Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all

Hi Everyone,
Not a snowy one this year by the looks of things, but at least it is a bit warmer to go out walking in.
On behalf of my mum and dad and me, we hope you have a fantastic Christmas and New Year.
I have been promised a turkey dinner and I can't wait!
Lots of Love, Roddy xxx

Visitors from North and South

Hi All,
Just time to catch up with you after another busy weekend, before the Christmas rush starts!
Mum and Dad had their friends and children to stay last weekend and they are such fun to be with.  They are always fussing me and running around with me in the garden.  It makes me feel quite young again!
Here are my dear young friends lined up on the sofa looking good as gold (which they mostly were!).

 After they went home it was strangely quiet and I caught up on some sleep!  But it was a pleasure to have them stop over and I quite miss them.
A few days later a parcel arrived in the post addressed to 'Mr Roddy Dog'.  Imagine my excitement!
It was a gift that I suspect was from my young friends - a crumb collector in the shape of a dog.  I think it is to help clear up the crumbs we all made at breakfast time (the children and me!).
How kind.  I was quite touched and of course had a very waggy tail about it! (I would have happily chewed it up but mum said it wasnt that kind of present!).

Visit to Croyden

Hi All,
Another busy week and weekend has gone by.  This weekend we visited my mum's sister and family.  This is where my very good doggie friend Doobie lives.

Doobie is a lot younger than me and didn't half run round like a mad thing when we first arrived! It fair wore me out just standing still watching.
Once she had calmed down we had a nice time together with our families, relaxing Saturday night and on a lovely walk Sunday morning.
It's good to see family. xx

The Breakfast Weekend

Hi everyone, I don't know where to start - what a great weekend we have just had.
Mum and dad's friends came round on Saturday evening and I got lots of fuss.  Then on Sunday morning they did the usual big breakfast with sausages and bacon cooked outside on the bbq - and this time I had some too!

 Here I am waiting to be told I can eat my sausage, bacon, egg and piece of toast with butter on (all nicely chopped for me).

 As you can see, I didn't take long about it!! The bacon went first - YUM!

After breakfast we decided to go out for a nice walk around Sarehole Mill, Chinbrook and Moseley Bog - all lovely places to potter round.  I had a paddle in the river Rea, chewed a few sticks and generally had a good time sniffing round.

 I did get a bit muddy and wet - great!

This was me trying to find something that had been thrown into the water and had sunk!

It has been another lovely weekend. Next week I am hoping to visit my friend Doobie in Croyden, so watch out for nice photos of us on our walks together.

I hope your weekend was good too xx.

Sunny Poole in November

 Hi everyone, can you believe the weather! It was over 20°C at the seaside in Dorset last Saturday and Sunday (11th 12th Nov) and here are the pictures to prove it!

As you can see I had a lovely time.  We were visiting our very good friends Phil and Sue and even 'mum' rolled her trousers up and went in for a paddle!

We seem to be doing lots of fun things lately.  We had friends around for bonfire night (I have never had a problem with fireworks and enjoyed the party!); a weekend at the seaside last weekend and more friends are coming around this weekend.  I love to see everyone!

I feel great and I am enjoying fabulous food (chicken, rice and vegetables), including an extra meal each day.  I seem to be visiting the vets a bit more - which is fine as they are really nice there.  I get big hugs off everyone too.

Apparently I am working on a 'bucket list of 10 best thing to do and eat' and this Christmas I have been promised turkey!

Symonds Yat and my first ferry crossing!

So, as I was saying in my blog on Lybster.... I've been a travelling dog this month.  On 21st - 23rd of October 12 friends and me went across to Symonds Yat and stayed in a very friendly inn called Ye Old Ferrie Inn.  Dogs are allowed in the bar during meals and can snooze away under the table or by the open fire - lovely.
We went on two lovely walks where everyone marvelled at the views.

 Even I stood and appreciated the view! Here I am standing over the Seven Sisters.

I also got to ride in a ferry where the man pulls you across with a rope that hangs from each side of the river.  The first time I was very nervous, but after that - no problems.

