IT'S NOT FAIR!!!

Right. That's it! I'm going on strike! I have worked my paws off today. I have guided Mum all around Bournemouth. I have been sooooooo patiently plodding while Granny has been walking with us. I have been dutifully lying down during human yummies times. I have guided both Mum and Granny around Sainsbury's. I have even guided Mum on a walk tantalisingly close to the beach. BUT...... No beach play! 
HUFF
HUMPH
HARRUMPH
SNORT
SNUFFLE
GRUMP
IT'S NOT FAIR!

Pleeeeeeeeease?

Mummy, pleeeeeeeeease can we visit the beach this time? Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease?
We have been to Bournemouth so many times recently and not gone to visit the big yellow park with the huge sploshy puddle! I sooooooooo love having a good run around there! Pleeeeeeeeeeease? I have been a very good boy today......I have worked hard and been very patient........really I have........I guided you all the way around town, and back to Granny's flat ....... And I dragged you up that mega-steep hill! And I made those people happy in the human eye vets place where we took Granny.......and I hoovered up that yummy roast potato you dropped......oh! Err.....wait, I wasn't supposed to tell anyone about that was I? Oops! Well......I did do a thorough job of cleaning up the gravy that sploshed on the floor with it too.....! See? I am a good boy......pleeeeeeeeeeeease? Pretty please? ......

Bits and Balls

Woohoo! That was a great day!

Human friends to walk with to church, via a freerun in Victoria Park! Then a freerun in Northcroft Park after church. Then a bit of work around town. Mum wasn't too impressed about putting my harness on with my belly all soggy, but it had to be done. (It wasn't my fault the river made me wet!). Then back to the boat for a bit of a snooze - interrupted by more visitors. A very welcome interruption though! It was Rosie and James! Yayyyyyy!

After yummies for all, I took Mum, Rosie and James to Victoria Park again. Another freerun! Yippppeeeeeee! James had my ball launcher and he was very good at using it! I had to run some very long runs to get my ball back! It was great fun! We set out with two balls but only one made it back. The other one mysteriously ended up in lots of tiny bits! I can't imagine how or why that might have happened! Ahem!

Who's a Clever Boy then?.......

I took Mum on a mission today. We went into town, leaving Dad behind clicketyfingersing. We went into a couple of shops, one of which was Wilko. Mum was just chatting to me as we walked and kind of muttered 'Now.... We need to find Wilko....Oakie wait. Let me get my bearings'. Well, I didn't need to wait. I didn't need to get any bearings. I just followed the hint. Of course I found Wilko! I have lots of human friends in there! I also found one of those friends at the checkout. Loadsafuss! Yesssss!

Then Mum said 'Need to find Boots now'. No problem! Straight there! Inside I had to do loads of waiting while Mum tried to scan the shelves for what she wanted. Along came a nice lady and her minihuman. I couldn't resist.....they were both looking longingly at me.....I couldn't let them down......I just had to let them fuss me! Actually, the lady did ask Mum first if it was ok to fuss me. Thankfully she said yes and I didn't waste so much as a nanosecond! But it was all for Mum's benefit.....she and the lady got yacketying.....the lady helped Mum to find the things she was searching for. So, I got fusses, lady and boy got my adoration, Mum got help with her shopping! Win!

When we went to the checkout, we met Lorraine, the nice Guide Dogs lady from our MegaWalk events. Speaking of which....it seems the MegaWalk is back on soon! Yippee!

We took a longer route back to the boat. Just because it was a nice morning and because we could! That is plenty good enough reason for me!

Later in the afternoon, we had visitors briefly. Linda gave me a nice juicy carrot - just enough to stop me fading away in the half hour before my dinner time!

Slug

Oh dear! Mum says my teddy dog is now a teddy slug! I don't think he was quite up to that game of tug! Oops! Well, it was fun!

It came after a day of more yackety-yacking and clicketyfingersing and talkyboning ....... Lots......and......lots......and......lots of all of them!

The first bit of all of that was good - I had a ride in the boot of a big high up car! It belonged to a nice lady wearing a Guide Dogs blue fursubstitutes top like Mum's. She came and picked us up to take us to a cafe in a garden centre. There was another Guide Dog there; a black lab x retriever called Henry. We had a good canoodle! Of course, we were both on duty so canoodling was all we could get away with. Most of the time, all we could do was snooze while the humans did all their yacketying, but it was nice to meet a colleague!

