boxer-dog-blog

R.I.P

2010-05-08T10:02:00.002+01:00

After a long period of being unwell Wooshus passed away yesterday evening. We will all miss him and I will for all our early morning walks and the wisdom and calm he brought to our home and family.

He was part of our family and spent every holiday with us and ensured that we had plenty of exercise when we were away. He brought great joy into our lives and for that we are truly grateful.

Nearly but not quite

2009-06-11T06:08:00.003+01:00

Sorry I have not been writing of late but I was under the weather for a while and at one point thought I was going to crossover. Well I didn't and it's been sorted. As I have got older the old back legs give me problems and I was getting a lot of pain, which made me feel down. Anyway as there is no way they can treat the cause I am on a daily dose of pain killer which means I can get around just fine.

The weather in the South has been all over the place from above average temperature only a fortnight ago to now wet, cold and rain filled days with grey skies. I don't like grey skies, still at least when we get blue skies we have something to make a comparison with!

The UK government and the Opposition are embroiled in misuse of allowances and it would seem many MPs have been taking tax payers money falsely no wonder the Banks have got of lightly there are all scratching each other backs. As I have said previously now is the time to re-adjust the whole financial situation and now make changes to how MPs are able to make allowance claims.

It's always sad when someone is killed "in the line of duty" especially when that is guarding a building or museum, as in the case reported today. Any extreme belief seems to me to lead individuals to a very narrow and bigoted view, be it religious, political or anything. Rationale thinking and actions give way to radical and often violent actions that have no apparent benefit to mankind, but rather slow down progress to a more unified world.

Whilst the world is slowly recovering from recession it would seem that no new order is in place and that things will still be as they were. A more cautions approach to lending maybe the call of the day, but once the money starts to flow again will caution slowly go with the wind? Basing a persons performance on how much profit they generate for the company is a system that will always lead to distortion and corruption. If customer care is a bye word of so many companies as they claim, how come they led their customers down a path of financial ruin? When customer care is thinly disguised as profit it never works in the end. Good customer care, adding value to the customer's experience are all worthy when they are the priority, profit will follow. Any company that was giving true value to their customers will still be in business, especially if their business plan was well structured.

Well I am uncertain if a walk is on the cards today as it's looking very grey and rain looks likely. D has been taken me most days in between the rain so I may just make it. I hope so as he is away for a few days, starting Friday, I shall miss him. Well ahve a good weekend and will talk again soon.

A mix of weather at present

2009-05-07T06:14:00.002+01:00

May is now with us and the gardens and hedge rows are a mass of colour with flowers and budding trees and bushes. The robin has two young who feed from out of your hand. The blackbird had 5 young and they are quite bold too when trying to get food. Mason bees are busy in the ends of the bamboo blinds too.

because of the variable weather it has meant that D has been taking me out later when it's hot, because as a Boxer dog I have a very fine short coat which offers very little protection from the sun. The wild honeysuckle is every where on our walk along the boardwalk and is offering good cover for many birds and the insects they feed on. Seen the fox a couple of times over the last few days as well.

Here in the UK Monday was a bank holiday and as the weather was good we had a BBQ. I love them, everyone sits around outside and chatting and feeding me scraps. Makes a change to my diet, that's why I do it. Any how the eldest son come over and was saying how busy he is at present as his company changes from one version of Office to another and all the problems of rolling out across the EU with the many language differences.

The gardens are looking good with plenty of lawn cutting and general tidying and dead heading of the daffodils one the blooms die back. D & M's garden is maturing now and it's time to start the final planning of the various areas. The heavy snow has killed a nice bush which was dug up and now there is a need to think about a replacement. There is a flowering nutmeg and tobacco plant in the garden that also look as if the cold has either stunted their growth or they are dying; it's never ending keeping the gardens looking great.

Well the boss(he) is still sorting out his financial problems and has found that despite informing people via letters of his financial problems the credit card companies are very bullying in their approach, almost to the point of harassment. When this all started the boss(he) wrote explaining the situation and asking them for suggestions of how he could continue to pay, but not at the minimum amount. They never replied and now it's at the point we he is no longer able to pay more than a pound they are becoming very demanding. Like I have suggested in the past, if they had cut their interest rates the boss and others would have been able to continue paying but their APRs are still in double figure when the base rate is 0.5%!

