As I was busy at the bottom of my garden trying to make another mole free patch, it was in both Lelie's, and my best interest to tie her to a pole where she could spend her time watching me, and out of the sun. She was not happy with this arrangement, and tried her best to make a bid for freedom by chewing feverishly at the rope, but I was adamant that none of the Haarlem scarecrows would come near her.
After a long time trying to free herself, she gave up and just lay in the shade of the huge Lavetera bush, watching me with eyes that was accusing me sadly of being the biggest spoilsport ever, and although I did feel sorry for her, I had no intention of letting her go free.
I left the poor girl lying in a pathetic little heap to make lunch, but my sympathy was not quite as much as should be, as it was a bally full time job keeping the Haarlem lovers at bay, and I was tired of throwing down tools and running after the mongrels who managed to find yet another whole! And that just after i have closed up a new entrance route!
I  made myself a sandwich and a cuppa, and took a few doggy treats for the badly used maiden, as I felt that she needed something to make up for what she was missing, but on me coming round the corner, and there was missy, scratching around in my newly planted veggy patch, with small plants and soil flying through the air, and in all directions, I nearly forgot about the fact that she was only an animal, and was very close to giving her a thrashing! She was so intent on her mission, maybe she heard the moles underneath my shading net complain about the fact that the net was keeping them from getting to the earthworms, that she didn't even see me coming around the corner, and when I gave a bellow, she had such a fright that she almost strangled herself trying to run away!
I was furious, mostly with myself for leaving Lelie in a position to destroy my plants, but also at the whole nature thing that I at that moment believed was conspiring to bring me down, for if it wasn't the bally peacocks, it was the moles, or the snails, or Jan's two strange cocks, and now a new hazard had loomed it's head in the shape of Lelie. The devastaion the little dog had left was just too much, and I just sat on the grass, and cried!
I had an appointment at the vet to have her fixed in a few days, just after the week-end, and once my wrath and disappointment had subsided, I gathered the young plants, and seeing that most were still in one piece, I put them in a bucket with water to recuperate , to replant them when it was cooler.
I then took Lelie for a walk down to the river, after tying a long piece of rope onto the other one, and tried to tire her out by throwing sticks for her to fetch, as she loved to do that.
With the sun warm on my back, and the joyfull song of the river that was running again after the long drought, all my doubts and murderous thoughts towards my garden's enemies disappeared, and I splashed around in the river with Lelie, both of us laughing with wide open mouths!
When the sun started pulling water, I replanted my veggy plants that had miraculously lifted their heads, vowing to never leave Lelie out there again!