After undergoing cruciate ligament operations on his back legs, he retired from competitive ball-chasing and took to the water – rivers, the sea – winter or summer, he’d be in.
We lost Basil a few weeks ago to cancer of the throat. He’s now in doggy heaven, where the bowl is never empty and walks never end. We miss him a lot; he was our best friend.
LIKES playing ball, swimming, long muddy walks, fruit
DISLIKES vacuum cleaners, bananas, hosepipes
FINEST HOUR being a good friend to my late brother-in-law, who had learning difficulties
Ann Winter, Worcester
Rupert, Love Bug
RUPERT (NAMED after Prince Rupert, who led the cavalry of King Charles I) entered our lives as a very small, very quiet Blenheim Cavalier King Charles spaniel. Not small for very long – I should have known by the size of his paws – and not so quiet. From day one he came to the office with me, where he held court in his basket under my desk. He soon became a firm favourite with everyone; my boss called him ‘the sleeping partner’. At lunchtime, Rupert and I walked in Greenwich Park, where he became well known, and also in a lot of the pubs in the area. A Finnish intern we had in the office took him for a walk, and when she came back she said that he had dragged her into a wine bar. All the barmaids in there spoilt him and called him ‘Rupert Love Bug’.
We took Rupert with us on holidays, and after he was microchipped and rabies tested he came with us to France five times. Of course in France, dogs are allowed in bars, restaurants and hotels. Rupert would sit with us in a five-star restaurant looking very demure, but eyeing up the steak at the next table.
He was a good-looking dog, and had a presence about him. He did seem to be attractive to other dogs, and lady dogs in the park would fuss over him. Rupert did his George Clooney impression – aloof but sexy. He was also very greedy. One day we were having a dinner party, and when I went into the dining room I noticed that the cheese was missing from the sideboard – guess who. On another occasion, a friend was staying with us and Rupert stole from her, and devoured, a whole box of chocolate liqueurs.
Sadly, Rupert had a heart condition and at ten years and three months we lost him; at least he passed away at home with us. We buried him in the grounds of our estate, in the company of thirty neighbours and three dog friends. I read Lord Byron’s elegy to his dog Boatswain. We still remember and miss him – he was a delightful companion and a good friend.
LIKES swimming in the sea on a hot day
DISLIKES getting his paws cold in the snow
FINEST HOUR finding and eating the chocolate Easter eggs from an Easter-egg hunt some children were having on Ramsgate beach
Eleanor Clark, Greenwich
Charmers and Rogues Page 11