Hello!
This is Briar The Dog, reporting from the Virago Bookcase.
Here are the headlines:
Jane has finished Antalya. She is very pleased with it, and she says it is the most complex hat she has ever knitted. She wore it when we went out this morning and I have been allowed to model it, but I’m not allowed to sit on it.
Jane will be doing more reading and blogging again now that her knitting is finished. She had planned to read Cousin Bette by Balzac while listening to the book being read on Radio 4 via the IPlayer. The book came in the post yesterday, but it is faulty. The first page is number 401 and it goes on to the end and then it starts again at page 49 and goes on to the end. So we are missing an introduction and 48 pages. Grrrrrrr!
Jane says never mind, she will spend a little more time with Clarissa and meet Cousin Bette another time.
When we went out this morning the tide was a long way out, so we walked all the way to Newlyn on the beach, and then we walked up the river and came back across the green. I had a lovely time. I played ball, I went for a swim, I chased some birds, I saw two of my oldest friends – a red setter and an alsation – and I made a new friend, called Elfie.
I wasn’t quite so happy when we went to the park yesterday. The squirrel tree is still closed. It’s been closed for a long time, and I wish the town council would sort it out. Fortunately I have found a way in so I can still keep a close eye on those pesky squirrels.
At home we are doing spring cleaning. Jane has had a blitz upstairs and we have taken several bags of books and other things to a charity shop.
And we had pasty pie for tea, The humans all had a piece, and I had a little bit of the filling to try with my kibble. Yum!
But tonight we are going to relax. We are going to sit on the sofa and watch The Hound of the Baskervilles.
Then then we will be doing some sleeping.
And tomorrow Jane says she will tell you about the books she has been reading …
Fleur in her World 
Yay, Briar! Happy New Year!
Glad you had a great walk today but sorry to hear that you still can’t get to your squirrel tree (I like the fact that you can still keep vigil at the bottom of it though ;)). I went for a walk today too in the woods and saw lots of dogs that you would have liked to have made friends with.
How funny – your mum and I read the same books at the same time at the end of last year and Cousin Bette is almost at the top of my pile too!
You look great in the hat by the way.
Love Boof (and her cats x)
Yay Boof! Yay cats!
I’ll get those pesky squirrels one way or another!
Happy new year to you all.
Love Briar x
Dear Briar, you and I would be such good friends for chasing squirrels is one of my most favourite things to do. It is very hard work keeping them off of our property and up in the trees where they belong. Have you ever caught one? What do they taste like? And what do we do with them once we’ve caught one? Because I don’t know the answer to that last bit, I always pull up a bit to let them get up their tree. My mom puts stuff on me now and then too. I just look at her with a pitying “if you must” expression. Happy New Year and hope to hear from you soon.
Esme Poodle
Dear Esme,
I haven’t caught a squirrel yet, because they always run up a tree when I get close. I call that cheating!
Happy new year to you and to your tame humans.
Love Briar x
Hello Briar! That is a beautiful hat – maybe your Mum will make you one too? Did you enjoy The hound of the baskervilles – appropriate dog viewing I feel 🙂
Hello Verity,
No more hats please – I am much too busy to have a modelling career.
I was a terrier on dartmoor once – not unlike the Hound of the Baskervilles.
I hope you and Mr W are well. And Bernard too – I haven’t seen him on your blog lately.
Love, Briar x
Nice to hear from you Briar. You have been doing lots of things, I am sure you are tired with all the adventuring, take it easy. Look after Jane whilst she is reading.
Hello Jo,
I like to be busy, but I always keep an eye on Jane and my other humans.
Love, Briar x