What ever your current situation keep going and persist in getting through it and things will change and for the better. There are lessons to be learnt from this and I know the boss will be wiser for it in the end. Take care and speak soon.

Nearly the end of April already

2009-04-28T05:38:00.002+01:00

How the seasons seem to march on irrespective of the happenings in the world at large. April is almost gone and Spring will shortly be giving way to Summer all in the blink of an eye.

The trees are now showing plenty of colour as the leaves begin to unfurl and the horse chestnuts are showing off their white flowers. It seems that this year every thing in the garden is racing along at a great pace. I mentioned the other day that the daffodils have been and gone. Primroses are showing in the banks and the geese are feeding in the water meadows. Last week the boss(he) heard a cuckoo calling and the blackbirds have five young now feeding as a family on the lawn.

The bosses are coming to terms with the fact that the boss(he) has got financial problems and has been talking to a debt company about it. Because of a loss of income and existing credit card debt the last straw was Am Ex doubling the monthly interest rate and the APR. At present we are hanging in there and the bosses are trying to sort it all out. If you are having any problems with debt get it sorted as soon as possible. The bosses left is later than they should have, but the company they are using , called Pay Plan, has been very helpful and the advice was free too.

Despite all the problems the boss(he) is still keeping to his "to do" lists and is now working at getting even more "little" jobs sorted; like the shed and garage. They certainly focus him on what needs to be done and the work is getting done.

D has been taking me out for walks and although the weather has changes from fine to wet and variable I am getting about. Yesterday was wet and damp and my front joint was very stiff. Today there has been a frost and the sky look quite clear so it could be a sunny day.

Where ever you are may your day be better than the last and the sun warm you with its rays. See you soon and take care.

How time flies

2009-04-22T06:06:00.002+01:00

It only seems like yesterday that the bosses were getting ready to go to Pembrokeshire, in South Wales. I get lots of walks and by the end of the few days we were there I was walking the whole field with ease and no stiffness in my front leg.

The weather has been fine and sunny, for the most part. On my walks with D we have spotted a fox. The robin and blackbird are still busy collecting for the offspring. The robin will take from peoples hands and is very quick. The garden is a mass of colour as Spring gets under way. The daffodils have not lasted as long as they have in the past, but have provided a blase of colour.

Despite the problems with the world economy there is a slow move to cautious spending by some sections of the population. Japan a nation more of savers than spenders will be better positioned than most to benefit in the coming years. In the UK and not doubt in the USA house prices are showing a marginal stabilisation, although considering the inflated prices 2 years ago they are now more likely to be reflective of their value.

The UK government is still pushing ahead with measures to encourage people to dispose of their old( 10 years) cars and buy new "electric" cars. I am amazed that the government is again encouraging people to get into debt and for what? The production of cars 10 years old has already had it's mark on the carbon footprint. Now we dispose of those cars and get new which will still have added to the problems of carbon emissions in production. The bosses 10 years old car still returns over 40 miles to the gallon and as it's 10 years old still needs parts which have already been produced, thus saving on new production and using up spares that would other wise need to be recycled; using both energy and increasing carbon outputs. There is also the problem of disposing of the spent energy cells from these cars in the future.

Another idea back on the front burner is to use coal fired power plants for electricity generation. The carbon emission would be captured and piped to offshore oil fields where the gas would be pumped into the void left by the oil extraction. Neat idea but what will happen to the gas in say 100 years time. Nuclear power stations are also on the agenda and many old stations are likely to be recommissioned in the future; part of the Blair legacy.

Now is the time for the people of the word to exert their feelings on those in power to bring about a change in the way we exploit our world. Their is a great deal at stake. On the one hand all those with vested interests in the trapping of the good life will encourage a return to material acquisitions whilst exploiting people from other nations in keeping production costs low and profit margins high. The exploitation of raw materials and the deforestation of the rain forests will cause problems for everyone, so why get on the wagon? Technology has and can be used, to both the natural world and humans advantage, but not if greed and monetary gain are the impetus.

April showers bring forth May flowers

2009-04-08T06:07:00.002+01:00

Great weather with plenty of sunny spells so I have been out on lots of walks which is helping my joints. Today it was raining this morning so I decided not to go anywhere, best to wait until the rain stops.