Then it was back to the boat for a while, before going out on harness again to guide Mum around town, to various shops, and other places, via some big busy roads, crossings and a big tunnel under a road. We also went into that shiny-disks-and-flappy-rectangles place. I like that place! Mum calls it NatWest Bank. I call it YummyBiccie Bank! There is a reeeeeeaaalllyyy nice man in there who can't resist fussing me and giving me biccies from a jar he keeps on the counter! Now, how can I find a way to ensure that Mum needs to visit there every day?.......

Photo shows my purple and white teddy dog with his last two legs lying beside him. The other two .....errr....fell off a while ago.... Ahem! Oops!

Errmm - I am Handsome!

Tummy good again. It was the rest of me that got fed up today!
Well.....actually I suppose it wasn't that bad....... Just lots of best behaviour needed. 😣

It all started with a brief game of ball-launcher on the little patch of grass beside where we are moored. Then some friends arrived; Jenny and Tony Brooks (Tony was the man who got swallowed by the hole in the back deck when he came aboard the boat a while ago - something to do with the big rumbler that lives in there). I had to hop into the big boot of their car and Mum and Dad got into the seats. Then Tony drove us a little way to their house. I got to have a good play in their garden. I found lots of green balls under a big tree. They were fun to toss around, but they didn't taste too good when my fangs pierced them. They made my nose wrinkle up!

I had a lie down for a while and endured the smells of human yummies. Then we got back into Tony's car and drove to a big pointy building. Inside, I had to guide Mum upstairs and into a room. I had a bit of a sniff around while they put chairs all around. Then several ladies arrived and sat on the chairs. I was allowed to relax while Mum did a whole load of yacketying, standing up in front of them all. Then mugs of hot brown stuff came out, along with munchies. Mum was mean to me; she asked the ladies not to feed me anything! Huff! I had to content myself with hoovering crumbs. Jenny said I did a good job of that though and she didn't need to get the whiskerstick out! One lady very kindly dropped a nice lot of ..... Errr.... Crumbs.....err....well....maybe it was a bit of a chunk of something called apple cake (made from some of the green balls in Jenny's garden). Well.....I couldn't possibly leave that mess on the floor could I? It tasted ooooooodles yummier than the green balls!

Tony drove us back home and I got my dinner before taking Mum and Dad for a nice longish walk to my favourite park. Then it was time to release all that pent up energy!

Five photos from today:

1 Mum doing her yacketying to the ladies. Me lying down beside her

2 close-up of a bored me, lying down while Mum did her yacketying

3 freerun in the park. Playing chase with a passing spaniel

4 fusses from two humans who were with a yellow lab who just happened to be passing as we got off the boat. We had a great few minutes chasing up and down the towpath.

5 a superb game of chase with Ted, the white German Shepherd. Pic shows us both running towards the one-eyed-clickybox, me with my ears flapping high, Ted with his paws in the air.

Mum had the audacity to say how stunningly handsome Ted is! Well......errrr.....hellooooo......I am handsome .......ahem......huff!

Bleugghh

Meh! My tummy was nasty to me today! It wasted food! Mum had to clean the mat! Sorry Mummy!

I'm ok again now though.

Apart from that bleugghh moment, I've been a busy-bee today. We've been out around town getting lots more flappy rectangles into shop windows. I've taken Mum to get her head fur snipped, and I've taken Dad for a nice long, gentle, get-better walk to the leisure centre and back. That included going through my favourite park, the one where we moored but the boat failed to get stuck, but Dad didn't let me freerun! Harrumph! He said it wouldn't be a good idea after being poorly! But I was fine again then! Honest I was! Spoilsport!!!

Waiting.....

Well, we waited ..... and waited ..... and waited .... for the sky to stop leaking ..... eventually it did and we set off on our mission ..... in and out and in and out and in an out ...... loads of different shops. Lots of them took the big flappy rectangles and said they would put them up in the windows. Some of them had nice humans in who fussed me too! Heehee!

Mum says we will do more tomorrow. I shall look forward to that - as long as it doesn't include so much waiting for the sky to stop leaking. It was kind of OK snoozing the day away while Mum and Dad were occupied with clicketyfingersing....

Mission: Sponsored Walk Work. Please spread the word!

