River Soar

Oooo I likes rivers!  There is something about this river which is really nice.  It doesn’t seem to be too busy and the locks are fun – you can get 2 boats in them so quite often there were other people around too.

Our first night appeared to be in the middle of nowhere and I was allowed to run around until Ma and Pa realised that I was eating cow poo so they tied me up – spoilsports!  Our next night was good too as Ma and Pa took me for a very long walk and I managed to find more cow poo to eat J

A Lassapoo

I found two new friends. One was a Lassapoo who Ma thought was beautiful – I sulked for ages after that.  The next was another Cockapoo and she was well nice but we were both on our leads in a pub garden so we weren’t able to play very well.

 

Izzy the Cockapoo

Pa hired a car and we went to see Niamhy which was fun – she still won’t really play with me though but we did think up a game where she stands in the middle of the garden and barks and I run round and round her!  BUT Ma and Pa went off and left me with AP and UJ which I thought was a bit much.  They are very nice people but I did miss Ma and Pa.  However UJ saved the day as he left my bag of goodies on the floor and I was able to eat all the food that Ma had packed for me (including the plastic dishes) and 4 Dentistix – I have to say I did feel a bit sick after that.

When Ma and Pa came back we went for a lovely walk on Exmouth beach.  Niamhy came too and really seemed to enjoy herself.  I had great fun and made lots of new friends and even went into the sea up to my tummy.  Ma and Pa were really pleased with me as every time they called me I went back to them – I was a bit worried that I might get left on the beach but I didn’t tell them that.

 

Do you think my legs look a bit
short in this photo??

I did get into trouble at AP’s though as I cocked my leg and peed in their bedroom and the living room.  I knew I shouldn’t be doing it but I thought if I was really naughty AP and UJ wouldn’t want me to stay again.  I’m really sorry AP – Ma has told me off and I won’t do it again.

Then it was back to the boat – yippee!

Trent & Mersey Canal

Now this is my sort of canal with quite a few locks spread out so I can have a doze between them before supervising Ma’s operation of the locks.

However I fell in again.  Ma was steering and Pa was walking with me but I really wanted to be on the boat with Ma and decided to jump aboard but somehow I misjudged the distance between the bank and the boat and plopped into the canal.  I was determined to get to the boat and swam like mad after it but realised that my little legs couldn’t doggy paddle fast enough so gave up and let myself be fished out of the water by Pa.  I don’t know how I managed to miss the boat - maybe I need specs, who knows.

We spent three days doing a lot of cruising which was really boring – thank goodness there were a few locks.

Me posing

One day we went to the pub and met Fred and Lisa who I had met before.  The four of them were drinking and chatting but didn’t seem to realise that my dinner time had been and gone!!  It’s a wonder they couldn’t hear my tummy rumbling.  Then they got some food – for THEMSELVES L  It was about 9pm when we got back to the boat for my dinner – I have never eaten so fast in my life!

 

Next stop was a water park where there was a “doggie dipping” area but I wasn’t allowed to even put my paw in as it was really dirty.  However it was a lovely place to explore and I almost lost Ma and Pa as I ran off with another dog and when I turned round they weren’t there.  I ran back down the towpath but still no sign of them – then I remembered that they were sitting looking over the water park so I ran through the undergrowth and found them – phew!!

 

 

I then had a boring few days as we didn’t move on and Ma disappeared for a day – she came back though J  However Ma had some nice lady visitors who made a big fuss of me and Val brought me some doggie biscuits – you can come again Val J

We left the Trent and Mersey Canal and went out onto the River Trent – that was fun as we sped along with the tide under us – well that’s how it seemed but all too soon we were on the River Soar – but more of that later.

Macclesfield Canal

Most of this canal has been very boring as there weren’t many locks and you know how much I like locks.

I got into mega trouble the other day as I chased a bird and actually caught it in the long grass.  I was so proud of myself but when I took it back to Pa he was cross and said that I had killed it L  My Mum was a gun dog and she told me how to take birds back and said that they were always dead but she omitted to tell me that they had been shot and were already dead.  Well you live and learn.

I've got a new toy

 We went into Macclesfield – yet another dull and dreary town – to have a look round.  Oh how I hate towns but there was a good side to this one as we found a market stall selling pet stuff and Ma bought me two nice chewy bones.

We have finally done some more locks and I had great fun – Ma was in a good mood which made it even better.  I was exhausted by the time we got to the bottom – I’m obviously out of practice!

Ma kept on disappearing on a train, she came back again but never with anything for me.  She said that one time she had to go and get some glasses to replace the others I chewed when we were at home.

