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Thursday, May 31, 2018

HERE WE GO AGAIN..

It`s a few weeks now since we had to say goodbye to our wonderful ten year old golden retriever, Barney.  The years we had with him were filled with companionship, loyalty and love.   He was our fifth golden retriever and came after Holly, Botham, Rupert and Henry, all of whom gave us the same enjoyment as did Barney.

For us at least we discovered a pattern of life which meant that as soon as our three sons left home we started getting retrievers and it has gone on ever since.  We also discovered that - again for us at least - our way of dealing with the loss of each of them has been to go and get another.  And so, we have the prospect of a retriever puppy joining us in about a month`s time.   

Mrs. Snopper, who is really the expert in these things, located a reputable breeder at Fordingbridge in the New Forest.  We visited, liked what we saw, paid the deposit and have received regular updates as to the progress the puppies are making.  In a week`s time we will be visiting again, this time to choose which puppy we might have.  And it`s at that point that the realities of having a retriever are brought home.  

It`s a bit like choosing a football club to support, the reality of which is that it is the club which chooses you rather than the other way around.  And we noticed, especially with Barney, that the puppy chooses you - they come up to you an check you out and hopefully like what they see.  

We`ve been thinking about a name for new puppy and had a number of suggestions but we might have settled on Dudley.  One of my favourite actors was Dudley Foster but I`m attracted to the idea that new puppy and I can walk our village streets and, for those of a certain age and long memories,  the two of us might be known as Pete and Dud.   I just hope Greta Bloody Garbo doesn`t turn up.

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