Project 'Errol'

OYEZ OYEZ OYEZ! Be it known throughout the known reaches of the (Deefer-Dawg) blog-o-sphere, that the proposed project to up sticks and move to the Emerald Isle be named "Project Errol" after a runt-of-the-litter hatchling dragon in Terry Pratchett's 'Men at Arms' book (The Police Commander's wife breeds them. Don't ask). Be it also known that although any such plans are at the melting pot stage so far, two iconic 'things' have happened which, if you knew Mum like we know Mum, you would take VERY SERIOUSLY INDEED.

Firstly they have started "A List". Yes, a real one in the ring bound books they keep a-top the freezer. Lists get started for any major events, like narrow boating holidays, home-improvement projects, big garden changes, visits by Silverwood personnel etc. There is now, in existence an "Errol List". You have been warned.

Secondly the above earthenware casserole dish which ' would look good in the Project Errol Kitchen' has been purchased. Mum subtly asked Dad to give her a hand in with the shopping and Dad carried in that particular bag and (luckily for him) spotted the pot and quietly thought 'Ah... I wonder if that's a purchase with Errol in mind'. Seconds later with all the shopping safely gathered in, Mum hefted the pot and asked as if out of no-where, 'D'you know what this is?' to which Dad replied 'Our First Errol Purchase!'.

Maximum points, Dad. You live to fight (and stir the earthenware melting pot) another day!

Deefs

Cabbages are not always good for you

In an outrageous double-cross, Mum and Dad slip away out of the front door, bags packed, headed for a long weekend in Ireland, leaving us in the tender charge of the Angel B and Uncle Jim. They are off to help out at a family "do" at the Silverwoods, with eldest girl Em-J taking her RC Confirmation (which they all do, aged 12). This event is a big rite of passage although not quite as bizarre as the First Holy Communion which has all the school girls aged about 7 in the town, on the same day, dressed in bride's dresses (and all the boys in little groom-suits) and all the parents done up to the nines, trying to out-do the other families with the money spent on clothes, limo's to the church, restaurant dining etc.

In this one, at least, the girls, now 12, mostly wear nice smart new dresses (some still go mad on blancmange dresses in bright pink or cerise, in the "debs" stylee), hair done specially, maybe new shoes etc, and there are also far fewer of the girls, with maybe only three schools getting "done" at once (The one Mum and Dad go to had 30 girls and 50 boys). The families adjourn back to their houses for a bit of a party, with all the frineds, rels and neighbours dropping in.

That's where Mum and Dad came in. Mum was "the catering" so spent 3 days solid buying ingredients and then cooking party food. When she went off shopping with Mrs Silverwood, Dad was babysitter for toddlers M (4) and R (2). Some nice bio-hazard nappies from R, he reports. When Mum was cooking, Dad says he was serial washer-up and spent 3 days at the sink. We suspect this may be a slight exaggeration.

Toddler M is funny at present, as he has that not-quite-correct and expanding vocabulary. It turns out his sweet-tooth and tooth-enamel quality are not a good combination, and the dentist was aghast at his latest visit, at the state of his teeth. Full of cavities, apparently, so he is now on a strict low-sweetie intake regime with special meds to cure abscesses, multiple tooth brushing and mouth-washing etc, to give his baby teeth a chance to see out their natural before being replaced, we hope, by some nice strong pearly-white adult gnashers.

M, though, having not met the word "cavities" mis-heard it as Cabbages and is now convinced he has cabbages in his mouth which need brushing and which hurt more if he eats or drinks sweet stuff. Needless to say, amused grown up like to wind him up in his innocence, by not correcting him. There are, therefore, frequent conversations around "No, you can't have orange juice - it's bad for your cabbages" or "Have milk, instead, it's better for your cabbages"

Bless
More on this soon
Deefski

International Dog of Mystery

Hey! Look at me with my world wide fan base - Mexico, Bahrain, Germany, Ireland, Oz, The US of A and Canada! And that's just on tonight's "last 20"


Mind you, I am convinced that 99% of these bimble in here on some link because of my by-now-very-wide ranging selection of key words / labels, and end up going "what's this old tosh I've stumbled upon?" and go away again, never to return unless by accident.

We've been at this now over 3 years and have covered a huge range of topics, so there are mountains of words and combinations of words, that will bring up little ol' me. I may also be one of the top listed sites for things I talk about a lot which are not covered by other bloggers - the Cambria Sailing Barge for example.

There are, then, a few of you I know who do deliberately pass this way and return, and thank you very much for that, but generally I chug along with about 60 hits a week, slowly slowly racking up my 8500 surfers ghosting through and and 5500 proper click in/out visits.

"Search Engine Optimisation" is a very clever science all of it's own, and when we were learning how to build websites (my Dad and me) one thing they told us that search engines "like" is if your subject matter commonly refers back to the subject / title ( which you obviously don't do if you are a spammer who chooses a respectable site name as cover, but is then trying to indulge in activities which are nothing to do with that subject!). They (search engines) also love regularly refreshed websites which this one, (barring a few gaps), most certainly is.

Nearly the weekend
Deefski

Tammy the Chow??

