The Labraventures of Carbón, Spanish (ex-) foster dog extraordinaire

[Emily_Babbelhund]

Awwwwww Carbòn

Oh do NOT feel sorry for him, Jac! He ate gobs of sheep poo, had zoomies up and down the trail, and accosted numerous walkers by blocking the path unless they pet him and told him how handsome he was. Tried for a sandwich too, but I put my foot down as those walkers were getting all, "Oh, he can have a bite if he wants it". I'm telling you, a pitifully hungry Labrador in a Pooh Bear bandana is apparently IRRESISTIBLE! Now he's gone to bed a 5pm and will be standing on my head at 11pm when he wakes up and I'm ready for bed.

And yes, he is the bestest Spanish gentleman dog ever.

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

Oh amigos, we had a big walk with lots of new human and dog friends today. I am so very tired that I already put my gentlemanly self to bed. Buenas noches!

Also I am in the bed as a protest that there are no photos of me. Que lastima! Pfft!

 

[Cath]

Looks wonderful hope you enjoyed it Emily

 

[Jacqui-S]

Oh how fabulous!

 

[kateincornwall]

Oh wow , what a grand walk, well envious

 

[Stacia]

That looks a very happy thing to do, especially as dogs are included. There are walking groups here, but no-one takes a dog!

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

There are walking groups here, but no-one takes a dog!ry

There were 26 walkers and 11 dogs, so a lot of dogs! Everyone got along, though Carbon was enchanted by a small black Labrador named Cleo who thought he was not as charming as he believes himself to be.

People were very nice, but I'm not quite ready for a 5 mile group walk. After about the first hour, I just was hoping they'd forget I was in the back. I even told them I had the map and satnav on my phone and just to keep going and I'd eventually doddle back to the car park on my own , but it seems it was a 'leave no man behind' policy so I just kept puffing my way through all 3 1/2 hours. There was a lot of mud, but otherwise it wasn't as hilly as my 6 mile walk last week.

I've signed up for a walk with another group on Saturday. I'm kind of regretting it - I'd really rather my next outing involved a gentle trip on a ferry and some fish and chips - but I don't want to be a quitter so I will give it the old college try. Then maybe lay off on all the efforts* to be social when I am at heart a hermit.

*pee ess, 'not being social' does not apply to any Forum friends who might find their way down to Cornwall and need a friendly bed and erstwhile tour guide!

 

[Stacia]

I would feel like you @Emily_Babbelhund, 5 miles in a group could be taxing. I am sociable but not sociable

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

I am sociable but not sociable

You know, Sonia, I understand EXACTLY what you mean!

It was kind of funny because at one point I was at the end of the group with these two lovely ladies. One had gone through a very hard divorce and reinvented herself in an admirable and creative way, and the other was just at the beginning of a divorce so that was the topic of conversation. I made a lot of concerned faces and "mmmm...mmm" noises, but having never been married or divorced, there was not much I could contribute. And I was puffing like a steam train trying to keep up, there's that too.

Then it started to go into a lot of 'personal' details about the scumminess of both exes and while I believe the conversation was therapeutic to both of the other women, boy did I feel that I didn't belong there! My ears were burning! But can you politely escape? No, because you are in the middle of nowhere on a 10 inch wide muddy path!

Oh well, they were all very nice, and that poor woman needed to vent so more power to her. I'm usually the one subjecting others to TMI, so maybe this was my karmic payback?!

 

[Candy]

You know, Sonia, I understand EXACTLY what you mean!

It was kind of funny because at one point I was at the end of the group with these two lovely ladies. One had gone through a very hard divorce and reinvented herself in an admirable and creative way, and the other was just at the beginning of a divorce so that was the topic of conversation. I made a lot of concerned faces and "mmmm...mmm" noises, but having never been married or divorced, there was not much I could contribute. And I was puffing like a steam train trying to keep up, there's that too.

Then it started to go into a lot of 'personal' details about the scumminess of both exes and while I believe the conversation was therapeutic to both of the other women, boy did I feel that I didn't belong there! My ears were burning! But can you politely escape? No, because you are in the middle of nowhere on a 10 inch wide muddy path!

Oh well, they were all very nice, and that poor woman needed to vent so more power to her. I'm usually the one subjecting others to TMI, so maybe this was my karmic payback?!

Emily, you, Carbón, Joy and I really must meet up for a walk one day! It would also be so good if Mags (@Boogie) and Tatze could join us. When I walk my GGJ, it's a total pleasure and that's what I want to focus on. If other people and dogs join us, then I'm just as happy to focus on them too, and to get to know them. Once all that's sorted then there might be a little time to spare for a spot of hooman stuff.....Or we could just have something really nice to eat?...... How does that sound? Come up and see us soon! Spare room available!

