Dear Irish Terrier Friends

Spring has come at last and we have welcomed it! Winter was no big deal but the rain never stopped and to see the sun rise in the morning with not a cloud in the sky is pure magic!

Marybel, unlike all our other Irish Terriers is not phobic about being wet, and will actually lie in the wet grass shredding a tennis ball without even noticing her wet paws and tummy.

She’s very well and has the happiest heart and soul I’ve ever met in any living creature – she’s always happy and delighted to see anyone and everyone, forever sending the message “I wish you all the top o’ the morning”!

She’s the most remarkably kind caring companion and I am so so fortunate to have her at my side.

 

Now for the great news . . . we have a baby in the Close! Some of my friends were very kind over Christmas and took Marybel for a lovely long walk when I was not at all well, they had never had a dog but inevitably, with the charm of the Irish, fell in love with Marybel and I felt it would be a good idea for them to have a puppy.

A few months later this glorious little monkeybunk arrived, Marybel could not have been more kind to her – no, more than that, she loved her from their first meeting, then she would wouldn’t she?

It was so enchanting to watch the puppy run towards Marybel and the way Mb took it all in her stride and there was a great love between them from the start.

The little one is called Phoebe (daughter of Phoebus the Sun God) and they adore each other.

Phoebe has enchanted us all of course and I must be her greatest fan! She finished all her shots which she managed without batting an eyelid and seems to be on track for a life of fun and bubbles. The Vet has pronounced her as a really beautiful puppy, very full of herself – well, what would you expect from an Irish Terrier?

 

 

 

 

 

She can’t get her mouth round a tennis ball yet, so she rolls it across the ground and holds it between her front paws. She is just the most glorious little girl and is bringing such fun and laughter to everyone in the Close. Her family absolutely adore Phoebe and her Grandmother Helena, who’s not always very well, loves having a little bundle of mischief come and amuse her.

 

 

 

 

I look back over 90 years (or more) of Irish Terriers and have loved them all – truly, madly, deeply and remember more about them than I do about anything else – but Marybel wins the prize for the very sweet forgiving, generous, character.

I’m afraid she does sleep on my bed but has the good grace to stay at the foot of the bed, curled up but not on my pillow!

She’s so incredibly fond of everyone in the family – I sometimes wonder if she has some idea that we’re all attached in some strange way – she’s also particularly fond of my son Boo (Julian) and was helping him in the garden the other day, I sometimes wonder how she seems to recognise the family in particular.

One of Marybel’s great friends is my Granddaughter Pops (Harriet) – a huge favourite, and Marybel loves her car – she’s never quite forgiven me for giving up my car – a necessity I’m afraid as my eyesight was deteriorating. But whenever we have guests at the gate, she shoots under it to see if she can have a sit down in their car, so they drag her in and she arrives through the gate sitting in the car – very pleased with herself!

Her one problem in life is that she can’t bear to be left alone and one evening when I’d been to a Musical in Lymington and left her with her bone, her ball and a bed and everything she should need, she was a nervous wreck when I got back – I think she was jumping up at the door all night – she hurt her leg and I couldn’t forgive myself – she’s never been left alone since. Even now and she’s nearly 9, I would do anything not to leave her alone.

 

The Cherry Blossom Tree has burst into bloom and we all know that she is the loveliest of trees . . . and she knows it too!

I do hope you had a lovely Easter.

With best wishes to you all and my special love to the dogs