Today's Mission:
Going into lots of shops and other places to ask them to display one of these big flappy rectangles.Mum says it is a poster telling people about our event at The Bacon Arms, Newbury on Sunday 4 October 7pm:

It says:
"Tracey and her Guide Dog, Oakley will be on the second leg of their sponsored walk from Bath to Reading, along the towpath of the Kennet and Avon Canal. This walk is to raise funds for and awareness of the amazing charity; Guide Dogs for the Blind Association (UK).
Tracey and her husband, Tim, live a nomadic life aboard their Narrowboat Sola Gratia. Travelling around the 2000+ miles of the inland waterways of the UK, they are members of the Boaters Christian Fellowship and the Canal Ministries team. Without Oakley, this would be impossible.
Come along, meet them, and hear their inspirational and heart-warming story.
The bar will be open all evening for refreshments."

Cozy Snoozy.

A nice cozy, lazy, snoozy morning, followed by a long walk to a couple of boring (aka nothing edible) shops. Then more cozy snoozy. A tiny cruise - all the way to the other side of the canal to the squirtysnake point - and back again. Then, after dinners something quite unusual. I took Mum for an evening walk while Dad stroked the floor! As it was already dark, I had to work hard keeping Mum safe. When it is dark, and especially when car  bright-eyes are dazzling her, she really can't see anything, so she has to put all her trust in me. We made it safely back, including the very dark bit along the towpath! I guess I must have earned my biccie treat!

Furry Fury!

Car. Church. Car. Freerun. Car. Boat (very briefly). Car (long ride). Debbi & Ryan's house! Well, garden actually. That loooooovely big garden! Plus new humans to meet and greet! Worth the long car ride! One of the new humans was a very mini human called Victoria. She was definite proof that four paws is better than two! She was tottering all around the garden, but wobbling all over the place and kept going wump on her bum!  She pinched my toys too! She seemed to especially like my squeaky space hopper and squeaky rugby ball! I didn't mind. I know she is a very young puppy so I shared nicely! She seemed to enjoy splashing her paws about in my water bowl too! And she threw some bits of sausage in there! I think I could get to like mini humans like her!

It seems we were there for something called a housewarming. This is a bit odd as we spent the whole time outside the house, in the garden! No complaints though. Ryan was making some delectable smells using a funny round ball-shaped thing that was really hot and had smoke coming out of it. Inside, he had sausages and chicken sizzling. Of course, the only tastes I got was from tiny morsels that I had to hoover from the grass below messy human eaters! It did make that grass rather tasty!

There were some of those see through water bowls on stalks, with that icky-smelling red water inside. They were on a low table. Well....they started ON the table......apparently my tail is a good table sweeper! Oops! Sorrreeeee!

After everyone had gone home, I took Dad for a walk around the block and returned to a brief time indoors. I wasn't allowed off lead. HISSING FURBALLS! AAAAAARRRRRRGGGGHHHHH! The mini ones (Loki and Lily) have got bigger and the mummy one is still scary! They all ran upstairs but the mummy one (Bella) came back down as we were heading towards the front door to leave. She hissed and growled at me and tried to double in size. I couldn't help it.....my biggest, fiercest barks just exploded from me! Mum had a firm hold on my lead though, so I couldn't move very far to sort out the furry fury. And Mum told me off! Huff!

The car ride home was much quicker and finished with a nice walk to unwind. Now it's sofa snuggles time.

Last Night's Photos

Me playing with Sid and the passing girlie dog who wasn't allowed to stay and play.
We are all three running around on the grass.

Me zonked on my back on the sofa back home - front legs up above my head,
back legs wide apart displaying my full glory!

Bournemouth

His name is Sid. He's a 5-month old pug. He was fantastic fun!

We met at the cliff top park in Bournemouth and had a fabulous time bouncing and chasing around together. Another girlie doggy came to join in too but her human didn't want her to play so called her away. Sid and I just resumed our cavorting!

This all came after a day of car journeys, senior family members and lots of patience! Dad got another different hire car; a little dinky toy one that Mum called a roller skate. It smelled funny inside - Dad said that was because it was brand new. It had a boot bit that was just big enough for me, so I approved! We drove to Bournemouth, picked up Granny from her flat, then drove a bit more to a human yummies place, where we found Nanny and Papa! Yippee! (Finding Nanny always means yummy minty rings! She always has some in her bag! Heehee!). Granny then apparently needed some shopping, so I had to work guiding Mum around Tesco's. Then, after a bit of relaxing and a carrot, followed a bit later by my dinner, back at Granny's flat, I took Mum to the cliff top while Dad did a last few jobs for Granny. That was when I met Sid. That made up for all the slowness and patience of the day.

