in memoriam

I do seem to be falling behind in keeping this up, and I just know there are so many of you out there who wait agog for the next episode our brave hero's doings!!

But I have sad news... not about Murphy, but about our dear friend Shannon. Those of you who pay attention will remember (oh, you don't? pay attention or remember? well never mind) I spoke of her at New Year when we were in Stavangar visiting our friends. She was a Bernese Mountain Dog - huge, but oh so gentle. We looked after her one weekend before they moved to Norway about 4 years ago, almost as practice for getting used to having a dog. She was delightfulness itself, if a bit scared of the cat. Anyway, I am very sorry to say we got a sad epistle from Tina to say that they had had to say goodbye to her.. she wasn't well so it was for the best, but very very sad for them. At least their wee girl will remember her, as we all will.

So good bye and god bless, Shannon. We will miss you.

sunday

and a quiet day was had by all - I've had a good day, me and murfs went out for a run and to pick up the paper and breakfast this morning.. I've been running every day for over a week now but I still seem to get tired doing the same distance. At least I can fit into my size 10 jeans again though, which makes it all worthwhile!

Richard's out with Emily at the moment, teaching her how to drive - maybe I'd better have a glass of wine waiting for him! Murphy's sitting watching out the window, waiting patiently for daddy to come back. Probably planning his next shoe hijack... his collection continues to grow, both numerically and geographically!

naught to 90 in 3 days

well well, hello peeps! It's about a month since I last entered, sorry about that (in case anyone actually reads this stuff) been on holiday and been desperately trying to catch up with everything since we got back. Still, it's given Murphy time to make up for lost, and get into his stride again..

first of all, he's still hoarse from his incarceration in "doggie prison" as Richard insists on calling it. (I prefer the term "holiday home") so barking is limited (whew, break us in gently)

however it was Nick's birthday this week and we had the mother's birthday cookie cake as she's away on holiday - it got brought out and adorned with candles before we went out for dinner, to have when we got back. Have you guessed yet? - yes, when we got back - horrors! Murphy had eaten THREE QUARTERS of it!!!! It was over 12 inches in diameter so he had quite a field day.. amazingly he was only sick once . I found a candle in the garden this morning.

As if that wasn't enough (and to prove that dogs learn but we don't), we had a box of chocolates and discovered an unsuspected second layer - so we left it on the coffee table. Some were eaten (legally) but when we got in last night guess what? the same thing had happened!!! he'd managed to sook all of them out the box without touching the sides or upsetting the box. Well done him... (2-0 to the canine, sigh) And yes, he was sick again..

We were away sailing in Greece and check out the photo - a dog we saw at one of the ports from another yacht - an idea for the future? He'd need it I think, can't see him NOT going in the water!

also father's day

obviously turning 40 has addled my brain already - spot the deliberate mistake in the previous few posts....

by the way I am finding it quite hard to do posts without any feedback - come on peoples, let me know what you think, any feedback out there?

fathers day

in my absence today (I was away down to Edinburgh to see an old, old friend over from Australia with her daughter, and how can it be that after 15 years people are exactly the same? What a great time I had!)... Murphy excelled and reaped the consequences. Emily, back from work and putting together a sandwich to keep body and soul together before she went off to the stables, made the mistake of leaving it on the table while she went off to get changed. Richard says the scream she let out when she came back to see him (Murphy) snaffle half of it would have woken the dead!

He got thrown outside and the dogflap shut with a bang behind him!

(you'll be glad to know order has been restored and the parties have now made up)

PS prizes for the caption contest, I'll start... "did I hear the w-a-l-k word?"

morning!

happy days! beautiful morning, I was out with the dog without my coat this morning for the first time in about a year! And even then I was too hot. Murphy was having a great time - he shot off up the road, through about 3 gardens (you're in a difficult position there, you don't want to shout at him at 7.30am) then shot off into another one - I ran up the road after him and he came running back out - with a pigeon in his mouth! eeek!

But before you run away with the idea that he was having a productive morning, I must tell you that I heard the Gizzy bell in the distance - hmmm, I suspect he stole her prize. I implored him to "put it down Murphy!" - and he did!! It shook itself and zigzagged off down the road. He probably saved its life (temporarily?)

So there went dinner....

the year moveth on...

June - I can't believe it! Almost half the year gone and what happened to May? I blinked and it just disappeared! Gizzy is still moulting all over everywhere but seems to have abandoned her last month's haunts (the stair corners and sofa at the back) for beds. She's ignoring the cat contraption again. Murphy is back on his duvet - occasionally. Nick's back from Uni for the summer so he's hopeful of getting some more walks during the day (Murphy, not Nick!)

We took him down to pick up Nick and his laundry and he got a 10 minute run on the beach - it was too cold and windy for more! Richard saved him some bacon and scrambled egg from brunch and as usual he ate the paper napkin as well, I honestly don't know if he notices the difference!