Hallowe'en

Hallowe'en Night and we have the Jack'o'Lantern deployed in the front garden and a big tub of chocs for the hoards of kiddies when they show up, attracted by the pumpkin. But we've eaten our supper, lit a fire, sat back and relaxed and we have had a grand total of 1 party of kiddies, and it's 20 past 6. We (well, the humans anyway) are going to be left, as ever, with a mountain of chocolates to use up.

Dad was down at SB Cambria today doing his usual stint as a volunteer with oppo Richard, showing the public around, so he got back at three and raced round to lay a fire, feed the wild birds, carve the pumpkin and walk us. We head through the cemetery and back via the Rec where we meet everyone - our own doggy Hallowe'en party. Ben the collie cross is out there, and Mum's colleagues Cairn terrier cross Caspar (crossed, says owner, with another Cairn terrier!). There are two new westies we've not met before, called Poppy and Puffy. We all have a good charge around. Caspar is a ball-chaser. I try to out-run him but he's a fast little nipper and he always gets the ball.

Happy Hallowe'en
Deefski

Clipped and Shampoo'd

Clipped at the weekend and now shampoo'd we are allegedly sparkly white, sweet, fragrant, silky and cute. We are certainly full of beans and Haggis in particular, rescued from his thick shaggy and presumably over-heating coat has taken on a new lease of life in willingness to play rough and tumble with me.

Mother of Ben (black collie cross, frequent Rec-walker, him of the peepy-toed black-with-white-toes feet) is not so sure and chides Dad for clipping us "in this weather". Amusingly mother of Luca (brown lurcher) jokingly gives out to Bens' Mum that she's only cold because she stands around in one place on the Rec chatting instead of walking! We are, in fact, now only as short-haired as both Ben and Luca always are.

Luca is great fun. His Mum comes equipped with a long-arm ball-throwing "spoon" and hardish-foam balls in two bright colours. He is happy to chase one while I chase the other, and we have a great game together. We move to up behind the bowls pavilion where Luca's Mum plays "tennis" which involves lobbing the balls against the walls of the pavilion and Luca trying to catch the rebounds. Dad wonders that the bowling fraternity don't get upset by the smack of balls against their nice new walls, but the lady says "Oh, you can only do it when there's no-one in there!". That's alright then!

Meanwhile, Diamond is about to go back into hospital for the next burst of medical treatment. Good luck Diamond - we are rooting for you. We know this is not going to be an easy one.

Deefski

Does your Mum know you're out?

Meggie is still a bit painful on that foot where the vet, suspecting it was a growth, sliced a lumpy chunk out of one of her pads and then cauterised the surface. She can barely put weight on that foot, but looks so hopeful as Dad prepares us for the walk tonight, that she ends up getting a carry under his arm to the Rec, where she can amble about on the grass. Dad suggests none-too-subtly that she is not a slim and sylph-like baggage.

It turns out to be a nice session on the Rec. We meet a tiny tiny Springer called Bonny, whose (also very young) owner says is 10 weeks old. That seems very young to us, and we wonder whether she is fully innocculated (Bonny, not the owner!). Later. grown-up Spinger "LB" shows up and the contrast is amazing, Bonny being not much bigger than LB's head! Bonny, though, is a game little soul, and charges all three of us in that gangling, semi-co-ordinated way that 10 week old pups have.

We also meet old chum collie-cross Ben (him of the white flash chest, and white "peepy toes". He's all distracted by someone who has unwisely brought an on-heat JR bitch to the Rec, and was having to re-think the wisdom of this move. The numpty in charge of that one had never even conceived of the fact that it might be a better plan to walk her somewhere a bit quieter for the 2-3 weeks. Dad and his chums actually wondered whether he (the numpty) knew what "on heat" was. They had to patiently explain things as if to a young child.

One born every minute. Do their Mums know they're out?

Deefer

Melee

With us now getting to be regulars at the 16:30 slot on the Rec, we are starting now to form a bit of a dog club or kindergarten. We amble about and sure enough over comes Smudge and Barney with their "Mum", and then Ben and his "Mum", and maybe Patch, Billy and Bugsy and who ever is about.

