Pancake

First of all - Desole as they say in France - I haven't blogged for a while.

It's all been a bit busy what with guests, decorating and generally keeping the gardens under control and looking nice!

However, I just have to tell you about Pancake.

Pancake is a chancer and a faker... I want to get that out there at the very beginning before I give you the story.  And she must have seen Richard coming a mile off.

A few weeks ago we started getting visits, every evening at the same time, to our garden from a dog.  We didn't know her as Pancake at that time.  She would rummage in our compost heap and then slowly approach us if we were sitting on our terrasse.

She was a timid little thing; never coming close to us, always staying at least ten feet away.  She is a lovely looking dog, although her ears are a bit ridiculous, with a collar but no name tag... and sad, sad, sorrowful, soulful eyes.

Richard was suckered in straight away.

'She's hungry,' says he and gets her a biscuit.  She wolfs it down so the next night he gives her a little chicken.  The next thing I know he's been to the Intermarche and comes back with four tins of dog food.

She returns night after night, never coming close but gratefully accepting whatever we give her.

I start to get suckered in, too.  I call her Toots and she seems to be more comfortable with me.  She even comes and accepts some food directly from me.

Each night she comes and looks at us and when the food is gone she leaves.  Richard, the sucker, said 'I wish I knew where she sleeps... is she safe?  Is she lonely?  Is she frightened?'

Well, we were soon to get the answer.

We were pulling out of our driveway about six o'clock one evening and there was Toots walking up the road with two children!  Not behind them, not following them: with them!

Richard stopped.

'Is that your dog?' He asked.

Nodding heads.

'And you live close by?'

'Yes, just over there.'

And what's your dog called?'

'Pancake.'

All this time Pancake is giving us a look the clearly says she knows she's been busted... but with a hint of defiance, which I like.

It was a great relief to us both to know that Pancake is a loved family dog but we do now have three cans of unused dog food because, although she still visits us, the occasional biscuit is all she's getting from us.

P.S. The next night she visited Pancake was still wearing her collar but now it's sporting a brand new tag proudly proclaiming her name.

P.P.S.  She still tries the sorrowful look, but we ain't falling for it.

P.P.P.S.  We shouldn't have been such suckers - there are clues that she was no stray.  The sleek coat, the long nails and the fact she never stayed where she was being given food.

But all's well that ends well.