I also enjoyed sitting in the sunshine outside the pub while everyone was eating lunch - just waiting for the tidbits to fall.

It's been a busy month, but I have enjoyed myself.  Hope yours has been good too.
Now we must look forward to Christmas and all those goodies!

Bonny Scotland in October

Hello everyone.  I have been on my travels again, as this blog and the next one will show you. The first week in October was spent in Lybster, north/east Scotland.  I did lots of walking, visited the seaside and popped very regularly into a fantastic pub in Lybster called the Commercial (very, very nice to dogs in there).

 I found a tennis ball on the beach too!  Can you imagine how thrilled I was?

My other favorite pastime of the holiday week was to lie in the middle of the lovely large kitchen floor and watch my owners and their friends preparing meals.  I kept a keen eye open for anything that might fall and need clearing up.  Very helpful of me I think!

I do like holidays!

Cornish Beaches are the best!

Hi all,

Just back from a lovely trip to see family down in Cornwall.

The weather was not brilliant, but still good enough for a trip to the beach one day, where we managed to get slightly lost during a rainy drizzle in the sand dunes (well, they were lost - I knew exactly where we were!!).

The next day we went out with a map to find a route on foot from Camborne to the North Cliffs.

It was thirsty work and we couldn't have had a more different day weather wise.  The sun shone all afternoon. Lovely.
I do like it down here.

A fruitful week

So far so good this week.  First I found a lovely mini football in the bushes on Monday morning.  Always a pleasure to find a ball of this size as it is so easy to carry home.

Then on Tuesday I found a tennis ball (yes, ANOTHER ONE!).  Then today, there it was waiting for me - a huge lovely football, with exactly the right amount of air gone out of it so I could squash it slightly and carry it home myself.

I am so pleased!
AND.... it's only Thursday!  I wonder what I might find tomorrow?

All clear from the Vets!

Hi Everyone,

Sorry I havent been in touch for a little while.  I have been visiting the vets every couple of weeks whilst my ex-lump has been checked up on. All is well and my fur is growing back well - a bit itchy mind!

The removed lump was just a fatty thing, so no worries there either.

Today I am enjoying sitting out a pleasantly warm afternoon.....

..... I was also enjoying a sneaky snooze - until mum pointed the camera up my nose anyway!

Enjoy your summer holidays all. xx

Composting

Hello all,
Thank you for all your kind words whilst I have been poorly. I am feeling much better now. My stitches will come out in another week.
Meanwhile, I have been helping mum and dad to get more cardboard into the compost to balance out all the grass.
This involves ripping up cardboard boxes into small pieces - hardly a chore for someone who likes to run round shredding things!!
I am glad to help.

Me minus the lumps (well 2 of them anyway)....

Hi all,
It's worse than it looks (so they tell me).  A zip on the right hand side, one under my chin and two shaved front legs from injections and a drip during and after the operation.
I certainly look, and feel, like I've been in the wars.
Mum and dad stayed up with me last night and I think they might tonight too if I need them.

Anyway, no fear, mum to the rescue with another invalidity jacket home made especially to not rub my neck but cover my side zip so I cant scratch it easily.

I hope not to be wearing this for too long.  Don't worry, I have two of them so they can be swapped and washed daily if I dribble too much!

My ensemble is complete with a nice drawstring tie to keep my t-shirt from dangling in any awkward places!
Thanks mum!

Me and My Lump...

Hi all, I hope you are all well. Sorry haven't been in touch, but May was very busy wasn't it? Lots of lazing in the garden and snoozing in the shade.

Anyway, I thought I'd show you my lump. It has been growing steadily, but fairly slowly over the last 6-8 months.  You can see it just above my right shoulder, almost in my armpit.  Here I am lying down to show you where it is.

After a weeks holiday at my Pet Hotel, mum and dad have realised that the lump is now growing more quickly and I believe plans are afoot to have Mr Lump removed next week!!

Now, please don't worry about me - the vet has said that, subject to a blood test to make sure I am healthy and fit enough for the operation, there should be no problems at all in removing it and making a full recovery - with another proud battle scar!!