 

Just chillin'

Ma and Pa took me to a river and tried to make me swim again – why don’t they just give up???  They spent ages finding sticks and throwing them in the water – if I could get them without going out of my depth then I brought them back but I’m not that stupid to see that sometimes they seem to throw them just that little bit further.

So another canal ticked off in my little book.  The next one is the Trent and Mersey.

Peak Forest Canal

Yet another canal – however they all look the same to me.

We moved up to Bugsworth Basin which seemed very nice – we moored in a very quiet place and I was able to get on and off the boat as I pleased.  We went for a walk on our first night there and guess what?  I fell in the canal again!  This time I just wasn’t watching what I was doing – I was chasing a crisp bag and somehow missed my footing.  Of course no-one noticed that I was thrashing around in the water for some time then M & P noticed I was missing, turned round and Pa rushed back and pulled me out.  I have to admit that I was rather unimpressed with myself :-(  However I did make a new friend – Teddy.  He is a mini-me and is 4 months old, we had a great time and I wanted to play for longer but of course the humans didn’t! 

 

Me and Mini-Me

 

Pa hired a car and we all went off exploring.  At one place we went down a lot of steps into a dark and cold place which I now know was a mine.  We went on a boat which I didn’t really like as it was a bit scary but I sat on Pa’s lap wrapped in a towel which did make it a bit better.  Otherwise the day was very boring – in and out of the car and nowhere to have a good run.

 

Me after falling in

The next day M & P decided we would drive home – the roads were very twisty and I’m sorry to say that I was sick – I don’t mind motorways and nice straight roads but I hate the windy ones.

Me and Yoyo playing

It was quite nice to be at home again as I saw Aunty Vix and Yoyo (Millie is still a stuck up wotsit and won’t play).  I don’t get enough attention while I am at home so I had another go and pinching things and running around with them – I didn’t think much to the apricot I took from the kitchen table though!  I did get into trouble for stealing Ma’s glasses though – apparently she has got to have new ones – don’t know what’s wrong with a pair with a twisted arm and only one lens though!

 

Yoyo does get tired quickly

Our trip home was only a short one and we were soon heading back to Mary H.  I just love being on the boat as there is always something to look at and I get lots of walks 

Home is boring

I’ve come to the conclusion that I would much rather be on the boat than at home.  Somehow I seem to get overlooked at home :-) Pa always takes me out for a walk in the mornings but after that everyone seems to be so busy.  One day Ma went out then Pa went out, leaving me of course, then Ma came home and went out again.  Then they had the nerve to go out again in the evening – it’s not on really.

Still the good parts were that I got to see Aunty Vix again and of course Yoyo and Millie.  Mille has become rather brave and isn’t running away from me so much – hmm I think I need to work on my scaring skills a bit more.  Yoyo, of course, just wants to play and we had some good games in the garden.

 

Posing

Granny and Uncle Richard came to stay for a few days – silly Uncle Richard will leave things lying around the place then gets upset when I pick them up and expect a game of chase.

One day Ma and Pa had a big barbecue.  No one was really taking much notice of me and I discovered that if I got underneath the barbecue I could eat all the fat from their food as it dripped onto the ground – yummy!  Only trouble was it made me smell horribly of burgers L  One of the visitors doesn’t understand puppies as she left her plate on the sofa and went to get a bread roll – that chicken joint was just too tempting and I whipped it before anyone noticed.  Sadly it was noticed that I was chewing something that looked like a chicken leg and it was taken from me.  The lady then realised that she was missing a chicken leg – hehehe!

 

A new toy

It was very hot at home and I really didn’t know where to lie.  Aunty Vix got out a paddling pool – I don’t mind getting my feet wet but they kept on thinking that I should like down in the water – WHAT!

Trying to drink out of the fish pond

I had a trip to AS and now sport a posh new haircut – it does make things cooler thank goodness.  Apparently I still smell of burgers though.

The ten days did seem to go quite quickly though but now we are on our way back to the boat – the only trouble is that it’s still VERY hot.

Huddersfield Narrow Canal

As you can see from the title of this entry I am now really up on canal names.  It would appear that we are going to be away this time for about 6 weeks and will be doing a lot of canals.

The boat was really hot when we got back to it and it was even worse the next day as Pa disappeared off and left Ma and I to fry on the boat.  Pa came back with visitors – Niamhy along with Aunty Penny and Uncle Jim.  I love having visitors but AP and Niamh disappeared off again but left Uncle Jim. 

Help I'm stuck!

We then spent two days going through lots of locks most of which I was allowed to help at.  Thankfully the weather got cooler otherwise I don’t think I could have taken the pace.  I got chance to play with a few other dogs but more often than not I was quickly caught and put on my lead as soon as another dog was in sight – why can they always see other dogs before me??

