Index of 2009

And so, here is our summary of 2009.

In January, it was foggy and we ate a load of stuff.

In February, TJam showed us how to blog from our mobile phone, the humans went to Chinese New Year celebrations and we had a bit of snow.

In March, I hurt my leg again, we enjoyed Alexander the Meerkat and TJam didn't manage to cook a jacket potato in the dishwasher. We all went to visit TJam's family in London Town.

In April, TJam made easter cakes and Carlsberg may or may not have licked them, we climbed up a lovely hill, Bready did some reading and Chips discovered there IS a limit to how much she can eat.

In May, Chips ate semoline, TJam became an auntie, we all went to the beach with Bamgee before she went off on her travels and we didn't see Winnie the Pooh when we went to meet Piglet and Puppy. I was fine with a horse, Xaja had his birthday, I subluxated my elbow and TJam started work on the garden. Carlsberg braved the flynet.

In June, Chips got quality time with TJam while I rested my leg, TJam fed Silky's cats and Carlsberg catwatched the cat next door. We went for a walk and got lost and we saw some interesting clouds. Tjam made some photography discoveries, what not to do, and we went up a hill with Pin and Huddersfield Town.

In July, Chips ate the cat food, we made the home alone videos and went to TJam's nan's 90th birthday celebrations. We walked with Nursie and Bready and I injured my chest.

In August, we went to the agricultural show and TJam fed next door's cat (no catastrophies!)

September was quiet, with a few photos here and there and we got a 2 person (or dog) tent. Work started on our porch and TJam messed with the cement.

In October, we went to Baby Chilled's naming ceremony. TJam went to Tajikistan to see Bamgee, but she never put her photos on here. They are on her Facebook page, where humans go, but no animals. Here is one photo,
so you know I am not making it up.

In November, Carlsberg started exploring bed options around the home.

In December, we got Christmassy and had snow, and went to TJam's family for some great gifts!

To end the year, as we were walking, we saw an owl in a tree. It was only about 2m away from TJam's head and didn't move as we stopped and looked. TJam had a go at taking a photo on her phone in the dusk, which you might be able to make out (it's right in the middle). It was a "had to be there" moment and truely breathtaking.


- Beanz, signing out and wishing you a happy 2010!

Christmas Presents

I would just like to say a big thank you to Father Christmas and friends for all our fab presents. This present went down well with me, although TJam is not so impressed!

Luckily we also got this present: (click on it to make it big and see what it does. Thank you B1B2 for this!). Of course it will never work...

We are also looking forward to using this:

We'll let you know what we get up to with it in 2010!

Brr

We had a great Christmas and I will tell you about our brilliant presents soon. We are home from our travels and still have snow and a frozen pond! Brr!

Embarrassing Christmas Side Effect

by Carlsberg

Why would TJam be scrubbing the mini trampoline with disinfectant on Christmas Eve?

Oh, because I ate a bit of that long, tempting, irresistable piece of Christmas tree decoration and did not realise that what goes in must come out. Only, long pieces of glittery gold make a poo pretty hard to disengage. Friction, gravity and a 5 metre sprint from the sand pit, through the catflap to the mini trampoline were what was required to remove the begger.

As they (almost) say in the Young Ones: Dirty Trampoline, Clean Bottom!

Merry Christmas everyone. Don't eat any decorations. At least not when anyone's looking

Love Carlsberg
Signing Out for 2009!

Jingle Bells

We are in training. A certain fat and jolly gentleman asked if we were busy tonight as he's a couple of reindeer down. Just trying out our formation running in the snow...

Don't Believe Your Eyes

- by Chips

Although it may look like it, that is NOT the cat's bowl under my bottom. It is... um... it's a... um... yellow.... um... not cat bowl, which I did not steal from the desk and take to my bed to clean.

Snowy Adventure

-by Carlsberg

Today, the humans (TJam, Nerospal and B1B2) and dogs went for a walk in the snow. TJam fell over twice in the first 5 minutes. The dogs were pretty sure footed...

but the humans made more of a meal of it...

B1B2 and her dog, B2, had a quick cup of tea at the cafe...

Then everyone set off to the pinetum. The dogs usually go pretty wild there. They must be communing with the spirit world. You can see Beanz heading off to frolic...

They went to their special tree...

...before heading off in the blizzard, singing Christmas songs.

When they got home, Beanz went for a lie down in the garden...

... and I pounced on everything that moved. You will notice that photos of Chips are severely lacking by this point. She was in her warm bed...

...and now my favourite photo, in which I am bigger than Beanz!

Guilty Secret

I couldn't help myself.

Mystery Tracks

There have been some mysterious tracks in our lovely new snow...

...was it a triangular footed bird? rabbit? deer?...

... and it turned out it was the tracks of my tongue as I licked up the snow!

Yum yum

Truce

We are having a truce in the bed wars. The fire is on and there's only one place to be.

Getting in the Spirit

The weather has been getting colder, foggier and more Christmassy by the day...

... and when we went for our Saturday coffee, Nerospal's cappucino definitely had a festive feel about it...

