My boat

Well now I know what a boat is! 

Me and my boat

After a very long 4 hour car journey - I was very good and only needed to stop once – we arrived at Swanley Bridge Marina and I was introduced to Mary H.  She floats on the water – clever stuff eh, I reckon I would probably sink – and is very long and narrow.  I wasn’t too sure about the big steps to get down into the cabin and had to have a helping hand.  I had a good nose around and once my bed and toys came on board I felt a bit happier.

There was a lot of toing and froing with all the things from the car and soon you couldn’t see the floor for bags and boxes.  Gradually they seemed to disappear and I could move around again.  We had to go shopping but of course I was left in the car – I’m sure I could smell treats in one of the bags J

 At bedtime I could see Ma and Pa getting ready but I wasn’t too sure where I was going to sleep but, surprise surprise, I was allowed to sleep in their room although on the floor in my bed.  I managed to sleep through till 5.30am when I really needed a pee and couldn’t hold it any longer.  Pa got up with me and we walked up the pontoon to a nice grassy area.  It was very cold and the water in the marina had gone hard but Pa said that it wouldn’t be a good idea to try and walk on it.  We both went back to bed and slept till 7.45am – late for me!

Today I met a very large white “dog” - well it looked like a dog to me but Ma said it was a swan.  It made a loud hissing noise and somehow made itself twice as big as it had been.  I really wanted to play but something made me decide not to – Ma said that was a good move.

I did it!

I was getting fed up with Ma laughing at my attempts to get my short legs up the big steps onto the deck and have finally worked out how to get up – I have to take a run at it!

Apparently this afternoon “we are going out” – goodness knows what that means but I have had a fitting for my harness and the boat hook is at hand – it’s a bit worrying really. 

Excitement

There is something going on in the house today - lots of activity with Ma and Pa putting things on the floor by the front door.  However I just don't understand why when I grab something and move it to a more convenient place for me, they don't like it.

Apparently tomorrow is the big day though I will have to put up with being in the car for three and a half hours which I don't really like the sound of.

I keep hearing the word BOAT and I'm getting fed up of being told that I am finally going to be a boat dog.  What is a boat???  Can anyone please help me?

Spa Day

I went to see Aunty Shelley again on Friday.  I wasn’t too sure what was going on but I had a lot of photos taken just before we left home.  Last time I went I mooched around AS’s shed – it’s a bit like Pa’s with lots of machines and I wasn’t too sure what they were for.  I now know!!  There is a bath and a table that I was made to stand on whilst my hair was all trimmed.  I was a bit miffed that Ma left me with AS – I’ve told her before that I don’t like being left but AS was very nice to me and I did reward her with lots of kisses.  It was very tiring having to lift paws up then stand on my back legs then roll over.  Still I guess it was rather nice really and I have to admit that I did feel rather relaxed afterwards.

Before

Ma came back for me, thank goodness, there is only so much pampering that a pooch can take.  She couldn’t believe her eyes when she saw the handsome puppy that greeted her, she said that I looked more like the baby that they had collected six weeks before. 

It was raining when we left AS’s and, do you know what, I was made to walk back to the car – what would have happened if I had got my feet dirty?



After

 

Pa was well impressed with my new look and I strutted my stuff round the kitchen to show him the whole effect.  The cats seemed rather underwhelmed by the new me – but hey who cares??

Apparently I have to go to see AS every few weeks to keep myself looking this good – I think I can just about cope with it!

Caravanning in the Cotswolds

What an exhausting few days but great fun. I’ve now met my cousin Niamh who, to be quite honest, is rather miserable L I’m told that she is 13 so I guess I have to make allowances but there really is no need to snarl at me all the time! However she does like to run around so I joined in and as long as I didn’t get too close she didn’t seem to mind.

The source of the River Thames

 

Once again I was allowed to sleep up on the bed in the caravan but I did hear rumours that next time it might have to be on the floor as I am growing so fast.  I only had to get up once each night which is a great improvement on last time.

On our first day we went to Cirencester where I walked round the town – my first trip to a town and, I have to say, I didn’t really like it much.  After that we went to find the source of the River Thames – as if I really cared but there was a lovely field to run about in and I had a little paddle too.

 Broadway Tower

The next day we went to see a tower near Broadway, it wasn’t much fun as I had to stay on my lead which was a shame as the field looked really inviting.  Next was Bourton on the Water where we did a walk round the village which wasn’t really up my street but there were some nice smells.  Niamh has explained smells to me and, I have to admit, some are very interesting. 
 

Lunch time at Bourton on the Water

I didn’t like the caravan site much as there were lots of caravans there and I wasn’t allowed to wander around as I did last time.  I kept forgetting and would be rudely interrupted on my walkabout and taken back to the caravan.  
Still I really enjoyed my few days and I understand that our next trip away will be to our narrowboat – whatever that might be!

Busy Busy

I bet you have all been wondering where I was - but I have been so busy recently that I just haven't had time to sit down and write.  However we are off caravanning again so I've pinched Ma's tablet and decided to catch up on my blog.

Life has been a round of walks, visitors, games and sleeps (oh and some sun bathing).  I still don't get the whole walk thing, I'm dragged out of the nice warm house and expected to enjoy myself - they keep telling me that I should be running about and sniffing things - why???  Still Ma and Pa seem to enjoy it.

I've been out visiting - mostly other dogs which usually means lots of rough and tumbles, exhausting but fun. The photo is of Me and Minnie, a rather large Dogue de Bordeaux puppy who is in fact only 5 weeks older than me!  I have also been playing with Zara who is much more my size and is a miniature long hair dachshund. We have had visitors too - I met my granny for the first time last week

I'm now a dab hand with a ball and love chasing after it and bringing it back.  We also have a football though my game is noseball as I find it quite hard to kick it.

I like to spend time in Pa's shed, there are all sorts of things to play with in there though most of them are taken from me when I grab them. However a really good game is pinching bits of sandpaper and running off with them.

I have a new bed in the study now as Ma kept running over my toes with her chair as I used to lie right behind her.  It’s really comfy and great for stretching out on.

So my next blog will be about our caravanning trip – so watch this space!