Guess what I found today? Bearing in mind that my best sandwich tin inexplicably disappeared about 3 months ago? Yes - the very same! Despite exhaustive enquiries which all drew a blank (R claiming to know nothing about it), I was emptying the pots of dead coriander in the sunroom (the remnants of R's herb-growing) and lifted an empty seed tray from the windowsill to do the same. And what beheld my wondering gaze?
You guessed it. My sandwich tin has reappeared!!!!
28 October 2011
All Friends Together
My friend came over on Tuesday and brought her 4 year old. I haven't seen them for a few weeks and my goodness, Zoe has grown! She's not so shy of the dogs any more either, maybe cos she's a wee bit bigger. She had Maddie sitting, spent time brushing her (Maddie stretched out on the sofa with her head on Zoe's lap) and at one point I looked up adn there they were, all perfectly posed for a photo - awww!
And this was two energetic dogs who hadn't had their lunchtime walk due to me waiting in for the roofing-man to bring round his paperwork! (which incidentally was stuck through the door after three reminders two days later)
And this was two energetic dogs who hadn't had their lunchtime walk due to me waiting in for the roofing-man to bring round his paperwork! (which incidentally was stuck through the door after three reminders two days later)
26 October 2011
Training the Trainers
I've mentioned this on Twitter and Facebook, but thought I'd expand a bit here. On Saturday we were down in Forfar being guinea pigs for the Kennel Club testing its trainers - there are three levels for dogs to earn - Bronze, Silver & Gold. As regulars will know, Maddie passed her Bronze a few months back and we're supposed to be working on Silver. Actually I think she could pass it, she has a good sense of occasion and tends to behave impeccably in the training environment. It's out of the training environment she misbehaves! (She "rescued" something else from the counter top last night - a bag of onions. What she was planning on doing with them I don't know - they were, unsurprisingly, untouched when I rescued them back this morning)
So we headed off with both in the back - I have to train Murphy at the same time as Maddie otherwise he barks and she gets distracted, so I figured as long as Richard used the correct words and signals he'd be fine. Luckily they need dogs to get it wrong so the trainers can show the examiners they wouldn't pass just anyone!
We were both outside with another person-and-dog-combo, pretending to cross busy roads (the roads weren't pretend, there was just no traffic) and pass other dogs without mugging them. I was watching; Murphy & Richard were doing well. Then (we were at the Guide Dog Centre, did I mention that?) the trainee Guide Dogs got let out into their runs for their morning exercise. Their runs are round the outside of the building, either side of the main entrance where we all were - and Murphy clearly thought his time was up and he was getting put into kennels. His backside hit the pavement and he refused to go any further. There followed a severe tug-of-war with his (brand new) lead (& Richard on the end of it), during which he rapidly chewed through it. It's not unknown for him to grab a hold of his lead and hold onto it if he thinks he's not going anywhere fast enough but he rarely chews through it unless upset so that was the end of his involvement in the day's events.
As a result he got taken round Forfar Loch a couple of times while Maddie performed excellently at Bronze, Silver and Gold levels apart from the "making a dog stop from a distance" event. Well, it's too advanced for her we've only just started on that one. I don't think it counts when she's running towards me and I shout "STOP!" and put out the foot and flat palm to show her - and she duly carries on and finally stops and sits about 2 feet away, looking at me enquiringly - "Is here ok?". Um, not really!
So we headed off with both in the back - I have to train Murphy at the same time as Maddie otherwise he barks and she gets distracted, so I figured as long as Richard used the correct words and signals he'd be fine. Luckily they need dogs to get it wrong so the trainers can show the examiners they wouldn't pass just anyone!
We were both outside with another person-and-dog-combo, pretending to cross busy roads (the roads weren't pretend, there was just no traffic) and pass other dogs without mugging them. I was watching; Murphy & Richard were doing well. Then (we were at the Guide Dog Centre, did I mention that?) the trainee Guide Dogs got let out into their runs for their morning exercise. Their runs are round the outside of the building, either side of the main entrance where we all were - and Murphy clearly thought his time was up and he was getting put into kennels. His backside hit the pavement and he refused to go any further. There followed a severe tug-of-war with his (brand new) lead (& Richard on the end of it), during which he rapidly chewed through it. It's not unknown for him to grab a hold of his lead and hold onto it if he thinks he's not going anywhere fast enough but he rarely chews through it unless upset so that was the end of his involvement in the day's events.
As a result he got taken round Forfar Loch a couple of times while Maddie performed excellently at Bronze, Silver and Gold levels apart from the "making a dog stop from a distance" event. Well, it's too advanced for her we've only just started on that one. I don't think it counts when she's running towards me and I shout "STOP!" and put out the foot and flat palm to show her - and she duly carries on and finally stops and sits about 2 feet away, looking at me enquiringly - "Is here ok?". Um, not really!
19 October 2011
Not as bad as all that
It strikes me that in this blog I tend to give a very negative view of my two canine costars - resulting in my bro-in-law refusing to have them in the house! I don't normally relate the good and funny things that go on. Like Maddie's impression of Heathcliffe last week - sitting outside in the dark and pawing at the French windows, wanting someone - anyone! - to come out and play with her.
