Yum yum

I have eaten a neck and thorax. I'm pretty sure it was a rabbit. I could only laugh at TJam's 2 legged attempts to catch me. She could only watch and learn, and threaten to send back my hold citizen award. Do I look bothered?

Starting The Day

There are bad ways of starting the day and then there is TJam throwing 150g of dog food up in the air and it showering down on the floor. Since I eat faster than Beanz but only usually get half as much, I am definitely in profit.

Development...

It's like a scene from the Godfather. Someone call the RSPCA!

Is This Vegan?

Bready has made a cake that is vegan. We say a horse is involved and so us dogs should have it instead.

A Tube of Mushroom Pate?

Don't mind if I do.
Don't tell the vet. Her misinformed poster says mushrooms are poisonous. I am the living proof ...

ET

Do you think our friend looks like a certain film star?

Future Olympians?

Do we have famous contacts? Could these humans be ready for the next winter olympics, the UK wildcards?!

They certainly think they look the part.

Bready got a shove from the attendant's foot - seemed to do the trick...

and that could be a new world record!

(yeah, quickest time from the ice to the coffee shop)

Late Christmas

Before I tell you about the late Christmas, let me tell you about this owl that we saw on our morning walk the other day. It was sitting on the rugby goal, crossbar thing and just watched us go by. TJam took three flash photographs (she did ask the owl's permission first) and the owl didn't blink an eye. It was amazing.

So back to Christmas. At the weekend, Pin and Huddersfield Town came to our house to have our late Christmas. TJam made mince pies with their initials on. If you don't know TJam personally or haven't seen the kitchen, you may not realise what an outrageous feat this is. And no one got food poisoning. Maybe it was the mulled wine that killed of all the bugs?

P and HT gave us a stuffed bone each so we were busy all evening.

After dinner, we went outside and the humans tried to welcome in the new year with a Chinese lantern. Unfortunately it was a bit windy. HT chased the lantern through the brambles next to the houses, trying to avoid a bush fire or the burning down of people's homes. Then the flaming part of it fell out of the lantern as modelled below.

The humans had a good giggle about it and nobody burned to death.

Remiss

TJam has been very remiss at allowing us computer access. It started last year with lots of this.

We took Huddersfield Town on a walk with us. Will he ever find his way again?

We did love the snow, but Chips got cracked paws after a while and actually abandoned a walk at the end of the drive and had to come home. I think she stepped on rock salt or something. She was hopping about like one of those lizards. But also crying. And if there's one thing Chips is not, it's a wimp.

We also made a new friend, puppy Millie. I just watched in wonder as she bounced around. Getting a photo might have to wait until she is a bit old and has slowed down a little!

At the last minute, weather permitted us to visit Brazil and Boy Wonder and all the family for Christmas.

TJam ate a pickled walnut. She said it tasted nice but she didn't offer us any.

We visited all the family and made everyone pose for a photo. Probably not the best idea to photograph Xaja when he'd just been told off. But then it's not Christmas until somebody's cried.

For Christmas, TJam's cousin, Potter, made TJam a plate. You can arrange your food around the face to make hair or a beard. Or cover the face and then reveal it as you eat. Of course, us dogs don't have time for stuff like that but humans can be funny

.

All over Christmas, Chips slept on TJam's rucksack, just in case TJam tried to go on holiday anywhere and not take us with her.

When we got back home, the canal was still frozen. This picture is actually cracks in the icy canal, with the canal bank at the bottom. Weird huh?

Over New Year, TJam had planned for us to do backups and other boring computer stuff, transfer photos over and blog to our hearts' content. However, a virus put paid to that. Nurse Carlsberg looked after TJam upstairs and made sure she rested.

She is fine now, but has taken a while to catch up with herself. In the meantime, I have been sleeping off my Christmas hangover. I would like to wish all our blogging friends and other friends and family a belated Happy New Year. We hope 2011 is good to you :)

Index of 2010

In January we looked at old photos and spent a lot of time in the snow.

In February we got a new doggy neighbour (Echo) and little cousin (Loki), Steven Patrick moved house, the humans had dosa, looked at bulbs and met guinea pigs.

March was wet and B2 won rosettes at Crufts. We went for a walk with Alfie and GG before they went off to Guernsey. There was lots of breaking things and raiding.

In April, TJam put her phone through the washing machine and we went up a big hill. We saw Astra for the first time in YEARS and caught up with Piglet and Puppy.

In May, the sun came out and we saw David Bellamy, as well as Unliz and Coach. We went to the beach. We may have chewed a couple of things too...

In June we did lots of camping and holidays and beach stuff.

In July, we worked out how old we are in human years. Then we went to Devon to meet Loki. Beanz met Elvis.

Bready got her new house in August and we met Towny Farm and her family. The humans went to Go Ape. We saw Dr Noisette and Mr Jeep and we went camping with Cazza.