Tonight it's warm and still, and various of us have brought our toys, so the humans start lobbing balls, frisbees and squeaky toys in all directions and different ones catch the eye of different dogs at various times, so we end up with a superb friendly melee going on of toys and dogs. At one point Smudge's Mum produces a full sized football, so Smudge and me get involved in a lovely game of dribbling.

We are both, though, not quite used to joint ownership, so if one of us is claiming it the other backs off. Dad is hoping that with practise maybe we'll all play together with the same ball the same way my real-Dad (Hector), Mum (Mollie) and brother (Archie) do, wearing each other out with the dribbling and tackling, scruffing and barging. The best we can do is when Smudge gives up, panting, his long tongue lolling and his ears bright pink with the heat.

Various dogs and owners pass by, sometimes with dog on lead, obviously not quite sociable enough to be let loose, but with the owner looking on longingly, as if wishing they could be part of the fun. One, in particular, a big male Akita called Seuss (as in "The cat in the hat") passes by and our humans exchange good natured banter with the guy, commenting that it'll soon be too warm for Seuss, and asking whether he has a walk-in freezer to sleep in.

We are all bushed

Have a great weekend
Deefski

Water Meter

Our lovely warm Spring sunshine has given way to haze and a chilly wind. Our walk is mildly delayed by Dad needing to wait for "A survey by Clancy DOCWRA of the water supply; in preparation for installation of a water meter". Dad has to be home by 4 and wait a man in a van.

We fear this will be one of those like the gas man visits where you are forced to sit in earshot of the front door for hours and like as not the guy doesn't show.

Let's hear it then for Clancy's. Their man was here at 3 minutes to 4 and the "survey" consisted of him opening the little metal cover in the pavement outside and declaring "Oh - you're already set up with the yoke for the meter..... I can fit it straight away". And he did. A bit of digging out of sediment round the "yoke", and all done in 10 minutes. These meters are even fitted with radio-frequency kit which means they can be read from a car passing in the street - doesn't even need to stop. The "survey" was in case they needed to dig up the pavement.

So we're done. It'll be interesting, says Dad, to see if the bills are any amount different.

So, within minutes, we're off to the Rec where we get a good run around with usual suspects Bugsy and Billy (the Bichons), and with Ben. Ben and I each have a tennis ball. Mine is clean, yellow and fluffy. Ben's is almost black, bald and covered in doggy gloop. Now please guess which one I prefer and end up with!

Finally a nice pic of a Crown-Imperial Lily in our garden - just to renmind us that it really is Spring

Deefer

Catching up with the Old Girl

Some of you might be interested in these catch up pics of the restoration of the Sailing Barge "Cambria", which we've been ignoring rather since the Visitor Centre was closed before Christmas. Now it's open again though, and Dad is back involved. The shipwrights have made good progress in the intervening time - all the main frames are complete and in, the big steel "Keelson" is almost assembled but not yet fitted, "inner wales" and "chine keelsons" are almost there as is most of the chine planking.....

Cooo... listen to us coming out with all these boat-building expressions! I will direct you to the Cambria trust website if you are interested enough to find out what I'm on about - www.cambriatrust.org.uk .

"We" are now onto discussing more detailed stuff about how the main "hold" will be kitted out as an educational facility, the layout of cabins and store rooms, and even the choice of material for sail cloth.

Meanwhile, more mundanely, on the Rec we meet up with our good buddy, Ben, a collie cross. He never minds if we borrow his old tennis ball, and he's such a playful and friendly boy, that all three of us love a good bouince around with him. Yes, even Meggie was boinging around chasing the ball (all be it Dad throws it very gently and no more than about 6 feet for her these days!)