I am glad that we have had some rain as it will help the plants and the grass to grow which always makes everywhere look radiant after the showers and the sun shines. Spring gives us a glimpse of what is in store for the summer months. In the garden the robin and blackbird are busy collecting food for their young, soon we should see them on the lawn or in the scrubs as they venture from the nest.

Schools are on Easter break and the roads are that much less congested. Odd really when many schools have a policy that requires the child should live in walking distance of the school for admission! It's the same in the Summer, surely if parents walked with their children it would be a double win-win. Save fuel and money spent on fuel, reduce the Carbon footprint and get healthier with the exercise? I know many parents both have to work, but surely they can do something it's for their benefit and their child too.

The G2 is over and there appears to be a consensus that a new era is on it's way with respect to banking. Meanwhile, in this country the banks who also have credit cards are using an old law to take money from people accounts to pay their credit card. This is regardless of the fact that it may effect their mortgage, service bills or council tax. This clearly shows the ruthlessness of the banks who got the world in this situation in the first place. The important issue is that this is not "fair" treatment and the banks know it but are exploiting peoples ignorance to get back money they are owed, regardless of the consequence. Lets see what the Government does to get itself distanced from this as they have yet to sort out the banks and the banks freely giving credit even when it was not requested.

It's now 3 clear months since the setting of those New year resolution, so how have you done. The boss(he) is going great guns with "to do" lists and has so far exceeded his expectations. We have had rooms wallpapered, skirting's painted, lawns mown and all sorts of jobs done that would still be "getting there" if he had not had the "to do" lists. Try it and as always have short lists for things that can be done in an hour or so to long term lists that require a series of actions to bring about; like re fencing or sorting out the garage.

Have a good Easter and may the sun warm your face or back, depending on the road you take.

Feeling Blue

2009-04-01T05:50:00.002+01:00

Not a good couple of days for me as I have been under the weather. Not to sure if I have a chill or it's just the stiffness in me front legs that's making me feel down. Despite it I have been out on some interesting walks and yesterday saw the fox for the first time, sunning on the fallen tree.

The mornings have been frosty, Monday and today and the days either sunny and bright or cloudy, but the colour in the gardens more than makes up for it. There is a collared dove nesting in the tree in D&M's garden which with the robin and blackbird looks like a good start to the season.

Boss(he) is at the hospital on Friday to have his kidney stones blasted yet again. Hopefully this time all will go well and there is some positive outcomes.

My 47% owner might be down this weekend depends on her shift pattern and if she is well enough. Seems she has been unwell these last few days, so I'm hoping she has a speedy recovery and comes and gives me lots of extra cuddles and strokes.

Michelle the veterinary blond has emailed the interview to the boss(he) but it was too big and his email provider would not let it through. I reckon he should use Google mail they seem more realistic on what people use their emails for in terms of sending and receiving information.

It looks like today should be sunny so I should get at least one walk, even if I have to take it slow. Take care and smile it makes the sun brighter.

More showers and sunnny periods and it's not April yet

2009-03-30T05:34:00.002+01:00

A chilly wind has been with us all the week and now showers and sunny periods. This heralds that April is on it's way. Here in the UK the clocks all went forward an hour so in the morning it's dark again but stays lighter in the evening. Some historical thing going back to the children helping with the harvest and not interrupting schooling; or something similar.

Boss(he) did not get his kidney stones blasted properly because the machine went wrong and then he went for an interview, one of six, and did not get the job. He reckons he has had better weeks.

47% owner was down for the whole weekend, so got plenty of extra strokes and fuss made of me. Very nice, and the house was just a little more alive. Boss(he) has finished the papering of the room and done the final coat of paint, just a case of moving his computer in and wiring it all back into the network. I think I might take a nap downstairs when he does that.

There has been a little positive light on the financial markets with some upward movement. Although the retail trade looks no better with a clear suggestion that there is little prospect of an up turn in the next few month.

It was frosty this morning and after my two walks yesterday I was a little stiff in my front joints this morning. Glad the boss was cold so we did not go the full circuit. I hope the frost does not get the magnolia blossom as it is just in bloom and the birds all play about in it and sing their tunes. The robin is still feeding and collecting so it looks like there is a hen on a nest in the ivy with young on the way. The last remaining pampas grass heads have been stripped by the birds for nesting material so I guess there are a lot of birds getting ready to hatch fledglings in the coming month?