I just thought I'd let you see a picture of how big the lump is now, to maximise on the sympathy I hope to get when I show you my stitches next weekend.

I just hope mum doesn't stick me in another of those 80's t-shirts! So embarrassing! [See post 19th June 2010.]

A beautiful weekend.

Hello readers, what a fab weekend we have had weather wise again.  Is this the advent of summer? I sure hope so.

This weekend I have been helping mum and dad with the garden.  Sorting out my footballs, checking out how snoozy the lawn is once mowed .......

........ and generally being appreciative by playing with my favorite football in the nice tidy garden, once all work has been finished!

Phew! It was a warm weekend.

Hello everyone,
I hope you had as good a weekend as we did.  Saturday was spent in the garden sunbathing whilst 'mom' did some planting.  Then on Sunday we went for a 10 mile walk around Stratford. I went in the river quite a few times to cool off as it was such a warm day.
When we stopped for a picnic, 'dad' put his hat on my head to help give some extra shade.  I think I look a cool dude - what do you think?

Tired and snoring

Good afternoon.
I think I was snoring a little too loudly in my bed in the study.  Mum was trying to work at her desk and I was in the land of nod. Apparently I was a little distracting!
By the way, I always leave an ear dangling over the side of my basket - especially when asleep. To make sure I don't miss any food event or any people coming to the door!

Cornish Weekend.

Hi All,
This last weekend I have been away visiting my 'mum's' family by the seaside.
We went to the beach (as always), but also to a big house and garden called Trevarno.

 There were some scarily large birds around.  The black necked swan chased me along the pond - but like a Darlek can't do stairs, he didn't do paths so I was safe out of the water!!

 This bird made loud cat noises and flashed a huge tail.

There were literally thousands of daffodils too! The annoying thing was that I wasn't allowed to lift a leg to ANY of them!
A good weekend mind.  Hope yours was too.

New Portrait for 2011

Hey, have I still got it, or have I still got it?
That cute look I mean!!

I'm a bit older now but they do say grey is distinguished.

Sunshine in Wales!

Hi everyone, I have been on my travels again.

We have had a lovely week in a cottage in North wales.  it was cold, but NO RAIN! Amazing.

The above picture is me in the gardens overlooking the pier in Llandudno.

Below you can see that 'mum' is still enjoying the view of Aber Falls.  As you can also see, I have seen enough and I am ready to carry on walking!

Wonderful weekend

Hi Everyone.  I have had such a busy weekend. My friends Katie and Sam came to visit with their friends James and Jack.

We played round the house, went for a walk in the park and I watched while they went on the swings and slides.  Then we stopped at the cafe for a drink and cake.  See below, Katie has just given me a nice biscuit to keep me going on the journey home.

 When we got back from the park we played in the garden with my toys.........

..and we had a lot of fun just being together!

To top it all we were filmed in the park by a cameraman from Sky News and appeared on the telly just after the 7pm news on the Saturday evening!

How is that for a weekend of activities!

Tell you what though...... I was soooo tired on Sunday afternoon, I slept for hours!

Ooooooh my cosy new bed!

After a shopping trip yesterday, mum and dad returned with a new bed for me to lie on in the hall.  As I am getting older I need more support for my old bones.  This bed has cushion support all round the outside and you can choose to have it open flat or clip the press studs together to make cushiony pillows against the wall.

I approve.  Zzzzzzz

Are we going to be friends?

Mum and Dad's friend gave a garden ornament dog as a present this Christmas. He has been put out in my garden without any consultation.  I am not really impressed.

I'd like to chat and get to know him a bit better but I haven't really had the opportunity, as whenever I approach him he looks rather busy and more than a little embarrassed!

Goodbye to a friend we never met, yet we all loved.

Dear All, we are very sad to hear about Tess the Black Labrador from Scotland and send our love and sympathy to her 'mum and dad'.
We have never met in person, but have very much enjoyed following Tess and her family through her dog blog over the last ten years.  http://tessblogs.blogspot.com/
Rest In Peace dear Tess, with much love xx