I definitely need my beauty sleep now we are back home aboard the boat in Newbury again.

My Awesomeness Strikes Again!

Hard work for paws and jaws today.

I guided Mum to a human vets this morning. It was a long walk, but it was worth it; I got loads of fuss and admiration there! The vetman himself was fussing me the whole time he was yacketying with Mum. He had tasty front paws too and he liked my paw-cleaning service! He did say something about having to wash them as we left. I have no idea why - I did a perfectly thorough job it!

We then continued on our walk to a big boring shop, where Mum and Dad got some fur substitutes for their hind legs. Then we went to another big shop; one that I recognise. Mum gives me the command "find Boots" and I take her there. She still can't work out how I manage to do that in any strange town where we've never been before! I'm not telling. She can just continue to be amazed by my awesomeness! In there, we had to wait around for a while until a man came out and gave Mum a little bag with a box in it. I took this opportunity to have a lie down on the cool floor. It had been a veeeerrrrryyyyy long walk! It was broken by a very brief freerun in a little park that we had to go through! No complaints about that!

After the shopping, we did something we haven't done for quite a while - we caught a bus and rode all the way back into Newbury! A short walk brought us back to the boat. That was where my jaw exercise started: I got my bone to have a good gnaw on again! Yay! It makes a great thumping noise on the floor! Very effective for making guests jump! Heehee!

Today's guests were Stephen and Jacqui, who are Guide Dog Puppy Walkers. They didn't bring their puppy with them though frown emoticon
They said they are so used to having puppies getting into mischief that thumping noises make them nervous! Hahaha! I, of course, NEVER get into mischief! Ahem! Well, not often........

Later this afternoon, after Stephen and Jacqui left, we went for another walk through town to a pub. Mum says it is called The Bacon Arms. I didn't smell any bacon in there! Mum and Dad were yacketying to a nice lady in there. I just enjoyed some fuss! I gather we will be going back there again sometime soon to do something called a 'talk'. Something to do with part two of our MegaWalk. Mum says she will give me something called a poster to post on here to tell you all about it.

Now.... Paws tired, jaws tired...... Muuuuuuum..... Sofa snuggles time!

Oops. Missed a bit!

I forgot an important of yesterday's news! I took Mum into that big place where they have all the shiny disks and floppy rectangles. I think it must be called 'the bank' coz as we were approaching it Mum said "Oakie, find the bank". It seems I got it right because she told me I'm a clever boy as we went to the steps up to the door! Anyway, inside, we had to wait for a few minutes in a queue. (Good chance to get a few fusses!) then we went up to the big high counter. There I met the nicest man ever in one of these places. He had a jar of doggie biccies! He asked Mum's permission first. (I glared hard at her make sure she gave the right answere!). Then he insisted on giving me two biccies! I liked him! Then, when he had done with the yacketying and clicketyfingersing, and it was time to leave, he opened his jar again and gave me two more biccies! What a nice man. I shall have to fathom a way to get Mum in there more often!

Bones

Cor! I like that man at the market! The one in the high up white box on wheels, with all the mouthwatering stuff and the huge shiny choppy-uppy-sticks that he uses to chop and slice through meat and bones. Mum and Dad bought some meat from him this morning and he gave me two huge bones! Mum says they are cow's hips. I say they are uber yummy! I wasn't allowed to carry them home. Dad put them in his wheeliebag, but I think I might have had achy jaws if I had tried to carry even one of them. After the rest of the shopping trip, which included quite a lot of walkywork guiding Mum around busy roads, across bleepycrossings and around boooooooooring shops with no hoovering to do, I did then get to spend the rest of the afternoon enjoying some serious gnawing!

Leaky skies = boring day!

We went shopping this morning, including a visit to Pets At Home. It was a bit of a naff visit though. I didn't get to drag Mum to the Hoovering aisle! We had to wait around for a bit while a man went off to try to find out something about a new lid for my dog food box. I'd rather it didn't have a lid at all! While we were waiting, I did get to investigate the cages a bit. There was one with a funny little brown skittering thing in it. It went whizzing around in a wheel. I really couldn't work that out - even with my head as far over to the side as I could tip it! Mum said it was a degu. I think it was fascinating!

That was followed by a trek around Lidl's. I tried to help select some of that bacon stuff, but all I got for my efforts was a sharp tug on my harness and an 'uh-uh....don't even think about it!' from Mum. Huff!