Michelle has sent the boss a copy of the interview so hopefully will get it on here soon. She has now got a full time position in NW London which means that some people's pets are going to be very lucky. I know that there are many people who will be wishing her the very best, including this one very grateful boxer dog.

No walk with D today as he is out all day at a meeting so will get maybe one more walk if the boss (she) gets back early from work.

Have a good day and lets hope we get some blue skies and sun to warm our backs a little.

March winds and April showers

2009-03-25T06:05:00.002Z

What a difference a day makes? The weather is changing from sunny periods to cloud and cold winds to showers and then bright skies. How am I supposed to get my walks sorted with this sort of weather patterns? The good point is that when the sun shines its very welcome and people seems to perk up; I know I do.

It would seem that in the US that senior staff at the insurance company bailed out by the tax payers are handing back their bonus payment. Good on them, that's the sort of spirit that we need to see this side of the pond starting with the ex CEO of the RBS. Will it happen, I doubt it.

The flowers are all in bloom or well on the way and in the lanes there are primroses flowering. Spring has sprung and despite the recession Nature still amazes me with it's ability to get it together.

Boss(he) has to go to hospital today for another blast of his kidney stones so I hope something happens this time. That meansI will have him for company tomorrow as it gives him some problems with pain the day after then everything seems to settle down again. He has also applied for another job and has an interview so will hope something positive comes out of it.

The morning is looking brighter and that could mean another walk with D today. Might catch sight of the fox sunning on the fallen tree if we are lucky.

Enjoy your day and may the future bring us all closer to a better understanding of each other.

Another weekend went in a flash

2009-03-24T06:25:00.002Z

Despite a little down turn in the weather the weekend seemed to be over before it began. Although the weather was bright and sunny the wind had a chill to it and it mean that on my walks with D there was even a touch of frost on the ground.

The house was full on Sunday as all the children came round to give boss(she) Mothering Sunday cards, flowers and even some chocolates. Interesting that one large supermarket kept it's flower prices the same as the weeks previous whilst others appear to have raised prices?

Boss(he) was busy with his "to do" list and was going like a "good un". Cooking and making a lasagna, mowing a lawn, stripping off the last of the wallpaper, filling holes and finally clearing up all the dust and then undercoating; all on Saturday.

Sunday was a little more leisurely, shopping with D&M then mowing two lawns then cooking dinner and clearing up in the garden and hard pruning a shrub that was pushing other plants forward. Lastly moving rubbish from the garden into the boot of the car ready to take to the skip on Monday morning.

There is a blackbird and a robin nesting in the ivy on the garage next door which is encouraging. The male robin is collecting as well as eating so it may well be that the hen has laid eggs although it seems a little early. Still no sign of any foxes on my walks only lots of birds going about their business.

Boss has a big problem with the school network this weekend as the half on the end of the fibre optic link is not working properly. Seems that the converter one end is sending all the correct signals, but the one the other end is not receiving all the signals. Boss thinks that the link has a fault, swapping out the converters makes not difference nor does turning the network off?

Well after cloudy start on Monday with some heavy rain for a while in the early evening things seem a little more settled today. Well the sun is shining and it's just warming up a little so I may get another walk today with D. Wind is cold though so I may need my coat on getting old and feel the cold, especially in my front legs.

Have a great day and may the sun warm your back on your journey today.

And the sun still shone.

2009-03-20T06:17:00.002Z

What a wonderful week with sunny days, although the wind is now making it less warm. No doubt the next thing will be drought warnings because we have had little rain for a week. If they stopped building on reservoirs like the one outside East Morlsey then we would have more water? As a canine I wonder at the rational behind this thinking. No doubt the reservoir was becoming porous due to poor maintenance so cheaper to sell the site for housing development. Thereby creating a greater call on water usage and increasing traffic congestion, yes a good decision that one!

Michelle the veterinary blond did a talk on the evolution of the dog the other night and it was well received. Hope to be able to link into the finished video and also there is an interview too.

The FSA has published it's recommendations of how the banks should ensure that this recession does not happen again. One of it's suggestions is that banks are more carefully about lending money. Surely, that means that they will make less profit and therefore less big bonus payments to their staff? Seems to the boss(he) this is just what banks did in the 1980s when we had a fairly stable economy in terms of debt. Toxic debt was a term not commonly heard in the news, it may well have not even existed as such!

