Hello to all you Oscar fans, this tail is NOT a shaggy dog story!
We returned from England one Monday in January with Ryanair trumpeting us into
Gerona 15 mins early. As a result, we got to the kennels to collect
Oscar rather than wait until the Tuesday morning. Unusually the kennels were
closed. Oscar had got bored with waiting for us and had escaped at
10am. The kennel staff had been out all day searching in relays, the
police had been notified etc........ but no Oscar.
For those who don't know, the kennels are situated on a triangle of land
bordered by 2 fast moving roads (one a dual carriageway, and the railway
line into Spain. With no roads within a mile of home, Oscar's road
sense is less than zero, so we could only hope that he had crossed the
vineyards where the kennels' people walk him and occupied himself
chasing the rabbit population and got lost. We also thought, if he
hadn't become a flattened version of his former self, that he'd make his
way back to the kennels for his dinner. His tummy clock is very
reliable! At 6pm still no Oscar.
We drove around vaguely for an hour, looking rather silly as we called
his name into the ever deepening gloom and stopped strangers, me with
the odd sob. 7pm it was dark and no Oscar.
We often stay at the flat at Port-Vendres when Oscar goes into kennels
(it is much closer than Caixas), we had left clothes there and, as we
needed to eat, we decided to go to the flat and drown our sorrows at our
favourite restaurant, La Tramontane.
Parking near the flat, I picked up Oscar's lead, saying to Frank "no
need for that" and then out of the corner of my eye I saw a familiar
tail. In disbelief, I raced across the road, grabbed Oscar who was
sauntering along, quite unconcerned, and looking as if he was going into
the Tramontane (which is opposite the carpark) for his dinner!!!
Which, in fact, was what all three of us did.
So how did he do it? The kennels are 14 km from Port-Vendres along major
roads. (To see a map of the area,
click here
- the red circle shows where the kennels are in the top left corner.) Why go to the
flat? We hadn't been there before taking him to kennels, so why did he
think we'd be there? What would he have done if we hadn't turned up -
head for Caixas? Was it all by chance? It'd be nice to know. We do
know that the owner of the Tramontane had seen him earlier and wondered
why he was "out alone". We also now know that the kennels (who didn't
charge us!) habitually let him sit in the office with them and it was
from there that he escaped - sadly, he's blotted his copybook with them,
he'll be under secure lock and key from now on!
By the way, he's now curled up in front of the fire, gently snoring and
looking very unenergetic, quite his normal self, in fact!
Limerick Competition
Pete and Sandra Wood have suggested a Limerick Competition and have started it with some rhymes.
Send us your Limerick by e-mail to
and we will print them on this site.
Said Oscar "I'd much rather be
Young Oscar was quite in a rage
JE ne sais pas pourquoi
Down at my home by the sea"
"Too long I have been in this cage"
VOUS etes partis sans MOI
So without any fuss
Did he hitch-hike or leg it?
Vous devez savoir
He hopped on a bus
At least didn't peg it
Que j'en avais marre
And went to Port Vendres for his tea.
Not bad for a dog of his age!
Puisque nous sommes un menage a TROIS
Pete & Sandra Wood
Pete & Sandra Wood
Sandra Wood
With dogged determination and without paws for thought
Now Oscar, me ol’ mate, me ol’ mucker
Poor old Ossie was having a bit of a miff
Oscar’s on the run and won’t get caught
Went walkabout in search of some tucker
he felt the sentence rather stiff
To Port-Vendres did scoot
Even though he’s strong willed
so off he goes
By a dog-leg route
He could have been killed
just follers his nose
Leaving Frank and Penny distraught
Oh what a silly wee canine
" that'll put the so & sos in a bit of a tiff"
Pete Hancock
Pete Hancock
Adrian Tee
Oscar était un chien du genre plutôt coquin
"I like to watch rugby too" Oscar said
I'll teach those bastards to leave
peu de patience mais ce qu'il y a de plus malin
So from his holiday home he then fled
USAP, Northampton and Brive
Au chenil il s'ennuyait à mourir
He sat near the sea
I'm off to the coast
il n'y avait même pas de quoi lire!
Watching the match on TV
For beans on toast
Dans un nuage de fumée, il s'est envolé, mais c'est un magicien!
God, that boy's got some street cred
They thought I'd stay put, so naive
Marie-Claire Bacquet
Tim Elgar
Tim Elgar
A lovable dog from France
Though by nature a somnolent hound
When young he would wander away
Led his owners a terrible dance.
He hates to be kept in a pound
Every day he would go far astray
It was hardly surprising,
So he makes a big hole
So we took off his male bits
The tension was rising.
and goes for a stroll
Which altered his habits
When they found him again, just by chance.
Much later - in the port - he is found.
'till last week, when we had a replay!