I tried my best to plod as slowly as I could manage back to the boat. It didn't make the walk any longer though! Then, when we got back, the sky started leaking and it didn't stop for the rest of the day. We did have visitors. That was a nice interlude. Otherwise I've just snoozed while Mum and Dad have been clicketyfingersing.

After my dinner, I managed to persuade Dad that I needed to take him out of the way so Mum could stroke the floor. I got nicely soggy and so got a lovely towel rub when we got back. Time for Mummy-sofa-snuggles now!

Guests!

Arrrrrrrrrgggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! We've Moved. Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Ooohhh!!! Huff. Humph and Double Harruummpphh! We've moved from the park! We're back on the moorings opposite the squirtysnake place in Newbury. I suppose it's not far from that wonderful park - but....but....but....I soooooooo loved being right THERE - right AT the park! I shall put on my huffiest sulk!

Before we left though, I did have a fab time. First of all, Mum was messy with her breakfast - I had to hoover up toast crumbs. She said she really couldn't work out why my whole breakfast had disappeared in 30 seconds, but yet I took ages chewing a tiny crumb. Well, when such delicacies are so only available in such tiny portions, I have to make the most of them don't I? Apart from which - what WHOLE breakfast? I only got a tiny bowlful! How can you call that measured tinful a WHOLE meal? Especially when I know perfectly well there is a huge boxful still on the bowdeck! Huff! Mum is so stingey!

Mum was also pretty damp this morning too! Heehee! I got her good and proper with a mega big shake and I rubbed my lovely dripping fur all over her leg-cover-fursubstitutes! Hahahaha! That was after a superb couple of hours romping in the park with some new doggy pals. First of all, I was playing ball with Mum. That was good, but then along came two collies and a pointer. I had a great game with them - mainly chasing various balls and disks all over the field. Then a Golden Retriever puppy came along to join us. That was when the real fun began! He is named Banjo, and he is just 10 months old, but already bigger than me! (Mum says that is not difficult as I am such a little squirt! Cheek!). Banjo was wearing a blue jacket, a bit like the ones that Guide Dog puppies wear, but he is training to be an Autism Assistance Dog. Apparently that is a very special job, like mine is, but different. He will look after a young girlie human puppy. Well, regardless of job description, we had a fantabulous time running, chasing, chewing each other's ears and jowls, and swimming in the river!

Eventually, of course, it had to come to an end, but I was a tad pooped out by then! We went back to the boat and Mum tied me to the boat mooring pins outside. She said she didn't want a dripping wet soggy doggy inside the boat. Huff! Well, actually, I didn't mind. It was nice lying out in the warm sunshine, watching the world go by.

Me and just some of my friends from this morning.

Not saying I love it here, but.....

Yep! It has to be said; this is my favouritest bestest fabulousest mooring place ever! Right beside a huuuuuuuge park with oooooooodles of doggy pals to meet, greet, romp and play with!

Today, I have had no harness work to do as Mum has been fully occupied all day clicketyfingersing. I have, however, taken Dad for two long walks to the same place and back again. On the way back each time, he has let me off lead and I had had a fabbyydabbydoozy time playing with several pals, including the three from the boat moored with us.

Now, while Dad is occupied fitting the pipe that I took him to get, let me try to fathom a way to make the boat have to stay here forever.......

Free-runs Galore!

Coooo..eeeee! I is compooperated! All this playing is blooming hard work!
I've had to muster the energy for sooooo many free runs today, as well as working on harness to church and back, and a long walk taking Dad into town too!

The first freerun was a brilliant start to the day. I really love this mooring in the park! As soon as Mum unzipped the flappy wall of the bowdeck, I was able to whizz straight off to greet and play with a passing doggy pal .... Or several! Our route to church this morning was via the full length of the huge park area, with a minor on-lead interruption in the middle, where there is a road. Then it was onto harness to guide Mum on the roads to and from church.
After that, it was back through the park and over the bridge to a nice lady's house. Her name is Jane and, while she and Mum n Dad were yipping, she took my lead off and insisted that I be allowed to sniff around. I didn't find any crumbs to hoover, but it was nice to relax!

We then went back to the boat, again across the park. Then another couple of opportunities, throughout the afternoon, to leap ashore to greet and play with other passing pals. These were interrupted by having to take Dad on a long hike to a shop that was closed!