There was not much blogging in September, but in October, Bamgee got her Kindle (other electronic reading systems are available) and we went to the beach before Bamgee went off on her travels. We went for other walks and no one would take responsibility for the ornamental cabbage's demise.

By November, Autumn was here and the whole country was snowed in in December.

And that was our 2010 :)

(thank you Meep for pointing out I had written the wrong year in! doh!)

Hobbies

One of my favourite hobbies is trashing the old dog food sack. I tried to get in it but it was too small so I chewed it up instead. Don't worry, no crumbs went to waste. I made sure of that.

Walking on Water

I'm actually doing it!

Winter

I think that since the "Autumn" post, things have moved on. TJam has been busy and not letting us get on the computer. Meany.

It was a bit nippy as we set off for our walk.

Our field was frozen and foggy.

Up close, the frost was beautiful. And cold. Obviously.

Stay warm friends!

Autumn

Autumn* is here...

... and with it, misty mornings...

...for us to play Hounds of the Baskervilles to our hearts' content :)

We have eerie effect with rising suns, mist and water

and you can always find a good stick to chew
(although the health and safety brigade don't like this, but they will have to catch me first!)

* That's Fall to our American friends :) and anyway, it is more like winter now

Second Wind

All was quiet for a little while until Chips got her second wind and decided to see how far down into a can of catfood a dog tongue could reach...

but somehow, I got caught in the photo and somehow I had a guilty looking face, when clearly only Chips is capable of jumping up onto the kitchen unit.

Then, TJam found a half empty box of mushrooms, and Chips licking her lips.

And TJam was shaking her head at dogs getting their second, bin raiding wind at the ripe old age of 10 (Chips is 10 you know!)...

when she saw this. A chest print the size of a 22kg collie cross - as individual as a finger print - up against the kitchen unit. Since Chips makes a clean spring onto any height, and I just go up on my back legs, I was clearly busted.

I know when I'm beaten your honour.

Duty Calls

When my big friend Beanz is scared of fireworks or our fire popping, I make her feel more secure by tucking her into her bed and keeping her there.

She is quite a comfy bed.

Who Ya Gonna Call?

If you've dropped something
In a muddy puddle,
Who ya gonna call?
Our helpful little friend TABOO!

Ornamental Cabbage

When TJam came home from work, there was something very wrong (see exhibit 1). I played dead so she would know it wasn't me...

Exhibit I

TJam said, "Oops, did you knock that over with your tail? I should have remembered to put it back up on the side out of your way!" (at least, that's how I remember it. Or she may have gone, "(*&^% what are they doing on the floor?! but I prefer my version best)

So I pulled my best, "Oops, it's just one of those things right? not a problem?" face... (exhibit II)

Exhibit II

However, on closer inspection (exhibit III), it became apparent that the ornamental cabbages had not only "fallen over", but had most definitely been chewed up. There is only one possible culprit and (thanks to regular video evidence) it is not me.

Exhibit III

So, not only am I innocent, but Chips is very very guilty. Which puts me even higher up the "who's a good dog" scale than she is! Yay!

Quiet Reflection (or not)

We have had a brilliant walk this week. We set off with Nero and his pal (Nerospal)...

I had a little stop off in the lagoon. I imagined it was orange sauce.

Next I perfected my Indianna Jones and the Bin Raiders pose. I might ask TJam if we can have it as our header. I just need a proper hat.

We went right up to the top of the hill. Suddenly I noticed Nero and his Pal were having some thoughtful time alone:

I wasn't having any of that, so I bundled in for a bit of fun and games. Chips had the same idea at the same time.

That said, I do like a bit of quiet time myself, so I took myself off to a corner to survey the landscape (and check for sheep) and reflect on ...

... well, that's private. A dog has to maintain a certain air of mystery :)

Yawning at Art

TJam saw this tractor doing its work, and got all arty and carried away with texture or somesuch. She likes to zoom in on this and look at the contrast of the pre and post plough. Me, I like to imagine the taste of it when they fertilise it and Beanz and I will run all over it, eating muck and being chased by TJam, who has no chance of catching us.

Then TJam got a shot of Beanz and was lining up a reflection or whatever.

She has been watching too much TV and a photo of me is conspicuous by its absence.

Kindle Orphans

Us animals are becoming Kindle orphans: Bready, Bamgee and Unliz are all hooked!
(note to Brazil - a Kindle is like a computer that holds all your books, just in case you were wondering)

but it's ok because I chewed up Bready's adapter plug.
Dogs 1 : Humans 1
That'll teach TJam not to ponder the fact that I haven't chewed anything for a while.

Welcome home from wherever you went.
I will only half hide my handy work with this enormous squeaky toy.
And do not leave us alone again...