Walking the dog

The painting above is an oil I finished this week "walking the dog". Typical British weather. Bit like "Winnie the Pooh and the Day the rain came down". I have to say I quite enjoy rainy days provided I am wrapped up. I quite often include a sheep dog in a painting probably because we had one when we were first married. He was a right character. He was obedient and would walk to heel  and ignore any distractions. He would steal things however a Christmas cake or a joint of meat if left unattended.
At the time our neighbours were Pat and Clive. They were to all intents the perfect friends and neighbours. Similar age with twin girls. There was however one mystifying trait. Much of the time when the children were growing up I was away leaving Alex to cope with three children under 6 and also no car. She would herd them to school or the shops with children pulling in all directions while the sheepdog would walk tidily behind.
Now if this wasn't bad enough she would meet Pat with her twins who were so remarkably well behaved. We never understood how they did it. Our kids would be pulling in all directions like an out of control Catherine wheel. Theirs on the other hand would always be clean, polite and stand quietly by their parents. It was a complete mystery.
Anyway ours turned out brilliantly (eventually).