The Dog Who Loves To Fly

Apple had a lot to learn when she first came to live with us.  Edward, whom she adored with a blazing devotion from the very first moment she saw him, taught her most of the basics, such as what time dinner was served and what would happen to her if she attempted to steal food from his bowl.

But some things a puppy just has to learn for herself.  For example... 

1. Even though one is in possession of four nimble paws, trees are, quite frustratingly, impossible to climb.  

 2. Bumblebees are best left to their own devices, no matter how slowly, and enticingly, they buzz along.  

3. There are vents conveniently located in the floor in various rooms of the cottage and during the hottest of weather, these send out waves of ice cold air. If one lays directly atop them, one’s tummy becomes cool and comfortable in no time at all.

4.  There is a panoramic view of the garden from the big bedroom windowseat, making it the best place to be on a rainy day.

and

5.  Squirrels are pure evil.

There are countless joys in Apple’s life, and she spends her days in the happy discovery of them all.  One particular joy became apparent to us all quite early on.  Apple loves to fly.  She is one of those dogs who, as soon as she hops in the car for a ride, longs to stick her head out the window as far as it will go, and feel the wind whip round her as she speeds along in the pure elation of canine flight.  Edward, on the other hand, hates to have his fur blown in such a raucous fashion and prefers to sit, dignified and calm, in the back seat, gazing out the window like Hercule Poirot on the Orient Express.

Apple has often been denied her love of flight however, due to the fact that neither The Songwriter nor myself were too keen on the idea, thinking it couldn’t possibly be good for her eyes.  Who knew what sort of unsavoury bug might fly into them at a high speed?  So we would often drive along with Apple sitting beside her closed car window, peeved and squirmy. 

Until one day when The Songwriter announced that he had ordered our girl a pair of goggles.

Me:  “Goggles?  You must be joking”.

Him:  “No, they’ll be great.  She’ll love them.  You’ll see”.

Me:  “There is no way on earth she will wear those things”.

Him:  “They’re ice blue.  They’ll look great with her black fur.”

Me:  “Ice blue?  Really?  Well, maybe.”

The goggles arrived within a week and, almost immediately,  I officially admitted to being totally wrong in my assertion that Apple would refuse to wear them. 
 She loves them. 

She flies everywhere now, ears flapping in the wind, oblivious to the snapping of car phone cameras everywhere we go, bringing smiles, and some outright hoots, to every passerby in the land. 

She doesn’t care.

Apple loves to fly.

You can read more about Apple HERE. 

And you can hear her on Track #5 of The Songwriter’s latest CD .  Really.

Painting above by Louis Icart