Newsletter – July 2025

Dear Irish Terrier Friends

Marybel’s favourite walk is to go up the pet shop in the High street. She knows everybody on the way up on the way down and certainly in the pet shop. They are a very sweet couple who run it, they’re brother and sister and we knew them when they were children. They always tease me about the day I lost Mr Palmer’s blue Budgerigar which had been given to me to join my canaries. I had given some fledglings as we had so many and felt that they’d be better given homes by a professional. Mr Palmer’s pet shop was in Camden Town.

I have never parted with birds or an animal and was in floods of tears. Mr Palmer said “Well we wouldn’t take any money and if you don’t stop crying, you better have my beautiful blue Budgerigar as a present.” My real love was canaries, but Mr Palmer soon enchanted us all, bathing under the kitchen tap, sitting on shoulders or heads a really charming entertaining little bird.

Marybel knows all about the pet shop, here she can stand on her hind legs and select the best chews and biscuits. She knows too that I will not have chicken wings with feathers on them nor will I tolerate turkey legs or other unmentionables. She always looks up at me rather pleadingly, but I really can’t bear bits of animals being ripped to shreds, so we stick with the classic bits of twisted hide.

She’s very fond of everyone in the shop and when there are baby rabbits or gerbils there, she politely watches with great interest but no barking or bouncing about. I wonder sometimes what on earth I would do without her, she keeps me smiling and is the most glorious amusing ‘all for the moment’ character who I absolutely adore.

We’ve had a visit this morning – friends with 3 Irish Terriers – I had to send Marybel off with Marie because the playing gets rather rough and my house starts to fall apart, but it was lovely to meet up with them and have a play and a good laugh in the garden in the sunshine.

I haven’t taken her down to the sea wall yet, but I am walking very weell and do venture to what we call the little park. Marybel is so quick to make friends that it’s hard to get her home without a bit of tugging in the opposite direction.

I don’t want to sound ungrateful but the heat down here at the coast has been appalling and my eyes seem never to stop stinging which is infuriating. I never thought I would sit in the conservatory with a cold flannel on my head. Once or twice when it’s been intolerable I’ve wrapped a cold towel around Marybel to stop the panting – she doesn’t like being wet but I think this time round, she saw the good sense in cooling off.

Fortunately, she was groomed before the real heat set in.

My canaries are enchanting, Freddie Patches sways from one leg to the other, throws his head back and sings, it’s sort of ‘speaky’ songs, not quite as melodic as some canaries, but still lovely to hear. Celandine who is now 5 and the ‘Boss Girl’, sometimes swings down on him and pushes him off the perch, but he is so fond of her and doesn’t protest.

They have a large rather splendid cage which you can stand up against and talk to them at eye level – it’s really sweet and, rather like dogs, they seems to watch what one is doing and when I get off the chair, they get up at once and Freddie pokes his head through the wires and gives himself a fright I think. I sometimes wonder whether the cage was really meant for a parrot but it is lovely for the canaries because they can fly around.

 

They tried very hard to build a nest but the trouble is no one was brought up with a mother now, they’re hatched under a lamp, and really don’t have the foggiest idea how to build a nest.

They managed to roll up bits of dry grass but I do take away the odd egg because it is a nightmare as they don’t know how to feed the fledglings – it is extraordinary that they can inherit all the song patterns but not how to rear the next generation.

I’m beginning to wonder whether Marybel is becoming seriously spoilt, she’s obedient enough but with so many visitors and so many callers at the gate and living in a Close for the first time, she feels well able to set up a lifestyle which might suit her perfectly, but makes things rather hectic for me.

A carer comes in just once a day in the evening, and Marybel knows the time, 8 o’clock and is waiting to welcome her – fortunately, she absolutely adores her and the playing time gets longer every day and care time has almost disappeared!

Everyone likes taking her for a walk and there’s no problem when Marie is off at the weekend, to find people queuing up to take her out. We sit outside under my huge sun shade which was blown over the other day – Marybel was shocked and wasn’t quite sure how to join in with the game. She ran towards it and then backed off and approached from the other side and it seemed to spin off again. I’m sure she’ll work something out.

She watches the tennis on the television – she’s crazy about tennis balls and we have only to bounce one to bring her running. Wimbledon is totally fascinating, I think it’s the sound of the tennis balls bouncing that she recognises. She follows the ball – eyes right, eyes left and is very entertained by Wimbledon – I have only to say “Shall we watch the tennis” to have her rushing to the television.

Marybel is so quick to learn new words and the latest one is “Shall we go and sit in the shade?” And she’s off before me!

Well, we’re off to sit in the shade and look for a few more roses.

With my love and many blessings and of course special love to the dogs.