No Excuses

Even though I have been busy. Had some good days, the weather helps even if it is very cold at night now. Milly, the border collie x is a joy. We walk 7 k or so every morning and again at night.
She is very vocal as kelpies are, groaning and moaning at me until I pick up the lead, or, if I have been sat at the computer too long, she will discuss the merits of taking a break and trip round the property perimeter in grumbling tones. She leaves the chickens alone but has given Mr Fox a couple of nasty shocks. The first one was last week, in the first grey of dawn. Milly was on the top step of the verandah as Mr Fox came trotting up the lane. He started digging around the chicken coop as he has been doing for weeks now, Milly, wondering what this catlike dog shaped creature was up to in HER territory, did the collie sneak thing, ears back, belly low to the ground, lots of pausing until she came to within 2 meters of Mr Fox as he dug, engrossed in the nearness of chickens. Milly paused, then let out two barks, one sharp and high pitched, the other low and threatening, both with the volume set on 'high” The effect on Mr Fox was electrifying, Brush puffed out he performed two arial 360's in panic, spotted the grinning black and white collie and, comically like the cartoon coyote, attempted to run whilst in mid air. On landing the fox's paws gained traction,jinking and dodging non existent pursuers he raced at ultra speed into the bush. Whilst all this panic was going on Milly sat, toungue lolling in doggy laughter as she watched the results of her stalking on this strange animal.
I like Milly a lot.
The second shock to Reynards nervous system was just this morning at that darkest hour before dawn. Up until yesterday Milly has been proprietal over the property but not “on guard”. She barks to alert me of intruders but has not taken the intiative in ordering them off the property. That changed this morning. I had just got up, shivering and coughing for an overdue pee, Milly was on the verandah when I heard growling low in her throat. Opening the door I saw the back end of Milly disappearing at high speed down the steps and towards the area where Mr Fox has been excavating, suddenly Milly commenced barking in a ferocious manner. The dog equivalent of “gerroutofit before I rip you to pieces” Mr Fox did no aerobatics, he ran, and at his heels a snarling Milly, incensed at this animal's insouciant invasion of the boundaries we walked every day.
Milly screeched to a halt at the edge of the bush and delivered some pithy dog insults and threats should Mr Fox return. Satisfied she returned to a shower of praise and a piece of cold sausage. I went back to my bed chuckling. She is a very good dog.

The possum, we only have one resident now, is conspicuous by his silence. Only a large thump at 6 in the morning as he returns home and the steady tic tac of his claws as he walks the ceiling to his bedroom patch. No hissing, shouting, yarping or noise during the day. Its very unsettling. The rats have left. The mice are back.