Special day

Mum says today is a special day because it only happens once every four years.  Well, I don't know about you but our day has been pretty much the same as usual so far so I can't see what's quite so special about it.  Perhaps we'll get something special for dinner?

Two seasons

For some of my friends, especially Fergus and Max, the year is split into two seasons - one during the winter for working and the other the rest of the year which is the 'chance to go away for the weekend' season.  Murphy and I don't do the first season, but for us I think the second season has arrived.  Our mobile kennel (or caravan as Mum insists on calling it) has been packed away in storage all winter, but it came home at the weekend for a wash (by Dad) and is sitting on the drive as I write. 

Murphy and I have been to check that everything we left in it last year is still there - our dinner and water bowls, towels, couple of toys etc. and they were, so that's all fine as long as Mum remembers we need to pack food too.  A boy can't live by toys alone!

Phew, what a day!

Yesterday was what I think you might call a 'full on' day and it was great.  Firstly, in the middle of the morning the doorbell rang and it turned out to be Aunty Debbie,  which was a surprise for me though not for Mum as she seemed to be expecting her.  She disappeared again very quickly and then suddenly was back in the garden with my best-est friend Dougal!  I was so surprised and excited that I have to admit I had a little accident on the kitchen floor, but Mum said not to worry, so I didn't and went out to play.

I only saw Dougal last week, so it was a real treat to see him again so soon and we had a great game chasing around the garden whilst the humans had tea and cake.  After our game, Dougal and I retired for a rest, so Mum and Aunty Debbie took Murphy along with Duggie, Fergus and Max (who I hadn't realised had also come to visit) out for a walk around the village.  When they came back it was time for us to head off to see Charlotte for our lesson.

I introduced Dougal to Percy and they hit it off straight away playing a game of chase.  Percy is so quick though, Dougal didn't quite catch him.  After a few minutes of fun, it was down to work - we did some heel work and sits then went into one of the bigger fields for some hunting training.  It was great fun watching the other two have ago and then it was my turn to snuffle through some quite tall and prickly stuff, stopping when Mum made one beep on her whistle, turning with two and returning to her when she made lots of noise.  She did try to make me sit down in some very prickly stuff at one point - I didn't sit, but she was still very pleased with me.  When it was my turn again something felt very different and then I realised   ......  I didn't have my long line on!!  I worked really hard and did everything Mum told me to and because I did so well I got another go without a line later.  Mum and Charlotte were both really pleased with me and I got lots of praise and a biscuit when I got back to the car.

I think Dougal enjoyed himself at training and I certainly enjoyed having him there.  I heard Mum say that we behaved very well and didn't 'mess about' (as if), so she and Aunty Debbie were pleased with us.  Aunty Debbie and the boys went home after the lesson and so did we.  I was so tired but just about managed to keep my eyes open to watch those other Welsh Boys beat England at rugby before falling asleep for the rest of the evening.

Does my bum look big in this?

I have two beds.  One is in next to the radiator in the kitchen where I can keep an eye on all the important things that go on such as Mum making my dinner.  The other is upstairs and where I sleep at night, but I am beginning to think Mum needs to go shopping for a new one.  What do you think?

Murphy also has two beds, that is if you don't count the sofa, Mum's bed and other areas in the house he's made his own.  This is me in his night-time bed ...

it's a bit of a funny shape but fits me much better than my own.  Trouble is, I don't think he wants to swap!

Visiting

Yesterday we went to see Aunty Debbie and her boys.  It was all a bit strange when we arrived because they have some men at the house fitting a new kitchen, so Mum parked our car in the field which was really handy for a drink after we had a big play.  Max had gone out with Uncle Dave, so it was just us Welshies playing before we got back in the car for a rest while Mum and Aunty Debbie had a sit down, with tea and cake of course.

I have a training lesson on Saturday and I heard a whisper that Dougal is coming to the lesson too, which makes sense of why we had to do some sensible stuff in the field later in the afternoon.  We did heel work, sit and stay, recall and so on.  Apparently, we both did really well.  I did notice that Dougal got a couple of treats for being good but I didn't - do they stop when you are nearly three?  I did get a biscuit in the car before we headed home for dinner and a big rest, so I guess I did ok out of it all.

Catch up

It's been over a week since I last posted, so here's a quick catch up on what we've been up to.  We had more snow again at the end of last week, so on Saturday went for a great snowy walk with Mum and Dad.  We were all quite used to the cold weather, but poor Dad wasn't as he had been in Dublin all week and he said it had been quite warm there.
By Monday all the snow had gone (Dad had too, back to work) so our walk turned into a muddy one which meant being washed when we got home.  Thankfully, Mum made the hosepipe spray warm water on us.
Yesterday Mum decided that the back garden was looking tatty and needed a tidy up.  Murphy and I were made to help, although Mum didn't seem to think my re-organising the bag with all the dead stuff it helping.  When we'd finished, Murphy took the opportunity to have a sit down in his favourite place - on the deck in the sunshine.

So that's us all up to date.  This morning Mum left us at home with Dad while she went to do some shopping.  She doesn't usually enjoy going shopping, but today she was quite keen because she was going to try a new supermarket that has opened in our nearest town.  When she came home, she got really excited about putting some washing outside to dry in the sunshine.  It never ceases to amaze me just how easily pleased Mums are sometimes!

Home alone

Well actually, I wasn't left completely on my own as Murphy and Dad were with me, BUT Mum did go out without me this morning.  We had to cancel our scheduled walk with friends today because they all live quite a long way away from us and the recent bad weather made it difficult for them to get here, SO Mum went shopping!
I shouldn't be too cross with her though as she bought us a huge bag of our favourite dinner biscuit (it's AG's fish and potato and  is really yummy) and some chews as well.  Haven't had one yet ....

Icy Lake

We went up to Clumber today  for our walk and also to check it is all still there and ready for a visit tomorrow by us and some of our friends for our first group Welshie walk of the year!  I'm so excited as we'll get to see loads of friends - if they haven't had too much snow at their houses that is.

We had a lovely walk - it was really quiet with hardly anyone around - and on the way back to the car saw these silly swans sitting on the lake which is all iced over.  They were a bit far away, but one of them looks like he is licking (do swans do that?) his foot as I expect it is really cold from the ice. 

 
Our feet were fine today and didn't get clogged up with snow at all because Mum put vas-e-leen on our paws before we got out of the car so the snow doesn't stick to them.  She can be quite clever sometimes my Mum can!

Let Me Entertain You

More fun in the snow this morning

Poor Bear

After an exciting evening watching the snow, I woke up this morning and was so pleased that it was all still here and much more of it than last night.  I did feel sorry for our Derwent Bay Bear who had to stay out in it all night.  He didn't seem to mind though!

Dad took a couple of pictures of the garden before we were allowed out.  What a cheek, he said he wanted a nice picture of undisturbed snow ...

 

but then it was our turn to investigate.

I love it all, except for the big snow balls that attach themselves to my legs.  They can be a bit of a bind to get off, but it's worth it for the fun we have in the white stuff.

Snow, Snow, Snow

It's here!!!   It started sometime late this afternoon when we were watching the rugby.  This is me and Murphy when we went out just after dinner around 7pm

It has been snowing steadily ever since and our paw prints have long vanished.   I can't wait until the morning!!

Brrrrr

It's been really cold here this week but that hasn't stopped us having some great walks ... and the best part about them is because it's cold and frosty we've come home completely dry and clean every day.

It was lovely and sunny on Tuesday ..

Today we went to a part of Clumber Park that we've not been to for a while and it was full of great smells ..

I'm sure there's something in here ...

Nope!