Wednesday 30 September 2009

Digbys private moment.


The 'font' is away in London so it was left to Digby to make sure that I didn't sleep in. True to form there he was at 5.28 am sitting at the side of the bed, eyes focused on me, willing me to get up.The first few minutes of the day are when Digby and I share a secret ritual. Every morning he comes to sit by me, claws delicately tiptoeing across the stone floor, so that the second I stir he's ready to flip on his back , sprawled out, ready for a private tickle . He wraps his two front paws around my arm, throws his head back, closes his eyes and exhales a protracted rush of pure undiluted canine happiness - you can literally see all his cares evaporate away. No matter how much of a hurry I'm in this routine is set in stone - the mornings first commandment . Wilf of course sleeps contentedly through, prefering to catch as many zzz's as possible and quite unconcerned that his little brother is the centre of attention. 


Looking at the two of them I'm more and more of the opinion that Digby knows that Wilf is a dog but hasn't made that connection to himself. Wilf would play ball and chase lizards all day whereas Digby would prefer to sit down and have a wee chat.


It's political party convention time in the UK. Why is it that politicians treat the electorate in such a cavalier manner? The governments tax take has fallen by 30%, the country's GDP has contracted by 5%, unemployment is soaring, and yet the Prime Minister made his keynote speech without so much as alluding to the enormity of the problems the nation faces. We got more of the 'promise paradise and hope for the best' view of politics rather than down to earth realism.Tax hikes, spending cuts - best to talk about them after the election ( let's see if the opposition Conservatives do any better at their conference) . The word venal springs to mind. Of course it's entirely possible that the public finances are so bad that he doesn't want to alarm us unduly.


Headline in the Financial Times this morning saying that British intelligence believe that Iran started working on a nuclear warhead in 2005 and is now getting close to deploying it . After the fiasco of the non-existent Iraqi weapons of mass destruction who is going to believe them now?

9 comments:

Maxmom said...

Hey there Angus.
Your writing sounds much more relaxed! I love the description of Digby this morning!
I know Im going to digress, but I can't think of anyone else to answer this question:...
That word, "CAVALIER"! Ironically, we were discussing it last night, but I can't work out how its origins (I think) relate to its meaning. CAVALIER suggests 'not caring', 'aloof' etc. Now, as far as I understand, the word itself is derived from 'cavalry' and has a military tone/origin. If this is so, then which military did this word originate from?(and how come people thought that their military was uncaring or aloof) I am facinated. But, I acknowledge that I might be totally off the track. If you could maybe expand on this thinking, I would much appreciate it.
MAX'S mom in SA

Rocky Creek Scotties and Rocky Creek Ramblings said...

Gotta love those morning rituals.

The 'splorin' Wolfies said...

there were lots of ptarmagan in NFLD--that is too bad about them being almost extint up there! digby sure looks cute in his pics today

Chelsea + Shiloh said...

Your two sound like they share the same differences as my two... one is a dog through and through and quite happy to be, the other thinks she and i are related.. I love watching their differences.

As for the Americans and Iran, prior and during the illegal invasion of Iraq they were systematically, through the media trying to link Iran to their 'Axis of Evil' (a term that ended with Bush) they have continually discredited and tried to make a fool of Ahmadinejad. Perhaps they should look closer at the arsnel they fund in Israel and its nuclear capabilities. Iran is a far more stable govt than Israel.

Sorry I didnt mean to get political but the middle east & the continued american ignorance of their politics is of particular interest to me.

shane rocket said...

I HEART THE BOYS.... i always get a needed warmth in my heart hearing about the boys.... and i need it lately, thanks

Angus said...

Max - You are always so cheerful first thing. If I sound relaxed then the stress of the move must have got to me! My OED says that cavalier comes from cavaliero (horseman)- but doesn't tell me if the meaning of curt/offhand/supercilious comes about from the Cavaliers of the English Civil War ( Cromwells men wouldn't have given Cavaliers a good press ) or whether it comes from an earlier struggle with Spanish horsemen probably at the time when Elizabeth I was paying for English armies to fight the Spanish in what was then their Dutch colony. I'll look into it.

RCS&J - Digby would be mortified if anyone knew about out little secret

Splorin Wolfies - Good to know that hunting and intensive farming have left them alone in your neck of the woods.

Abbey - Apart from tickle time, Digby is only a dog at meal times, when he wants to catch a ball, and when chasing lizards. At almost every other stage of the day he's defintely convinced he's a human.

As for the mid-East you forget our Mr.Blair!

Agatha and Archie said...

Hallo you two fluffy heads!!!We want you to know that my brother(Archie)does the same thing! Only it isn't every morning..It is ALL THE TIME!! He will THROW himself to the ground and roll on his back all for a good tummy rub..I on the other hand am much more of a lady and will take a tummy rub only at certain times..Love A+A

Asta said...

Hello Wilf and Digby

It looks like a nothew wondewful day in Italy. the soft sound of digby's toes must be heavenly. As faw as polititians..Mommi has given up on most of them..we love ouw pwesident, but nothing gets done because of stoopid congwess and Senate..it's all about special intewests always..that's why she'd wathew concentwate on dogs
smoochie kisses
ASTa

Chelsea + Shiloh said...

Smile, no i didnt forget Tony Blair at all ...