She was at it again yesterday. Murphy was lying at them (that way he can keep an eye on me baking in the kitchen and see up the stairs) and she was outside. She came and looked in the windows, pawed at them then ran in with a toy in her mouth, stuck it in Murphy's face and ran outside again, returning to the other side of the French windows and pawing at them again. You could almost hear her - "Come out and play with me Murphy!" awww... I felt sorry for her...but not sorry enough to stop my baking and go and play with her myself.
And I do like the welcome I get in the mornings and if I or they have been out anywhere. You can hear R going downstairs in the morning and letting her out the kitchen - "hello Maddie... bye Maddie" as she shoots past him and upstairs to greet me, her morning walker. In the same way they're currently both sitting on the sofas, each on their own (not our sofas, heavens no, they let us sit there of an evening), staring out the window and willing R to drive in so they can go and accost him at the door. Clearly it's almost hometime and I'm not exciting enough.
She was at it again yesterday. Murphy was lying at them (that way he can keep an eye on me baking in the kitchen and see up the stairs) and she was outside. She came and looked in the windows, pawed at them then ran in with a toy in her mouth, stuck it in Murphy's face and ran outside again, returning to the other side of the French windows and pawing at them again. You could almost hear her - "Come out and play with me Murphy!" awww... I felt sorry for her...but not sorry enough to stop my baking and go and play with her myself.
And I do like the welcome I get in the mornings and if I or they have been out anywhere. You can hear R going downstairs in the morning and letting her out the kitchen - "hello Maddie... bye Maddie" as she shoots past him and upstairs to greet me, her morning walker. In the same way they're currently both sitting on the sofas, each on their own (not our sofas, heavens no, they let us sit there of an evening), staring out the window and willing R to drive in so they can go and accost him at the door. Clearly it's almost hometime and I'm not exciting enough.
10 October 2011
on the plus side
With my ill-gotten gains of last week (well, the huge sums of money I won at the race night - ooh, finally remembered! Sue, if you're reading this that's what I had put on my FB status which got lost in the ether! I won about £95 doing Heads & Tails at a charity race night last week)
anyway, I ordered some dog games for the terrible two - wooden boards, you hide treats and they have to move bits around to find them. Came today. Well, I say came, I got the card through the door on Friday so went and stood in a queue for 20 minutes today to get them (no, not Royal Mail, they at least are a bit faster than that!) and tried one out.
I can advise that Murphy loves it while Maddie hasn't a clue what it's all about. big M hasn't actually worked out what he's doing yet, he just pushes, bites and licks his way through and round it til he gets a treat and then carries on. He hasn't worked out why he gets a treat and therefore what to repeat. Only a matter of time I guess, he's pretty smart. Although by then he may be too fat to do anything about it.
Maddie seems to see it as Murphy's so the most we get out of her is a series of whiny-squeaky-barky noises, her way of telling us she wants something Murphy's got.
anyway, I ordered some dog games for the terrible two - wooden boards, you hide treats and they have to move bits around to find them. Came today. Well, I say came, I got the card through the door on Friday so went and stood in a queue for 20 minutes today to get them (no, not Royal Mail, they at least are a bit faster than that!) and tried one out.
I can advise that Murphy loves it while Maddie hasn't a clue what it's all about. big M hasn't actually worked out what he's doing yet, he just pushes, bites and licks his way through and round it til he gets a treat and then carries on. He hasn't worked out why he gets a treat and therefore what to repeat. Only a matter of time I guess, he's pretty smart. Although by then he may be too fat to do anything about it.
Maddie seems to see it as Murphy's so the most we get out of her is a series of whiny-squeaky-barky noises, her way of telling us she wants something Murphy's got.
I must be going mad..
Remember the recent flour debacle? You'd think I'd learn...
I am making a new dish tonight which involves red lentils. I was very organised yesterday and after spending about 2 hours making up a menu for the week and the resultant shopping list (well, I was watching "Romancing the Stone" at the same time!) I headed off and got everything I needed. Or so I thought. Cue complete disarray and confusion at 6.30 tonight as I desperately searched for the red lentils - I know I bought them!! I even remember putting them in the bag at the checkout. But three times through the shelf and I looked in all the other cupboards - even in the fridge in case I wasn't paying attention when I disembarked the shopping! Nothing. What's going on?
So after R refused to go to the shops for more I had to use green lentils. I duly measured them out and they sat for a while as I followed the recipe through. Come the time to tip them in and I did so... two minutes later R casually mentioned in passing that he'd found the red ones.
Guess where? Yup, you got it - in Maddie's crate. (This time she hadn't got the packet open)
You'd think I'd learn!
PS still to taste the dish so no idea how the change from red to green lentils will affect it. Blame the dog!