This evening, after my dinner had long since vanished, and I'd had a good bone-demolishing session while Mum and Dad watched that weird talking picture thing, I needed to do doggy necessaries, so Mum took me out again onto the park where I had a good game of ball with her, before a fab pal turned up! He was an eighteen-month-old Burmese Mountain Dog and we had a FABULOUS game of chase and roll and chase and chew and chase and run....... Including into the river! Oops! I think Mum had planned to keep me dry! Heeheee!

After all that exertion, I needed the treats that Mum so carelessly dropped on the floor while refilling the box! Heehee! Good hoovering duty! Energy replenishment!

Now...... I think I need sleep....... Well, I certainly need to rebuild my energy for tomorrow's adventures....... I really really hope we can stay here on this mooring.........

Swim, Play, Swim, Play.......

5 miles and 7 locks today and we are back in Newbury again. However, we are not in the same bit as before. I really like this mooring - we are in the park! Wooooohoooooo! Right beside the big freerun field, right beside the slope where I can run in and out of the river to swim! Pleeeeeeease Dad, can we stay here - forever?!

Added to that bit of bliss, Debbi and Ryan came to visit! Ryan is mega good at throwing a ball! Great fun! Sadly, they have gone again now and I had to endure the weirdness of Mum stroking the floor while Dad carried some stuff to Ryan's car! I really don't understand this peculiar behaviour! I hid in the bathroom til it was over! Trouble was, the bathroom floor also needed stroking too! I sought sanctuary on my bed! It seems safe again now. The whiskerstick and wet stroker-stick have been put away! I shall relax and dream of swimming and playing tomorrow - swim, swim, swim, play, run, chase, play, run, swim......zzzzzz

Playing in the park with my mate Ryan. Mum and Debbi looking on.

Lazybones!

A lazy start to the day, followed by a nice leisurely long walk with Dad while Mum got in with loads of that weird stroke-everything-with-a-cloth stuff. This was followed by a snooze on the front deck in the sun while Dad did something called 'fix the shower pump' . I have no idea what that means, but it seemed to involve a lot of huffing and puffing, lying on the floor and using strange shiny sticks to twizzle and wiggle things. Then he emerged holding a dripping lumpy black metal thing, which he twiddled and dismantled, then pulled a mass of gunk out and put it all back together again! It seems that all this means that the warm rain box is all good again. I dispute that the word 'good' can ever be happily linked with warm rain and froth!

After all this bemusing activity, I took Mum and Dad for a walk into town, to the same pub as yesterday. We didn't stay this time though - just met the nice man, Alex, outside (he was out there when we arrived puffing on one of those glowing smelly stick thigs). Mum gave him a Guide Dogs collecting box to keep on the bar.

We then continued our walk into the village and went to an utterly mouthwatering shop. I mean - literally mouthwatering! There were carrots, among other things, in boxes outside and, as if that wasn't yummy enough, inside were trays and trays and trays of drool-provoking stuff. It was all behind windowthings though so I could see but not get to it. I had to content myself with pressing my nose to the tiny gap between the see-throughs. Mum asked the nice man behind the counter for some steak, which he cut with a huge shiny flat stick. He then disappeared for a few moments and came back with a big bone! For me!!!! Yippeeeee! I like that man! He chopped it into three bits so now I have three bonesI wasn't allowed to carry them home though. I offered, but Dad said he would keep them safe in the bag. Huff!

We didn't go straight home. We went for a little explore along a pathway between lots of trees. On the way back, Mum removed my bra and lead and let me have a little freerun. That was perfect timing because along came a golden retriever and a black Labrador. A superb combination for a bit of a play! Then, back on the towpath, I met another playpal; a black Labrador-x-Staffie-x-collie named Brian. We had a great game of chase and roll together.

I was very ready for my dinner after all that. When I'd finished, Mum laughed at me for having a rim of weetabix on top of my nose! Huff! It's not fair! My tongue isn't long enough to reach to lick that bit! I forgave her though when she gave me one of the bits of bone to gnaw on. It didn't last long though and I think Mum was a bit surprised by that! My tongue might be short, but my jaws are awesome!

Pizza.

6 miles, 8 locks, a few doggy pals meeted and greeted, a nasty hissing featherball encounter and a nice walk to a pub for (human) dinner. That pretty much sums up today.