Volunteering

Today I have been doing some public volunteering and I went on Parade at a Christmas Festival. I was pretty proud to represent Pets As Therapy and I even wore a coat, even though I am not a big fan of the coat. I prefer to be in my birthday suit. I behaved like an angel (hahahah) and in return, children fed me treats and patted my head. The only injustice was that when Chips stayed home, she got to have a kong stuffed with cat food. By the time I got home, it was well empty.

And now, I am knocking out a few Zzz in front of the fire.

Dog 6th Sense

TJam took this photo of me coming over the horizon

If you look closer you will see the ghostly figure of a genie climbing up the tree. And TJam says I bark at nothing!

Spooky!

Bed Saga Continues

This bed business has not been much fun. Since Carlsberg got ideas above her station, Beanz and I have had to sleep on the floor while she gets the best bed in the house.

But then I developed a cunning plan. So cunning that in the words of Black Adder, you could put a tail on it and call it a fox. Only I call it, "Mission Bunkbed"

I thought Mission Bunkbed was win-win until I felt the evil eye. Foiled!

I will have to start work on plan B.

Online Shopping

I love online shopping, as long as it comes in a box. With plenty of packaging.

Beds

How have I not discovered the airing cupboard before now? I have years of lounging in a fully heated penthouse to catch up on.

Zzz

I'll just lay here and sleep off my olympic mouse chasing and eating session last night. TJam doesn't need the bed again til tonight and it would be a waste to leave it empty. Purr.

So I'm a Wimp

~ by Beanz

I want to get in my bed but I can't. It is already taken :(

No Photos

Wow, lots of things have been going down around here, but TJam has not had time to sort out our blog. In the mean time, I am going to tell you about this morning. I walked in a bush where a human had had diarrhea and I got my head, ears and neck drizzled on. TJam was fuming about people pooing al fresco. I mean, it is liberating and all that, but humans should know better and at least dig a little hole or something. Even our cat does that. Or at least not do it at dog head height.

Anyway, it must have been bad because when I got home and TJam had finished ranting about disgusting humans, I actually hopped into the bath tub of my own accord so TJam could shower me off. Yup, it was that unpleasant.

TJam didn't take a photo. We don't want evidence of that sort of thing. Besides which, she was late for work.

Lucky Find

It's our lucky day. We found a football on our walk.

Baby Chilled

We were recently invited to a very special occasion. It was Baby Chilled (that's his spy name) welcome and naming ceremony. We drove miles to the middle of nowhere.

We were welcomed by Baby Chilled and his mummy and uncle.

Tjam said she would put up the tent. Chips thought she was being helpful, lying on the tent. TJam didn't think that helped very much at all.

Eventually, she got it sorted and I loved the view: sheep! everywhere! I liked to bark at the sheep every now and again when no one was expecting it. It made them jump.

Of course, our tent did not look as cool as our neighbours'. They are professionals and their tent had a proper bed, magic carpet and heater. In fact, I would have gone in there, but for the fact I was tethered to our van.

Anyway, we had the welcome ceremony. The humans said it was beautiful. I was a bit nervous of the popping champagne, but I held it together. Just. That is one lucky baby, I can tell you.

Then, everyone chilled. TJam took us up onto the moors. It was so fab.

In the evening, we had a barbeque. TJam was so proud of us.

Well, she was until I stole a cumberland sausage off an unattended plate. By that time though, she had chilled out herself so I did not get told off too much.

At night, the humans made wishes for the baby and then sent lanterns up into the sky. This is Mummy and Daddy Chilled's lantern, with their wishes for Baby Chilled.


The next day, TJam got up early and we climbed right to the top of the hill. TJam fell into a bog up to her knees. Her life flashed before her eyes but she managed to get out and with both wellies to boot. She had to spend the rest of the morning in her pyjama bottoms though.

Here is the view from the top of the hill. It was a bit cloudy so you can't see much, but the house we were staying at is down there somewhere. It might be that whitish thing that my left ear is pointing at.

Then we came down for breakfast. A little girl fell over in a puddle but she was very laid back about it. She is a professional festival goer I expect.


Sadly, we had to come home. When TJam unpacked, what a lovely surprise! Kathryn (that is not her spy name but we don't know her quirks well enough yet to give her one) had packed us a spare cumberland sausage since we apparently love them so much. No need to steal this one. It was freely given.


Thank you Mummy, Daddy and Baby Chilled for a great weekend!

Wordless Wednesday

Graffiti

Now the floor is complete. Either Bob the Builder has a sense of humour, or some random yuuf has graffitied our floor.

Art Nouveau

Chips and I didn't go for the plane concrete floor of our new porch. Nope, we made our own design. TJam wanted to join us in the fun, but she is so socially conditioned that she didn't dare. What kind of upbringing must she have had?!

About 2 hours later, and with encouragement from here facebook friends, TJam built up enough courage to add her handprint. By that time it had started to harden so she had to stand on her own hand to make any kind of impression at all.


The only one who didn't join in the fun is Carlsberg. She is not allowed in the porch area til the windows are in so her pawprints will not be preserved for prosterity. She doesn't care.

Colour Scheme

Can you guess what colour our porch has been painted? I'll give you a clue. Does my bum look big in this?