Week 77 - 80

10-Jul-2011

Week 77

Thursday 28th October

 Jennie brought me home two days ago. I was pleased to see mum and the house, but I have had a jolly good time. Mum’s washing and ironing, how boring is that. I moved a few socks around the house and some of her underwear, but you can only do that so many times and then you look for something else that’s entertaining. It was nice to find some of my toys again so I de-stuffed my new boris.

Friday 29th

Gill came over today and mum and her talked about their next trip which is only in a couple of weeks time. They are off to north Africa. Hey, what about me?

Saturday 30th

It was Ed’s birthday while we were all on holiday and so tonight Ed was taken out to dinner at an Italian restaurant and Helen and mum went too. I was left on my own and I didn’t even get a doggy bag.

Sunday 31st

I was up at my normal time today and mum shouted go back to bed it’s far too early. How can it be too early, I always start to bark at 7.00am, I think her clock is wrong because she said it is only 6.00am.

Last night the clocks changed. Changed into what? I do not understand how it can be dinner time yesterday and not dinner time at the same time today? Are you kidding me? Is this a plot to put me on a diet? Everything in my world is late today.

Halloween, and mum was off to Dunstable to take a ghost walk. I went to Helen and Ed’s house and then I went in their car to see Jennie, Paul and Scott. Danielle was there too, home from university and I had to apologise because whilst I was staying here last week I accidentally chewed something up that was hers.

It was Danielle’s birthday yesterday and so we had a bit of a party. Just before dinner, which I have to say was a roast and really yummy, mum arrived and so all my favourite people were there. What a great day.

Monday November 1st

Tried getting up at my normal time again today and got shouted at again. I suppose I will have to adjust my body-clock.

I had the afternoon with Helen because mum was off to Dunstable again to talk about the medieval project that she wants to start.

Tuesday November 2nd

I spent most of the day with Brian next door today. Mum and Helen went to a family funeral and I must say they looked very smart when they went off. I had a good day with Brian and in the evening Steve came round and he plays with me all the time when he is there.

Week 78 Thursday November 4th

Straight after our walk this morning we got into the car and off we went with Helen. First stop was the handbag shop at Desborough where I was left in the car outside. I made such a noise that mum found it necessary to apologise in the shop for my behaviour. Why is it that they need more handbags? I know Ed would agree with me that they have enough,

Then we drove to see Mick and Dorothy at Market Harborough. Mick has bought a new laptop and mum and Helen are going to sort it out for him and set it up with wi-fi. I couldn’t help Helen with the technical bits, but I helped mum dismantle the old one and sort out all the wires. I thought it was quite a good game when my legs got tangled in all the leads. Every time mum got down on the floor I gave her a kiss and tried to see what she was doing. She said that it always takes her much longer to do a job when I help. Well, what else has she got to do? Are we in a rush to get things done? No!

We stayed for lunch and I got some too. It was a chicken casserole today.

Friday 5th

Today mum went shopping and left her bags on the kitchen floor. I found a new toy hidden in the bottom of one of the bags. I expect she would have given it to me, but I just saved her a job. It is a little man, but quite small with nice sticking out arms and legs and wearing a red coat and a beard. He has a bag that has now come apart as have one of the legs. Mum said something about a waste of £3 and it should have been for Christmas!  I think it is nice to have an early Christmas present. I like regular presents, one at a time, not lots at once because then I don’t know which one to play with first.

Saturday 6th November

Last night and tonight there were lots of fireworks going off all around our house. I watched some with mum and she told me the story of Guy Fawkes trying to blow up the houses of parliament. Somebody split on the plotters and they had to make a run for it. They had fresh horses waiting for them in Dunstable so they could quickly get out of London and go north. How exciting racing north on a horse, being chased by soldiers.

Now when we want to go somewhere we just get in the car and go, and the car can go all day. Before cars were invented we rode on a horse, or we had to run on our own legs. So if you wanted to go on a very long journey you had to arrange to change your horses every few miles as the horses got worn out. If I had been born before cars were invented would I have ridden on a horse? Or would I have had to run next to the horse? My legs are not that long and I hope that I would have sat on the saddle behind mum.  Then I could still whisper in her ear just as I do now when we are in the car.

Sunday 7th November

More fireworks today, some are quite pretty, some are a bit too loud, but we put the television on so we couldn’t hear them tonight.

Monday 8th November

What a dreadful day. It was not just raining today it was just like someone throwing a bucket of water over you that never emptied. I looked out of the back door this morning and before I realised what the situation was I had walked out on the patio. I did a very smart turn round and walked back in again. I went straight to the front door and looked out and it was raining out there too.

With our coats on and turned up around our ears mum and I set off for our walk. She said we looked as if we were going to the Arctic on a real expedition. I have to say it felt like it. The wind was in our faces and the rain just fell down. Once we were out in it I thought we may as well go for our normal walk, but mum said no when I headed off for Bancroft, and we just went round the block.  We did not see any of our friends. It was the same in the afternoon, round the block and not a friend in sight. Where are they? The slightest hint of bad weather and they all hibernate.

Tuesday 9th November

Thank goodness we did our normal walk today.

Wednesday 10th

A much better start today. We bumped into Tess, my best girlfriend who is a Manchester terrier, and then Troy who is a husky, and we all walked, actually we ran round in circles mainly, to the concrete cows and back again. Mum did about three miles and I think I did about ten. What a great day.

Then mum went out to lunch with some friends and she had not been gone long when Brian who lives next door came and rescued me. I had a good sleep on the rug and mum fetched me in the afternoon. After our walk and a cup of tea with Helen I went back and had a play with Steve for a couple of hours. Should sleep well tonight.