The hissing featherball was evil! He was right in the middle of the towpath in Newbury and he hissed at me and fuffed himself up and waddled towards me all big and nasty! Then he hissed again and arched up his flappythings and that made me bark at him! That made him hiss all the more and waddle even more scarily towards me and Mum. I barked and growled and did my bestest to protect Mum. She was scared, but I'm not totally convinced she was impressed by my bravery! She pulled me back and we both moved over onto the park grass. Mum was really unsure what to do because the beast was still coming towards us and right in the middle of the way we needed to go. Then a kind lady came to our rescue. She got between the beast and us and kind of kept guard while I guided Mum around to get past and on our way. Mum said lots of 'thank you's to this nice lady and we carried on up to our first lock. Phew!

A bit further on, a minihuman was wasting vast amounts of bread by throwing it all over the ground and into the canal. The quacking featherballs were hoovering up the bits that went into the water, and the bits that were landing on the towpath were being picked up by lots of grey cooing featherballs. I tried very hard to show them how to hoover properly but Mum tugged me onward nod wouldn't let me demonstrate my skills. Huff!

The walk to the pub this evening was good. It was a route I had taken Mum on when we were doing the MegaWalk. I impressed Mum by remembering the route perfectly! Of course!!! At the pub, apparently called The Blue Ball, we met with Alex, the nice man who was there before. I had a lie down while all the human tipping was going on. They thought I was asleep, but I was listening in! They were saying something's about another MegaWalk, soon, starting from The Blue Ball. I think this is the rest of the walk that we didn't get to do because of Dad disappearing for that time. I heard mention of hoping to get Guide Dogs and puppies along there for a relaunch event on 3rd October.......I am liking the sound if this! I liked the bit of pizza that Mum dropped too! Heehee!

Home Again!

We're home again!
It's been a long day - starting with a looooong walk on harness taking Mum to find a little Tesco. I think she got the directions wrong but I think it was fine. It meant a longer walk! That can only be good - not wrong at all! We walked along several streets before Mum asked someone for directions. we then found the shop, got something called 'spuds', then set off to head back to Granny's. It seems we took the 'scenic' route! we ended up walking through a kind of park with a huge roaring bubble in it, attached to lots of leads holding it to the ground. Then we turned right and walked up a loooong steep hill and up to the clifftop park area and so finally to Granny's. It was a good outing.

After we had been back for a while, the dingdong sounded and a nice lady came to visit. She had a whole load of markysheets that Dad and Granny both had to use markysticks on. I didnt care much for all that boring stuff, but I did enjoy a nice fuss!

Mum did a load of choppy-stirry-sizzly-bubbly stuff in Granny's kitchen. Then of course I had to endure starvation while the humans enjoyed the yummies.

the rest of the afternoon was a quiet snooze for me while Mum and dad were occupied with doing various jobs for Granny. That was until Mum had packed everything up in bags, and Dad was doing some last bits of granny stuff. Then I persuaded Mum that I really needed to take her out! It worked and we set off for a walk and freerun in the Clifftop park. that was great! I met a little black dog with a puched up face and curly tail. he was a right grumpybum! I ran over to him, super glad to find a friend to play with and all he did was snuffle and growl at me! Humph! I did find a Husky called Mia a bit later, to have a good game of chase with though! She was fun!

I also found a couple of lovely humans who were glad to fuss me. they were all sad and needed my love because their 5 year old Rottie had died on the same day that my Grandpa died.

While Mum was yipping with these people, I snuck in a bit of a play with a group of mini-ish humans. they were great fun and I enjoyed romping about with them but Mum yelled at me when I joined in with their game of football! Apparently players are not allowed to use teeth to move the ball around the pitch! Oooops!

Fusses and walkies!

I think Granny must have forgiven me - she gave me the huuuuugest carrot this afternoon! Yummyscrummy!

Today I've taken Mum for a nice long walk on harness around a big block, including back via the clifftop park where she released me for a little freerun! Then we all got into the car to take Granny shopping again. Nobody was nasty this time in Asda! In fact, I managed to sneak a couple of nice fusses while waiting for Granny to choose her shopping! I also did my duty and hoovered a few spilt morsels from the floor in the greengrocery areas.

Next came a human yummies place, so a lie-down under the table for me. I did manage to clear up the tiny green balls that Mum dropped! She is sooooo messy! (Thankfully! Heehee!)

After that we went to a shop full of wheelieseats and other contraptions. Granny got a wheelieframe thing to help her walk about without wobbling so much! (More proof that 4 paws is superior - dogs don't wobble!). I got nice fusses from the nice man who helped Granny choose her wheelieframe.