The UK government has made a big issue about how it had been tackling knife crime and using unverified statistics to show it's campaign has been working. Now it appears that that is not the case as the same stats indicate that there was a gradual decline before the start of the campaign anyway? There is a good book called "How to lie with statistic "which the boss(he) often refers to when some body starts quoting stats. From my understanding they can often be used to fit a set of circumstances providing a "positive" result to anything.

The weekend is nearly here and the boss(he) has got his "to do" list already and waiting to go. He almost seems to enjoy doing them as a challenge to see if he can get it all done. How are your "to do" lists going?

Enjoy your weekend as I understand here in the South of the UK the weather will change to a more cold outlook, with rain?

Is this Summer?

2009-03-19T05:49:00.002Z

What a glorious week of sunny weather we are having, it makes the heart glad. I have had lots of walks and Spring look as if its arrived. There are birds starting to collect nesting material from the garden and one blackbird is near completion of a nest in the garden hedge.

St Patrick's day has been celebrated here and in the USA with President Obama meeting Northern Ireland ministers and express support for the continued process towards lasting peace, despite the recent killings in the province.

The ex CEO is still in the news and it looks as if the tax payers also paid the tax on a lump sum he was given on leaving his post. The RBS did not have to give any more than a years salary. Yet despite this they gave away tax payers money to a person who is almost solely responsible for the collapse of the RBS. Where is the logic in all this and what retribution to those that allowed the wasting of yet more tax payers money?

As a canine I am amazed at the lax way the whole situation with the banks in both the UK and USA has been handled. People in positions within these banks knowingly allowed this situation to occur yet resign and get "golden hand shakes" as reward, for what their incompetence?
They no doubt also received big bonuses in the period when this whole situation was manifesting itself. They can then move away and retire on a yearly pension of more than most who work for the banks earn in a life time.

Greed seems to be the driving force which has led the world to this situation. A small number of people have been able to cause greater chaos than the 9/11 and afterwards with impunity. There are many lessons to be learnt from this and as a canine I am hopeful that they will be acknowledged by humans and measures taken to prevent a recurrence in the future.

On a much more positive note, how are the changes to a habit going? Remember consistency and persistence are the way forward. Like the boss he is now doing "to do" lists every day and amazed at how much more productive he is becoming and more important, focused. Very important if you have a 72 hours working week and then more to do at the weekend.

Take care and may the sun warm your back some time today.

How come the weekends go so quickly?

2009-03-16T05:59:00.002Z

Wow the weekend was over before it began, it seems. The weather was fine and this meant that their was activity in the garden and in the house. My 47% owner was over for the weekend which was good as I had lots of fuss made of me. The boss(he) got his new glasses and started stripping the wallpaper off the upstairs bedroom, a job that lasted for two days . Last night there was a surprise as the eldest son came over for tea and was talking about his new house. He wants me to go over and mark the garden to stop the cats from depositing on his grass?

This morning it is cold with a heavy frost forming and a big old moon in the sky. The day was just starting to break on the horizon and there was some birds singing it in. No sign of any other man nor beast, might get lucky if I get a walk with D later today.

Michelle the veterinary blond has just about finalised the book and the picture have all been sorted with the correct captions. If you follow her blog from here you should be first with the news of her recent talk about the evolution of dogs. I believe that it was being filmed for later release. Incidentally she was interviewed for a dog magazine and the article will be on her site soon.

Amazing in conversation that the eldest son was saying that in his county the recycling bins are black and the ordinary rubbish bins are green? Also they have much smaller bins for their recyclable glass, which seems odd. If you are recycling then its all or nothing, why do a half hearted approach? I have a feeling that cost is a big factor in how a council views the whole subject of recycling.

What are you still doing to keep on track to achieving your New year resolutions? If you have persisted with changing a habit you should be seeing results, if not just review your target to ensure that it is achievable and that you have set smaller obtainable targets to get to your overall target. Dogged perseverance will overcome, but only if you have set realistic targets. Trying to give up smoking after twenty years can only be achieved by setting smaller targets, like reduce the number of cigarettes per day and use the saving to buy healthy foods or go towards a fitness course. You are replacing a long established habit with a new one, but it takes time and patience.

Well the sun is up and it looks like a fine start to the week. Have a good day and I will see you on Wednesday.

