Tuesday, March 12, 2013

A microwaved sandwich and a muddy nose.







Everything in the French countryside is closed on a Monday. Shops, hotels, restaurants. Stomachs empty we stop and  have  a microwaved sandwich and a cup of instant coffee at a service station in a tiny village. In addition to the service station the village has a perfectly preserved 14th century row of houses ( more like a film set than any film set could ever be ) , a church housing a particularly sternfaced statue of Jean of Arc , the remaining tower of a long demolished castle and a bandstand. Mysteriously there is not a soul to be seen .

Bob has spent his morning trying to dig his way out from the pen. His nose and muzzle are coated in mud. Nothing shy about this boy. He lollops across to see us tail wagging. That ungainly gait of a puppy who's coming to terms with the difficult task of getting four paws to move in unison. His sister Sophie  is curled up against the fence hoping that if she keeps her eyes closed she'll be invisible. Bob walks back and puts a proprietorial paw on her shoulders. When I pick Sophie up he lets out a '' what do you think you're doing " yelp. Who could believe that there could be two such different characters from the same litter ? Sophie is going to be a charmer.

While Angus chats to Sophie ' the font ' deals with the paperwork. The breeder has invited over the owner of the pups father. The father is five and the mother is eight. The father works on a farm where he shares the herding with a Catalan sheepdog called Jose. The mother was a showgirl and didn't have her first litter until she was six. This is her third and last. No need for us to worry that she's tired out.




34 comments:

  1. The pups are gorgeous. I know the village- it's about 5 miles from our place. I think that tower is part of the walls of the village, which is a Castelnau.

    Are the pups from round there? They are just gorgeous. I'm trying to work out if we could fit a small one in the hand luggage when we come home next month

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    1. Sadly, its some considerable distance from Castelnau.

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    2. I know it's Tillac, but Tillac IS a castelnau. A castelnau is a kind of mini bastide. There's a very good museum on the subject in Marcic, which, as you will know, is a deux pas from Tillac.

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  2. I'm getting more curious about Sophie by the minute! I won't be surprised if she turns out to be the rambunctious one.

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  3. The video is 'closed' too, couldn't view it. Can't wait to see Sophie blossom and become the darling of the absinthe crowd.

    Love those ancient buildings....so different to a 200 year old country.

    XXXOOO Daisy, Bella & Roxy

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  4. I think Sophie's gonna wind you up in her lil furry paw. Are you sure you wanna still go to California? *LOL*

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  5. They are both precious. Sophie is the thinker and Bob is going to be a big brave boy and will, no doubt find himself in a few capers. With you guys as their guides, they will be wonderful dogs. It was great that you were able to meet the Dad and am so happy to hear that Mum isn't as tired as some of us thought.
    Wonderful picture of the village. If that is Castelnau de Montmiral, I think it's about 45 mins from us. I am so looking forward to permanently getting back to our crumbly old place in July and am very interested that there may be a PON breeder close by!
    x

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  6. They're both just so lovely and already carrying on the Wilf & Digby legacy.
    The future looks furry indeed.

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  7. Thank goodness you are taking them
    both. They seem to need one another.
    And it looks as though you are going
    to have another "digger" in the family.

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  8. Angus, I believe you may have to rename your blog BOB, or have a separate blog for him altogether, for it seems that he will be up to a lot of everything, with Sophie tagging along.
    That muddy little nose is so cute, and don't we just love them more when they get into mischief without us knowing?
    I love them both....can't wait for them to be home at the ROF.
    Glad to know that the mum is retired now, and that the dad is of good hardworking stock.
    The town looks quite deserted and ghost-townish...but still interesting and worth a peek.

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    1. It may have to be the Sophie blog. Still waters run deep.

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  9. Sopheeeee and Bubbbb are going to become part of your household so quickly it will amaze you, and you fans as well. You could not have chosen cuter pups from anywhere in the world. They are a fine tribute to Wilf and Digby whom I am sure are looking down from the Rainbow Bridge with big sloppy grins on their faces. Congrats again on making the leap into doggie parenthood again, they bring so much joy and laughter into a household.

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  10. How perfectly wonderful they are!
    And so wonderful that they will grow up together.
    So, so happy for you both!
    xo

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  11. Those two puppies are SO ADORABLE!!! Little Sophie is VERY VERY sweet.... I could just hug and hug her! They have no idea how lucky they are. Looking forward to all the upcoming adventures!

    The scenery in the little town is just fantastic. Thank you for sharing with us as always.

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  12. It sounds like we'll all love Sophie and Bob! What an adorable pair!

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  13. Adorable ---- just adorable. Thanks for the photos and video... love from Southern Italy Susanne, Daisy, Foxiie and Kiri

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  14. That photo of Bob sitting there so confidently facing the camera, with Sophie curled up under his right side, is unbelievably touching.

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  15. That is a lot of adorableness! Oh, and Angus, an ELEVEN second video!! so much more than 10 seconds (snicker).

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  16. Oh Angus, they are beyond adorable! And they'll have brains too! They're only one generation away from the actual task they were bred to do. Brains and beauty! The pups will have you totally wrapped around their silky little paws before they're even home.
    Fascinating town. The lack of people definitely giving it a time warp quality. The microwaved
    sandwich brings it back.
    Any and all photos will be gratefully appreciated and enjoyed.

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  17. Could Bubb become a Bubba? Looks like he's got the personality for a Southern BBQ man. All charm and good humor. Man, are you guys going to have fun!

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  18. Can't wait for April 7, 2013, let the fun start. Wish you were already home from your trip and the fur babies were in their new home. Have you wanted to bring them home and for get the trip? I guess not, since the babies didn't t come back with you yesterday.

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  19. The pups are so sweet --- my Squee meter keeps going into overload. I'm guessing from paw size that Sophie might turn out to be a bit petite compared to brother Bob.

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  20. Without question, I will take the muddy noses over a microwaved sandwich anyday!

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  21. What a pair of sweeties.. yes, they definitely need each other..

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  22. Once Sophie starts experiencing the world, her confidence will grow and she'll come out of her shell. Love them already!!!!

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  23. I keep coming back here to gaze at that muddy nose.
    Sigh.

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  24. Oh dear, those pictures make me want to get some more!!! Must remain strong....what beautiful pups!

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  25. Love a muddy nosed Pon :0)

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  26. I bet that when they grow up, Sophie will be the most confident one. She just need to go home with you, the Font and Bob and in a few months-watch out world! Beautiful pups, it is going to seem like a very long month before they come home to the Farmhouse. Do please take oodles of photos for us.

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  27. I have no problem believing such different pups come from the same litter. While my children did not come from the same litter (no triplets for me thank goodness) they do have the same parents, and are each as different as can be.

    While I am comparing your pups to my children I will also be another voice who thinks Soffeeee is going to blossom, as my painfully introverted elementary aged son who I once thought might become a loner has now become somewhat of an 18yr old social butterfly charmer, so It does happen.

    So glad you are adopting them both, can you even imagine them being apart?

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