Week 79 Thursday 11th

I have managed to move my body-clock round now, and so I started to bark at spot on 7.00am this morning. Mum really did not want to get up this morning because it was dark and miserable and raining again. But I do find that if I persist with the barking she does give in and lets me into her room. Then it is all systems go and before long we are downstairs and the back door is opened for me to have a first wee up the garden. On Monday I learned to look out before putting one of my paws outside and so today I saw the rain and all the wet on the patio and I did not even walk to the door. I did persuade mum on our walk to go to Bancroft and along by the river but not one  friend was there.

Friday 12

We did a bit of cleaning today. When I say we, I mean of course that I helped in my usual way. I grabbed the duster and mum yelled. I ran off with it and she chased me. Good game.

Saturday 13th/ Sunday 14th

There are not too many people around at 7.30am in the park today. This is because it is Saturday and everyone else in the world stays in bed a little longer. Why would I want to do that? I like to have my walk, then my breakfast and then after a little play a nap. Frequent naps are much better than one long sleep. I don’t sleep too deeply, because I need to know if mum is on the move. If she goes upstairs I try to race her up to the top and stand on the landing. Sometimes I stop half way up and sit on the stair and she cannot get past. It is all good fun.

Mum decided that she wanted to measure me. I am about 20inches to the top of my back from the floor and over 25 inches to the top of my head. These figures are a bit approximate as the tape measure was an interesting new thing to walk about with. It trails behind me on the floor and the metal bit on the end makes a nice noise.

We went to Gill’s for lunch.

Monday, 15th – Wednesday 17th

Mum has had a busy week and so have I. I spent Monday with Helen, some of Tuesday on my own which was not so good and then on Wednesday Anita arrived and Gill came round. Tomorrow Gill, Anita and mum are going on a trip to Morocco and I am off to stay with Helen and Ed.

Thursday 18th November

Lots of commotion today, there are suitcases everywhere, Mum and Anita seem to be very busy and there is talk that Gill is coming round as well. All I know is that Helen is coming to see me as Mum said so.

Helen arrived with Jennie so I was very happy to see them, apart from they wouldn't come in the house, apparently we were going out in the car, I got in and settled down, but something at the back of my mind was thinking should I have stayed and found out what was really going on at home.

We had a long drive and arrived in Gloucester to see Paulene, I've been here before she has two cats and a nice garden, we stayed for a while and had lunch out at a pub, although I had to stay in the car. We then had a long drive back home but we sent straight to Helen's and all my things were there, how did they manage that. Looks like I'm staying for a while.

Helen has bought me a new big fluffy bed in front of the fire, it's so cosy.

Friday 19th November

Helen got up and said she was going to work, this is not right, Helen doesn't work, I am so confused. Off she went and left me on my own, well I was not happy and I cried until I heard her car door shut then I went off and curled up and went to sleep, but don't tell anyone.

Three hours later Helen came home and said that was it until Wednesday for work, apparently she has volunteered with a local charity for 2 mornings a week and she calls that work, I bet Ed has something to say on that front.

Helen and I had a deep and meaningful conversation today about sleeping arrangements, apparently she cannot put up with me barking at the door and then leaping onto the bed when Ed gets up at 4.30 in the morning. Tonight we are re-evaluating the sleeping arrangements, I know I will win, they are such push over's.

Saturday 20th November

Work up in a nice warm bed between Helen and Ed, have I got it made, also I didn't get up until they were both up and dressed, just in case someone came back to bed. I stay in bed until around 10am here, don't tell mum as she would be mad. The difference is that Ed lets me up the garden about 4.30 in the morning, so I am not desperate at 7, this way we all get a good lie in especially me.

Monday 22nd November

Helen put on her coat and my lead and off we went, but this time instead of going for a walk, I say walk loosely here, I do the hard bit and walk, Helen has this sit on scooter that she rides about on for long distances, it always takes me a few days to be really happy with this, but I now walk next to it and she can go really fast and I have to run to keep up.

Anyway I digress, we actually got into the car and went into town, we went to my favorite shop, Pets at Home. I'm allowed in here and love it, we walked all around the shop and I tried a few morsels and met some lovely dogs. I have to say that most of the dogs that come here are very sociable and quite spoilt, they always seem happy that there mums and dads are spending money on them buying them all kinds of goodies.

Helen was trying to explain to me why we were here, but I didn't understand, so we went to pay and I went to head outside but Helen went to this machine, she stood there for ages touching this big screen and then putting in very large coins into it, we then stood and waited while it made a noise. After a few minutes she showed me this bright chrome bone shape and she said that it had my name and mums mobile phone number on it, and that when we get home she will put it onto my harness.

All became apparent when Ed got home, last night he had attached the lead to a little ring where my old tag was and it had come off in the dark somewhere, Helen then told him that he had cost them a lot of money getting it replaced, well I did have to have a new toy and some treats and pigs ears whilst we were there.

  One of my new toys, it didn't last long.

Friday 26th November

Have settled into a great routine of sleeping, I have to say Helen's bungalow is far warmer than our house, I find myself asleep on their bed watching traffic with my eyes closed, I got this from Ed, he apparently watches television with his eyes closed. Well that is what he says to Helen every time she tries to get the remote control and turn the television over.

I make a nice little nest at the foot of the bed and then settle down and watch the world go by. I do miss this when I go home because no-one walks past my house as we live at the end of a close. I think I would drive mum mad anyway as I bark at every one who walks or drives past. Helen calls me mouthy but I am just shouting good morning to everyone.

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