Farewell Connie

It is with great sadness that I report the tragic death of my three-legged ginger nemesis, Connie. On December 6th she was run over by a car and found by the side of the road not far from our house. Her assistant is very sad because, despite her being a cat and not a superior dog, she was a great friend to all in the area.

Yes, we had our differences but if it had not been for her I would not have made it into the papers when I got stuck in the gate and had to be rescued by the Fire Brigade after I chased her out of our garden. For that I will be forever grateful.

RIP Connie

Three Things I Love

I love driving. I also love walking in the woods and having my chest tickled by the beautiful assistant’s feet. Sigh!

No bears here

Why won’t they let me drive?

Bliss

Don’t Tell Them

When the fluffy one’s not looking I take the wheel.

Get out of my way

Bouncy Dog

 
What a nutcase

 

 

 

We stopped in Loreto to check out a Black Madonna at the church yesterday. Great sosta (Italian motorhome stop) but a weird dog on the walk up to the basilica. Check him out…he almost made it over the top but not quite.

I’m a Man, Yes I Am

I seem to be pretty popular here in Italy. Everywhere I go people are smiling at me and asking if I’m ‘maaaaascula’ or ‘femina’. I thought it would have been pretty obvious that I’m a masculine brute but I’m enjoying the attention, all the same. It’s also pretty enjoyable to get the leftovers form the assistants’ meals – yesterday it was veal, today pork. Loving Italy!

Just look at my hairy chest

Oh Solo Mio – plus an assistant – then another one.

What’s with all the churches? And in the name of Dog, why won’t they let me in? If I have to stand outside with a revolving door of assistants one more time I’ll scream – and that will sound pretty weird.

It’s good for people watching, though.

 

 

go

Looking Massa (vely) Fabulous

I could not be more handsome

Maybe here – yes maybe here I am more handsome

There is nothing like a cathedral backdrop to make me look more handsome than words. We are in Massa Marittima, home of the famous penis tree fresco. The beautiful assistant seems particularly keen on this for some reason.

Strange fruit

Lake Not Placid

The beautiful assistant has the clammiest hands in the world; especially as she stokes my fur while I’m sitting on her lap in the van as the fluffy one drives along the banks of Lake Como. How anyone can call that a two way road I don’t know. She gets all stressed as trucks come hurtling towards us and the only thing to the right of the van is a rocky outcrop with nowhere to go. The fluffy one finds it amusing.

I hate this

Who’s moving first? Not me.

I was not amused to find myself on a ferry a couple of days ago. We went from Menaggio to Belaggio across the lake – I suppose it cut out some of the terrifying drive – but I am not keen on boats. Smelly and noisy. At least when we reached our destination (a roman amphitheatre) I got to have a standoff with an Italian cat. It made my day.

Diamonte Doggies

Good grief – even the terrifying Italian dogs are stylish while they try to scare you off with massive barking and gnashing of teeth.

They look great in diamonds