, taken last Spring, poised with decorum on a rock overlooking Loch Torridon.  A West Highland Terrier in his natural home, the Northwest Highlands of Scotland.

 * Judge Norwood's criteria: click on the image below to enlarge if you really want to read this insult to the noble terrier breed.