The first few days…

Well, HELLO there! Solo’s my name, looking cute is my game. (It goes without saying that tales of my legendary good looks are not unfounded ­– but modesty forbids me to say more on that matter at this point.)

So. Let’s get on with it… What a week this has been! Last Saturday I was let out of the back of Fatima’s car (where I’d been having a good old natter with my foster-buddy, Snow) and introduced to a couple of strangers. To be honest, I didn’t take too much notice of them – I mean, duh, I’ve met people before, and I didn’t want to get my hopes up. Don’t get me wrong – I love Irene and Sonja at the GAP kennels, and Auntie Fatima, too – but let’s face it, it’s not the same as having people and a place to call your own.

Well, these two strange people sat around with me in the GAP office for THREE HOURS! My goodness, what on earth did they find to interest them all that time? I hesitate to posit the thought that perhaps it was the presence of little old moi.

During the course of the visit, I discovered their names were Maureen and John. Maureen drank lots of coffee with Auntie Irene, and John and Maureen both slipped me a few treats (did I mention? I LOVE treats!), so they both went up in my estimation. John taught me to take a treat out of his mouth – how unhygienic is that?? I mean, a human mouth! – but I’m a quick learner and it seemed to please him. And I’m a bit of a pushover for food. Oops! I think I might already have mentioned that.

They seemed to be buying lots of doggie things – a very nice fleecy coat, a raincoat and a GAP promo jacket, as well as collars and leads and muzzles and food and all sorts of other things. Auntie Fatima is a very good saleswoman, I think, as well as being a lovely person. They even tried lots of collars on me – though I was thinking it was just because I happened to be handy. But the visit drew to a close and they eventually drove away again. I was a bit sorry to see them go, I’ll admit, and I was hoping – casually, of course – that they’d come and visit again.

As luck would have it, I didn’t have to wait too long. They came back the very next morning. It was pouring with rain, and they turned up at the office before it was even open for the day. Well, when Auntie Irene came and got me from the kennel and let me off in the office, I’m ashamed to say I tore round like a maniac. Completely forgot my manners in all the excitement, and even forgot to say a proper hello to the nice new people, though I did wag my tail like mad as I galloped past.

Eventually, after a lot more b-o-o-o-ring conversation between the humans, my new lead was clipped to my smart new collar. Then, during a break in the weather, I was lifted into the back of a strange car which turned out to belong to John and Maureen. Auntie Irene and Auntie Sonja waved like mad, and off I went on my new adventure.

And what an adventure it was! The car was most luxurious, with no less than six quilts arranged in the back for my comfort. I also found my favourite soft toys that Auntie Fatima had left for me, and quite a few more that I’d never seen before. It was so comfortable – Mum Maureen (yes, she was my new Mum! YAY!) called the back of the car the Portable Palace, and she’s not far wrong! – that I decided to simply lie down and go to sleep. We made quite a lot of stops along the way to places called ‘Toilets’, and once to a place called ‘McDonalds’, but I slept through most of it, just popping my head up occasionally to check that my new Mum and Dad were still with me in the front of the Portable Palace. Of course, we also stopped so that I could hop out and stretch my legs, but that was always in nice, quiet places, which I thought was very thoughtful of them.

Eventually we came to a strange place called Rotorua, which Mum called ‘stinky’ but which I thought smelled quite exciting. We checked into a nice little motel there, which was classed as ‘dog friendly’. I had no idea what that meant, of course, but I soon found out that it meant I could sleep in the room with my new Mum and Dad, as long as I slept on my own bed. What bliss!

In the motel at Rotorua - what fun!

Mum took me out for lots of walks, and at the risk of sounding immodest, I was soo good. At the motel I ignored a cat which was glaring at me, and out on one of my walks we were ‘attacked’ by a small dog no bigger than a rat that came rushing out of a garden yapping its head off. Well, I stood there completely calmly and wagged my tail while the rat and I sniffed and made one another’s acquaintance. As soon as Mum said, ‘Come, Solo’, I trotted off with her as good as gold. I didn’t glance back at all, and never once thought of dinner.

Just chilling with my toys at the motel 🙂

The next day, we were off again in the Portable Palace. I began to wonder if the Portable Palace was my new home, to be honest. But eventually we arrived at a nice, quiet property in the countryside, just what a hound needed after two hard days sleeping on the road. And, you know what? I think I’m going to like it here.

Home at last, and a nice view, too!

Some names I’ve heard mentioned when they don’t think I’m listening…

Wallaby Bum; Cuddle Monster; Buddy; Draggle Toes; Hoppity-Go-Kick; Rocking Horse Dog; Cuddle Bum.

But the one I like best of all is

Good Boy!

 

This is what it's all about...