Touring Toby

Tails from the Riverbank told by Toby the Ancient Traveller

Hi All!

Now I hope you are sitting comfortably because dad seems to have made up for his lack of posts with this one bol!

Thought it was time for a little update on caravan life in the uk. Please keep in mind that although I am only 15 in human years that relates to about 83 in canine years so to say that the Lawson household is full of aches and pains is quite an understatement! Having said all that just wait for the story to unfold, quite proud of myself really as today I proved I still have that little something to confound the wrinkly twinklies.

The other day dad was talking to a lady on site whose pal is a Lhaso Apso and dad was saying that we need somewhere for Toby (as if I wasn't there) to have a bit paddle in the water as the beach is too much of a challenge for my joints now (no not that kind of joints, he meant leg joints) anyway ...... do you ever find that sometimes you lose the thread of the conversation? No its ok I remember now.

So this lady suggested a walk along the river bank at Cupar where she assured dad there were places for a challenged canine to enter the water and not get into difficulty. Well today we duly set off on one of the hottest days so far (remember this is Scotland) and we found a nice place to park the car that was near to the river thus saving me an extended walk.

We set off quite merrily in anticipation of a nice little stroll with some aqua aerobics for yours truly but as we approached the path the lady had recommended we found that the overgrowth was well overgrown and not quite as easy to access the river as we had been led to believe. Nothing daunted, we followed the path and the ancient traveller reckoned he had found a spot for me to go into the river and duly let me jump down from the banking and on into the river.

Well can I tell you the river was just the right depth and not flowing fast and was soooo cooling, doggie heaven (or maybe doggie holiday heaven). I was thoroughly enjoying myself just padding about and not a care in the world when I thought I would go and say thanks to the wrinklies for bringing me here but I couldn't climb up the banking (thats what I told them but really it was payback for not giving me more treats when I wanted them). The wrinkles had overlooked that the banking was much higher because the river had dropped very low with all this heat and no rain!

So lumbering larry had to attempt to climb down the banking to help me.......... sorry still laughing at his attempt because as he approached the banking to climb down he slipped on the mud and landed on his butt and it got covered in mud! I was laughing so much that I had to run up and try to help him (well maybe not). I still have enough agility to avoid capture despite his attempts to catch me bol (bark out loud) howl howl.

I eventually let him help me up the banking and proceeded to grab one of his shoes which he had taken off and when he made a grab for me he slipped in the mud again and got covered in mucky mud. Honestly I was really fired up by this time that I thought I might try and knock him back down the banking but I didn't, fair dos to older humans he took it really well! (thats a lie he was bloody furious).

Well I ran back to see mum as she was waiting the other side of the nettles and I detoured and jumped down a bit of banking and landed with a splurge into thick black mud and I'll be honest I kinda panicked because I really couldn't move. By this time dad came on the scene to hear mum saying “He’s sinking, it like quicksand”. Again dad had to climb down the banking and grab me (none too gently by the way) and pulled me out of the mud.

I was a bit shaken by all of this but heard mum say “You'll have to take him back to the other bit to wash him off”. I didn’t get what dads reply was but don't think it was complimentary to me! I had to swim a fair bit in order to get all the black mud off (or at least most of it) Getting back up the banking seemed easier this time or is that just me bol. I neglected to say that the path down to the river had nettles at the edges and yes the decrepit gardener got stung cos he was wearing shorts. I wish you could have seen him carrying his mucky shoes along the gravel path and trying to avoid the nettles.

So rather than heading into Aldi for shopping it was decided to return back to caravan and clean up. And who said you cant have fun when you get older bol. Back at the caravan dad headed across for a shower (cor whats that smell) and I settled down for a little snooze and happy memories.

The saga continued later but not by any contribution from me. When making the tea mum put a cloth too close to the gas ring and it caught fire! Mum was totally oblivious but fireman sam was on hand to verbally warn her, “Is something burning?”. Well mum caught the cloth and managed to stop the fire but the cloth melted and stuck to the worktop and on her hand. This pair should carry a government health warning bol but life is never dull.

Bye all now off for another nice nap.
I’ve got the wrinkles to post some videos that Mum took early on but after those few were taken there were no more as it was all paws on deck bol

Please share as I’m again trying to encourage Dad to do more posts and maybe one day he will be famous bol 🐶