So, he came by the morning before Harvey and Herbie arrived. And then came by the afternoon after they left! Anyone would think he was avoiding them! He came back again on Tuesday and went for a short walk in the rain.

Here he is sitting on the kitchen floor where he sneaked in after the walk for 10 mins

HE'S IN THE HOUSE ASLEEP!!!!!!!!!

I just couldn't throw him out tonight. Oh dear

He's sleeping soundly, snuffling in his sleep

Change of computer in May and just sorted out how to do the dogblog on it... T has been round a lot between May and now. His feet are slowly creeping under the table. Here he is in the back garden yesterday:

Lady H and I are having a holiday at home. T came and joined us in the garden in the afternoon. He seemed pretty happy. Later we had a barbecue - a stray sausage might have gone his way. He stopped until midnight, then caught the smell of a trail and drifted away.

I got back a few days ago after a long time away - T showed up pretty soon after. We had a good walk second day back. He sat in a lot of puddles on his way round the lanes. And was pretty dirty. After our walk I turned my back to pull my boots off and look who I found hiding in the house... doesn't look much like a plate!

The following night he came by when the neighbours were over for drinks. He was FILTHY (there was a lot of shrieking)! I sloshed some warm water over him later (which he didn't like much), then gave him a good rub down (which he did).

A couple of nights later (roast chicken dinner smells wafting out of the house), who should turn up late at night in the pouring rain? He walked right into the house (a very rare occurence) when I opened the door And he didn't leave - all night. He slept on a rag and howled gently at 7.15am next day to carry on his way. We didn't see him then for several days!

And last night he was back. We went for a late evening walk. Glorious as the sun came down over the fields. He went bounding off on his way afterwards.

It's a hot day and Tailloo is sheltering under the car hoping that lady H will take him for a walk. Failing that, a little something to eat would be the next best thing.

Alas, he got neither. 

Lady H has been away so haven't seen Tailloo for a few days. He can by this morning during the brief moment of sunshine in an otherwise rainy day. 

He's a busy dog and had other places to go today so just put his head in the window, chased a few cars and was off.

Hope the weather is better tomorrow so we can go for a walk.

Not seen much of Tailloo. He didn't come by sunday. he rarely does. Perhaps he likes to keep sunday special. I saw him briefly today, just long enough for him to eat his delicious treats from last night's miniature roast chicken dinner. Then off he went in the rain, too wet to chase cars even. 

I forgot to take a photo of him. Lady H hasn't quite got the knack of the dog blog yet. 

Tailoo has been coming and going.

Yesterday he was sitting outside so quietly I didn't know he was there til I left the house to go to Aubusson. 

Today he was barking at cars as usual but he didn't stay long. 

I thought i heard him a moment ago but when i looked outside there was no sign of him. Oh i think i just heard him again. I'll go look.

Yes, it's him. he's sat outside the front door waiting to see off passing cars.

lady H is taking over dogblog for a few weeks. Unfortunately I have no photo of tailloo as i've lost an essential bit of my camera. Fingers crossed i find it. Here are some local cows in the meantime. 

... and yesterday he sat in the sun and realised I think that no walk would be forthcoming, so just sat on our feet everytime we went out to get some warming rays. No sign of him today but its been raining all day and the sun is going down now.

Over to you Lady H...

Well he came by on 1st April - he's no fool - and we had a gentle walk. Everyone in this house is sick so everything is very slow. But he bounced and ran just as much as ever. And then lay in the sun wanting his belly rubbed...

I have not been well enough for a few days to go out walking with T. I think he's sussed it as he's not sticking round for too long. Today's photo of Taillaut (and weed) is from out the window of my sick bed.

And today he was back around lunchtime: keeping guard from the sunlit bench at the front protecting the property from those noisy monsters: cars.

Yesterday T came into the warm to keep me company. I think he could tell I'm not well because he didn't bark at all. Just lay there quietly, sleeping or looking. He didn't stay long but I liked his company.

Here he is among the tulips. By the time I could take a break from work though, he was gone. I was sad.

So we had a fine old time on our walk. Taillaut chased birds: small and big, barking and bouncing all the time. And occasionally looked up to see which direction we were heading next...

Yesterday he came in and sat under the table for a bit. But he seems to prefer it outside. Here he is on the doorstep yesterday.

He's out there waiting now. So I'm off for a quick walk with him now...

