Man’s Best Friend

Dear O'H dear and Lovely Tea Jenny,

When I’m out with Murphy, I often bump into Bob, one of the hill regulars walking with his dog, Pip. I first met Bob when Murphy was a puppy but he was walking on his own because he had lost his dog, Meg earlier that year. He was unsure about getting another dog at the time but now credits Pip as the reason he still walks up Blackford Hill twice a day. Particularly impressive considering he has just turned 90!

We were chatting today about how much we love the hill and our dogs. Bob has always had dogs and has been going up there for 60 years. He told me that the day Meg died was a Thursday and she had collapsed next to one of the trees on the hill, which he pointed out.

“So every Thursday I go to the tree to speak to her...I ask if she’d like to come for a walk”

“I’m sure she would Bob.”

It must have been sandy up the hill today. I think I had some of it in my eyes.

C