Naimhy joined us again – I do love her but she will snarl at me and I get the feeling that she doesn’t really love me L  Oh of course Aunty Penny came too!

The revs looks about right to me

We had to go through a very long tunnel and I have never been so frightened in my life.  I wasn’t allowed on the back deck with Pa – I had to sit at the front with Ma.  It was very dark, noisy and cold and I whined until Ma realised that I wasn’t happy.  She got a towel and wrapped me up and cuddled me until I felt better.  The tunnel was 3 miles long and it took an hour and a half to go through – I thought it would never end but suddenly there was daylight again – phew!

Is it safe to get off?

I fell in the canal today – I guess it was my own fault as I tried to jump from the bank onto the boat and missed!  However I almost made it but not quite and hit my face on the side of the boat before crashing into the water.  I swam to the side (yes I actually swam) and Pa pulled me out.  I didn’t make a big fuss as, I have to admit, I was rather ashamed of myself.  There were no warm towels and sympathy for me – great parents I have eh? 

More time on the canals

Gosh where did the last four weeks go to?! One minute I was writing my blog saying that we were going back to the boat and now we are home again. 

We have all got into a good routine aboard Mary H.  I sleep at the bottom of Ma and Pa's bed and can now read the clock and know that 7.30 am is time to get up.  Some mornings my tummy seems to be rumbling a bit too early but I always get told to get back in my bed :-(  My breakfast is the first thing on the agenda - at least they have got that right! We then all go back to bed with tea - well I don't have tea though if I can get my snout into a mug of tea I will drink it.  We are usually up and about around 8.30 am and I go out for a pee.  After breakfast Pa takes me for my constitutional as he calls it.  Meanwhile Ma gets showered and dressed and then we are off.  Most days I'm allowed to help at the locks but sometimes I'm told that I can't as it’s either too busy or there is a road nearby.  I love locks - there are usually lots of good smells and sometimes there are things to play with like a plastic bottle or a clump of reeds.

 

I'm now a proper boater's dog

Anyway down to what I have been up to.  We went on a very big boat lift which took us from the canal down to a river.  It was a bit scary really dropping 50 feet in the boat!  We went on a bus to a folk festival - I quite enjoyed the music even when the man banged his drum right beside me.  We moored up for three nights at Northwich where I met Izzy who is a bichon frise.  She could get out between the railings of her owners fence and we played chase up and down for ages - perhaps I need to watch my weight as I couldn’t get through the railings.

We went into Manchester - oh boy was that boring.  I had to stay on my lead all the time and we seemed to go on a lot of buses.  The best part was that Pa found some sand and I really enjoyed playing in that.  We had five nights in the rotten old city - Ma liked it but Pa and I didn't.  Coming out of Manchester there were lots of locks to do and it was pouring with rain.  I helped with the first twelve locks but started to get tired and I was very wet so I went on the boat with Pa.  I started to shiver and I heard Ma say that she is going to get me a raincoat - that should be interesting.

 

One of my friends

We got back out into the country and I was able to enjoy myself again - there was lots of goose poo to eat but the killjoys made me stay on the boat so all I could do was look at it longingly.

I learnt a bit more about computers. Ma was working on her iPad when I heard Aunty Vix - I ran to the door but she wasn't there so I ran back through the boat but till couldn't find her - but I could still hear her. Ma said that it was FaceTime and if I had stopped rushing around and looked at the iPad I would have seen her - honestly does Aunty Vix live in an iPad? I don't think so.

 

Hey this bottle is empty!

We went to Hebden Bridge which I thought looked boring but in fact was a good place as there was a park next to where we were moored and each evening Pa took me and the football and we had great fun.  We went on yet another bus - I quite like buses really as I sit on a knee and look out of the window.  While we were in Hebden Bridge Ma discovered that I hadn't got enough food to last until we got home - oh boy did I panic.  I could hear them discussing whether or not to cut my food down or go and find a pet shop - my thought transferences obviously worked as Ma went shopping :-)

Somehow I managed to fall in the canal again - well that sounds a bit dramatic really.  I slipped down between a moored boat and the bank - goodness knows how I did it but I only got wet up to my waist again, I did break my harness though.

Our last night on the boat was spent beside a very big playing field and both Ma and Pa took me noseballing.  Memo to self - check with Roy Hodgson to see if there is an opening in the England squad for me.

It's hot up here Ma

I've had a great time though it has been very hot the last few days but I daren't go down below in the cool in case I miss something up on deck!

So we are now home for ten days - I wonder if there is anything exciting planned?