Hello everyone it’s Wilma here. It’s such fun to look back and find out what happened on this day. It turns out that Alfie is celebrating 9 years as an official UK citizen. I know he moved to England in the January of 2008 but this is what he wrote on 17th August of that year:
There was some post for me, although once again wrongly addressed to my Mistress. At last, after several months of paperwork, I now have an official Kennel Club registration number. The certificate isn’t quite as impressive as my Belgian pedigree certificate. I did wonder whether it was worth writing to the Kennel club to make some suggestions as to how they could liven their certificates up a bit, but my Mistress said she thought I might be best to keep the ideas to myself.
It was funny reading the next two years to see how things progress. In 2009 there was a puppy which Mum was hoping to have come and live with us and was the first one to be called Megan. Here is what Alfie said:
2009
My Mistress sat down with me yesterday to tell me all about her visit to Switzerland. She started with the bad news and then cheered me up with lots of good news. The bad news is that Megan won’t be coming to live with us. Now I don’t know how much you know about our breed, but our tails are supposed to curl over no further than to just above touching our backs. Mine does that and Shadow’s does that but sadly, Megan’s curled all the way round. Oh, she looked cute and my Mistress thought we’d all get on very well, but she wouldn’t have been allowed to breed and much as I want another playmate, I have to remember that the whole point is that she will have puppies. I felt pretty glum after that, but then my Mistress told me that there might be a litter of puppies born in October that we could have one from and it is all a question of waiting a little more time.
That started the good news and then my Mistress told me that she had met my great grandmother and she is a lovely dog who is now 16years old. My great grandmother lives with the family that my Mistress stayed with and so if I get to go over there, I will meet her too. My Mistress also went through the village that my dad lives in, although she didn’t actually get to meet him. Then she met a dog that looked very like me and it turned out that he was my half brother. He sounds really nice and very clever. He has been able to bring cows in on his own since he was nine months old. Best of all, my Mistress went to see the village we originate from and the valley where we were rediscovered in the 1920’s. I’ve asked if I can go to see them when she takes me to Switzerland.
Then as it turned out Megan 2 was one of the ones born in the October and this is what he had to say in 2010:
2010
Have I washed behind my ears, indeed! What does my Mistress think of me? I always wash behind my ears and I’d given everywhere a special lick ready for Megan’s arrival without having to be asked. I’m as excited about this as she is. Anyway, I have done a tour of the estate to make sure everything is in place ready. Most of it is not exactly in place. Megan’s bed for example is not yet on the floor because my Mistress doesn’t want Shadow getting in it and trying to claim it as her own. Apparently, Megan may recognise my smell as we sent her a soft toy that I had slept with for a few days first, but she hasn’t yet had anything with Shadow’s scent on so that will be more of a surprise. I’m worrying about what I should say to her when she first arrives. Instinct would tell me to go for the normal doggy approach, sniff her bottom, let her sniff mine and then go out for a game of rough and tumble, but I’m thinking my Mistress is expecting something a bit more dignified. It’s not every puppy that gets to go to Swiss finishing school before joining their new family and I really don’t know what lessons she will have been taught. I wonder if they still do that thing where they walk with a pile of books on their head to make them walk tall and straight. ‘Deportment’ I think it’s called, although that may be where you’re taken back to your own country, I’m not sure.
Now we’re getting really excited about going to visit her. It’s fun looking back.
Happy Friday
Love Wilma
You can find short stories to read at www.alfiedog.com
Alfie’s Diary – the Book as well as our other books are available HERE