Posted by Robert Hill on January 05, 2001 at 14:35:38 from 129.11.153.35:
In Reply to: COOT CLUB - observations part TWO posted by Ed Kiser on January 05, 2001 at 06:42:57:
Dogs and chocolate:
I recently heard (via some friends who know much more about dogs than I do)
of a dog which died because it had (without its owner's knowledge until too
late) eaten the contents of a box of chocolates. Apparently chocolate can
damage a dog's liver.
I have a vague idea that something called "dog chocolate" is produced
specially for (people to buy for) dogs. If it existed then, perhaps
that was what Mrs Barrable (I assume she is the speaker) meant.
I forget whether, in the context of this quotation, she was giving
shopping instructions to someone else, or just thinking aloud about what
she planned to buy herself. If the former, you'd expect her to be
more explicit.
Maybe AR was just unaware that chocolate is dangerous to dogs?
Pyjamas:
Probably not literally the woman's sleeping garments, but
something of similar style and maybe of flannelette or some such material.
I think Missee Lee is likewise described as wearing black silk pyjamas.
Reference to Wind in the Willows:
To that you could add Robinson Crusoe and several other books, stories,
poems etc. mentioned by several of the characters (especially Titty)
in many of the books (especially S&A).