Sorry it's been a while...

Lots to catch up on as we haven't posted for nearly 2 months!

She Who Mustn't Be Obeyed has been away a lot. First she went skiing (and didn't take us! We love the snow!), then she went away on some course to do with her opera studies, then she went to Leeds for Easter. Aunty G has been looking after us so that's been great. She takes us for good long walks and talks to us a lot.

We've had a haircut as well, and as usual have been much admired, not least by my special chum Cassie, the Samoyed in the park.

Which end is which?

Aunty G came over to my basket last night to stroke me, which is nice. I felt this hand on my thigh, which seemed unusual as she usually goes for my head. Suddenly she said, "Oh, wrong end!" I've got so furry now that it's hard to tell which way round I am!

I've been a little bit naughty as well. This morning, I assumed my sentry position on the garden wall (see 6th photo down) and decided that I would do a poo up there. She Who Mustn't Be Obeyed wasn't very pleased - "What will the neighbours think? It could have dropped into their garden!"

Then, when we went for a walk, I went off to investigate the caravan park. When I came back, Coco was sitting, waiting patiently. So I jumped over her. Maybe I'll enter the Beijing Olympics in the hurdles race!

I'm clean - yuck!

I should have seen it coming. The signs were all there - Aunty G's Christmas present of dog shampoo, the preparation of the bathroom, the rolling up of sleeves, the fact that it's been a while since the last bath...

But no, I meekly allowed myself to be led into the bathroom and unceremoniously plonked into the bath before I realised what was happening. Water, shampoo, making me pick my feet up so She could wash between the pads, blocking my escape routes out of the bath...I put up with it all.

Didn't let Her take much time drying me though. I got away and had a good shake and roll all round the house!

The only good thing about it was the peanut butter-flavoured treat and being told I was a Very Good Boy.

Aunty G is back!

Coco got very excited the other day, when Aunty G came back after a long break in the States! She was beside herself, doing that cutesy thing she does of sitting up on the sofa like a person and demanding to be cuddled.

I played it cool, real cool - after an initial greeting I showed her where my priorities lay and went back to chewing my bone.

Secretly though I'm very pleased to see her and have spent most of both nights on her bed (my side of course).

Happy New Year!

Well, it's all over for another year. Lots of visitors, a trip to London and loud bangs on New Year's Eve, and now it's back to normal - She Who Mustn't Be Obeyed even returned to work today.

I'll tell you all about Christmas, and Coco can do New Year. We went off to London on Christmas Eve and I quite enjoyed the car journey. It was lovely to see Aunty H, Uncle G and Grandma, and we also met Aunty J, Aunty B and Uncle P. Of course, they were all very taken with both of us!

The one thing to mar the experience was when SWMBO went out for a few hours with Aunty H and Grandma, leaving us with Uncle G for company. He's very nice, but I missed SWMBO and made lots of whiney noises until she came back.

We had some good walks by Dollis Brook and discovered new smells and doggie friends. It was really cold one day but us Tibetans like it chilly!

(Incidentally, if you want to see us doing some snow action have a look on SWMBO's Flickr pages - here's rather a good one of me http://www.flickr.com/photos/58007374@N00/70833526/ )

The journey back took forever, which made our dinner late! Then it was all systems go...over to Coco...

Party time!

She Who Mustn't Be Obeyed had a drinks party the other day, though I don't know why it's called a drinks party when there's so much that's good to eat. She kept putting more and more delicious things onto the table during the preparation time - but always tantalisingly too far away from the edge for me to reach! It's a clear glass table and I could see these dishes of mince pies, cheesy nibbles and lumps of chorizo through the underside of it!

Although I made lots of whiney pathetic noises, SWMBO wouldn't give me anything. I had to wait for the guests to arrive and look beseechingly at them to make them share their food with me.

It was a nice evening but very busy, and occasionally Coco and I got our tails or feet trodden on by mistake.

It's all go for Christmas now - preparations for going to Aunty H and Uncle G's are in hand. Looking forward to lots of food and walkies!

So, happy holidays to everyone - will write again in the New Year and tell you all about it!

When a treat just isn't enough

She Who Mustn't Be Obeyed always gives Coco and me a treat to keep us happy and occupied when she's going out. Which is good. But sometimes I just really, really want to go with her and no treat is good enough.

Last night, SWMBO was going to her yoga class and I wanted to go as well (I am Tibetan, after all). As well as her kit she also had a large plate of nibbles as they were having a bit of a Christmas party afterwards. I took advantage of her being loaded up, dodged past her as she opened the front door, and escaped! She quickly put everything down, made sure Coco was unable to get out as well, and ran after me.

What a good game! But SWMBO seemed worried - maybe because it was a dark night and I'm a black dog and there was traffic around. Anyway, I made the mistake of dodging into the front garden of one of the neighbours, which meant that she could corner me. Shucks! Foiled again!

Giving imploring looks works

I've discovered the best way to get extra food! I make sure Coco isn't around, and if She Who Mustn't Be Obeyed is in the kitchen, I go and sit by the food bowls and look up at her beseechingly.

She soon takes pity on me, and I get a sneaky extra handful of food put in the bowl, but quietly so that Coco doesn't hear and want some. She's on a diet, you see, and because we exchange bowls as we're eating SWMBO has to give us the same at dinnertime.

If Coco does appear, then SWMBO gives her some as well, but only a little bit to keep her quiet.

I can be just as loud as those fireworks...

It was Bonfire Night on 5 November, which means that humans celebrate that the British Parliament wasn't blown up by a man called Guy Fawkes years ago in the Gunpowder Plot. To do this, they use a lot of loud bangy things called fireworks. Of course, they don't just do it for one night, but for about a month before and a month after as well. Plus it was Diwali at about the same time, and that also involves fireworks.

I don't like them so I bark at them. She Who Mustn't Be Obeyed tries to stop me but I can't help it. She thinks it's weird that I wait for a couple of seconds between hearing the noise and barking - she says I count to two then bark, whatever that means - but she wouldn't understand, it's a dog thing.

They've mostly stopped now but there's still a few around. I've got bored with barking at them so now I don't bother much.

A very sociable dog

She Who Mustn't Be Obeyed was a bit worried about how I'd react last Friday. She was having a party and I often get very anxious when there's more than a couple of people around.

But it was quite nice. I mingled and was friendly, and not just to beg for crisps or bits of cheese. I really enjoyed myself, and SWMBO was delighted that I'd been such good company! Coco always plays up for guests in that way that makes them go, "Ah, so cute!" but I'm normally a bit shy - and I learned that socialising can be fun!