Fun with Rio

A wander to the Links this morning, after a snooze (Archie) and reading (me). What novel am I reading? Actually, it's the iPhone tips book. 960 pages of it. Full of mind boggling stuff you can do with this amazing bit of technology. Who would have thought, a few years ago, you would now be able to say to an inanimate object, 'Remind me to pick up milk' or 'Wake me at 6:30am'...

In the Links who should we meet up with but Rio, whom we met months ago. They had great fun together - Rio is so fast, Archie hasn't a hope of catching him. Then they'd roll around in one big hairy toothy bundle. Fun to watch. Rio's mum and I got chatting, but it was a sorry tale. She has been harassed (many times) by a group of schoolchildren, because she once dared to ask them not to break the branches. The area this bunch of louts have 'taken over' was covered in litter and broken glass. They are (aged) about 14, and know they can't be touched by the police or the Environmental Wardens (who stay well away). It makes my blood boil!

I am going to ring the school and complain about the mess. Schools take no responsibility for their pupils out rampaging round the neighbourhood at break times. When I taught in NZ, pupils had to stay on campus, as the teachers were in loco parentis during school hours. Who's in charge of them at break times here??

Rio's mum and I then went for a coffee. Archie and Rio were under the table, having a quiet carry-on and getting their leads completely tangled up. Rio was constantly pestering Archie and biting his beard. Archie kept his cool. I had no money with me, so my shout next time.

I've met more people in my year with Archie than I've met in my 15 years here before him!

This shot made me laugh. It looks like Archie is attempting to eat Rio's head.