Of Mad(ai) Dogs and Englishmen ....

Well I don't know about you, but I feel summer has arrived. As you've probably spotted from the glamour pictures, my special Labrador fur is black and shiny, designed for keeping the water out and hiding in the long grass while patrolling the field. Its not summer weight and on these hot days my man-person has taken to singing about mad dogs and Englishmen, as I lie about in the mid-day sun. Noel Coward he is not! I'm not daft though and know the best spots for getting into the River Weaver.

For example there is a really good one with nicely scented black mud (nothing quite like it for cooling the blood — there, he's broken into song again!) if you run down the slope in Bluebell Woods. The colour doesn't show on my fur but for some reason I get a hosepipe bath when we get home.

Continuing the literary theme I went on the Jonathan Swift ferry to Ireland to see my peoples' grandchildren and my cousin Tess — I told you about them in May. It being Ireland I expected my coat's natural properties to be called upon but it was hot, Hot, HOT and Tess and I had to disturb the fly fishermen and collect all the floating sticks in Mill Lough.It's called the Emerald Isle for a good reason and my waterproof fur came in useful somedays....

When I got back the maize in my field had grown so tall that I couldn't see over it, nor could my people. The leaves are still tasty and I've spotted the maize cobs developing in the last week or so. Just a bit too high for "harvesting" at the moment but I hope to report back on them in a month or so. I also want to tell you about my recent visit to Auntie Audrey in Wettenhall, who runs Muttlins holiday camp for dogs.

Madai -- your rovering reporter