I've been a Clever Boy again! (Aren't I always???)

"You are so clever!" Mum said that several times today! How many more times will she have to say before she realises it is quite right!

We went workywalkies in Reading first - around some shops and with a visit to a human yummyery. That was the first observation of my cleverness: I took Mum to the human spending room and, when we came back out, she thought we needed to turn left. She told me to 'Find the way out. Find left' Well, I knew those two didn't fit together so I gave her 'the look' (a glance back over my shoulder) and turned right and headed straight to the door! "Ok smartybum! You are so clever!" Well, my smartybum hit that floor pretty smartish - ready to receive proof of how good I was! Treat duly accepted, we headed off out onto the streets again.

"Find the crossing" - no problem. "Find the button" - A quick hup-touch to show Mum exactly where the button was, got me my next 'Clever boy' treat.

"Find the car" was the next one - I confess I may have slowed down a tad on approach - well - walking is much more fun! But I did find the car - and.....well....OK a treat for hopping in is worth having!

The next stop was at the huge humanvets place. We have been here before (apart from when Mum stayed in a bed in a different bit of it - that was different). We've been to the Eye Clinic before and that was where we had to go today. We went in the big doorway and I instantly recognised where we were. Mum and Dad were hesitating - trying to read the squiggles on the walls (well, Dad was trying to read them anyway). I didn't need squiggles! I just tugged Mum straight up the stairs, turned left, around the corridors and straight to the door of the Eye Clinic! "You really have got your smartypants on today haven't you?! You are SOOO clever Oaks!" I got lots of fuss and yummies for that! Heehee!

After being led into several different rooms and having some tests and lots of yacketying, Mum was lost! Really disorientated. I sorted her out though. No hesitation......a faultless walk back to the entrance and then on back to the car! More yummies! I do like the taste of being clever!

Mum was happy too - that is always good! Apparently the humanvetman has confirmed that her vision loss is nothing for Debbi or Rosie to worry about - it is not caused by anything that they might get. I don't understand but I do like it when Mum's mouth is up at the corners!

This evening, we have been out again at humanfriends' home. This meant that I had to be clever again when we returned. Our floatyboatyhome is quite a long way along a completely dark towpath. No problem to me! We are now safely aboard and I think I am very ready for my sofasnuggles with my Mummy!

Mega Walkies!

4.5mile adventure workywalkies this morning! I really had to strut my stuff! Most of it was without pavement!

We set off along the towpath then into the village. I found the crossing for Mum, did a 'hup touch' to show her where the bleepybutton was, got my yummy for being clever, then we went left and then right. This was fine for a short way - then the pavement ran out. At first, I didn't like guiding Mum on the road. I kept trying to push her to the side and got a bit anxious. She reassured me it was all OK though and we carried on. Aaaalllll the way up a steep hill that went on forever...... Mum was puffing and panting lots by the time we reached the top. We didn't meet any cars on the road so it was all OK and we both relaxed a bit and enjoyed the walk. Eventually, we found a bit of pavement (ish). Well...it was a gravel path beside the road so it was kinda better - but it was a bit rough and Mum stumbled a few times. I kept her safe though. This path then led to a really nice bit where it moved us away from the road altogether. There were lots of trees with white flowers on them. Mum said it was an orchard and they were apple trees. I felt sure they needed watering but I wasn't allowed!

This orchardy bit of path then led on to a huge playpark. I tried to guide Mum into it, I danced a bit to try to get the message across that the right thing to do would be to go play.....Nope! It didn't work! 'Not today' she said 'get on'. Huff!

I did as I was told though and we eventually got to the end of the parky bit and back onto the road-with-no-pavement - and a steady downward hill. We did meet a few cars and a huge grumbly lorry on this bit. Each time, Mum heard it coming in good time and asked me to 'tuck in' or 'hup' onto the bank at the side so we could wait for them to pass. I soon got the idea of what I needed to do. Actually, a couple of these 'tuck ins' gave me chance to munch on some lovely long strands of grass! Mum says I should start mooing soon!