This is "that dog" - just an overgrown puppy really. Still young but lots bigger than me. Dad thinks she's a Chow, but is more than willing to be out-voted on this one. As you can see she towers over me and was so bouncy in the forest near Silverwood's house, that I was glad she was kept on the lead. Still - all the humans think it's only that she doesn't get enough exercise and given enough practise she'd be grand and calm. Mr-Em is quite taken with her. She's called Tammy, and I think he has visions of donning a black balaclava and smuggling her out under cover of darkness!

By the way - I should have said, the Guinea Pigs all survived but have not, to my knowledge, produced their babies (kittens? Guinea piglets?) yet

Ah well, from wet, rain swept, soggy. gale-blown Kent, chewing a bit of goose-neck (the hard life).......

Deefer

A long long way from there to here

Wow! Home again after the biggest adventure ever, and back on my own PC. We left the Steak Lady's place (in passable condition!) early Thursday morning for another millpond smooth Irish Sea crossing, coming off the ferry at Holyhead by midday. We are glad we slipped out when we did - the weather ever since has been gales and "severe weather warnings", and Mum does not go too much on the rough stuff.

The run home was OK - but plenty of broken down cars and lorries, roadworks and diversions round accidents, meant that we were not indoors till 7pm. I have added 3 more to the list of Motorway services I have peed in the carpark of and been walked round. Scent-marking the UK!

I was so delighted to be home I had to have a mad half hour racing round checking all my beds were still here, toys had not gone astray and cats needed bouncing at just in case they'd forgotten me. Evereyone is asking how did Deefer get on - and Mum and Dad have been singing my praises for being so well socialised and not having indoor accidents in other peoples' houses all the time we were abroad (maybe just one or two...). So, just to make sure no-one was getting compacent, I had a good one to make up for it in the Hall here.

News comes on the grapevine that brother Archie has broken the ligaments in his knee, so he is under the vet, x-rayed up and now suffering 2 weeks of being strapped up to stop him moving his leg, and crated to minimised his movement and exercise. Poor feller! I know from Dad that he loves a run-around and a scrap with Mollie and Hector, just the same as I do with Haggis and Megan. I shall have to take care not to end up in the same boat. Mind you they all say I'm such a screaming drama-queen, I'm shrieking "with pain" before the thing actually touches me! Maybe that'll protect me from real impacts! Get well soon, Arch'

Ah well, back at home now and getting back into the old routine. Growing all the time, and with it, a curious new power over the humans. A week ago, I couldn't leap off the bed, so I woke up, dying for a pee, but had to wake up Dad, who'd then lift me down stairs and lob me out the back door before I could do one. Now (heh heh!) I can leap off the bed and pee where I like, so Dad has to wake up really quick to stop me. Alpha-female, or what?

More soon
Deefer

Really Here!

Well - we made it. I can't quite believe I'm really in the "Steak-Lady's" house in Portmarnock, Co. Dublin. Mum and Dad finished work yesterday afternoon, and we all got a quick walk in the Rec to wear off some surplus energy. Then we were all loaded into the car - some of us in between the legs of an old wicker child's crib, that M+D have to take over to Ireland ready for Baby-Cotcho (more of that later).

Dad was issuing dire warning of how awful the M25 would be on the last Friday before Christmas, and with Heathrow-killer fog everywhere. But we sailed through. M+D share the driving in 2 hour chunks, and Meg, Haggis and I share the sleeping crashed out on the back seat. Every 2 hours we are rudely awoken and encouraged to charge around places called Motorway Services. These seem to be great big, well lit car parks with lots of grass for dogs to find comfort on (ahem), and shops for humans to get coffee in

6 hours later we were in Holyhead, and very quickly (after another carpark comfort stop) driving into the gaping maw of a HUGE ferry called Ulysses. We dogs get to stay in the car and sleep for another 4 hours then listening to the thrum of big engines but not being able to see anything except everyone else's parked car

Then we drive off the ferry, sprint North through Dublin's dock area (cars can't use the new tunnel yet), and round the edge of Dublin bay, inland at Baldoyle, and so to Portmarnock. here we park up for a proper walk along the huge flat, sand-dune-ish beach. But now everyone's tired out, so we have adjourned to the Steak Lady's house for breakfast and more sleeping. SL's house is amazing! Normally inhabitted by a cracking small Yorkie called Cracker, it is a treasure trove of hidden bones, treats and toys that no-one but an inquisitive pup could find. I have scared dad to death several times by suddenly going quiet, only to be found under a sofa with a nice, crunchy bone! The Git keeps taking them off me! ... Ah well, plenty more if you know where to look

More soon
Deefer

A Huge Adventure

Tomorrow, we are all off on a huge adventure, sailing away to spend Christmas in Ireland; that's we three dogs, no cats, and enough humans to keep us out of mischief. We are driving through the night and embarking on our ferry at crack of sparrow's on saturday morning. I am hoping that there is a PC I can get on, to keep you up to date with the adventure and post up a few pictures. If there isn't, then I'll wish you now a very happy Christmas and see you asgain in the New Year

Have a good 'un

Deefer