Poor old Bill had a bit of a bucket-overflowing day today. Took him for a nice long walk this morning, which he loved, but he couldn't settle afterwards - too much seagull chasing on the walk, too many delivery men at home, plus too much background testosterone, I think. I managed to get him to nap for about an hour by getting him into the study and getting in the bed with him, like they did at daycare.
We went up to the dog park later and it was lovely at first, though there were a lot of dogs and one little one that he's a bit frightened of. After about half an hour the little one got very barky; then another dog he likes was grumpy at him; then a new dog (barky male spaniel) came in who was interested in his bestie (female) and the little barky dog started shouting at the new barky spaniel, so it all got Very Shouty and Bill ended up wanting to get in my dog walking bag.
I think I would have taken him home then, but was waiting for bestie's owner to persuade her dog to come over so we could walk back together. Then Bill's oldest friend ever arrived, with a puppy Bill's age that spends more time with them, and he and the puppy had a proper handbags scrap - all mouth and no trousers, but completely unlike him. They both calmed down and were fine but he just couldn't stop humping Oldest Friend - who is also a he, so it's not sexual, just an absolutely overflowing bucket of Stuff he hasn't been able to process.
Under any other circumstances I'd make sure we did absolutely nothing tomorrow, and just hung out - maybe another long, quiet walk. But instead I have to get us up at half five and drive for an hour (he's much better in the car, but this is by far the longest journey we'll have done in months) so I can go to a show with my nieces for my birthday while my brother looks after him. Too late to weasel out, but I am dreading the whole thing now, for his sake and mine 🙁