On Sunday, my dachshund Dave turned 9. Normally, this is the age when your dog has seen it all: in Dave’s case, her* first snow in Russia and air temperature dropping down to -35 degrees Celsius, white sandy beaches and massive sea waves on the northern shore of France, and her fair share of tweed blazers and green wellingtons around parks of West London. At this point, she has no time for my silly games and animated long monologues – she has things to do, like yawn, nap, and munch. Although, there are some things that are guaranteed to get her excited: a sunny day, a lovely warm jumper, and a certain blue tennis ball.

*Dave is a girl but that is a story I shall share another time.

Dave started her day with a brisk and energetic trot around our neighbourhood. Ah, who am I kidding?! Dave started her day with a slice of fully ripe camembert, infused with truffle oil and a hint of walnut extract, closely followed by a long nap. But it was her birthday, so don’t judge me.

Then we went for a walk around the block.

I love discovering new shades of yellow and red every day on the trees lining up our street.

As is traditional, I make sure my frock matches the ambience.

At the park, Dave was proudly showing her new squirrel jumper to Shaker, her playmate.

Shaker looks duly impressed, don’t you think?

But then our friend Po (not her real name) called asking if Dave and I would like to join her in Greenwich. Exploring new areas of London and taking a few pictures? Yes, please!

Obviously, Dave and Po are on a first-name basis.

In fact, Dave thinks that Po’s arms are the best place for a snooze.

Dave napped happily all the way to Greenwich. When we arrived, the sky greeted us with gorgeous blue and orange lines.

Having strolled along the river for a bit, we found Cutty Sark Tavern — a beautiful riverside pub serving great British grub and local beers.

(The following pictures are from the Internet, I was all snapped out by this point).

The pub welcomed us with the desired warmth, huge plates of roast chicken, and our first mulled wine of the season!

So… Do you think Dave celebrated her birthday in style?