'Oor Archie'

Gym ✔️

Another beautiful day. Jordan came to take Archie out again - he's keen! Both of them. They were away for much longer than usual, but I knew what had happened - they met up with Bailey and her mum, and the dogs had a great time. Janet took him to Braidburn Valley Park after the Hermitage. He'd never been there, so that's another wee walk he can use.

I spent the morning moving the bench around in the sun, right till about 1pm, when it's then in the back garden. I moved all the comfy garden seats to the wood shed in the back garden, to be used lots in hot weather, perchance.

I listened (and snoozed) to my new audiobook. It was too hot for Archie to sit on my knee - he kept coming and trying for a while, then getting too hot and going inside to his bed for a while.

Archie has a problem with the neighbours. The wee girl opens their back door, and Archie barks and she squeals and runs in. I've asked them to be sensible about it, and this evening, after a LOT of persuasion, she came out with her parents while they set up a barbecue. Archie was very good, he hung about them quite happily, not a peep out of him (after the initial obligatory yapping). They inspired us to do a barbecue too. We had nice vege patties, fried onions, greens and flat bread. They had sausages, chops and chicken. Guess whose BBQ Archie was more interested in... But it was a breakthrough, with the wee girl actually patting him and giving him bits of bread. Hopefully the barking and squealing nonsense will be a thing of the past.

Here he is, posing on the upturned flowerpot, doing his 'Oor Wullie' impersonation. Scottish people grew up with Oor Wullie sitting on his bucket at the beginning and end of the comic strip. I loved Oor Wullie and The Broons, and every year I dropped heavy hints for their Christmas annual, and every Christmas I got the 'Princess' annual or suchlike. I think this childhood deprivation must have deeply affected me...