Play date!

Another day, another play date! I don't know about you but I've noticed that themselves have pretty much given up following the news, perhaps like the rest of you, suffering from a surfeit of shocking headlines and emotional overload. So what have they turned to? Me of course!! I'll be the first to admit that we've been very fortunate over the last couple of months, living in the country with a good sized garden for me to play fetch and dig in, as well as easy access to good walks and plenty of swimming spots now that summer is upon us. Well meteorological summer actually starts on the 1st June though if you're more into the stars you'll have to wait until June 20th before you can have your Astronomical summer. Whatever the definition, its been "hot, damn hot, real hot ...." For the quiz fiends out there, without using the internet, see if you can remember the source of that quote and I'll tell you at the end.

Well what with all our people trying to avoid each other, as I reported on last month, I've been a bit short of canine companionship on my morning walks. To sort this situation themselves have arranged play-dates for me and my mate Baxter, so I now have my own column in their diary! Baxter's the one without the ball stuck in his mouth. He's only young, and a "full boy " so has to have a chaperone when he comes out – the job has given his dog-mum Molly grey hairs!

Have you heard about Labradors Olive and Mabel? If not then follow these links where you can watch their owner, a sports commentator, describing the rivalry between them. Personally, as a fully signed up Labrador, I can't see what's so funny, but themselves seemed to enjoy the videos and perhaps your tastes will be equally poor?
First up is the Dogs breakfast Grand Final, followed by Game of Bones, The Walk of Shame and The company meeting. I hope you enjoy them – listening to Andrew Cotter commentating on Rugby matches will not be quite the same in the future!

Well last month I told you about the Orange Tip butterflies, and as expected their time has passed. It was marked, rather uniquely himself adds, by their appearance as the answer to a Times cryptic crossword clue. How many of us will have that honour I wonder? Did you spot the location of last month's picture quiz? It was canal Brickyard Bridge, No. 6, between the road at Nanny's Bridge and the Venetian Marina at Poole, and is on the Crewe and Nantwich circular walk. Well this month no picture quiz, just the question I posed at the start – "hot, damn hot, real hot..." Yes some of you knew it I'm sure, from the film "Good morning Vietnam", where Robin Williams as new DJ Adrian Cronauer is introducing his morning radio show. Listen to the clip, and turn the volume up loud, real loud, here or if you want more of his irreverent humour this link takes you to a selection of the better scenes.

Well that's enough for now, I'll report back to you again next month when perhaps we'll be freer still?

Madai, your rovering reporter