Another week draws to an end

2009-03-13T06:29:00.002Z

What an interesting later part to the week this has been. The weather had continued to been mixed with rain, sun and cold winds. I am saddened by the loss of some many young lives in Germany. The prince has acknowledged the emptiness that loosing his mother has caused him in a heartfelt speech at a trust meeting his mother was associated with when she was alive.

The garden is looking good and tidy with many flowers now showing full formed buds in readiness for the heralding of spring. Along the hedgerow there is a showing of colour now as the buds swell too. The sun brings out many of the birds to feed and have a quick splash in the bird bath. Their colours add to the changing spectrum in the garden making a welcome addition for the eyes to see.

At the moment the sun is rising in a watery way with a mix of high cloud and lower darker rain cloud, so it could be an interesting day to see who prevails; sun or rain. I hope it stays dry as I will get at least one more walk in with D. We don't go as far as we used to but we often walk the boardwalk and see what's around. No foxes yet although they are in the gardens because I can smell them.

Hopefully my 47% owner should be home for the weekend and that means bosses will have a different focus and the house will take on a new life for a while. There has been some room changing in the house as the youngest son has moved to the eldest sons room. The vacated room will become the bosses study so the back room will have all his computers and toot moved. Boss(she) is very happy at this as it means the back room will be less cluttered and appear to be bigger too.

It looks like another busy weekend what with food shopping on Sunday with D&M and boss(he) getting new glasses as a late Christmas present from boss(she) Still waiting to hear when boss(he) has to next go to hospital with his kidney stone problem. seems odd that this is a common problem both in the young and old yet they don't treat the cause just the symptoms?

Have a good weekend and try making a "to do" list and see how much better focused the weekend will be and how much more you will achieve. Take care and speak to you on Monday.

An interesting week so far?

2009-03-11T05:47:00.002Z

Despite the changing weather most days have been dry and some mornings have been sunny, although with a touch of frost. I like sunny crisp mornings with plenty of fresh smells. Still not many other animals on my walks in the mornings. Just as we get used to the sun rising early the clocks will change and it all gets confusing for a while.

As a Boxer dog I have expressed my amazement that the pound is so low against the dollar despite the USA being in at least the same state of recession as the UK. I am assuming that this is based on the people who play the money market thinking that the UK is in a more difficult situation than the USA. If that's the case why is the Euro so high when at least four countries in the EU are also having recession problems and the newer Eastern European members are asking for money to stabilise their countries. Something very wrong with all this, seem to remember the boss(he) saying someone did this with silver many years ago.

How are things with the new habit forming? Remember persistence will prevail, just keep at it. Remember I was telling you about the boss and his "to do" list well it's working a treat. Last weekend because they were so busy it kept him focused on what needed to be done and he has already done two of the items on his "before the summer" list . Have a go it has made a difference and enabled the boss(he) to get more done because he has a focus and targets to meet.

It seems that companies in the financial sector are dumbing down the effects of wide spread redundancies by using the services of companies that offer virtual offices for those made redundant to get advice on writing their CV, letter of application and getting in the right mindset for job interviews. It seems that companies are concerned that when they recession is over people will remember the way companies treated staff in the downturn and be less likely to want to work for them. Of course the companies offering this virtual office package are having a reported better than average year on year profit return. As Einstein remarked, "in every crisis there is opportunity"

At the moment the sky is ablaze with the early morning sunrising and it looks beautiful. I guess the maker was having a painting moment this morning. Blackbirds are busy looking for food and a robin is flitting about looking for a morsel to eat. Boy, despite what the news says, it make you happy to be alive to see. Have a great day and hang in there with those changing habits. Speak to you on Friday, off to see if there is any treats to eat:)

Another busy weekend.

2009-03-09T06:05:00.002Z

Despite the chill there was much activity in the household this weekend. Room changes where the order of the day for the youngest son which required the assembly of a bed and all the bits that go with it. Very comfortable bed too I must say.

On Saturday the two lawns in D&M where given a light cut to keep growth uniform and I was able to do some sun bathing on the decking. Boss (he) replaced another rotten post and replaced another fence panel so the back of the garden is looking a lot neater now.

Sunday and they all went to do the weeks food shopping with D&M and I got some nice liver to have for my food with pasta and carrots, peas and bran. Supposed to be good for me and keep the carbs in check as I am getting well past my sell by date. In the afternoon the bosses took D&M across to see his cousin as there is no bus service to the hospital on Sundays?

