Thank you everyone, yes I have had a goodish day, thank you.................the highlight of which was almost adopting a baby calf!!
Millie was off her lead and tearing about the Common (greyhounds do MOVE!!) when she vanished in to a thicket of brambly bushes and totally disappeared, followed by her ever loyal partner in crime, my beloved MH . He later re-appeared minus Millie, but looking very anxious, he doesn't like being away from his mates; the new puppy, Barney, kept coming back to tell me he'd lost not only Best Friend MH but nutty Millie too.
Eventually Millie did appear, carefully shepherding a tiny black calf before her, and looking very chuffed with herself. Apart from some amazement that she had found him and actually hadn't eaten the little chap (she isn't too brave..........or friendly............ with other animals), my main thought was "OMG, where is his mum, and is she about to charge out at us.?"
I quickly put all four dogs on their leads again, and we retreated as fast as I could (not very, AND I fell over again!!).......but the little chap decided to follow us back to the car, bellowing as loudly as he could (which wasn't very loud at all). He wasn't the slightest bit deterred by my feeble efforts to shoo him away, and just wanted SOMEONE to rescue him.
Back at the car, I stuffed all my lads and lass in and whizzed round to tell the farmer. As I was telling him about the baby, MUMMY MOO came PELTING up the road, bellowing fit to bust, her udder so full she kept tripping up (that's NOT why I fell over!!), and mother and son were eventually re-united. Bless him, he was so relieved to see his mum and buried his face in her tummy for a snack. The farmer reckoned the calf had probably fallen asleep after his breakfast, and his mum had followed the tractor (loaded with goodies for expectant and nursing mums) on up the road, forgetting him temporarily but knowing she needed tasty rations in order to keep him well nourished.
(I can identify with that.......... MANY years ago, I'd almost got home before I realised I'd left my firstborn son outside the local shop in his pram!!! Please don't ring Social Services, he's a big boy of 34 now, despite my neglect!!!!!)
Some may say I don't actually NEED a baby calf.........but it could be fun............and he was REALLY sweet!!! Might have to ask Jean and Mary if they would love him as much as they do my dogs, of course, and I do wonder how I would explain him to my stuffy district nurses!!!!!!!
Lxx
PS that tiny brown beast racing around on some of these posts vaguely resembles Barney, doesn't he, Jean and Mary????
Always be aware that what you do might hurt others........and if it could, do nothing without careful consideration of the consequences
