Dog Whisperer

Glorious beach day! 2ft, light offshore, sun's on full beam! It's school activity week - this is what we trained for!

Following a rather lengthy bike ride yesterday, taking in the sites of Torpoint, Downderry, Looe, Liskeard, Bodmin, Wadebridge back to Polzeath I ended up collapsed on my bed looking up at the light (turned on) dangling from the ceiling. It was at this point that my research began. My observations were recorded as follows -

That a fly will circle clockwise five times, before performing a figure of eight and then doing five times anti-clockwise. The pattern is then repeated indefinitely. This presumably is to counter act any possibility of dizziness. I cannot comment with any real certainty what came first - the clockwise or the anti-clockwise.

Having been hypnotised by the fly, I decided that it would be fun to try and hypnotise my dog.

I summoned Libby to the bedroom. "Libby Loo." She came. "Sit!" She obliged, she's a Lab, keen to please. "Good girl!" I hovered my finger above her big black nose and then did small circles around her snout. This caused her to open her mouth nice and wide, her big brown eyes fully focused on the tip of my index. I made the circles progressively wider and wider, until her mouth would stretch no more, and she yawned! Worked every time. That's a great game!

So what can we learn from the above? That I need to drink more on long rides! That's pretty clear. Having said that I forwarded my fly observations to Falmouth Uni last night and they sent me a 2:1 by special delivery. Crammed three years work into an afternoon, and saved myself twenty seven K!

It was hot yesterday, mind. I came back from my ride with a good Poo Head and some wicked Farmers arms.

We have a group of German students staying with us at the moment. Last year I made a joke on here about the German sausage as they took to walking around on the Beach House decking in their 'Budgie smugglers'. Turns out my sense of humour didn't travel. Anyway, they're a credit to their school. Organised, polite, appreciative, athletic, quick learners - they've got a great positive mind set. No question, they're a top crew, very welcome and we enjoy having them to stay.

Whilst I cycled, Janey drove the Mondeo Estate back from Plymouth yesterday. First time she'd driven the monster. "My legs were a bit short." she commented. "Nonsense." I replied. "They touch the floor." Mind you as she drove past I was reminded of the dwarf that Richard Hammond had as a co-pilot on Top Gear. Could just see the top of her head!