...was the question a couple on Studland beach asked me after having watched Nellie charge to and from the water's edge and dunes continuously for quite a distance along the beach... The dunes offer a good view being a little higher than the edge of the sea so Archie and I were meandering up and down in those but Nellie's efforts to convince me that being by the water was way better did not go un-noticed by me - or this couple. When I eventually made my way back to the sea edge to tell her she had won (:-)) they were smiling at her and marvelling at her energy and general gorgeousness and of course she lapped it up.
Later on I was taking these pictures and another couple stopped to chat about them as they had been watching me whizzing around with my phone trying to get the light right etc.
We ended up talking about all sorts of different things from dogs to teaching. They asked me if I was an artist. Based on the pictures I was taking they thought I had a good eye for composition. I must admit I have taken better, but it was kind of them to say so. They said they don't bother going abroad anymore, they just come down here to Dorset to stay in their holiday place down here. They were taken with Nellie too and talked of wanting a border collie themselves again.
It was beautiful down there - a keen breeze, warm sunshine and definitely staying lighter. Two weeks ago it was dark when I left the beach at the same time. This time, it was still light. Got talking to another chap further along the beach who works as a Project Manager on Canary Wharf but longs to live down here. He comes down here every spare minute for the wreck diving which he enthused about. Much as I love being in the sea swimming and I really enjoy historical things, diving on wrecks gives me the goosebumps. All I have to do is remember that people died in the wreck and that's it for me. I know they are long gone but no, can't face it.
Nellie, Archie and I managed to have the odd game of football with a tennis ball. Archie loves trying to duck and dive around the ball to anticipate and block. Henry and Pop used to love to do this too. There'd be the three of them in play bow mode circling, with Nellie at the back trying to keep them all 'herded' to me. Now and again Henry would be overcome by the sight of the tennis ball and grab it before I could choose where to kick it. We'd all cry 'Foul'(well I would and the others would bark their agreement:-)) and then he'd drop it and move back a tiny fraction to allow me to kick it off along the smooth hard sand, with all three in hot pursuit - and Nellie doing an outrun around them! Archie hasn't been to Studland since last year when he strained his shoulder running after the tennis ball and doing a sideways somersault. By the time I was completely happy he was well enough to charge about after a ball again the summer 'dogs on lead' rule was in force on the beach.
The last time I went down I took Nellie on her own, as Arch still had his staples and went to work that day with dad. So it was good to see him enjoying this game again and barking happily at the top of his voice!
It's been a year since Pop died. The man from London wanted to tell me about the dogs he had loved and lost so we chatted about them and about mine for a little while as we looked out at Old Harry Rocks and the sea (in the background of these two final pictures). When he said 'I bet they loved it here didn't they?' it brought into focus a vision of the two of them charging off in to the water after the ball, heads and tails dripping with sea water, loving the moment and the life they had. It is a good memory.
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