Hey - I'm back!!

Hi Fans it's me again.  We have met some people recently who asked me why I don't blog any more - well I'm usually too busy to bother with it and also it is so hard to get to Ma's laptop as she is always using it but I've just discovered where she keeps her iPad so I'm having a go on that but it's very slow progress - I prefer a keyboard.

The big news is that I am in training - no not for a marathon or a triathlon I could do one of those easily I am so fit.  No Ma and Pa are training me - ha ha ha!!!!  They had a lady come to see us cos I just don't like being left on my own and she reckons that when they have finished training me I will be OK on my tod - ha little do they know!!

You see I just don't like being on my own.  It's not too bad when I have the run of the house I just bark a bit - well all the time really.  But they will insist on leaving me in the utility room on my bed

without the bed

and I ate my way out of a crate

you'd have thought they would have got the message by now but no, they have to get this woman in who thinks she knows better than me!  I'll show them.

The latest craze is trying to get me to fetch the ball.  OK so I enjoy chasing the ball but for goodness sake why do I have to drop the ball at her feet??  However she has started giving me bits of sausage if I at least get the ball near her feet - I know I can do what she wants but it's good fun to play dumb sometimes.  This is what I like to do with a ball. 

Pa has decided that I must walk closer to him when I am on the lead - he calls it heel.  I know he has a heel but I don't.  I like to sniff as we walk along which sometimes does mean that the lead isn't long enough so why not get a longer lead instead of buying something out of a torture chamber.  This horrid thing goes over my nose and I don't like it one bit - it hurts, well maybe I'm just being a cissy but it ain't nice.  I tried to take it off but it won't come off so I am having to walk close to his heel when it's on.  These humans are so stupid sometimes.

I keep hearing the words "when we get home we will do this".  I love being at home but I'm not sure what is in store for me.  I'll keep you updated.

I have sad news - since I last blogged both Niamhy and Banjo died.  I'm not sure what that means but they aren't here any more.  We spent some time during the summer with the Biscuit Boat and cos they don't have biscuits any more Diane got me some treats and I was allowed one a day - but if I smiled at her nicely sometimes I got two.  I hope we see them again soon.

Anyway I must stop now and catch up on my sleep - its been a busy day overseeing lock operation.  I will be back with more updates on my so called training - ha ha ha!

The River Soar and the Leicester Line

Oh boy have I been having fun :-) 

On our first day back on the boat we were moored up by a lock when another boat came along and moored in front of us.  I’m always interested to see if there is a dog on board but was a bit taken aback when off hopped another apricot cockapoo!  Banjo is a bit smaller than me and a lot older but he is still good fun. Ma and Pa seemed to get on well with Banjo’s M & P who are Diane and Ray so we have been cruising together ever since.

Me writing my blog

Banjo is really cool as he came from Australia on an airplane – ALL BY HIMSELF!  I’m sure I would have squeaked all the way but he said he just slept though he did get very lonely.  Since arriving in England he has lived on NB Ferndale (otherwise known as the Biscuit Boat - but more of that later!)

We went to Leicester but Ma was poorly so we didn’t go exploring much but Pa and I enjoyed the park where we were moored.  Next stop was a place called Kilby Bridge where we met up with more friends.  Fiona and John know Ma and Pa from before they got me.  I like Fiona as she reads my blog and even gave me a link in her famous blog which hundreds of people read – FAME at last :-)  She called me a “teenage blogging dog”.  It’s only polite to reciprocate Ma says (not sure what that means and Ma has done it for me as I’m not that clever) but here is Fiona’s blog NB Epiphany. 

 

RIP Bear

We were also caught up by Mike on NB Isobel and he cruised with us for a few days. 

Pa wasn’t well (he had caught Ma’s bug) but Ma decided to go it alone and go on.  Ray and I did the locks while Ma and Diane steered the boats – she managed very well occasionally jumping off and the bottom of the lock and running up the steps!  Pa felt a bit better in the afternoon so he steered and Ma helped Ray and I with the locks.

Ma bought me a raincoat

I thought we were never going to stop that day but suddenly we found a lovely mooring spot, tied up and waited for Ferndale and Isobel to join us.  The humans had a BBQ but they wouldn’t let me join in but, to be honest, I was so exhausted that I nodded off whilst watching the cooking.  Banjo was pretty knackered too.

So why the Biscuit Boat I hear you ask.  Well Ray is a really nice man and he was giving me biscuits – lots of biscuits (doggy ones of course).  I would much rather be on their boat than Mary H as there are only biscuits at bedtime on here.  Trouble is that I don’t always want my dinner which worries Ma and do you know what - she has asked Ray not to give me any more – spoil sport.

 

Just posing

Another good game is to go onto Ferndale and nip down below and see if Banjo’s food has been left on the floor – it’s much more interesting than mine.  But Diane and Ray have got wise to my fun and have either been lifting the food off the floor or shutting the doors. 

Banjo and I have been playing – well up to a point.  He is a bit like Niamhy – old and a bit boring.  We do have some games but he soon lets me know when he has had enough.

Me and Banjo on Ferndale

Banjo fell in the canal the other day.  Silly dog tried to jump back on Ferndale from the towpath as she went passed and missed – you would have thought at 12 he would know better. 

We did two flights of locks where I wasn’t allowed off the boat which I thought was a bit mean – the lock keeper said I could get off on my lead but where is the fun in that.

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.