A shining example

Everyone is completely amazed and delighted by the "revelation" that is Asbo (Rags) as a hospital visitor. Daimond's Dad, Denis is now pretty much confined to hospital and he misses the daily contact he used to have with Rags, so Diamond agreed with the staff of the section where Denis is currently living, to be allowed to bring Rags in on a visit.

Everyone involved was very trepidatious about this - he's not got his Asbo for no reason (all be it , lately the humans have rescinded it). There was no limit to the chaos he could have caused, racing about, doing um... presents, annoying patients, wrecking the place.

He was let in the first time under the strictest controls, on the lead and for a pre-arranged limited time, supervised by the nursing staff.

He was, as I said, a "revelation" ! The perfectly behaved dog! Delighted to see Denis (and vice versa) but in a restrained, non-mad way, and everyone's idea of the best behaved dog you'd want in a hospital wing. Now, a few visits down the line he is let off the lead. He makes a bee-line for Denis and a fuss of him, but then trots obediently towards any of the other patients who call him over, never fussing them too much, never out-staying his welcome, leaving alone the ones who don't want to talk to him, never ever leaving those "gifts".

Everyone's idea, in fact, of the perfect "PAT" (Pets as Therapy) dog. The boy has found his niche, and we're dead proud of him, Denis Healey eyebrows an' all !

Deefs

ASBO - a reformed character

Regular readers will remember "Asbo", also known as "Ragworth", Patterdale terrier of Diamond and ol' Denis. You won't have seen much of him lately in these pages, since there was a problem on one of his visits, with the late Felix, our black and white cat, and Diamond has not felt safe bringing him since.

Well, lots of water has flowed under the bridge since then, Felix has gone, Rags has grown up a bit and Denis is now in hospital. So today, Rags is spruced up, shampood, combed and made to look a picture of non-asbo-ness, fluffed and clean (see first picture). Off he goes to hospital in our car as good as gold, trots obediently in, visits Denis, makes a big fuss of him, allows Denis to show him off round the day-room, meeting other patients. He is perfectly behaved, sociable, a credit to Diamond.

Then they adjourn back here for a roast lamb meal. We barely have time to take the first picture, before he rediscovers the "frog pond" (see 2nd picture). He emerges as ever covered in smelly water and duckweed, mush to the exasperation of poor Diamond.

Do we re-instate the "asbo", we ask?

Deefs

Jacko and Ozzie

Freezing fog tonight, so now we're back indoors in the warm of the coal fire, a few more pics of Reculver to remind ourselves of that lovely sunny day a short while back. Megan having a paddle and showing off her fruit-bat ears, Reculver towers (as used in the film "Dambusters" because Reculver is where Barnes Wallis tried out and demo'd his famous bouncing bomb, the planes lining up on the towers as practise for the dam raids), and some of the over-wintering Brent geese that this area is famous for.

With me in my current ...um... hormonal state we avoid the Rec on our walk, and take ourselves off through the fog, round the back paths to the allotments. Here we meet up with allotments boss "Sand" out walking with her Jack Russell "Meadow". Sand also has a red Patterdale called Fern, which is sister and litter mate to Diamond's "Rags" (aka Asbo). Complicated innit?

We are all standing chatting when frequent allotments dog walker lady (sorry, don't know her name.... why do humans have no problem conversing with all these other humans about and around dogs, talking to the dogs and learning the dog's name, but never quite pluck up the courage to ask the other human their name? You end up with dog walkers trying to describe who they've met with expressions like "... Ah you know.... Sams' Mum!...") comes through with Jack Russel Jacko and Patterdale Ozzie.

These are superb fit dogs. The JR is one of those superfit bouncy ones who can spring up from their hind legs to (human) chest-height. The Patterdale is a chunky stocky chap, looking more like a Staffie in build. Both Rags and Fern are much more "rangey" by comparison - a good 4-6 inches taller, longer and lighter built. I have not seen a pedigree Patterdale, so I have no idea what the correct standard is, but rags/Fern and Ozzie are almost 2 different breeds!

Ah well. Nuff for now. Dad is mellowing out on Shep's Christmas Ale

...and Ellie's mum has apparently bought herself some new specs....

Deefers

Sentry Duty

There are plenty of perfectly good beds in the house - dog, cat and human. Felix though, has decided his favourite place of all is an old shopping box just inside the living room. Here he stands (or sits or lies) guard as if he was a sentry on duty.

We suspect this may be a "Diamond" thing. Perhaps she is secretly twisting her animals heads. Felix once belonged to Diamond, and Diamond's dog, the famous Asbo, has also spurned all clean, new, reputable looking beds in their house , in favour of a beaten up ol' cardboard box, into which he has dragged an old bit of dog-blanket and a few chewed toys. He loves it like nowhere else on this earth. The more tired and frayed it gets around the edges, the more he loves it. It is his spiritual home. He looks like he should have a bit of old bailer twine round his neck in lieu of a collar, and be lying (in his box) alongside some poor homeless soul under a sooty railway arch in Chelsea.

