My Big Day

10-Jul-2011

 Moving House and Settling In

Yesterday I was seven weeks old and today 3^rd July 2009 I am moving home to live with my new family.

Mum arrived to pick me up and she came out to the stable to get me. Annette told mum what my diet was and checked that mum had done her homework and watched the video and read the notes and the book. Mum said that not only had she done all this but she had arranged opticians, dentists and various other things in the weeks before she picked me up so that we could spend some quality time together in our first few weeks. I liked the sound of all that and I think Annette approved. My birth mother licked my new mum and snuggled up to her, so I just knew everything would be alright.

Mum had already bought me food and a number of things that she thought I would need. One of these was a big cage that fitted across the back of the car. When it was time to go, I was put in the cage in the car all on my own. I had a bed, which is really very nice and comfortable, but it was not the same as being with lots of brothers and sisters, and I missed them. I did not like the journey home and I made a lot of noise for the whole twenty miles in the hope that someone would rescue me.

Eventually we arrived at my new house and mum rescued me from the cage. I knew if I shouted enough someone would come. Mum and I spent the afternoon in the garden. I was a bit quiet to start with, but after lots of cuddles I felt quite brave and decided to explore this new world. The bushes at the bottom of the garden feel like a jungle to me and when I get behind them, mum cannot see me. This could be a good game!

Helen and Ed came round to see me and by bed time I was feeling quite at home, until mum put me in my bed in the kitchen and put the light out. Annette had sent me home with my blanket that smelled of my family and I had my teddy bear, but it was still not the same and so I told the world I was not happy with the situation. I decided that the only thing to do was to scratch my way out through the door whilst howling as loudly as I could. After a few minutes mum came to see what the matter was, picked me up and took me up to her bedroom. I was happy with this arrangement and settled down happily in my bed.

We spent a couple of days in the garden, had several visitors and life was alright. Food arrived regularly and I ate it as quickly as I could. I started waking mum up between five and six every morning because I wanted a poo, and I didn’t want to do it in my bedroom. Mum seemed to think that this was ‘good boy’ behaviour, so I kept doing it. I had some new toys to play and mum said she could throw away her paper shredder because she had a real live one now.

During my first week, mum had a couple of meetings that I could not attend. So I went to stay with Helen for two afternoons. Although it is only a couple of miles, I shouted all the time that I was in the car. I really don’t like driving at all, I cannot see anyone and I do not know what is happening. I scream, bark and howl continuously until mum lets me out. I had a good time with Helen, sitting on her lap and biting her hair. Then Ed comes home from work and he plays with me which is just wonderful. I have his full attention and he does not mind when I play-bite him.

When Helen and Ed take me home in the car I don’t make a noise at all. I sit on Helen’s lap and look out of the window. Why doesn’t mum learn from this?

This is me at eight weeks. I measure about eleven inches tall, to the top of my head

I am in dormouse mode here in my bed on my lovely smelly blanket

When I was eight weeks old I went to the vet for an examination and my first jab. The vet said that I had all my bits and pieces in the right places and I was beginning to think that he was alright and knew what he was talking about, until he stuck this needle in my neck. Boy, did that hurt and so I screamed. I screamed all the way home and on and off for the next two days if anyone went near my neck.

By the end of my first week at home I was beginning to realise that there was no-one else who was going to fight me for my food, it was all mine. If I left it for a while it was still there when I wandered back. Strange, after sharing my bowl with eight others, but I think it is a much better arrangement to have your own bowls.

On Saturday, Gill came to stay, she is a friend and apparently mum has known her for many, many years. She said that she promised to look after me, because she had been godmother to my predecessor, Bugle, and she would now be my godmother. She said that she had not bought me a present yet as she was not sure what I needed, but she promised to buy me something soon. Life just gets better and better.

There was a lot of activity in the house on Saturday after Gill got there and I knew something was afoot, but I had no idea how exciting life was about to become!

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