Wednesday, August 05, 2009

Theme Thursday - Kiss (From A Big Wet Nose)

Each morning I am awakened with a kiss. I would like to be able to say that it is from my good lady wife, but regretfully that is not the case. She awakens me with an elbow in my side and a mumbled request for a cup of tea. The kiss comes courtesy of Amy. And before you start getting silly ideas, Amy is a seven year old soft-coated wheaten terrier and probably the most adorable dog in the world. She sleeps at the bottom of our bed and she tends to wake up when Isobel aims the tea-demanding elbow in the direction of my slumbering form. My wife is Alpha Dog in our household and Amy sees herself as Beta Dog. She takes it upon herself to reinforce my wife's early morning wake-up call by endless wet kisses and annoyingly wagging tails. After a short period of time you realise that the kisses are just as bad as the sharp elbow to the ribs and so off you go to make tea.
One of my favourite singer-songwriters, the late Jake Thackray, used to have a song about his dog called Ulysses. It contained the following lovely verse :
When I stumble home at night I'm jaded and stale
And so I try to take a little repose
I don't want waking up with a happy tail
I don't want a kiss from a big wet nose.
The song tells of how the poor owner is driven to suicide because his dog gives him too much love. Hopefully that will not happen to me. I could only find one clip of the Thackray song : who knows where the images come from and why they were used with the music. But ignore the images. Close your eyes and listen to the words. .

18 comments:

  1. You know Homer's "Ulysses" had a dog, Argos. He was very loyal and waited for years for his boss to return. When he finally did no one recognised him...but Argos did :)

    So nice that your dog gives you a 'kiss' every morning.
    xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  2. OH God I'm laughing my sox off here. You're such a Yorkie. I have a needy Labrador who also sleeps on my bed but nope, not resorting to suicide yet! Very funny. (My daughter is working on her laptop next to me and asking 'What the Hell is that!"

    ReplyDelete
  3. quite a segue from the funny story about your cool dog to a guy committing suicide. very cute post.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous1:31 PM

    Alan, haven't heard that song in a while; nice! I've forgotten how many times I'd been wakened by doggie drool-LOL! Right nice dog, Amy is, yes!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Alpha and Beta Dogs. I love that. Lovely post, as always, Alan.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Marianna : Didn't know about Ulysses and his dog Argos but Amy says she knew (but she's just a show-off)
    Baino : As far as I am concerned being accused of being a Yorkie is a complement. Can I assume it is down under as well?
    C Girl : That's what you get with Jake Thackray songs. The change is sometimes so sharp you could cut yourself on it.
    Subtorp : Glad I was able to reintroduce you to the song. Amy says thank you for the complement.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thank you kindly Willow. If you want to know, I'm Delta Dog.

    ReplyDelete
  8. That's the best thing about pets...unconditional love! And...they are as prompt as clockwork, aren't they?

    ReplyDelete
  9. when love becomes too much? i imagine you cannot help but smile...

    ReplyDelete
  10. What a way to start the morning! Great post. -Jayne

    ReplyDelete
  11. There is nothing better than a dog kiss!

    ReplyDelete
  12. yikes. I love dogs, but i'd never kiss one. :p

    I remember seeing this youtube vid that changed Katy Perry's song from "I Kissed a girl and i liked it" to "I Kissed a DOG and i liked it" gross. lol.

    ReplyDelete
  13. My Pumpkin often carries out the same morning ritual although he is a cat not a dog.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Fun post-- sounds like Mr Thackery has a big problem. Liked the music.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Nice post and quite an interesting take on "kiss"! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  16. I used to share icy poles with a silky terrier. No kisses though.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Thanks for all the comments. I suppose - if truth be told - it is more of a lick than a kiss, but in my mind it's a kiss.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Hah! I wish my dogs would recognize the fact that I'm the damned Alpha. They all think they are.

    Hell, my cats think that, too.

    ReplyDelete

11 March 2024 : Paper Hanging

  Some people read the paper, some try and understand the meaning of life, George II and Elvis Presley both died there .... and photographer...