Meanwhile, here, we are deserted by Mum, who is in Portmarnock, and even the Angel B and Jim, so while Dad's at work, Ken and Jackie, neighbours from the other side, come and let us out for our lunch time "comfort stop".

Just for the one night though- Mum's back tonight

Deefer

Hector and the Hedgehog

Asbo is grounded for crimes against Mississippi - the cat, not the US State. She (Missi) suffered no lasting damage. It was noisy but not damaging, and we three westies are not popular for our part in it, which was to gather round like school kids in the playground yelling "Fight! Fight! Fight! .... Gooooo-orn my son!" etc

Meanwhile, Hector (Real Dad) has amazed my first human family by carrying indoors a rolled up hedgehog, large as life and twice as natural (twice as flea and mite infested too!). Arghhhh! Humans leppin' about and panicking in all directions.... "Get it out, the filthy thing!" etc.

Now, I don't want to upset the sensibilities of hedgehog sympathisers but any realistic hedgehog fancier will accept that they are not the most vermin free creatures (how do you groom and scratch yourself when you are covered in spines?) - indeed, we have read somewhere that the population of "parasites" is actually a symbiotic thing, the wee beasties cleaning the skin layer rather like pilot fish on a shark.

What ever, a fed up hedgehog is not the thing you want uncurling on the shag-pile and taking off at a trot for the nearest dark indoor corner.

More to the point, given that hedgehogs are indeed well covered in spines, how does a westie pick one up and carry it indoors without getting a lacerated mouth?

That one, you'll have to ask me Dad. He's just Magic!

Deefs

Ragworth (Asbo)

Here he is - my Hero, Rags. Allegedly a pedigree Lakeland/ Patterdale terrier, he is a fine (cough) handsome chap (splutter); suave, debonair, well groomed, not a hair out of place etc . OK in this one his chops are stylishly peppered with duckweed from his latest splosh about in the top pond. When he leapt out and headed for the terrace on which all the humans were dozing in the afternoon sun, there were cries of "Don't shake near me!" and "Arghhhh! Geddaway you filthy beast!" , and I'm sure I heard Dad yell "Don't let him in the house!" Gotta love him

Today is our town's Classic Car and Motorbike Show so our walk had to go up through town so Dad could see all the shiny veteran transport. Returning via the park I had a nice romp about with a smoky-grey Alsatian pup called Star (4 months)

And Dad tells me he's been up the allotment and finished off "his Autumn digging". Not behind or anything, are you dad?

Have a good Sunday
Deefs

Shouldn't laugh but....

Descended on this afternoon by Diamond, John, Den and Asbo (also known as Ragworth / Rags), all the humans tucking into a roast lamb meal (Yay! Bones for us when the guests have gone!). Rags used to bully me a bit (although 'tis said I was a screaming drama queen and wailed even if he didn't actually touch me), so it was funny to hear tonight of him coming unstuck when out being walked by Den.

Apparently he had spotted a big ol' ginger Tom cat near a car, and when the cat crept under the car, Rags lunged under too, to the full length of his lead. The cat struck back! Rags emerged backwards from under the car, screaming like a drama queen ( :-)) ), with the ginger Tom on top of him gripping on and biting into his spine. Den had to separate the two animals and retreat, with Rags looking anxiously over his shoulder till the cat was well out of range. They crossed the road, and the cat crossed too, ending up sitting on the pavement coolly washing himself.

Also, I hear that Asbo, as a pup, was terrified of the decorated wheelie-bins. Plain green ones were OK, but some people like to customise their wheelie bin with stick-on transfers of clematis plants, or clown faces. Rags gave these a very wide berth.

The bigger they are.....

Deefs

ps - No more of the r*t. Dad blocked up the holes with some square section weld-mesh, and the varmint has not, so far, been back. Megan is watching out for developments. meanwhile we had a squirrel in the Albertine on the back of the house, as an alternative entertainment today

If you go down to the woods today

Everyone feeling in need of exercise today, after a lunch yesterday which featured (for humans, not for dogs!) sticky toffee pudding, so all the guilty parties (including Diamond and John) rendezvous'd at Challock Forest at 10 am. The frost was all gone, so it was a bit skiddy underfoot.

This is a pic of the 4 of us (l to r, Meggie, moi, the H-Man and Asbo (aka Rags). Mirror mirror on the wall etc.... I wish that, for a laugh, I could show you the shots surrounding this one on the memory card - dogs looking in the wrong direction, me leppin' off the bench. Maybe I'll put one up tomorrow.

Not all of us understand fully commands like "sit" and "stay" (or, for that matter - "WILL you keep STILL you little perishers?!!!". Rags (shame on him) is on a lead in this one, just while he was on the bench, because the dunce has solid bone between his ears and couldn't get the concept of posing at all...