Except for when those vehicles went by, it was really peaceful and Mum was able to listen to all the featherballs around while I looked after where we were going. When we did one of our 'tuck ins' I almost got a snack! A live snack! Or maybe it would have been a new toy? Whatever it might have become, it didn't because it got away. It was a strange featherball - it didn't flap or go up - it scurried off making a really loud 'chack-chack-chack' noise. It was only a paw's length away from me as I went into the long grass! I soooooo could have caught it if Mum hadn't been so blimmin quick to tell me to 'leave it' and to snatch me back on my lead! Huff! Mum didn't actually see it, but she says, from the noise it made, that it was something called a pheasant. Well, if she hadn't been so quick, I might have got to meet him properly and find out! Hufffff!

We made it back though - via the pavement along the big nasty road then the little shop in the village. Mum was pleased with me for 'good work'. She said I deserved my big carrot today! mmmmmm....

Now, I have changed from work bra to relax bra and Mum has found and attached my megalong lead. She says it gives me freedom to chill out without wandering off......I don't know what she thinks I would need that for....... I wouldn't dream of wandering off...... oooh! That river looks very tempting........ Oh......OK......I shall content myself with a snooze on the grass..

Photo of me sitting on a steep grassy bank wearing my blue harness with 50' bright yellow lead attached.

Don't mess with ME!

Woowoowoowoowoo.....awooowoooowooowoooowoooo...ggrrruuuufffff.

That sorted him out! That big huge scary red-bushytailed-pointyeared-doggish thing that I spotted across the field. I got all big and brave and saw him off.

Well....he was the other side of the big field....he might have tried to come closer......he might even have tried to get aboard our floatyboatyhome and pinch my huge bone...... that would just never do........that is MY bone and I have put some serious work into destroying it today. No beastie is getting a chance to finish off my hard work.

Oh Wait - THIS is what I do bestest!!!

Woohoo! The Lockmaster-Towpath-Awesome-Twosome back in action! Back where we belong, doing what we are meant to be doing! Yayyyyyy!

We have left the boatymendyplace. We have cruised. Not far....but far enough to have had a good workywalkies and to have found a wonderful mooring beside a field, away from roads. Our favourite kinda place! I megalove this kinda mooring coz I get to relax out on the towpath where I can give my waggy greetings to every passer by - and I may just get to have a play with some passing pooches too!

Photo shows Mum and me at Aldermaston Lock. I am standing up on my hind legs with my front paws up on the lock beam. Mum is standing behind me giving me fuss.

Fun Fun Fun! Doing what I do bestest!

Yaahayy! That's better! I'm proper pooped now - and for all the right reasons!

I've taken Mum on workywalkies on new territory again. This included going to church in a new place. Same familiar humanfriends but new, bigger building. This meant that I not only had to look after Mum on the streets outside, but also inside the new building too. We did it though! I did good! I got yummies to prove it - and Mum sat on the floor during the yacketying bit of church so I got cuddlesnuggles!

I then workywalkied Mum around Sainsbury's - once again, if it hadn't been for my blimmin noseband, I could have snaffled a big juicy lump of meat! Humph!

Then came the bestest bit of the day: A BIG FREERUN! YAYYYYY! Greenham Common! That meant fantabulous huge spaces for zoomies and games of chase with passing pals, plus LOADS of huge puddles to wade through! At one point I got to combine all of the fun things - a passing pal who just happened to be a young pup girlie who did zoomies with me, played chase and waded in and out of a huge puddle at high speed with me! Lilly the collie x kelpie was a fab playmate! We both did quite a good job of getting humans nicely soggy too. That was just a bonus!

I then got a picnic tea before making the floor of another church soggy in the patch where I snoozed through the human howling and yacketying.

Now, sofasnuggles to dream it all through again. Mum kindly shove over a bit and give me room to thrash my paws about properly as I relive all that fun!

Phew! What a Day...

Padworth Meadow - a good start to the day - even if I didn't get away with nipping into the canal for a swim on the way there - Mum was far too vigilant and quick to yap out "Oaks, stay out of the water" Huff!

Loooong car ride.

Workywalkies on brand new route - that was a good and exciting challenge: A very narrow pavement with loads of wheeliebins to navigate Mum around.

Into a big building and through a maze of doors and corridors.

Meetings and greetings with loads of long-missed humanfriends.