Despite the chill the weekend was mostly sunny and there are daffodils in flower now and many plants and bushes are showing forming duds or even some colour. The dogwood looks colourful with it's bright red against the bare bushes around it. The robins like to land on it's branches before they come into the summerhouse to get their food.

Boss(he) has been busy when he had some spare moments to finish the photos for Michelle the vets new edition of Puppy Power, which will be on sale shortly. Well worth investing in if you have a dog or are considering getting a puppy. Interesting that Crufts this year had record visitors despite the loss of sponsorship from Pedigree and coverage due to concerns about breeding practices amongst breeders? Michelle covers this in her Puppy Power, in particular the docking of puppies tails for no reason another than fashion. The Kennel Club does not police those who are registered breeders with it and neither do they enforce the law which bans docking other than for legitimate reasons relating to working dogs. Whilst people are unaware of these facts they are perpetuating the illegal practice and funding it through purchasing dogs from breeders who they think must be the best because they are Kennel Club registered!

Hopefully I will get another walk today with D if the weather holds and we might see some of my canine friends. Take care and speak to you on Wednesday.

Is there any interest in the Bank interest rate?

2009-03-06T05:58:00.001Z

The Bank of England cut it's interest rate to the lowest in over 300 years? How is this going to stimulate the economy? Savers who supposedly outnumber borrowers 7 to 1 are not going to gain by it and borrowers can't borrow as the lenders wont lend. How can any country expect to start an economic growth on this basis? There needs to be money circulating to allow for purchasing and the flow of money and goods will start the process of recovery.

Perhaps the whole base of this recession was when the banks and other lenders borrowed more money than they received from savers in their quest to make increased profit and gain bonuses for individuals. Simply greed took over and caution and due diligence went by the board. Governments rode on the back of this "prosperity" and are therefore as much to blame as the banks and lenders in as much as they did not apply measures to curd the ease of borrowing but chose to remain popular.

On a different note the weather since we spoke on Wednesday has been very variable with rain, sleet, frost, sunshine and some mist in the mornings. Today it was very frosty on my walk with clear skies so it may be a sunny day today.

Talking of sunny days how are the resolutions going, if you have been persistent and made a change to an existing habit you should be well on the way to changing the habit for a better one. No one claims it will be easy, because it's not, but a steady change day after day will slowly change a habit. It's important not to give up or beat yourself up if you miss your target or have a relapse; it happens accept it and get back on target.

Busy weekend ahead as there is work to be done in the garden and the boss is going to sort out the area for D&M to have a patio, before the year advances to far. On Sunday I think after shopping the bosses are taking D&M over to see a relation in hospital in another town as there are no buses running that go there by an easy route. Boss(he) is doing a long term as well as short term "to do" list and is amazed at what help it is on focusing with greater clarity on what really needs to be achieved. Try it a see the difference, you maybe surprised that you will have more time to bum around at the weekend, instead of just rolling alone and doing very little to reduce all the things you should do.

Well the sun is rising and although cold it looks like it could be sunny to day. That means I may get another walk in this afternoon. Take care and speak to you all on Monday.

Interesting week so far, weather wise

2009-03-04T05:57:00.002Z

What a swing in the weather as the low takes over from the high pressure. A bright sunny day on Monday was followed yesterday with light rain and at times strong winds with a drop in temperature. Today it appears to be very cloudy and cool with possible sleet or snow.

Whilst the rain may help with growth much of the land still seems to be saturated from the wet spell in late 2008. This no doubt will mean that crops will be less than good and be reflected in increased costs to the consumer. D has noticed that the price of the wine he buys had steadily increased. Is this a reflection of the value of the pound against the euro or is it just the super market adding to their bottom line by stealth?

Remember the saying, "do nothing and nothing changes" well the boss has changed his weekend habits by producing a "to do" list for the weekend that starts on Sunday night and is added to until Friday. Last weekend he was able to accomplish so much more and do things not on his list that he was amazed. Now this is not earth shattering but is a clear example of how setting achievable goals can work, even on something as simple as do a list of what to do over two days.

Think what you could achieve if you started to write a "to do" list every evening for the next day. This could relate to personal things or how you look at the day job in a different light. Any changes that make you feel good raise your vibrational level which has a positive affect on your life in general. Try it and see. Let me know how you get on.

