Phew what a day!

A very busy and eventful day for all today.  Firstly we had a proper look at Dad's new car AND he let us get into it! 

It's very nice (and much cleaner than Mum's) but he needs to put a crate in it before we can travel very far.  Here it is without us - not looking half as nice.

After we had tried out the new car, it was time for my lesson with Charlotte.  Mum was hoping to test my steadiness with some rabbits that live in one of Charlotte's fields, but unfortunately we couldn't find any.  So we went into the village and found some ducks and Mum said I was very good as I sat and watched very quietly whilst Charlotte fed them.

Not long after we arrived home,Christine and Russell arrived.  They had been to seen the greyhounds that we saw last week and have decided to make a home for one of them.  We don't have a photo of him yet, but his name is Tigger and he is three years old like me!  I'm not sure when he will go to live with them, but I am hoping to meet him before he heads off to France with Christine for the summer.  What a lucky boy!

A new face

This is Inca ..

Doesn't she look lovely?
She has just gone to live with Aunty Debbie and all her boys and it seems has settled in well.  Inca is almost one year old - she has a birthday this Sunday - and, I am reliably told, loves to play. 
I can't wait to meet her!

An Olympic morning

This morning we were all up and out early, well at about 8.15am, and on our way to East Markham which is a small village close to us.  We stood around on the side of the road with lots of other people who were all waving flags (we weren't) for quite a long time until a whole load of policemen arrived on motorbikes with their sirens making loads of noise. 
One of the policemen said hello to Mum but I don't think she knew him!

Then suddenly lots of buses and special Olympic cars arrived followed by a man running down the middle of the road carrying the Olympic torch.  We didn't know who he was but gave him a cheer anyway!

After that a few more police went past including this special car.. 

After all the excitement was over, we headed home for a lie down and a well earned biscuit!

Exciting weekend

After my lesson Saturday, we took Mum's sister (my Aunty Christine) to see some retired racing greyhounds who live in the next village.  It's quite sad because Christine has wanted a greyhound for ages but has never been able to have one because she works in a school (yuk, all those children!).  She said the greyhounds were all lovely and very quiet, much less barking than at our house, and walked very nicely on a lead - she took two for a short walk so I hope she hasn't been spoiled for when she next takes us for a walk.

I should admit at this point that the humans in my family had been very naughty taking Christine to see the greyhounds because my Uncle Russell is away in France and didn't know they were going!  Still, he's been 'spoken to' and we have all our paws crossed that we will soon be welcoming a new doggy cousin into the family.

More excitement on Sunday when we went to see a nice man at the Land Rover garage and bought Dad a new car!  It's black and called Freelander, but the best thing about it is that unlike Dad's current car which isn't big enough for our crate, his new one is big enough and so we will be able to go in it! We weren't allowed to have a go on Sunday, but hopefully Dad will collect it on Friday afternoon, so we will be able to claim it for our own next weekend.

Saturday training

We had an early-ish start to our lesson yesterday (well, 9.30am) but because it was so windy we couldn't really do any hunting, so concentrated on lots of close work.  We did lots of heel stuff, whistle stuff and some retrieves - I managed another 4!!!
After that we put some of our exercises together with some jumps which made it even more fun.  I did very well at that and Charlotte said I was her star pupil! 

We went home not long after that - Mum says it's called 'finishing on a high'.  Don't know what that means, but I got a nice treat back at the car!

Normal service is resumed

The very nice man came and fixed the house the other day, so we are back to normal today and out for a walk at Clumber.

It was great, quiet with lots of long grass to bounce through.We had breakfast as we walked. Murphy prefers his breakfast that way and I don't mind because every time I run back to Mum I get a bit of good old AG.

 

With a face like this, how could you not give me something to eat?

A busy afternoon is ahead of me as I will be helping Mum with the hoovering.  Mum's sister is coming to stay for the weekend, so I've been told I have to round up all my toys - that could take some time.

Phew, what a night!

Before you ask we were not up all night celebrating because England won some football game (we're more rugby boys really, being Welsh and all).  Oh no, we were woken up at 3am by our house alarm going off, Mum charging around the house looking for a torch (no electricity) and unable to turn the wretched noise off.  After ages, I am told one and a half hours, during which time we were alternatively shut in the garage and then the bedroom and the alarm going off twice more, a very nice man telephoned Mum and told her how to 'kill' the alarm so as we, and the neighbours, could go back to bed.  Another very nice man has telephoned this morning (not sure if it's the same man, don't really mind) to say he will come and see us later to fix the noisy thing.

All seemed to be going well for Mum yesterday too!  We had an early walk before it got too hot and then she took us to work with her (she has a job now - Dad says it's to pay for our biscuits but I don't believe that as Mum said it's only for a few hours a week which means she has loads of time for us and couldn't possibly bring in enough money to pay for all our biscuits).
It was all quite exciting as we got to sit inside a big shed attached to the office where Mum was working.  It was nice and cool for us and we had lots of built-in entertainment watching all the people on the farm.  I'm looking forward to going back another day, especially if we get a hide bone each like we did yesterday.