Human yacketying that went on forever......I'm very glad there was a nice carpet to snooze on!

A brief visit to a tree outside, then back in to watch all those humans munch their lunch. They were all far too careful and clean for my liking - there were so few crumbs to hoover!

More go-on-forever yacketying - therefore more snoozing.

Dad then went up the front and started twanging the long whiskers on his noiseboxstick. He did some howling into a lollipop too - and all the other humans joined in the howling stuff. I curled up into the tightest ball I could achieve!

That seemed to be the end of it all, so, after yet more yacketying, we got back into the car. Harrumph! I thought. That was a bit of a naff day out! I was wrong though......A brief drive took us to a hugenormous park! Yippeeeeee!

Zoomies. Ball launcher. Trees. A couple of doggypals to play a brief game of chase with. More zoomies. More ball launcher - that was enough though - I kept hold of the ball after a few sprints to fetch it back. That way, Mum can't lob it away again! I am not built for such high speed running. I am a stamina boy!

Next, we went to a familiar home: Peter and Fran's flat. We've been there before. I whizzed straight upstairs..... but apparently that was a mistake! I had to come straight back down again and into the downstairs bit. In there, I got my dinner. Yayy!

There then followed yet MORE blimmin yacketying - this time a smaller group of humans - but still ooooooodles of yipping between them!

Part way through, two of them appeared that had been missing for a while. They had some seriously yummy-smelling boxes! So the yacketyers then not only yacketied, but munched as well! I stayed under the table - in the tiny hope that someone might drop something worth hoovering. They all failed!

After a little while of staying under the table, I sauntered off into the kitchen. Mum followed and filled up my bowl with water so I could have a drink. While I was enjoying a good slurp, she went back into the yackety room. I then discovered a tall box thing with a lifty up lid. Inside were lots of those squishy white boxes that the yummies had come in. I decided to be very helpful and do the washing up. I managed to get three of those boxes clean before Mum came back and interfered! It seems my kind efforts were not appreciated! The nicely cleaned boxes were thrust straight back in with the dirty ones and the lid firmly pushed down. Then, once I was ushered out of the kitchen, she shut the door so I couldn't get back in to finish my chores! How mean is that? I was doing a very good and helpful job!

Eventually, the yacketying came to an end and I got to have a brief wander around outside to find a suitable download site. Then it was back into the car for the journey home. That went on for ages - all through twisty windy little roads. Apparently, the big whizzyroad was closed. Eventually, we got back to our floatyboatyhome and I got to take Dad for a very welcome unwindy walkies.

Now, sofasnuggles with Mum will round it all off nicely - so, if you will excuse me, I will borrow her lap for a pillow and will leave you with a photo of Dad's howling and twanging.

Photo of Dad standing at a microphone, singing and playing a 12 string guitar.

 

Photo of me guiding Mum round Banbury.

Totally Unacceptable!

I had to WAIT! WAIT ... I tell you .....WAIT......huh? Well...... I had to protest! I had worked my paws off guiding Mum around town again today, then put up with aaaaalllll the faffing around with this 'putting things away' malarkey. Then I took Daddy out of the way while Mum carried on with yet more 'putting away', and stroked the floor. When we got back, she was in the galley (apparently that is what a floatyboaty kitchen is called) doing choppy-stirry-sizzly things. I rushed to my station - the bit at the end of the worktop where things usually need to be hoovered from when messy Mummy is doing galley-work. Not only was there NO hooverings (she was being way too careful!) but my bowl was absent - that meant there was no carrot trimmings to be disposed of! I glared at Mum. I glanced to where my bowl should have been. I licked my chops. I repeated this sequence several times, but STILL I had to wait! This delay is utterly unnacceptable!

The carrot trimmings were yummy when I did eventually get them - as was the bit of meat that Mum 'threw' on the floor. I don't think she meant to do that but .... well..... I couldn't leave it there could I?

Oh, and we went to Newbury Amuseum, or something. Part of today's workywalkies. Not particularly amusing for me! No yummies. No buddies. No fun! Just lots of stuff behind windows. Mum and Dad seemed to find it interesting though!

Photo of me sat, in full harness, on a wooden floor, in front of a wall of windows with things displayed inside.