Learning to Sail

Dear Mugsy

It's great to see you doing a proper sailor's job! I expect you went to sleep later on the windward side decks, and that is what real sailors do, Grandpaw says. He thinks he is a real sailor but I don't know why! Did you change sides when Pawpaw tacked!

I have been staying with G and G and protecting them since Thursday night, because Mummy has sauntered off to Cowes to be an important person in the race management of Cowes Week, whatever that means.

Anyway I have been looking after Granny and Grandpaw and, golly, do they need looking after. They are getting very old and keep forgetting things, sometimes that is good but sometimes they forget to give me proper runs in the park and I get bored. I tell them then and sometimes they understand but they are not very clever.

On Friday night they were out for ever and when they came out Grandpaw wanted to go for an evening stroll and made me come with him. We went up to the green near the house and it was lucky I did go because on the way back we saw a fox which was obviously hunting Grandpaw. I barked and growled and pulled on my lead and the fox ran away. He or she was lucky that I was on the lead because if not I would have attacked it and probably hurt it badly.

When we go to the big park, Grandpaw tries to make me play with him by throwing my ball. I chase it a few times to keep him happy, but it gets boring and then I stop. He gets quite upset - silly old fool! When you come over here we will have to teach him how to treat us.

Last night I had to wake them both up in the middle of the night. There have been riots all over London and some rioters broke into our Mews when they were running away from the police and there were lots of police chasing them. Granny heard the police climbing into the Mews and shouted out of the window telling them to be quiet. I expect the police will come here later and take her away. I will be very sad if they do, and I hope they will let her come home.

Mummy comes back tonight or tomorrow and will I be pleased for life to come back to normal. I hope she brings lots of Cowes meat for me to eat.

Love

Poppy.