Rodge & Marilyn Turner
Frank Parkinson
Frank Parkinson
These kennel-men try to be kind
There was a blue-eyed dog called Os-car
Oscar, sure aren't you great
but being in prison can be a bind
who clearly was equipped with ra-dar
You escaped from the kennels, but wait
I suddenly espied
"I shall go to P-V
Your 'parents' were worried
a door open wide
14 kilometres is nothing for me
to P.V. you have scurried
did Penny & Frank really mind?
where I'll find my master in La Tramontane bar"
but at least you weren't the one who was late!
Penny Parkinson
Penny Parkinson
Doreen Page
Oscar Parkinson, What a lark-inson
Impressed I'm certainly not
When Husky and Labrador mate, or
Leading your owners awry
by all this absolute rot
otherwise act the Creator
But not such a prank
about me feeling bereft
the result isn't Lassie
For Penny and Frank
because I'd been left
or Haile Selassie,
With their vision of Husky stir fry.
when I was making for my yacht!
it's Oscar the Navigator!
James Trollope
Pauline Tee
Frank Parkinson
Oscar simply went for a stroll
It all seemed a terrible mess,
When my owners I eagerly sought
leaving behind his precious bowl.
We thought he was lost I confess.
I thought I'd prove them in tort
Now from far and wide
But the intelligent creature,
Lazy old mutt is what they say
we're penning with pride
Had a remarkable feature.
so off I went on my way
his adventures, straight from the soul.
His own built in GPS
to my home down on the port
Pauline Tee
Rodge & Marilyn Turner
Adrian Tee
The fame will go to your head
Now Oscar's a re-sourceful bugger,
While Oscar was left home alone
what an amazing dog, they said
Whilst his parents were off at the rugger,
fed up he decided to roam
"what's all the fuss
He hitched a ride
feeling hungry he thought
I'm not in a truss
To the sea-side,
he would head for the port
I think I'll just go to my bed"
He didn't want to be parted from muvver!!
for food at La Tramontane
Doreen Page
Lise Schwartz
Joan & John McKeown
They think escapology's over
Poor old Oscar was a sad little pooch
"Oscar for PM" is now the call
But deep down I'm still a rover
Abandoned he felt as he lay on his couche
as under his spell we one by one fall.
To Port Vendres I'll go
mais enfin, what a vie de chien!
From almost a zero
And if they don't show
Port-Vendres beckons, here I viens!
he's become a hero
I'll be off to my granny's near Dover
I'm off to La Tramontane, just in time for my amuse-bouche!
or is the story a little bit tall?
Pete & Sandra Wood
Marie-Claire Bacquet
Pauline Tee
Off to New Zealand we go
We put him somewhere safe and sound
Yes, Rodge and 'Lyn, I have GPS
to the sea and mountains with snow
when rugby drew us blighty-bound
which works OK more or less
"Oh that's what you think
but not happy at all
but once I was bent
I'll be there in a wink
he went over the wall
on Ashford Kent
I travelled to P.V, you know!"
and not till Port-Vendres was he found.
and it took me to Inverness.
Doreen Page
Penny & Frank
Adrian & Pauline Tee
F & P were at sixes and seven
Until tomorrow he’ll just keep moving on,
There once was a dashing young hound
thinking Oscar had gone to heaven
At the Kennel they’ve only just realised he’s gone,
who dashed off hoping not to be found
but as Penny cried
A hobo he is not,
but as he went to sup
Frank silently sighed
Hunger drives his plot,
he was rounded up
"Problem solved for 2011!"
La Tramontane, his favourite restaurant opens at one.
so dash it! he's now nailed to the ground
Pauline Tee
Chris Page
Pauline Tee
Oh Oscar the resourceful hound
With distraught owners searching the hills
We've had our winter trauma now
Escaped his kennels without making a sound
This old hound with the strongest of wills
(last year it was the pool and cow)
He decided for tea
Walked for miles for a steak
now we want a quiet life
To go to Port Vendres by the sea
and to La Tramontane he did wait
peace and quiet, without strife
And by the restaurant is where he was found.
For Frank and Penny to cover his bills.
- and if he goes again there'll be a row!!!
Jeanne Pilling
Jeanne Pilling
Frank Parkinson
They think I'm jailed - but now I'm free
'Oscar on his holidays; he felt his spirits flag
A wandering husky was he
they should know there's no stopping me.
Chasing bunnies all the day, was really quite a fag
as he wended his way to the sea.
Now again I've got my freedom!
He needed to be
All the way to Port-Vendres
Maps and charts - I don't need'em
In a French caff by the sea,
that's a long way to wand-re
I'll be there before them at the Quai.
Chewing bones from a posh doggy bag'
Do you wonder why he wandered - curiosity!!
Frank Parkinson
Penny Green
Jack Beaber
A sad lonely husky at last was inclined
Why did they find Oscar so far from his home?
When Oscar did set off for home
to look for his mistress, who'd left him behind.
What was the reason that caused him to roam?
Caixas was too far to roam
He was worn out in the search,
The answer's apparent
Port Vendres was nearest
exhausted. Left in a lurch
it's really inherent
to get to his Dearest
only the husk of a husky could she find.
he was lacking a Penny for the thoughts in his dome!