Good to get back in touch with the barge

Deefer

Better off the Lead

Regular readers may know that I have taken against very few dogs that we meet, but that one such is a very dark, rather shaggy alsatian who gets walked in the Rec at dusk, and whom, if she looms out of the dark or mist at me, I can't resist charging. I shout and yell, and the alsatian kicks up a din back as I chase round the poor dog walker hanging onto the lead and the alsatian dances round in circles trying to get at me. It's a din that can be (and has been) heard the far side of the Rec.

Well, readers, let me teach you a humbling lesson in why a dog should not go by first impressions - or indeed a human (Dad has to hold his hand up to having thought dark thoughts and muttered mutterings about badly behaved unsociable dogs and owners who don't properly socialise their dogs when they are pups.......)

Tonight, it's a foggy evening but Dad (for the first time since before Christmas) is back in time to walk us our entire walk in daylight (all be it foggy), so we're in the Rec and I'm chasing the yellow frisbee, then a tennis ball, then having a chase about with collie cross Ben (I'm getting very muddy below the plimsoll line at this stage), and then the two Bichons we know - Billy and Bugsy.

Out of the mist looms the said dark shaggy alsatian, with owner, and I spot him, freeze, then charge. But the dog is off the lead, so she can lunge back at me, and there is a very brief shouting contest, but now she circles round and allows me to sniff her bum (like we do), and suddenly we three westies, and Ben, and the alsatian are all quiet and getting to know each other. I'm not saying we're all bestest mates, but we are in the same bit of Rec and not killing each other.

The bloke turns out to be nice and friendly, and comments that "There! I knew she'd be much better off the lead!" The dog we now know is Lucy, a Battersea Home rescue, who was 9 yesr old when the guy rescued her, and who he has now had for 2 years or so. Coming to him with "issues" she's been slow to socialise, hence he always has always walked her away from places and times when most people walk their dogs.

It also gives Dad a chance to apologise for my "attitude" (oh the shame!) and the humans agree that "There's always one! - These two (indicating Meggie and the H) are as chilled as anything and always have been, but Deefs here (indicating me), 2 years old and full of it!".

So, now we know the human and the dog and we are suitably humbled and apologetic for our intolerance.

Still reckon she needs telling!
Deefer

Mademoiselle

For Dad an "old Citroen" flavoured day. One of their project team who have been doing up the old 1961 twinning-gift 2CV (Mademoiselle d'Armentieres) wants out - he wants Dad and the other 2 to buy out his share. They decide to meet to talk about how to achieve this. They decide to meet at the lock up where the car is kept, and take her for a spin; maybe to "one of our houses??".

Mum offers to cook home-made soup for them, and suddenly they have an event. They are joined by Andy's new Hungarian love interest, ZsuZsa (that's easy for you to say!) plus then Cliff and Shelley from the Hoppers, with their brother and sister collies, whom we know very well from the camping, Ben and Nellie.

Dad drives his normal 2CV over to the lock up, and then gets to drive Mmlle back here in convoy with Andy's 2CV van, to proudly park her on our drive while she gets photo'd and admired by the neighbours. The humans come in to do soup, while we dogs play and get to know each other again. Dad the gets to drive the 2CV van back to the lock-up so that Ian can get a turn in Mmlle. Finally he drives his own car home. 3 different old citroens in one day. He is dead chuffed.

We are just closing up, getting washing in and dog bowls out, and Dad standing by the back door, when there is a whoosh over our heads and the k-chishhh of something heavy hitting the foliage of the bay tree, 4 or 5 feet away. Every body jumps, and the sparrows in the tree start cheeping loudly in protest at the disturbance, just when they were getting comfortably roosted up for the night. At first we all think it's a squirrel leaping from the Albertine on the back of the house, but there's another k-chish and curving back out of the tree comes our old mate the female sparrowhawk with a small bird in her talons - maybe a sparrow? Fresh warm supper, anyway.

Which reminds me. We are off to Diamond's tonight for a bite with Ragworth.

Deefer

Ben and Nellie

These pair are Ben and Nellie, 2 more camping dogs, and probably our oldest camping friends. At 14 they are older than even Meggie, and Meg and Haggis have known them since they've been camping.

