Another story of love ...

Monday in aotearoa started as most other Mondays .. Shining sunlight and azure sky peeking through a petrified forest of old pine trees. Already my two pups were running with delight .. Eagerly inspecting the forest undergrowth in search of rabbits. For one second .. a second i will never forget .. I was distracted and lost sight of them. For me .. That was the start of a spiralling chaos. After two hours of searching and calling I finally returned home alone.... Both dogs knew the tracks we frequently explored and i felt assured they would head home ...when hunger got the better of them . Fours hours passed and still no sign of my wayward pups. Venturing back to the forest .. my heart smiled when my little girl appeared ....bounding towards me .. A frenzy of licks and yelps. . I directed my gaze further down the track but it was obvious she was alone. My first thought was to take her home but she sat ...reluctant to leave... I followed her path to a massive old pine tree ...uprooted by storms common to the coast. At the base of the tree I could see the entrance to a rabbit burrow which she half disappeared down . A sickening feeling washed over me and I frantically called his name .. But silence was the only response. I tried to feel inside the hollowed out earth for his familiar form but the rabbits had chosen wisely .. Age old tree roots protected their burrow which was set back .. Far below the decaying tree. I couldn't be sure he was down there but a dreaded inner voice told me he was. With darkness already falling i reluctantly retuned home. . The night that followed was like a endless nightmare .. I slept lightly in turmoil .. the slumber of someone afraid to sleep ... hoping to hear any movement signalling his return . .. the house lay in a blanket of dark silence shrouded with despair .. my heart told me he was in trouble and the thought of him alone in the night.. Terrified and trapped .. Broke all my resolve . i could do nothing to stop the tears that flowed or the anguish I felt. At the first sign of daylight .. armed with friends.. Shovels and a chainsaw we returned to the old tree. This time when I called his name i froze at the sound of his whimpered reply. My relief was quickly displaced with fear. . Realising He was in fact deep below the base of the tree. For the next four hours we slowly dug the mounds of sand enfolding the tree .. Taking care to prevent a fatal landside . The crater formed gave us access to sections of the burrow from different angles .. But most importantly ....access to him. After spending 24 hours trapped ... one very relieved .. distressed puppy was delivered back into my arms . .. My best Christmas present yet. .. Awwww... There is still one other Christmas wish I want ... Laughing .. And I am sure many of you will have an inkling what that is . For those who don't .. A clue ... : fox :-)

Wishing you all a merry merry mischievous Christmas xxx

Merry Christmas to you too, all the best for New Year

Another story of love ...

Monday in aotearoa started as most other Mondays .. Shining sunlight and azure sky peeking through a petrified forest of old pine trees. Already my two pups were running with delight .. Eagerly inspecting the forest undergrowth in search of rabbits. For one second .. a second i will never forget .. I was distracted and lost sight of them. For me .. That was the start of a spiralling chaos. After two hours of searching and calling I finally returned home alone.... Both dogs knew the tracks we frequently explored and i felt assured they would head home ...when hunger got the better of them . Fours hours passed and still no sign of my wayward pups. Venturing back to the forest .. my heart smiled when my little girl appeared ....bounding towards me .. A frenzy of licks and yelps. . I directed my gaze further down the track but it was obvious she was alone. My first thought was to take her home but she sat ...reluctant to leave... I followed her path to a massive old pine tree ...uprooted by storms common to the coast. At the base of the tree I could see the entrance to a rabbit burrow which she half disappeared down . A sickening feeling washed over me and I frantically called his name .. But silence was the only response. I tried to feel inside the hollowed out earth for his familiar form but the rabbits had chosen wisely .. Age old tree roots protected their burrow which was set back .. Far below the decaying tree. I couldn't be sure he was down there but a dreaded inner voice told me he was. With darkness already falling i reluctantly retuned home. . The night that followed was like a endless nightmare .. I slept lightly in turmoil .. the slumber of someone afraid to sleep ... hoping to hear any movement signalling his return . .. the house lay in a blanket of dark silence shrouded with despair .. my heart told me he was in trouble and the thought of him alone in the night.. Terrified and trapped .. Broke all my resolve . i could do nothing to stop the tears that flowed or the anguish I felt. At the first sign of daylight .. armed with friends.. Shovels and a chainsaw we returned to the old tree. This time when I called his name i froze at the sound of his whimpered reply. My relief was quickly displaced with fear. . Realising He was in fact deep below the base of the tree. For the next four hours we slowly dug the mounds of sand enfolding the tree .. Taking care to prevent a fatal landside . The crater formed gave us access to sections of the burrow from different angles .. But most importantly ....access to him. After spending 24 hours trapped ... one very relieved .. distressed puppy was delivered back into my arms . .. My best Christmas present yet. .. Awwww... There is still one other Christmas wish I want ... Laughing .. And I am sure many of you will have an inkling what that is . For those who don't .. A clue ... : fox :-)

Wishing you all a merry merry mischievous Christmas xxx