Then it was off to a hotel for cups of that hot brown icky water these humans like so much. More fusses for me from Granny's friends who were there! That was rounded off nicely with another harness walk with Mum back, the long way, to Granny's flat. That was when I got the carrot-and-a-half! I lovely treat!

I helped Dad's tea to go down by taking him for a nice leisurely walk this evening.

So, all in all, a pretty good day!

Car Rides

Short walk. Long car ride. Bournemouth. Granny's flat. Another car ride (only a short one). A meeting in a little room with a nice lady. A greeting with her spaniel afterwards. Another short car ride. Human yummies. Another short car ride. Shops. Another car ride. Granny's flat. I think you've probably got the picture by now......basically, a very sedate day......until I got to take Dad for a long walkies this evening! That's better!

At least, it was better .... until Granny grassed me up! She went and told Mum that I was warming her bed up for her. Mum was not impressed! I'm now on the floor....... Huff!

Old Friends!

3 miles walked guiding Mum, 5 locks worked, 2 swing bridges swung and then ........ Visitors! Yayyyyyy! Old friends from Worthing: Nicky, James and Reece. Reece used to be one of the few minihumans I liked. He isn't mini anymore! He's still great fun though! He fed me carrot trimmings, played a great game of tug (my teddy dog is now only three legged!), and then, when we went off to the park area, he played a superb game of chase, and he was good at using my ball launcher!

Poo

No beasties up my nose today! Mum did find my poo slightly amusing though! She said something about yellow studs.....something to do with the sweetcorn I hoovered last night....... It doesn't take much to amuse Mum sometimes!

Apart from that, it has been a fairly normal and pretty sedate day: 2.8 miles walked with Mum, 3 locks worked and just 2 swingbridges. This was nicely rounded off by taking Dad for a walk to a pub! It seems we are planning some more events to link in with the leftover bit of MegaWalk......I shall tell more when I find out!

Bumbag

Mum called it a beetle. I called it a shnozzle-tickler!

I was working well (Mum said so!). I was making sure she proved it on a regular basis by reminding her that I needed edible assurances from her bumbag! We were walking along the towpath, with Dad driving the boat along behind us. It was quite a narrow path with lots of trees and beastiebushes either side. I spotted a little shiny critter scuttling around on the ground in front of me. I stopped to investigate. Mum likes it when I point out things like this to her because she seldom spots them herself. It was all black and shiny with way too any legs! Well.....when I say legs.....I think they were legs....they were kind of little tiny twigs sticking out of its sides! It was skittering around all over the place - very fast. When I got close enough to investigate properly, it scurried up my nose! It didn't half tickle! Then it made my nose explode! I never saw the critter again! Mum just stood there and laughed at me .... lots! Huff!

Apart from that, it has been a good day. We had to walk past a VERY noisy rumbly thing on a bridge. Mum says it was called a jennyrater or something and that it wouldn't hurt me. I didn't give it the chance to even try! I snuck around the other side of Mum's legs for safety! We survived and continued on our way. We walked about 3 miles, worked 6 locks and held up the traffic at 5 swingbridges and one big lifty-up-roadbridge! I got to play with a few doggy pals at various points too - mainly while waiting for locks to do their stuff.....well....I have to while away the boring bits somehow don't I?!!

Party Time!

Today started very unusually, but fun! There were lots of humans all gathered around the broken lock gate, including some apparently important workymen. I gather they were trying to assess the damage and find out how to mend it. All the extra people gathered were there to watch and find out the verdict. Me? I couldn't care less why the humans were all there! What mattered waaaaaayyyyyy more was the gathering of doggy pals to play with! There was Woody, the rescued Sprocker, Chloe, a 4-month-old very bouncy Sprocker puppy, a gobby Border-Collie who kept rounding us all up, and a little Border Terror all there for the duration (a couple of those human hour things apparently). Also passing by during that time, and joining in the fun as they passed were a scruffy lurcher, three Labradors of various ages, sizes and colours, a Staffie, a Husky, a pair of whippets, a couple of Heinzes, and a boxer. It was a paaaaaartyyyy!

After that I guided Mum on a good walk along the towpath for about two-and-a-half miles, working three locks as we went. dad drove the boat - backwards for the first half mile!

This evening, after mooring up, I took Dad for a walk while Mum whiskersticked and stroked the floor. We got back way past my dinner time! I don't know how I survived! I was starved for nearly an hour! Whimper!

Paaaaaarrrrrrttttttyyyyyyyy!