They are brother and sister from the same litter, so look very similar, but there's a good way to tell them apart, which Dad has to use. Each has a white flash (blaze?) down their forehead and nose - Ben's is Broad, Nell's is Narrow, so that's Ben on the right of the pic, Nellie on the left.

This is one from that series we described where Dad was trying to re-create the first shoulder-to-shoulder run back to their own Dad, by means of their own Dad throwing Ben's ball much further than Nellie's. Nell , being a bit more arthriticky and slow, could then loop out gently and be back in front of the camera as Ben streaking out and back, caught up and overtook her. Kinda worked.

Last night at 01:30, we dogs are all rousted from our beds by a hedgehog in the back garden. You'd be amazed how noisy hedgehogs can be, with their unforgiving spines rustling against all the dried leaves and grass. Stealthy silent hunters they are not. Even so, although doggie ears could hear, and knew something was out there, humans sleep on oblivious, so have to be prodded into wakefulness (or at least, a kind of numb, dazed verticalness). to come down stairs and let us out.

Dad did the honours, Mum slept on. We raced off down the garden and didn't re-appear. Dad got concerned, grabbed torch and ventured out into the garden in his jocks (not a pretty sight). That's when he discovered the hedgehog, by now curled into a safe ball of prickles, surrounded by confused, frustrated westies, pawing at the gravel and wuffing. Not for us the Hector trick of grabbing a mouthful and bringing it indoors!

Ah well, Dad rounded us all up and bribed us back in with a sweetie, but it took a lot of sitting back up on the bed and whimpering before I'd settle back to sleep.

Have a great weekend

Deefer

12 dog; 12 2CV

What an adventure we've all had. It's 2CV camp time of year again, and we've just spent the last 3 nights living "en famille" with a whole group of 2CV owners and their multitudinous dogs and vehicles. Some have named it the 12 dog 12 2CV camp because the dogs almost out numbered the cars.

There were, in no particular order

We three
Collie crosses "Ben" and "Nellie"
Red Setter "Murphy"
Alsatian cross "Socks"
Staffie cross Jack Russell "Barney"
Staffie cross "Scooter"
Collie cross "Badger"
Brindled greyhound "Janie"
Elderly mongrel from Yorkshire, "Kaira"

More of all these guys, and the camp in future posts. Now it's Sunday morning and we are back indoors because Dad is off to play on Sailing Barge "Cambria". It's been a real blast. Rained hard Thursday and had some pessimists saying "Oh, no.... not another Hoppers Camp with typical weather.... gloom gloom". But the sun burst through on Friday morning and the rest of Friday and Saturday were blazing hot sunshine.

The humans all have healthy tans and I have the traditional well oiled (sump oil) back from creeping under old French cars to find shade from the heat. Superb barbecue yesterday, too. The humans all cook communally on a big barbie cobbled together from (among other things) a 2CV bonnet and a shopping trolley, and they always cook too much, so we can schmooze them up into giving us the end bits of sausages and nibbles of burger. The non dog-owner ones anyway. Dog people seem to "know" dogs and can be very un co-operative

More soon
Deefer

Stormy Weather

Gales and driving rain blast through Kent and we have to sneak walk in between the worst of it. Meg chooses this moment to have a change of heart from a) Not wanting anything to do with the outside world if it is raining, to b) Ahh... come on Dad, it's stopped raining now, I want to zip along to the Rec and scamper about like a young one. There's no accounting for the Megster

The walk we snatch tonight as big black clouds roll in, but before they dump their load on us, is a well-populated one - lots of old chums are out including fast brown and white Jack Russell, Bindy, even faster, be-red-bandana'd brown Lakeland cross Bobby, beautiful goldie Chloe and the black collie cross with white toes and white chest-flash, Ben.

Meanwhile, news comes that it has come time to have bro' Archie "done". His day is Thursday, so good luck Arch - hang in there. Haggis survived - just a bit sore for a few days and licking the site as if licking could restore the former glory..... Won't work, Bro, but it's for the best.

