Three Pasties, Hot Chocolate and Chips for the Dog

If you have a dog, and in particular, a large dog then you will know that they require a fair bit of exercise.  With that in mind we decided to head off to Cornwall for a week of chilling and walking and basically doing not a lot else.

Now, owning a Labrador can have its fun and games. They are greedy little buggers and ours is no exception. Summer walks can be, let's just say, interesting.  You see they can sense grub from a million yards and that means you have to be on your guard at all times. Apart from that they are great fun and give you the excuse to get out and about.

Cornwall is a haven for dog owners with endless walks whether along the coast, the beach or in land. We were not disappointed managing various walks.

Different days have different challenges though. Picture the scenario. You have relaxed, enjoying the sunshine and fresh air, meandering along the coast when you hear voices and see a family settling down for a nice picnic in the distance.  But you are prepared.  Oh yes, been here before. A quick grab of the collar.  The lead fastened and you coolly walk by pretending that mans best friend is the most obedient dog in the world.  

On another occasion and you meet some friendly fishermen.  Maggots are definitely not for starters but their cheese sarnies are though.  Sniffed out from nowhere,  he legs it towards them. A beeline is thwarted, though, by racing after him, and nearly breaking my neck, down towards the bay.  Nearly caught out there then! Sarnies safe and sound in their Sunblest bag still.

So, feeling really good at the ending of a fabulous week away, from the day to day grind, and proud to have passed the week without incident we set off for a celebratory pasty. And so, Padstow we headed.

Wow, that rounded off a Cornish holiday. The only way you can; three pasties and some hot chocolate.  Luvly Jubbly. We were proud of our walking achievements. We were proud of our ageing Labrador.  He'd been such a good boy,  he'd not kept us up in the night in a strange home.  He'd not let us down by fouling on the owners carpet. He'd not chewed anything and more importantly he'd not eaten some poor kids ice-cream. We felt great about the whole week.

"No Samson. NO!"  came the shout from behind, as we wrestled with the crowds back to the car....

I turn around to see that he'd only grabbed, and was happily devouring, some chips out of the bottom of a family's buggy!  How the hell had he grabbed them so fast? Wasn't expecting that manoeuvre.

Embarrassingly, we apologised to the family insisting on a new tray of chips for the toddler.  They were having none of it, of course, and found it all very funny.  Not the same feeling I had,  there was no hole to swallow me up.  No where to hide. We walked on, briskly, not looking back like it was our last request before being shot. Hoping not to bump into this family again before we departed!

Still, our four legged friend did at least make us proud in one sense. He is in fact a connoisseur of food. He did choose Rick Steins gourmet chips to savour!

Did he really need to eat the tray, as well, though?