Mooli

Rocco, would want me to say something about his mates. His best mate is Mooli a dalmatian who spends every winter and spring with us. He likes to bounce up to unsuspecting, mild looking dogs and say the canine equivalent of "boo" then enjoy what the Radio Times used to call "the ensuing hilarity". So one has to watch out for sudden alertness during our walks and call him before he launches himself off. He then can claim a treat. Sometimes he will spot a potential victim and just ask for the treat - an effective doggy protection racket.

Mooli (his name is Catalan for 'small islands) is the most vocal animal I have ever met, keeping a commentary on what he thinks of things by a mixture of grunts, moans and sighs. The photos are a couple of years old but walkies this morning were cold enough for snow to be on its way.

He is always hungry.

The Dog Hotel

Helping run The Dog Hotel is a lot more fun than helping run a design consultancy. For a start I don't have to travel on the tube and I never need to be worried by squirrels ever again, not that they bother graphic designers much. Rocco is very sound on the chasability of squirrels.

The top is of me with Rocco in a stone tardis, part of Vauban's fortifications at Blaye. The next photo is of the rest of the Dog Hotel management team. The last shot is of a couple of our favourite guests.

The Dog Hotel was Judy's creation based on the concept of 'if you walk one dog then you might as well walk another'. As she has become increasingly gainfully employed elsewhere and as I have (thankfully) become increasingly less gainfully employed, I seem to be the one increasing the amount of Barnes / Putney common mud to our floor*. 

Judy's concept is, if the owners are going on a holiday, then the dog should have a great holiday too.

*Edit: Not that Judy would ever bring any mud in, perish the thought. 

2nd Edit: Not that I would either, (of course). (Obviously).

3rd edit: An ill chosen choice of words.