Poor ol' boys. I guess my time will come too in the end, but no-one's talking about that yet.
By the way - latest site meter stats have this having been visited 1244 times and viewed 2180 times, with visits currently running at 14 per day. Nearly a best-seller!

Deefer

Mademoiselle

I said the other day that we were allowed the rare treat of checking in on the 2CV boys working on their old car, Mademoiselle d'Armentieres. Here's one of me and one of the guys, working on the rear of the body shell. I was, of course, most helpful

Good news from real-Mum. Her sores are all dried up and no longer itching her. She's on the mend. First Dad gave up on trying to keep the "lamp shade" on her and, instead, whenever she got itchy he would hustle her out for another long walk so she'd forget to scratch and be too tired to start again when she got home. He and she were walked off their feet over the weekend, but it's done the trick!

Nice walk tonight - well more of a frisbee chasing session to the Rec. We meet Ben of the peepie-toes shoes (see earlier blog) and a Cav called Rolo, who is good entertainment. We're as tired as poor old Mollie

Deefer

Stunt Kite

We have that "all is safely gathered in" feeling, having just got back in from a good romp on the Rec, the cats and us fed, fire cleared and laid, coffee made and other human chores all accomplished.

The Rec was chocka with dog walkers and children. We met shiny black collie cross "Ben" with the white toes, white staffie "Amy" out with long haired Chihuahua "Louey" as well as old Jack Russell Patch.

Joy of joys, there was a couple out there playing with a day-glo pink stunt kite, so we were able to do our charge around barking up at it as it whizzed overhead cabaret and amuse the crouds. We soon gethered quite an audience and the kite man was enjoying showing off his skills, whooshing the kite low over our heads to make us run about.

Exhausted, we are!

Deefs

Peepie-Hole Shoes

Rain, rain and more rain. The Rec is like swamp, and the roads are puddles and muddy slush, especially around here where the constant traffic of lorries and builders' vehicles to and from the huge building site behind us, shares it with local residents at every pass.

There is a small gap between the clouds when Dad gets home, so we race to the rec armed with the yellow frisbee ring thingy. We follow Mini-Milly in, the tiny ("petite" I guess you'd say) westie who lives above the bakery. She looks for all the world like a 2/3 scale model of a westie - she must weigh just a couple of kg's, probably a quarter of what the solid Megan tips the scales at.

We also come across black collie-type cross Ben, with his vivid white flash at the chest, and his odd looking 2 white toe-tips on the middle toes of each back foot. His owner thinks they look like he's wearing open-toed black shoes, or indeed has those school-boy "potato" holes in his black socks.

Have a great weekend. I think we have Diamond coming round for a meal and a chin-wag with Mum. Girls' talk

Deefer

Terrier Heaven

Heaven! We were just setting off on our walk tonight, headed for the allotments when, coming down the side of the house, we were hailed by Ellie, (my sis) and her Mum, and all four of us immediately decided to head for the Rec where we sisters could have a long overdue run-around together. It's been ages.

We are still similar in size, even though Ellie's a bit shaggier, so she looks a bit bigger. No sooner were we off the leads than we were tearing round in small circles bowling each other over, with Haggis piling in occasionally to unbalance anyone who was still standing up.

We were joined by a lady who knew Ellie's Mum, and her young Jack Russell, Bindy. Next arrived another lady out with a black collie cross, Ben, and then the young jack Russell Mac, who we met the other day. Last came another JR, Patch and a young spaniel, Molly. 4 westies, 3 JR's and 3 other dogs all variously running about, chasing each other, or mooching round the humans. It was great fun - best gas for ages!

Bindy had appeared with a soft, hollow-centred luminous green frizbee, and we soon started chasing that, with Dad lobbing it huge distances, so that we young ones all got really tired

It was dark by the time we were done, and we met Mum walking back across the Rec towards the house.

Terrier Heaven!

Guy Fawkes night coming up, so fireworks to shout at. Not sure I'll have the energy!

Deefer