I am making a new dish tonight which involves red lentils. I was very organised yesterday and after spending about 2 hours making up a menu for the week and the resultant shopping list (well, I was watching "Romancing the Stone" at the same time!) I headed off and got everything I needed. Or so I thought. Cue complete disarray and confusion at 6.30 tonight as I desperately searched for the red lentils - I know I bought them!! I even remember putting them in the bag at the checkout. But three times through the shelf and I looked in all the other cupboards - even in the fridge in case I wasn't paying attention when I disembarked the shopping! Nothing. What's going on?
So after R refused to go to the shops for more I had to use green lentils. I duly measured them out and they sat for a while as I followed the recipe through. Come the time to tip them in and I did so... two minutes later R casually mentioned in passing that he'd found the red ones.
Guess where? Yup, you got it - in Maddie's crate. (This time she hadn't got the packet open)
You'd think I'd learn!
PS still to taste the dish so no idea how the change from red to green lentils will affect it. Blame the dog!
04 October 2011
the trail stops here..
Counter-surfing is definitely, indisputably, a BAD THING. I cycled down to the supermarket yesterday (keep-fit and shopping!) to get some things I needed to make the Christmas cake (yes, it's that time of year again) and got them all safe. Now, I'm planning on making it tomorrow so I didn't bother putting them away in the cupboards as I'd be pulling them out again. There was nothing tasty in there and everything in unopened packets so I thought they'd be safe.
Wrong.
Check out the sight that met our eyes this morning -
Distinctly white doggy-footprints, yes?
So - I followed them....
AAAAAARRGGGHHHHHH!!!!!
Wrong.
Check out the sight that met our eyes this morning -
So - I followed them....
AAAAAARRGGGHHHHHH!!!!!
03 October 2011
all change
Things are changing fast around here. Probably wouldn't seem very fast to anyone else but I've become inured to my little existance so any change is big. Just as I've spent the last week dealing with mountains of washing and trying to catch up with everyday life after our holiday (more of which in another post), this weekend was upon me, with two leaving do's, four birthdays and a charity Race Night!! I think I managed to stagger through without too many oversights, apart from not knowing about one birthday and pouring petrol all over my brand new, expensive winter boots (first time on). Oh, and having to have two dinners last night (two different birthdays and yes, I managed!)
One of the leaving do's was combined with a birthday dinner - Elle's birthday and Nick leaving to take up his new job in England. Now I know that of all people, I should be way behind Elle, Richard and Nick's mother in missing him but actually, it's me and Murphy who will miss him most. He's spent the last five years at university so we're all used to him not being around; but he's spent the last three months sitting on our sofa anbd being there for the dogs and me to talk to . He's got me watching Pointless (5.15 BBC1) and I've even come round to thinking TV on during the day is OK, actually.
Who's going to put the TV on now (then wander off after 5 minutes and not come back for half an hour)? Who can I tell my stories of the stupid things I've done or seen during the day? - they're not epic enough to hold onto and tell Richard in the evening. Oh well. I remember leaving home and it must have been much worse for my mum, I was there right through university. I don't remember spending one minute thinking of how those left behind were feeling, so I guess it's karma - or what goes around, comes around. Each generation heads off to make its way in the world, full of their own hopes and fears, plans and expectations. The ones left behind watch and wait for the news and get on with their own lives as usual.
Things will settle down. I have my own decisions to make - like whether to apply for this fulltime job that's been advertised. I think I could do it standing on my head but need the experience to take anything further. But it's fulltime - what about the dogs? Maddie's always had me round the place her whole life (apart from the month I was in York when she started regressing in her toilet training and went in the huff with me) and it took Murphy a very long time to get used to me being around. Am I being fair to them if I go away and leave them all day? But am I being fair to myself if I don't at least try for this job? I just don't know. I don't know.
One of the leaving do's was combined with a birthday dinner - Elle's birthday and Nick leaving to take up his new job in England. Now I know that of all people, I should be way behind Elle, Richard and Nick's mother in missing him but actually, it's me and Murphy who will miss him most. He's spent the last five years at university so we're all used to him not being around; but he's spent the last three months sitting on our sofa anbd being there for the dogs and me to talk to . He's got me watching Pointless (5.15 BBC1) and I've even come round to thinking TV on during the day is OK, actually.
Who's going to put the TV on now (then wander off after 5 minutes and not come back for half an hour)? Who can I tell my stories of the stupid things I've done or seen during the day? - they're not epic enough to hold onto and tell Richard in the evening. Oh well. I remember leaving home and it must have been much worse for my mum, I was there right through university. I don't remember spending one minute thinking of how those left behind were feeling, so I guess it's karma - or what goes around, comes around. Each generation heads off to make its way in the world, full of their own hopes and fears, plans and expectations. The ones left behind watch and wait for the news and get on with their own lives as usual.
Things will settle down. I have my own decisions to make - like whether to apply for this fulltime job that's been advertised. I think I could do it standing on my head but need the experience to take anything further. But it's fulltime - what about the dogs? Maddie's always had me round the place her whole life (apart from the month I was in York when she started regressing in her toilet training and went in the huff with me) and it took Murphy a very long time to get used to me being around. Am I being fair to them if I go away and leave them all day? But am I being fair to myself if I don't at least try for this job? I just don't know. I don't know.
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