TOBY's WELCOME...

GREETINGS FROM SOUTH AFRICA!

MAXMOM here...

If you ever come to visit us, brace yourself for a surprise.

 Our dear, sweet hooligan Toby has conjured up a rude welcome for anyone who cares to venture through our front door.

Don’t ever say I didn’t warn you!

As the door creaks open, Toby is immediately alert. Visitors?

He leaps up and scrambles to check out the talent.

“Hello, welcome! Please come in,” we say.

These few words are Toby’s cue. His own goal has suddenly become critical. He turns, back into the house, and starts romping around like a lunatic – up and down the passage in unhindered delight, working his entire entourage up into a barking frenzy.

“Woof! Woof!”

 We all look at each other; knowingly and helplessly. Suddenly, his ‘happy dance’ is diverted to the kitchen.

He HAS to retrieve his B-I-G blanket now!

 

There’s one challenge however. Toby’s blanket is about 2mx1.5m big - it’s large and cumbersome and difficult to hold in his mouth. This doesn’t deter him in the least. He reaches down and scrunches up the fabric in his big jaw, and then turns back towards the action. In all this time, our poor visitor has stood spellbound, trying to make sense of all the commotion.

Toby is determined. He begins to pull his “gift” in the direction of the unsuspecting visitor. Our passage is fairly long, and he can only manage the task by positioning his body sideways and dragging the blanket up towards the front door. But everything in his path is swept clean in the process – misplaced glasses, chairs, lamp-stands, anything! The sound of carnage fills our house. There are upturned items everywhere. Throughout his lunacy, Toby is vocalising: small whimpering and endearing sounds, with a few accompanying snorts.

Our poor, unsuspecting ‘visitor’s first reaction is to take a step backwards in alarm. Toby’s eyes meet his. My hooligan surges forward - still with his blanket in his mouth - while our visitor is rooted to the spot.

Toby then purposefully and rudely manoeuvres himself around the poor person’s legs – still with his long blanket in tow. And then, quickly, he weaves a few more efficient circles – effectively wrapping him up and leaving the poor guy totally immobilised.

“Woof! Woof!”
Job complete, he stares at me.

Toby’s explanation:

“I know you like him, so I gift-wrapped him especially for you!”

Visitors beware!

You will be loved to death!

Sending lotsaluv