Guess who's sitting under my kitchen table! Look who sneaked in as I was fetching firewood from the barn. It's freezing cold and snowing outside. He smells of cow barn and straw.

We did go for a walk yesterday and I swear we both smiled all the way round: it was the first day of spring and felt like it.

We saw cows and their calves, ever inquisitive bullocks, colts testing their dominance.

Lady H returned from Paris by train and T insisted on travelling the 17km to meet her at the station. He didn't much like the twists and turns in the road. But he was happy to see her and tried to sit in her lap on the way home.

I'd been back 5 days and no sign, so I was beginning to get worried. Especially as the weather was good so you usually see him out and about - even if he doesn't stop by. But here he is at last - waiting by the rubbish I put out earlier to take to the bins. I'm going for a quick walk with him now.

No sign of him yet today (it's raining) - and he didn't come by on Sunday which is normal. But he hung around all day on Saturday and we went for a fantastic long walk across the fields. He left me to join a hunt that we could hear from the end of the walk.

First day back and there he is at 10am on the doorstep. He had to wait till after lunch for a walk though as noone could get out of bed. Here is how he entertains himself:

chasing cars, very fast, biting at their wheels, barking furiously.

Yesterday T sat from 11am outside the house. And had to wait till 4.30pm before a walk happened. He was happy when it finally came.
Spring is coming. Snowdrops and crocuses are peeping through. And the animals are growing curious.

The bullocks have lovely new haircuts (just had their horns cut).

Been away for sad reasons. But first day back look who showed up at the kitchen window...


Lady H went walking with him this afternoon. They had a good time.

T arrived after lunch but I still had a couple of hours work to do. So he sat waiting on the doorstep. Finally I was ready, I put on my boots and looked out, T had disappeared. Bad timing. So I locked the house, grabbed my stick and there he was on the other side of the road, lurking in the shadows, intent...
guess what followed? intense excitement: barking, bouncing, great joy (and a walk).

He was here very early this morning. I think he had been out all night... partying? with the lady dog up the road. They were both covered in mud.

It was a bit of a surprise for me to see him sat on the bench at 7.20am this morning when I opened the shutters. He waited briefly till the collie mix girl had been called home, and then set off on his rounds. Way too early for me to contemplate taking a picture or going for a walk (hadn't even had a CUP OF TEA).

No sign of him since.

Today we all went walking together in the sunshine. When we got back T lay in the sun on his back for a belly rub. All is well with the world.

No sign of him Tuesday. On Wednesday we went for a quick walk for which he waited patiently for 3 hours...

Lady H went walking alone Thursday. Half way round in a neighbouring village T came bounding up to her and joined her for the remainder of the walk in glorious sunshine.

Look... he's on the front doorstep waiting to go for a walk. The shadows are getting longer. I'd better not work too much more...

So yesterday's walk was uneventful comparatively. Except when T decided to enter the bulls field. He was standing minding his own business when the bull came to sniff his arse. T suffered it for a while and then turned gave a warning growl which had no effect. So he barked and went for the bulls nose. The bull gave ground and both walked away.

This standoff turned into a farce.

Out walking with T, we passed through the Mayor's territory. The three dogs barked at each other, and looked set to leave it at that, when the bitch went for T (crazy, when you consider how much bigger and fiercer he is). We got them apart with no blood shed.

The bitch then seemed to fall in love. Everywhere Taillaut went, she was set to go. She wanted to do everything he wanted to do. He leapt ditches way too big for the little dogs. The bitch jumped them too. Poor lampshade-head blindly followed. Whatever T sniffed, the bitch sniffed. Lampshade-head went through the motions. T's wild run across the field lost even the bitch for a few minutes. And lampshade-head was left standing, perplexed. They found us again a few minutes later, the bitch determined to be wherever T was, lampshade-head shuffling along behind, indifferent to his charms.

The Lady H shooed them away home every 300 yds. To no avail. Finally the handsome farmer's son came by and between us we loaded the two dogs unwillingly onto his tractor for him to take them the 3km home. T trotted back with us relieved to be rid of them.

So we went on holiday to the US. And we've been gone a good while. Within 10 minutes of being back, T came trotting down the road. He sat on the bench in front of the house and waited while we unloaded the car. Then we went for a quick walk up the lane. He has not been much accompanied in his walks so far in 2009.

He's been by a couple of times in the 6 days since then. But no walks due to cold, rain, snow and sickness (not his). Let's see if he comes by today...