Dogs, Cats, Clarinets and Cornets

It all started at the weekend when our Jo rang to say she and John were going to Majorca for a week - the next day. She wouldn't usually have a problem but Peter, who would have been there looking after the dog and the 3 cats, had announced he was staying at his girlfriend's parents' house as they were going away and she didn't want to be alone.

Right, says Jo to me, the neighbour is going to come in several times a day and feed the cats but we don't know what to do with Travis, the dog. He's not up to date with injections so no kennel will take him and he can't go with Peter as Clare has a dog and Travis, a big soft, loving lump with all humans (except postmen whom he regards as cannon-fodder), hates other dogs.

I had a hasty word with our Nik (younger daughter/BrownOwl/Laura's mum) who said she'd be happy to walk Travis, daily. Not that I wouldn't like to but Travis looks a bit like a rather large Pitbull (he's not - he's a Stafford Cross, possibly crossed with an elephant) and has the same muscle and strength, in spades. I have a dodgy hip and can't bowl along like I used to and, if there should be a sudden surge of Travis, I'd go flat. Anyway we agreed the dog could come to stay.

Sunday morning, Travis duly arrived complete with bed, 2 leads, feeding bowls, dog food and treats. Half an hour later he watched as his "mum" drove away, cried pitifully for 5 minutes then went out to do a very large poop on the lawn.

While I was out there with a trowel and a plastic bag our cat Maddie, who had been asleep under Laura's bed, sauntered out of the French window and down the patio. Suddenly the world went mad. Peaceful, obedient Travis, who lives amicably with 3 cats, let out a roar of delight and shot after Maddie who turned into a spiked ball of fur, hotly pursued by much barking, and leapt over the fence into our neighbours' garden.

Since then we have been playing hide and seek. Maddie, who only came back after much coaxing, is virtually living upstairs. Travis, who has now apparently realised his mistake - namely chasing the cat who happens to live here - is hanging round her vicinity, whenever possible, trying to ingratiate himself and looking as "hangdog" as he can. It's not working - he's burned his boats - Maddie regards him as the Enemy.

So, he's getting long walks every evening with Nik and Laura. Laura, incidentally, is obsessed with dogs and adores him, it's mutual. He's also got a new collar and disc, some chocolate biscuit bones, some Vetzyme pills (he has itchy skin on his legs and it's supposed to help), a large roasted bone and some tins of Butchers Tripe 'cause his mum only brought dried food and he doesn't like it very much. What, me spoilling him? As if........

Anyway, that's the dogs and cats, now the rest of the story. This begins at the start of the School holidays when Laura's dad, Simon, turned up for his fortnightly "access" day with a clarinet. Yes, a clarinet. Laura has been learning the recorder for a year and can play it as well as any 8 year old, no better and no worse. Simon decided she ought to have a clarinet as a "next step" and bought the thing without consulting anyone. It's a beautiful instrument. Laura said yes, she'd love to learn to play and Nik said, yes, as long as you pay for the lessons, Simon. It turned out Simon thought they got free music tuition, in what ever instrument they chose, at school (we're not sure which planet he's been living on) but, yes, he agreed to pay. Nik found a teacher who comes to the school every Wednesday and does lessons, Simon stumped up a half-term's fees and Bingo!

Today Laura went off to school, with her clarinet in its case, ready for her first lesson. When she came home she was happy. Mrs Griffiths, the clarinet teacher, was "very nice", she said, and she had learned how to blow and how to play an E Natural. She got the instrument out of its case and 10 minutes later (it's quite an art putting it together and getting the reed in the right place when you're only 8) she began to demonstrate. There were a couple of minutes of near despair when she blew and no sound came out but, gradually, she produced a very creditable E and played her first piece from the book (we owe £6 for the book!) which was 12 bars of 4/4 time - all on E. Nik and I applauded loudly.

As is usual Nik then went through Laura's school bag. There were 3 letters, the first ones since she went back to school last Thursday. Two were "run-of-the-mill" curriculum etc. but number 3 was a corker! Laura is in Year 4, this year, and the letter informed us that all of Year 4, this year, will be learning to play the cornet or the French Horn. This is where the free lessons come in, Simon just had the fine details wrong. Laura has elected to play the cornet. This has all happened "out of the blue", we had no idea it was in the curriculum. At least, in this case, the school will supply the cornet.

For the next 11 months, at least, Laura will be practising a woodwind and a brass instrument, simultaneously. I would not like to have to do it myself - I just had boring piano lessons, gave up too soon (after 2 years) and have regretted it the rest of my life. Laura is also in the school choir (a keen singer - like me) does a fair bit of acting (me again) in a Drama Club at school and learns ballet and Modern Jazz dance.

I suppose we can take comfort in the thought that if she doesn't go to Uni and become a vet (her present ambition) she may well become an entertainer - a sort of female Roy Castle - or, at least, a kennel-maid.