Ewok No More

This morning Charlie looked like an Ewok. Or a very small Chewbacca. His ears had shrunk into his fur and his feet were just fluffballs on the ends of his legs.

I think he rather likes being mistaken for a macho actor.

(Hilarious huh)

But, unbeknown to him, Mom had booked him in to see Helen at the groomers this morning, to sort out his shaggy ewokness.

He doesn’t really like being groomed.

I think he feels that its not very manly. I keep telling him that male grooming is all the rage these days but I’m pretty sure he doesn’t believe me.

He says real men have furry chests.

At the groomers, Charlie got plonked in the bath regardless of his opinion on hairy men. So he sighed, smiled and pretended to enjoy himself as usual.

He had his bath without too much trouble, but with plenty of wriggling.

He even modelled the pink thing.

He did not look very manly.

After dancing around with the hairdryer and the very wriggly haircut, (Helen has the patience of a saint) Charlie had a quick spray of cologne and came home.

I ran over to check him out

Yes. He smells like flowers.

Very macho. (Not)

But I have to admit he looks fabulous. Well done Helen.

Hairy chests aren’t everything Charlie.

Bella.

I Hate Balloons

There are things in life that have no meaning or purpose. Or if they do, then I have no idea what it is! But then I’m just a houndy so what do I know? 

Oh tell me please, what is this for?

I found it on the kitchen floor!
I touched it gently with my nose
Eyes widened as the thing arose
It floated off across the floor
Then bounced back when it reached the door.
I jumped and backed away at speed
So frightened that I nearly peed…..
I was not sure what I should do

No time to think, my brain was goo

I jumped and hit it with my paw
It BANGED

And then it was no more.
Weird.

Bella

My Place

I’m a pretty easy going hound and my life is pretty darned good. I have no wish to be top dog here, thats Moms place. But we all have to push our luck now and then and see how far we can go. Don’t we?

Right at the beginning

I lay upon on the floor

But as I grew in confidence

I found I wanted more

The next step in my ladder climb

Was sleeping on my chair

I liked this very much indeed

I felt quite comfy there

I may have overstepped the mark

When I tried out the bed

It was the best place in the house

To rest my weary head

MOM SAID THAT IT WAS NOT FOR ME.

I don’t mind. Really, I don’t!

The bed is comfy but it’s Moms place.

The chair is mine. And the sofa. And the rug. And my bed………

I love Mom.

Bella

Summers Here!

Its the weekend, and I think summer has finally arrived! We had bright sunshine even when we got up at 6 o’clock this morning! And now it’s hot, real hot. I am in my element! I love summer!

The sun is shining up there

In a sky that’s wide and blue

No fluffy clouds to hide her

From the likes of me and you.

I lie here in my garden

Just soaking up her heat

Not moving till I have to

Then I get up on my feet.

I move into the shade a while

I sigh and lie back down

But soon that sun has followed me

I squint at her and frown.

OK, I’m getting hot now

Mom makes me go inside

To cool down in a shady spot

And from the sun I hide.

But when Mom isn’t looking

Back out there I will sneak

I can’t resist that warm soft grass

The pleasure that I seek.

They say mad dogs and English men

Go out in midday sun

But I’m a dog AND English

Excuses, I have none.

We do not get much heat like this

I mean to make the most

Of every minute that I get

Even if I roast!!

Enjoy!

Bella x

My Poem for #NationalPoetryDay

I like to write poems about things I feel, and things that make me happy or sad. Sometimes just things that wonder through my shiny black head as random thoughts. Today is apparently National Poetry Day so I thought I would write one specially. I hope you like it.

I love my Mom and she loves me
I understand her perfectly
I know her moods and understand
When she is sad, I nudge her hand
I do not make a fuss or cry
Even when I don’t know why.
When she frowns I watch her face
Until a smile takes its place
I look at her, she smiles at me,
No earthly place I’d rather be.
But with my Mom and my bro Yappy
Loving them just makes me happy.

Well there you go.

A random thought. Mom makes me happy.

Bella

Why Oh Why?

I ate my meat and kibble tonight, as usual, while wishing my bowl was full of sausages and cheese and ham and, well, all of my favourite things instead. I don’t mind kibble, it fills me up, but it’s not quite the same as having treats. Now is it?

Why are the good things bad for you?
Like sausages and cheese?
And chocolate cake or pastries
Could you just tell me please?

Why cant it be the vegetables
That we’re told not to eat?
“Just steer away from cabbages
And stick to fatty meat.”

Tell me to “eat more sugar please,
You need your five a day,”
“Eat sausage rolls twice daily
To keep disease at bay”

Wouldn’t that be wonderful,
I think while eating kibble,
And thinking of the naughty foods
That I would like to nibble.

I sigh.

I guess I shouldn’t complain, lots of dogs have empty bellies, and would be grateful for my dinner. 

Bella

Day Trip 2016

Today we went on a day trip! It was a really, really long way in the car and Mom didn’t tell us where we were going, or who we were meeting, until we were nearly there!

We got in the car and Mom drove and drove for hours!! I settled down quite quickly but Charlie was a darned nuisance! 

