03 October 2010

Waiting and watching

Yesterday morning we kept telling Callie, our border collie, that we were having visitors in the afternoon. She knew something was up, because we were busy in the kitchen — cooking — and all around the house — picking up, straightening up, and cleaning up — in unusual ways.

Callie just decided to wait. Something out of the ordinary was obviously happening. She sat out on the front deck, over in the corner closest to the road, watching and listening. If a car drove up the hill to our hamlet, she'd be ready. There were several false alarms — the cars didn't stop at our door. Anticipation made her excitement level skyrocket.

Keeping an eye out

But the wait was long. Callie didn't know, of course, what time the visitors were expected to arrive. She stayed at her lookout post for a couple of hours, and finally got bored. Or frustrated, or tired. We kept talking to her, but she saw no evidence of cars or people arriving. I'm not sure she believed us.

Listening for clues

Then when Bill and Sharon arrived, Callie was overjoyed. Luckily, Bill and Sharon love dogs. And luckily for us all, the weather turned off very nice — warm enough for us to sit out on the terrace for three hours and get acquainted. And to enjoy some food and drink too.

Wondering if the time would ever come

Sharon took Callie out into the yard three or four times during the afternoon to throw the ball and explore the garden. Before we sat down to eat, we all went to see the grapes on the vines just outside our back gate one last time, and to watch the big yellow harvester taking in the 2010 crop. What a nice afternoon.

11 comments:

  1. Well, cleaning up the house is not THAT unusual an event... ;)

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  2. How wonderful to meet your gorgeous dog. In Australia our border collies are black and white and often have some of the Australian brown Kelpie in them as well...I am smiling as I type as I have been taken back, with Callie's look, to the border collies of my childhood.

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  3. Hi Louise, Callie is a red border collie. She's 3½ years old now. When we started looking, we expected to get a black-and-white border collie, but Callie is the one we found.

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  4. Love all photos of Callie, but the last one is the best, her yawning.

    It's hard to keep watch and stay concentraded if you've not listen to the instructions well enough.

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  5. Great photos of Callie! She looks almost 'human' in the first one. And definitly bored in the last one! :)

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  6. great pics of callie.....how is bertie doing now after his "stay" at the neighbors a while back? does he come upstairs with y'all at night or still stay in the garage?

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  7. It sounds like a wonderful, idyllic afternoon. I think autumn afternoons are more often like this than any others. And Callie sounds like a charming dog. Keep the pictures coming!

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  8. LOVELY pictures of Callie. And your afternoon sounds perfect, fine weather, good food and friends - there is no better way to spend an autumn day.

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  9. Callie is just adorable.

    Sam

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  10. Walt, he said that it was done in "unusual ways" :)) (wondering what THAT meant ... standing on your head while dusting? dancing while picking up clutter?)

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  11. Judy, no, we weren't cleaning the house in our birthday suits, if that's what you mean! It's just that we haven't had a lot of time to pick up and clean up for the past few months, with the travaux and the garden on our schedule. Callie noticed. She was getting used to jumping over things to get through certain rooms!

    Melinda, hi, Bertie is not afraid of Callie but Callie still tries to swallow Bertie when she gets a chance. So they are still separated nearly all the time. Bertie doesn't even enjoy coming upstairs. So W. and I take turns going down and petting him and playing in the garage or utility room.

    Peter, yes, Callie seemed to be saying: "Are you sure they're coming? I'll be disappointed if they don't show up."

    Sam and Martine, :^)

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