Thorsday Book Review and Visitor

I did a lot of reading in the hospital.  Let's face it, even when I was able to use my recovering cardiac surgery patient's recliner for sleeping, it just isn't all that great.  But it beats the tarnation out of sleeping in a regular chair.

Anyway, this is one of the books I read, and it was a lot of fun.

THE BARKER'S DOZEN: REMINISCENCES OF AN EARLY POLICE DOG
by Robert Warr

"'The name's Snuffles, Snuffles of The Yard,' said my uncle's Spaniel with a growl in his voice.  'I will not tolerate an ill-mannered pup calling me a good  doggie.'

"I must admit that this statement shocked me and I wondered, for an instant, if I had gone mad.  My training as an engineer, however, has taught me to examine facts.  I was sitting in my uncle's study; his dog, was standing with his paws on my knees and his teeth an inch from my nose.  I had called him a good doggie."

So begins this delightful book.  Snuffles is a Springer Spaniel of the best breeding, whose master is a detective at Scotland Yard in the 1890s.  Naturally, Snuffles assists him in solving cases.  Normally, he doesn't talk to humans.  During the course of the book, he explains that all dogs can speak English, but they are warned by their mothers not to do so, because it causes great complications with their humans.  Of course, my favorite story was the one in which Henry, the mastiff, assists Snuffles in physically capturing the perp.  Clearly, the author knows mastiffs.  "The cook's lad was lying flat on his back with Henry standing on his chest barking gleefully....'Be still, lad,' Henry cautioned him clearly and in English. 'I am not going to let you up.  Lie quietly and I won't be forced to hurt you.  I am a gentle soul and not inclined to violent behaviour...'"

Of course, there is the saga of James (the nephew) trying to get his life set straight after a dynamiting accident left him lame.  And there is the matter of the cousin sent from America as punishment by her father.  All in all, a most entertaining book.  And with plenty of dogs, cats, and even a fox and a bird or 2.  5/5!

One of our best friends, who lives an hour north of here, came to visit my dearly beloved twice in the hospital - 3 hours worth of driving time for a 15 minute visit, and another 3 hours for a half hour visit.  I was touched, truly.  But then, the day after we came home, he stopped by with his dog, Dakota.

 Of course, I fed Dakota treats.

Dogs make everyone happy.

Happy Thorsday, everyone!