Lunch with friends at The Olive Branch

After a good night’s rest, we woke up to another blustery day in Hambleton.

We went for a morning walk in the garden and then settled back in the room when Mummy went for breakfast, while we waited and waited for her. I sat on the window ledge, pondering about lifeAt how fast time has flown since I came into this world.  It’s been a whirlwind of experiences, emotions and adventures.

Oh, hello! You’re back!
How was breakfast?

It was soon time to check out of the hotel, and onto the next stage of our weekend in Hambleton. Mummy had told us we’re meeting a friend, Lola and her mummy, Sam.Lola is two years old and she lives in the country!They live close by and thought it would be fun to get together for a run in the gardens

It was a rather windy day – as you can see how George’s and Lola’s ears were blown in all directions! LOL!We were having so much fun running around – and then I thought – as it was after all my birthday weekend, I must be allowed to do whatever I want. Isn’t that how it works?So when I had found a ripe “aromatic” patch in the fields, I decided to have a good rub, like any real dog would have done – when Mummy wasn’t watching! LOL!  I ended up with a nice green patch on my neatly coiffed fur. Oops!Mummy was aghast with my one attempt to do what dogs naturally do!  She led us back to the hotel reception in disgust! And shamed me for the rest of the day. So much for being the birthday girl, albeit the day after.

While we were sitting by the fire in the reception lounge, Janet arrived to meet us.Now Janet has two rescues from Hungary Hearts Dog Rescue – and that is how we met her – through George!  Janet too lives close by. She didn’t bring along her two rescues, but she wanted to meet George.

But this was not the end of our day’s events. We all left to go to lunch.  Oh, how nice, did someone arrange for a Rolls to pick us up?Oh, wrong car? LOL!

Mummy had booked for all of us to have lunch at The Olive Branch.
This is a place of great significance for us – we’ll tell you more about this later. And guess who else had come to meet us at The Olive Branch for lunch? Bow and her mummy, Sandra!

Lola and Bow have never met before so there was a little getting to know you session.We shared some of our remaining cupcakes from Barkers of Muswell Hill with our lunching friends.While the hoomans had the fish-n-chipsAnd some very fine dessert – lemon posset to finish off.As we left The Olive Branch, Mummy asked for a group photo – and the charade began.Sandra and Sam trying to get Bow and Lola to sit and pose! LOL!“SIT and STAY!” said Sandra.“STAY!” commanded Sandra as Bow looked at her wondering why he was left sitting as Sandra walked backwards!  George and I were thinking – “In your own time, guys. We have all day!” LOL!

But we did manage to have our group photo.

May’s comment: I had not realised that Hambleton Hall was so close to The Olive Branch until Janet mentioned it in passing. I couldn’t believe my ears.

The Olive Branch is a story in itself but for now let’s just say it was at this very place, me sitting on that bench in early April 2011 when I met my first cockapoo. A Londoner happened to be there and it was her cockapoo that was running in the garden. She highly recommended cockapoos as a good breed option for a London dog. From there I couldn’t wait to get on the internet and when I looked up the recommended breeder that was mentioned, up popped three faces – Billy, Milo and Lulu. Lulu was Darcy’s original name. So this will always be the fateful place which led to us to each other.

And it so happened that we returned to this place for Darcy’s birthday.

The Olive Branch in Clipsham, Rutland, a country pub serving pub classics and culinary delights, is dog-friendly in the bar area. When I booked and told them I have a dog coming along, I failed to tell them that we each had a dog! LOL! But it didn’t matter. Our dogs were well behaved unlike the yappy Pekingnese at the next table.