It had just been raining again when I arrived home at Latimers so the chance of having a good game of ball with Pearl was a little remote - especially as she brought out the moose. Despite some time having passed since last Pearl wanted to play ball with it, it still has the aerodynamic properties of a ... moose and since it was still raining the prospect of a small felt toy covered with rain and Pearl held little appeal. Pearl could not be convinced to go out on the lawn to fetch the one ball that we could see - and, as my excuse, the gum boots didn't fit me so it was a safety hazard. Tink came out to watch but her mouth was too small to allow her to retrieve the ball; Beazley was content to stay inside in the dry, and Maggie, well, we're not sure where Maggie was ... but she missed out on a good game of "go fetch" where we pointed to the ball and waited for Pearl to do our bidding. We were excited at one point when she did set off up the back but came back before she had made it halfway to the ball. I don't understand how a dog who can see the ball in almost pitch black couldn't see it - in all its orange glory - sitting in the grass ... unless she was too short. S commented that when Maggie had been out on the lawn earlier, it was up to her shoulders ... because she is a little on the vertically-challenged side and because she sank into the grass rather than gliding over the top of it - which is to do with the grass, not her physique.
S and M are both busily reading the book M brought back with her from faraway places. This is a great lesson in "taking turns" and S reads while M is out, and then M reads when she is "in" and not doing other things. I am waiting to see who finishes first.
We at Latimers were saddened to hear of the passing of great Australia icon and Soprano Dame Joan Sutherland who passed away in Switzerland (her adopted homeland). It is nearly 20 years since her Farewell Concert at the Sydney Opera House and there is now talk about the Concert Hall (or was it another one?) there being renamed in her honour. It would be a fitting tribute to this amazing La Stupenda who was admired by that other great voice of the 20th Century - Pavarotti - who credited Dame Joan with having taught him much.
Hermes didn't come home today after his night out ... he spent the day, instead, in the paddock a couple over - so we could still hear his whinny. It was good to know that he'd spent a dry night because there have been far too many wet ones - especially when he chooses not to stay under cover in his shelter.
Someone rang in to one of the local radio stations to report a UFO - a big, bright ball in the sky ... which turned out to be the sun ... but it wasn't with us for long. But it was nice to see it and drink in what Vitamin D we were able to before the clouds came over again. The forecast for rain has now been extended until Friday.
