Archie is a strangely introspective dog. He hardly ever ‘participates’ in stuff, preferring to stay slightly apart from the crowd and observe.

He likes nothing more than to be on his own, chasing off birds or barking at waves. He never notices Rosie until she ambushes him in the hope of getting his attention. That’s a very rare event because he’s usually in a little world of his own so he generally just shakes her off and gets back on with whatever he’s up to himself.

While we’re walking, we often witness him standing on top of a ridge or hill, just watching whatever is going on below him in the valley and snuffling the air. I’ve wanted to capture one of these moments for some time but as sod’s law dictates, he’s moved by the time I’ve got my shot lined up or else he sees me below him and comes charging towards me.

Today I happened to have my wide-angle lens on the camera and so I was lucky to be able to get him watching the world go by with a fantastic sky-scape to boot.

I’ve done quite a lot of work on the pic because I exposed for the sky leaving him and the landscape viciously under-exposed. I’m a bit cack at photoshop really so I know it’s not the best job ever but it’s the best I can do with my limited skills.

He’s a local legend these days because of his favourite perch on our front wall, from where he can see the local cats going about their business and he is in perfect line for a stroke from passers-by, especially those on horseback. He’ll happily sit there for hours on end - rain, hail, snow, sleet or shine. He’s even happy there in the pitch dark.

Sometimes I feel as though I’ve failed him because I’ve been unable to make him into a happy-go-lucky chap in the six and a half years since we met because I’ve been unable to exorcise the ghosts that haunt him from his previous life. Then I remember how much he’s improved since then and I feel better. When we first had him, he was scared of everything – matches, plastic bags, the phone, candles, shouting voices and all sorts of weird stuff. Now, at least he’s less frightened of everything and he actually looks happy sometimes too!!!

One thing I do know is that he has never been more happy or content than he has since September, when we moved here for good.

Two years ago, I spent my day burying Sabine - her 'husband' truffle is the only wabbit I have left. Last year's photo was taken about ten feet or so from this year's pic....and yesterday's pic too!!! Creatures of habit or what?

Read on into 2006 here.