Ne'er mind. All adds to the fun

Deefs

Losing my baby-teeth

4 and a half months old now, and time to shed a few baby teeth. Most of my front incisors and my lower left canine have parted company, and new incisors are coming through. So I'm driven crazy by the teething itches and aches, and chewing furiously on anything that comes to hand (or mouth). Latest victim is a blue frisbee that came free with my "coming home bag", when Mum and Dad collected us from our pup home.... or was it from the pet insurance when we signed up. Can't recall

A heavy frost over night so the grass on the Rec is white and crispy. All the better to make snow-angels in by rolling on your back.

It has been noticed that I have not poo'd indoors lately - not in the last fortnight anyway - but no-one is saying anything in case they tempt fate. As to wee-ing, I mostly remember to do that outside, but there are still the odd indoor ones, which I mainly remember to do on the newspaper left by the "stable door" for that purpose. I have wee'd on some interesting people and news stories in the past, and Mum and Dad quite often laugh at my choices.

Princess Diana was down there for ages (full page spread in one of the weekend papers - there was some kind of inquiry going on) and I refused to wee on her. George Bush, Blair, John Ried, no problem. Gallons of wee. In one story recently about the "Sego-Sarko" race for the French Presidency. I wee'd mightily on Nicolas Sarkozy and avoided Segolene Royal completely. Mum calls that a vote for French Chic, and says I have great taste. Scare bleu! Leesten vairy carefully. I will say zees only once....

We had Diamond, and her man and step-Dad round this afternoon for a late lunch and they brought Asbo with them. Bit of a shock - and I squeaked loudly at being charged down in my own territory. We soon got used to each other, mind, and I guess he's welcome really.

Another frosty night tonight

Deefer

Reculver again, with Asbo

The wind has turned a bit chillier, and the forecast is for Winter to finally arrive, but this morning it's sunny and breezy, so we head for Reculver once more. Here are the three of us in the 2CV again. Dad drove. Mum took off in the other car to collect Diamond, and the Lakeland terrier, Asbo. Not his real name - his real name is Ragworth (and that's another story. Get me to tell it one time). This time we (successfully) all met up at Reculver and went for a good ol' chase along the sea wall and down along the beach.

I've got more used to Asbo, now, so I'm not such a screaming drama queen when he passes within a few feet. I still cringe a little, but spent most of the walk actually chasing him around, my curiosity getting the better of me. Dad says he looks forward to the day we can play properly together. Asbo is young and fit, so it'll take some of the pressure off poor old Haggis (9) who sometimes gets to look a bit persecuted when I won't leave him alone

In the pic of all the dogs together, H is left, Rags centre, Me right and Megs bringing up the rear (as normal). Rags spends a lot of any walk running round checking that everyone is there. Diamond says he's such a ditz, he whizzes round counting to 3 dogs, then forgets and has to go back and check, then forgets again and has to check again, then forgets.... you get the picture. He's the same. apparently when Diamond is out with her three young neices, racing round making sure all 3 are present and correct

Have a good week

Deefer

Exotic smells, evocative smells and ASBO's

Happy New Year. Mum and Dad came home from the restaurant smelling of all sorts of exotic foods - stuff you'd only read about in Africa geography books - they'd been to a "Taste of Africa" night, where-at the owner and staff were all dressed in trad African gear, and the food was stuff like well spiced veg dishes, cassava, yam, rice dumplings, dried catfish - various offal-y stuff like gizzards and tripe, and either goat or lamb.

Mum and Dad were buzzing with the deliciousness of it all, and still hyper from the traditional dance/drum music. I'm tempted to post my first link, just in case you want to go see, but I need to check the web address first. Everyone, incuding "Auntie Diamond" came back to our house for a few drinks till the midnight hour, to help us through the fireworks!

While we're on evocative smells, while we were in Ireland, Dad loaded onto the car a big bag of proper peat "sods", traditional fuel when coal was hard to come by. Tonight we have a real fire in the grate (first one this year - it's been so mild), and we are wafting evocative peat-turf-fire smells across the street from our chimney

And I finally got to meet Diamond's dog "ASBO" (actually Ragworth). He is a young (2) Lakeland / Patterdale terrier in black and tan, given to wispy hair on his ears and Denis Healey eyebrows. Not used to small (cough) vulnerable dogs to play with he can be a bit rough, so we all arranged a meeting back on the beach in Reculver, as neutral territory.

Scary - he piled straight in bowling me over and making me scream like a stuck pig. So we were separated while he ran off some energy, then allowed back together in a bit more of a controlled way. Anyway - suffice to say that by the end of the walk we were getting on much better (me only squeaking a little bit when he charged too close, and him not actually beating me up), so everyone thinks it was reasonably successful and worth keeping going. By the end of the walk I was actually letting curiosity get the better of me and chasing him about (from a distance)

An interesting start to the year

Get well soon, Archie

Deefer