A new experience!

It's amazing to find out that there is a different way to travel - other than on foot, by car or when carried by She Who Mustn't Be Obeyed.

Today, we did all of the above AND tried a new method, called "the train".

What happened was that SWMBO had driven to a party in Lisvane last night and left the car there because of having had too much to drink. Her plan today was to walk with us to the station, take us on the train and walk from Lisvane station to the house, then drive us back home.

We'd been to the station before, but only to help SWMBO to pick up her rail tickets, so we never really knew what it meant.

We didn't really know what to make of the train at first. Neither Spike nor I were keen - there was a bit of a gap between the platform and the train, which was rather off-putting. It took a bit of persuasion for us to get up there - in fact I just refused, and dugs my claws in in protest. So SWMBO had to pick me up and plonk me on the train! The indignity of it!

Anyway, it was ok. People were nice and said we were cute - it didn't feel that different from travelling by car though it made a different noise and was a bit more jolty.

Getting off was better than getting on. The gap wasn't so big so I jumped down quite happily. I wasn't going to be humiliated a second time, I can tell you!

There's always something...

Sorry to have been so quiet lately, but there's been a lot going on. Apart from She Who Mustn't Be Obeyed being very busy for ages, I haven't been in the best of health. I've been rather lethargic for some time, and have lost fur from my nose and the tip of my tail, as well having flaky skin and a thin coat. I had various tests, which weren't very conclusive, but the vet is sure I have an interactive thyroid. Which would account for the extra pounds I've put on, and my inability to summon up the strength to jump up on the bed. The skin condition has also made my paws sore.

So, the other week SWMBO decreed that I was very high maintenance. As well as my usual eye drops, I was also having antibiotics for my skin, tablets for my thyroid, ointment for my paws and a twice-weekly bath with special shampoo.

I'm feeling a bit better now but find it tricky to walk far on most days. But at least I can jump up on the bed again!

My eye saga continues

In December, I got checked over by the eye doctor, which was the first time in ages. He was rather concerned as my pressures were way up, and prescribed yet more drops. It began to wear even my patience thin, having my usual type increased from once to twice per day, plus a different type, three times a day! She Who Mustn't Be Obeyed is always very pleased with me when I sit quietly to have them applied though, and calls me a "good girl".

We went back after a few weeks, and things were much improved. So we've ditched the 2nd set and I'm down to my usual ones twice a day. The doctor was very pleased with me, as apparently it's very common for dogs with my complaint to become blind by this stage. So SWMBO was very pleased she'd taken me for a check-up when she did, or who knows what could have happened?

We're winners!

It's all very exciting, as apparently we've won a prize! She Who Mustn't Be Obeyed entered a competition in a magazine recently, and the letter came today to say she'd won!

It's a great prize - 36 pouches of posh dog food! Ok, it would have been nicer if she'd won a huge amount of money so we could have a bigger house with a bigger garden, and I'd quite like a diamand-encrusted collar, but it's a start!

Happy New Year!

Well, it was the usual crowd of people, the usual endless procession of meals (and extra titbits, I might add) and it's rather a shame it's all over for another year.

At Christmas, Spike and I got loads of presents - more than anyone else, I think. We're getting quite picky about our treats though. We were given some things called Dog Crisps (or Chips if you're American) made from rawhide, and they were rubbish. Also those funny spiral lollipop things in lurid green and red and orange aren't very nice, and they turn your poo a funny colour. We had so many gifts that we could afford to spit out the nasty cheap ones.

We again wore our sparkly red Christmas bandannas that Grandma made us, and as usual we were much admired in them. Now, they've been washed and put away, ready for next year.

The bells, the bells!

Spike might have mentioned the church bells yesterday and how it makes us howl. She Who Mustn't Be Obeyed and Aunty G were laughing at us both but I think I was more the object of hilarity than Spike. Apparently I howl in a Marge Simpson, throaty kind of way, whereas Spike is a strong coloratura soprano (well, castrato, I suppose). So they had a good laugh at my singing voice. Very funny.

SWMBO went to the market today, sadly without us (it's my favourite walk destination). But exciting news - she's ordered the Christmas turkey! We love turkey even more than chicken, as there so much more skin to be had. Also she bought a chicken, and Uncle D is coming round this evening to help eat it. I think he's forgiven me for the bad thing I did when I was a puppy - his phone was on the sofa near where I was sitting, and I chewed off the aeriel bit. The people at the phone company thought it was very funny when he called to get the phone replaced. But that was a long time ago and I'm much more grown-up these days. Which reminds me - I've got a birthday coming up soon. I wonder if that'll mean extra treats?

What a great day!

Spike will have told you his point of view about yesterday, which is mainly around going for walks and being praised. It's true, we did go for two good walks yesterday morning, but don't listen to Spike waxing lyrical about running through autumn leaves and so on. The really good walk was the second one - because of its destination, the farmers' market. My favourite!

It was good even before we got there. We were walking along the river bank, and this couple stopped and admired us. Then they asked if we would like a gravy bone each, as the guy had a couple in his pocket from dog walking earlier, and didn't really want to take them to the rugby match! All the humans had a laugh about them having them as a half-time snack, but I don't see what was so funny, it seems like a great idea to me. Anyway, I'm not complaining, as it was a lovely little unexpected extra treat!

When we got to the market, I kept spotting some food on the ground and trying to eat it, although some of it was ground in by everyone walking past. It was yellowy in colour, and I think it might have been a beanburger once. Anyway, it was very nice. Then I got told off for investigating the bottom rack on this kid's stroller, but what do you expect if you put apple pie in there? Didn't get any, unfortunately.

Had a little rest when we got back, and the day ended perfectly when SWMBO's friends came for dinner and we got chicken skin! Yay!

Sorry to be a stranger!

Well, I notice that I haven't written my diary since April - shocking! It's been a very busy time though.

She Who Mustn't Be Obeyed was very busy in work, as she is every 2 years when the Cardiff Singer competition happens. Also she had a very special birthday, and left the BBC clutching some redundancy cash and her pension! So she's been around at home more than usual for the last couple of months. No excuse really for not helping me with my diary...

Not much to report really - lots of nice long walks and we've had another haircut. We've spent time with Aunty G as well, who has looked after us while SWMBO was away, which was quite a lot more than usual. Also Grandma came to stay, which was very nice but we had to be careful as her arm was in plaster.

Now it's getting darker, I expect we'll have that funny time of year when everything happens at different times. I think they call it, "putting the clocks back", whatever that means.

I'm TT royalty!

Following all the excitement of Araki Fabulous Willy's Crufts win, She Who Mustn't Be Obeyed thought she'd dig out my and Spike's pedigree certificate to see if there were any links.

Sure enough, Willy's great-grandfather and my grandfather are one and the same dog - Champion Araki Apache! That makes us cousins, I think!

Not that anyone's rushing to enter me into Crufts or any other dog show. They wouldn't have me anyway as I have the dreaded Brown Nose. According to them, I am not worthy.

But I was very pleased with that news. I've been strutting around even more busily and princess-like since I heard!

Celebrations!

I like the sound of Fabulous Willy, it's a great name, and what's more as the new Best in Show at Crufts he's the most successful TT of all time. And very handsome to boot. Read about his win in Spike's diary.

Since then, lots of comments have been made about it when we're out on our walks - it's great for publicity for the breed, though I hope we don't lose our exclusivity too much. We don't want to become ten a penny, like Labradors.

This morning we were chatting about it to a Husky and her mum, and I think they looked at us with new respect. Which I like!