New friend and fun in the sea

On Sunday we had a chance meeting with a young Welshie called Amber.

Imagine our surprise when we realised she is a litter sister to Dougal and so my half sister!!!

Ok, so I don't look too happy in this photo, but I had just got out of the car after having a snooze so wasn't really sure what was going on.  It was great to meet Amber (she looks a lot like Dougal) and we hope to see her and her humans again sometime.

We stopped at the beach on the way back to the caravan.  Mum took this little video of me charging through the sea ... great fun

Beach Photos

We had such fun on the beach at the weekend.  We visited Mundesley on Friday evening just after we had arrived.

 On Saturday we spent a couple of hours at Sea Palling which was lovely and sandy and where we saw the seals.  Sadly no photos of them as Mum only had her phone with her and not her whizzy new camera!

Getting ready for a bounce

Murphy paddling and just before he got caught by a wave!

With Dad waiting for Mum to catch up

On our way back to the caravan on Sunday we made a quick detour back to Mundesley for a last paddle before heading home on Monday morning.

Sunday

We went to the beach yesterday afternoon and had a great time. Miles of sand and just us along with a few seals bobbing about in the sea. (Hopefully there will be photos to follow when we get home.)

[Tuesday update ... see the Beach Photos post]

Today we are visiting Blickling Hall which Mum says is a beautiful Elizabethan house. We are restricted to the park area, so hoping for a nice walk.
Dad took these lovely photos of where we weren't allowed...

 

Saturday

So, Saturday is clearly a food day. We've been to the special butcher and then onto a place called Holt to see a man about some fish and for Mum to buy cake! She says she has been to the cake shop before and they are yummy. We say where's ours?
It's back to the caravan now for lunch and then hopefully for the beach trip we have been promised.

Weekend in Norfolk

We arrived yesterday and managed a trip to the beach before dinner. It was great to feel the sand between my toes.
This morning we are heading out to buy some special sausages. Not sure what that's all about!

Out and about

Dodging the rain today, we went for a walk at Clumber this morning and managed to stay dry.  Mum took this photo of us both mid walk ...

I'm a bit mucky because I had just finished digging a big hole - found nothing again!

Training update

So, I'm back from my lesson and Mum has re-christened me Super Dog!!!

We had a really good time today with Charlotte saying that all three of us, Percy, Holly and me, having improved since last time.  She was particularly pleased with me because I did everything right AND did loads of retrieving.  I'll tell you the full story....

Firstly we did some heel work and stop to the whistle (which we had practiced on our walk yesterday) and then some stops mid way through a recall.  After that Charlotte put a memory retrieve into the exercise: Mum threw a dummy, turned me around and we walked away - we stopped on a whistle and then I was told 'go fetch' and I did. Mum was especially pleased as not only did I bring the dummy back to her, but I had remembered where it was too.  I was so good, I had another go and 'fetched' again.

After that we went into the big field to do some hunting.  The grass was so long I had to bounce to see where I was going.  Holly and Percy did their hunting and retrieving first, then it was my turn.  I hunted nicely off lead and then Mum whistled - I stopped and Charlotte threw a dummy and I retrieved it and brought it back to Mum!  We carried on hunting for a bit more and then did it all over again. Finally we went back into the enclosed field and did a bit more whistle work and then we were done. 

I really enjoyed the lesson today and Mum was so pleased with me I got a biscuit when we got back to the car.  We came straight home and when she told Dad what I had done, he could hardly believe I had been so clever.   I'm off for a lie down now as I'm shattered.  I never knew retrieving could be so tiring, I don't know how Fergus and Max manage to do it all day long when they are working.  Perhaps you just get used to it.

A quiet week

We've had a very quiet week with short outings because of Murphy's poorly leg.  He hasn't liked being lifted out of the car much and grumbles loads.   Today he is much better and I think ready for a run around, but Mum says he has to stay quiet for a few more days. 

I'm off to a training session this morning and haven't practiced with Mum much at all this week.  I hope she remembers what to do and how to behave herself otherwise I'm going to look really silly!  Can't wait to show off my new slimline, tidy coat look to Percy and the girls!

A new month

... and we started it yesterday with a trip to the vet!  Dad took us because Mum was off doing a horsey thing, and I got left in the car as it is Murphy who is poorly.  He has a poorly leg and a very bad limp when he walks, but the nice lady vet didn't think it is anything serious and has given him some medicine.  

I've decided medicine for Murphy is a good thing, because after Mum gives him a dose he gets a small treat for being a good boy .. and I get one too!

Another good piece of news from yesterday is that I got weighed. That's not the good news as such - I have lost half a kilo and Mum is very pleased with me, although she says she's not sure how much of that is due to being on a diet and how much to the mega grooming session I had recently with Aunty Debbie!

I got to go for a walk on my own yesterday as Murphy isn't allowed to go far.  He isn't allowed on the sofa or the bed at the moment either because it hurts his leg when he jumps, but he has been for a walk through the village this morning with Mum and seemed to enjoy it.  I stayed behind and helped Dad in the garden!