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

Wonderful idea @Candy . But I have to warn you, normally I DO talk a lot (ask Mags or Kate or Sarah ), so you'd need to gently remind me to focus more on dog stuff and less on hooman stuff!

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

The Senor is all askew tonight. How is that comfortable?

 

[snowbunny]

That's how Bella sleeps 99% of the time, except her chest will actually be on the floor in the opposite direction to her back legs - imagine Carbón's chest pushed down to the ground on the left. It's amazing how much she can twist her spine. We call it her pretzel pose.

 

[kateincornwall]

I have just told Reuben that his bestie is visiting tomorrow, he is well excited

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

Hola amigos! ML did muy bien with the activities for my gentlemanly self this weekend. Yesterday we went on another big walk with a local Cornish group, this time it was the "Strolling Singles". ML finds this very humorous for some reason. I liked this group much better than other because the walk was shorter and slower with only one other dog, which meant more pets for me. Unfortunately the other dog, Jake, is not my new amigo. In fact, Jake picked me up in his mouth and gave me a good shake, which I felt was a very cabrón thing to do. Not "Carbón" my beautiful name, but "cabrón" which means that Jake is the exact opposite of a gentleman!

I was so scared that I had a big poo (excuse me for being indelicate) but then shook myself off and focused on my work of helping ML over the stiles. In the end it was all muy bien: I got lots of pets for being treated like Jake's chew toy and a few people even shared their lunch with me. I shall have to get viciously attacked more often.

I also got to go into the ice cream shop at the end of the walk despite the other walkers saying, "Oh no, no dogs!". ML just put on my special magic vest and said, "Carbón is a superhero dog and he WILL be allowed into the ice cream shop!". Normally she is not so pushy, but she was not going to leave me outside with Jake, ojala!

Then claro que si, everyone was even MORE impressed with me and gave me even more pets. I like those people. Maybe we will go back next week.

Yesterday was good, but today was better because I got to see mi amiga Kate, mi amigo Paul and my queridos Reuben and Nellie. Ojala! Reuben is so much happier now that his ML is home. He let me play with all his toys and slobber on his chicken. How I love his chicken. Oh, and I almost forgot that we started the day on a walk where we found my own private beach.

Que dia mas bueno!

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

Our walk yesterday with lots of friendly people. Jake is not in the photo because he is a cabrón and this is a jerk-free photo essay.


Pretty church on the walk but needs less crosses and more dogs.


Morning walk at Porthcothan. Here I am king of my domain - take that, Jake.






Even my own beach!


Today at Kate and Paul's: Nellie and I are trying to get that biscuit from Paul but he did not share. He can be kind of a cabrón, no?


Reuben and I playing tug of war with a ball. Or just trying to lock our jaws together - the end result is the same.

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

Language note from ML: "cabrón" is a little stronger of a word than Carbón, gentleman dog that he is, would actually admit. Though technically not the same meaning - anatomically speaking - the closest word in English is "a**hole". I can always tell when someone is a Spanish speaker when I tell them Carbón's name, because they always do a double-take: "What? What kind of person are you that you named your dog A**hole?!!!" On the bright side, it's a great litmus test when I'm trying to figure out what language to speak to someone, and usually an effective ice breaker as well.

So there's your Spanish word of the day!

 

[Selina27]

So sorry Carbon, that you got attacked.
ML makes it sound humorous, but me and Cassie are sure that it was not.

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

So sorry Carbon, that you got attacked.
ML makes it sound humorous, but me and Cassie are sure that it was not.

ML notes: no, it wasn't humorous at the time but Carbon has nerves of steel for that kind of stuff due to his time in the klink and really did shake it off quickly. I checked him all over and no blood, but I'm sure he has some bruising on his haunches. Jake's human was really apologetic and clearly a nice person but frankly also clueless because I really had to manoeuvre Carbon after that to keep them apart. I think he thought if they just got together again they'd have a nice discussion and shake paws in a truce or something. As Carbon would say, "Pfft!". Even though Jake was twice Carbon's size, Carbon is no pushover and I'm kind of afraid he'd take it personally if Jake wanted to go for round two.

 

[Lisa]

ML notes: no, it wasn't humorous at the time but Carbon has nerves of steel for that kind of stuff due to his time in the klink and really did shake it off quickly. I checked him all over and no blood, but I'm sure he has some bruising on his haunches. Jake's human was really apologetic and clearly a nice person but frankly also clueless because I really had to manoeuvre Carbon after that to keep them apart. I think he thought if they just got together again they'd have a nice discussion and shake paws in a truce or something. As Carbon would say, "Pfft!". Even though Jake was twice Carbon's size, Carbon is no pushover and I'm kind of afraid he'd take it personally if Jake wanted to go for round two.

Yikes. It sounds very nasty indeed. I’m pretty sure I would not have wanted to continue after that. It would not be a very relaxing walk!