One afternoon, Miss Mia shot off across the oval. I was on the phone to an expensive solicitor and attempted a vexed whisper to call her back but short of blasting the solicitor and no doubt paying for it I let her go. She was heading towards another black and white dog, working the ball on the far side of the oval. He was breathtaking, much taller than Miss Mia and taking these vast strides that seem propelled by springs in all four of his paws. His long haired coat undulated with him. While he was off fetching the ball, Miss Mia flirted around the dog’s owner’s feet.

Fortunately Rosalin liked Miss Mia but when Lachie returned with the ball he dropped it and then moved to a bit of a distance. He’s a two year old, Border Collie. His very tall and quite passive but highly focused on the ball.

Lachie in the background – Miss Mia in the foreground

Miss Mia is a very mild dog, more than happy for other dogs to watch her do her thing with the ball but get between her and that ball and she spits like Alexis on Dynasty. Lachie and Mia started doing ball work in opposite directions, giving each other space.

Rosalin worked as a violinist in the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra after having returned to Hobart from Glasgow where she’d played for 20 years with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. But with the change of hemispheres she had a change of career and now works orchestrating the sale of real estate. She has a constant throaty laugh.

Apart from the black and white dogs, we found many things in common – we’re both vegetarian, both played music, both had been away from Hobart for years. And she sold houses and I had one to sell. Well chosen, Miss Mia.