He would not lie down!

He yipped and whined all the way there!! I rolled my eyes at him several times but he took no notice whatsoever.  Typical Charlie. 

But eventually we arrived, in  Church Stretton. 

We had gone back to the small town where Mom had grown up, in Shropshire. We parked at Cardingmill Valley and to my surprise, met Uncle Tony and Grandma!

After a very happy hello, we went for a walk, carefully checking out the signs before we started!

We walked beside a pretty little stream, and despite my dislike of water, I bravely went for a closer look.

It was wet.

Charlie was braver, and went for a paddle!

After our walk, we got back in the car and drove up into the hills. This was the Long Mynd, a “place of outstanding natural beauty”  according to Mom.

She was right. (As usual)

We had an amazing picnic!

Uncle Tony and Grandma had made all kinds of wonderful things to eat, including kangaroo sausage rolls! (Which unfortunately I did not get to taste) It all looked and smelled delicious and we watched hungrily as they all ate.

As we were so good (said Grandma) we got sausages!

It was very hot up there, and very windy! It didn’t seem to bother Charlie much, but I got to lie under the parasol to stay cool! I felt like a princess!

After we had all eaten, and the humans had chatted, we went for a little walk. It really was very pretty there, and there were lots of fascinating things to explore. 

A while later, we all got back into the car and went down into the town. Church Stretton isn’t very big, but Mom said it brought back so many memories that she loved every minute of the visit.

We found a pub that had a lovely garden, and where well behaved dogs were welcome, the peeps had a drink and we got fussed. A lot.

It was the perfect ending to a perfect day out. We had all had a lovely time.

It was a long drive back, and we were very pleased to eventually arrive home. 

Thanks Mom.

Bella

Sorry Charlie

I think I upset Charlie today, I didn’t mean to, honestly, it was completely unintentional. It’s because I’m a hound and he’s a terrier I reckon. But I think he may have thought a few rude words after spending all afternoon in a cupboard. Not my fault.

Today was such a lovely day

That Charlie asked if I would play

Sure I said, old Charlie boy,

I’ll think of something, you’ll enjoy

But as I was about to speak

Up piped Charlie “Hide and Seek?”

OK I said, that’s fine by me,

I will count to fifty three.

You go find somewhere to hide,

And off he ran, somewhere inside.

I closed my eyes and thought of sheep

And as I counted, fell asleep.

(I’m a hound!! Of course I fell asleep)

 I do not know how long it was

But quite a while I think because,

When I awoke I felt the stare

Before I even saw him there.

I can’t repeat the words he said,

Just think *** ***** inside yer head.

He sulked for ages.

Sorry Charlie.

Bella

Bedfail

At WoofstockUK a while back, Mom bought me a WOOF bed.  I like it, and it’s perfect for dragging outside on the patio when the weather is hot and there’s no shade on the grass.

It is very big, but I seem to have a common greyhound problem. Bedfail.

I have a bed that’s nice and big

There’s room for more than one.

But even though I try quite hard

I cannot all get on!

My head will slip off sideways

Or wriggle off the end,

The bed shrinks in a weird way

I cannot comprehend!

I place my bum quite firmly

in the middle of the bed,

But when I stretch out comfortably

There’s no room for my head!

It seems to be a problem 

That greyhounds must endure,

An untreatable condition,

That has not got a cure.

Occasionally I manage it

If I strike quite the pose,

But mostly it is bedfail.

So shush, I need to doze.

One day, with practice, I will get it perfect every time. But not today!

Bella.

What Mom Made

Today Mom thought she would try to make something pretty out of one of the logs left over from when the tree was chopped down. I watched with interest!

First she picked out the log that she wanted. I had no idea what she was looking for, but she seemed to know. 

Me and Charlie kinda helped.

When she finally decided on one, I looked at it and thought she had picked the worst one there! It was all wonky and had bits sticking out. But she seemed to think it was just right. 

I was a bit puzzled.

She used a pointy thing to take all the bark off. This took quite a while. 

I soon got bored and dozed off.

While I was asleep, she scraped and scraped at it, and when I woke up, I noticed that it was a different colour underneath! It looked quite odd!

After a while, and lots of nose nudges, Mom stopped, and went inside to make her lunch. I followed her to investigate. 

After all, she was bound by houndy rules to share with me. 

Sure enough, she shared her sandwich, although I have to say, I did not get my fair share, and protested by staring at her with a very sad face. This resulted in a couple of fish cookies. 

Result!

When she had eaten, and I had had more than a few ear rubs, Mom went back to work on her log, and I got bored. I kept nudging her with my nose but it did not put her off! She was determined to finish it. 

She sanded it until it was ‘smooth enough’, as she put it, and then put on a coat of varnish.

I stared at it. 

It had gone darker, and all the pretty patterns in the wood stood out! I have to admit, it looked quite interesting.

Especially when Dad surrounded it with little white Cotswold stones.

Mom was pleased. Dad said it looked nice and was a good reminder of the tree that it used to be.

Charlie took one look, and peed up it.

Typical boy. 

I was just glad she was finished, so that we could go indoors and snuggle up on the sofa.

Bella