First bath

 The dog groomer was awake and ready for us when we arrived at the unearthly hour of 7.45am. We had  done a swift recce of the field so Perla could have a pee, and I left her accepting welcome strokes from Robyn. 

Twenty five minutes later I went back to collect a sweet-smelling dog.

Robyn's report? "She loved it, was no trouble, loved her biscuits, and liked the dog basket." Perla was waiting in the basket - watching the gate where I vanished and then re-appeared. 

So that is one more hurdle overcome without disaster. Perla is now resting indoors, cuddled in the blanket I knitted for her, until she is completely dry. (It is damp, cold and wet outside - not the weather to romp around in when you've just been in the bath!) 

Later today I shall seek a new collar for her because the tracker we have bought does not fit very well on any of the four dog collars we already have. DH says I should get her a pink one because she is a lady. 

The tracker will help keep track  (sorry!) of her when we get to the mill in France, because there are so many rooms, exits, and places where she might not be visible to us even though she would be within thirty feet of one or the other of us. If she could only hear when we call her we would not worry, and though she shows signs of having some rudimentary hearing, we have to treat her a totally deaf and make adjustments to ensure her safety. 

Yesterday she came back to me 3 times when I "called" her in sign language and two of those were in the big park field, rather than in the dog enclosure. Delighted that she seems happy to come back to me - or the chicken twists I offer as a treat!