Jack of Harts

I felt like watching an old comfortable movie today so put in Peter Jackson’s Hobbit. It’s an old friend that I love, but I’ve never watched it with a Terrier before. So here we were, minding our own business, when the Wargs came onto the scene. They were chasing the Dwarves who injured one and it yelped in pain. At which time, the Terrier woke up out of a deep sleep and came snarling out to bark at the screen. And she spent the rest of the time watching and listening to the movie, snarling and barking every time the Wargs showed up after that. Until the end of the movie when she went back to licking and smiling like a happy lap dog. She really has a bit of the wolf still in her.

Some of you have been blessed to know Terriers. Some have not. To put it simply, they are hunting dogs. They are smart, they are determined, and they are amazingly tenacious. For example, if you take one from their home without their consent, they can be most vocal in their disagreement with your actions. They might even throw themselves against the walls of their crate in an attempt to make you lose your balance. Determined? Very much so.

We’ve had First Christmas. Now it’s time for Second Christmas. Or so my inner Hobbit says. The British call it Boxing Day, for the giving of small boxes with gifts to those who work for you in some way. In America we give small gifts to our Postmen. The Irish and many others call it Saint Steven’s Day and people visit family or go to shows. It’s all part of the Christmastide, or the Twelve Days of Christmas going from Christmas Day to after New Years. We hold parties and give gifts, light candles or burn yule logs. And if certain songs are to be believed, two turtle doves have a part to play in it. There’s also the After-Christmas sales we love to browse. It’s just a time to slow down and enjoy the year we’ve had while looking forward to the year to come. And so I wish you all a Merry Second Christmas.