Boss (she) took me out yesterday afternoon as D was not feeling 100% probably a mix of the damp weather and too much vino! This morning it was cold with rain in the wind. The clouds looked dark and full of rain or snow. Not to keen on snow because the melt always seems to produce slush and ice which can be dangerous for D when we go out.

Well breakfast calls and then I think a little light relaxation on the settee when everyone has gone will do for this morning. This allows me the time to philosophise about the human race and how they are getting it sooooo wrong.

Take care and remember looking up stops you feeling down. Try it!

Busy Weekend

2009-03-02T05:45:00.002Z

Although the weather was not as sunny as Friday it was dry with a chill when the wind blew. Very busy in the garden over the two days with last minute trimming and renewing fence posts and preparing for the Spring.

The robins are getting bolder and will now take from your hand although they still find me a bit of a problem. All I want to do is play, but their more interested in eating. can't say I blame them.

Eldest son dropped in on Friday and had a bite to eat before going home. Meeting all his targets so has won a pay award, which will be useful with just buying a house. My 47% owner went to to see the house on Sunday so we are hoping she found it OK, as it's not the easiest place to find.

I am amazed that despite much of the current financial situation arising as a result of the sub prime in the USA the dollar is so strong against the pound? Seems daft that the root cause of the problem is fairing better on the currency market because the UK banks had a share in the toxic debt of the USA!

Japan is also in the grip of a recession according to the papers and news on TV. The bosses did a quick count of all the good or interesting news in the weekend papers and on TV. Surprise, there was no good news on any TV or in the papers within the first few pages or minutes of the broadcast. Yet it is rumoured that there is a millionaire being made every 4 minutes somewhere in the world. Someone must have it wrong or they just do not see a recession but a time of opportunity? Maybe they don't read the newspapers or listen to the news on TV or radio!

Small businesses in the UK are saying that the banks are making it difficult to get money or are being very strict on the meeting business plans. What happened to all the tax payers money that went into these banks, not only to keep them afloat but to ease the availability of money for small businesses and home buyers? Bring in regulations to stop the payment of bonuses to managers on their performance that has led to this situation in the first place would be a good start and then get the money available.

I see that credit cards are still charging interest rates above 12% APR when the base rate is 1%. Force them to reduce their rates would in the long term allow people to pay of their debt (not what the credit card companies want) and allow so disposable income to allow people to purchase. They will not save because the rate is low but will buy or spend on household goods, thereby starting the slow economic recovery of production.

Well it's cold this morning with a frost on the cars and no sign of life on the walk. Hope to see more when I go out with D later as the day should be bright and sunny, hopefully.

Take care speak to you on Wednesday.

Another week draws to an end

2009-02-27T06:12:00.002Z

The boss(he) had his procedure on Wednesday and althougth he looked a little white was OK and by Thursday was taking things easy but moving around fine. Only discomfort was at night when laying down, but that had gone by Thursday too.

Out with D these last few days and the number of Wrens flitting in and around the bushes is amazing. Most of the year you hardly see them. Many birds are now actively starting to look for a mate. Before long the nest building will start in earnest and the garden will be alive with activity.

Michelle has posted on her blog about the latest "Rogue Trader" which dealt with puppy farms and one that she had first had knowledge of too. She also covers this in detail in her book "PuppyPower" which I have mentioned before as a good book for any would be or existing dog owner.

I hear that the ex head of RBS, Sir Fred Goodwin, has declined to give up his over £693,000 per year pension. If he gave half of it back that's still more than many people earn in 10 years,as his pension. No wonder the banking system is in a state with sums of money like that going out to someone no longer there (at RBS)and responsible for the state that bank got in. #
If they paid less at the top and distributed it throughout the bank then customers would get a better service and not be changed ridiculous sums for refusal of a cheque or the likes. A complete overall of the banking system is needed including bonuses, if any, and what the customer gets and pays for and the services and advice they receive.

The weather has been pretty good for the time of year. Mild with temperatures reaching double figures, although a keen wind has made it appear colder when it blows. The family have a lot to do this weekend. Me I'm going to chill out and enjoy any sun there is. Take care a remember change nothing and expect nothing to change.

Sunny spells more like cloudy and rain

2009-02-20T06:50:00.003Z

Friday already and in this part of the country there were few sunny spells but a lot of cloud and light rain instead. The main affect this has is my walks are not so interesting as there a few other dogs out on a walk and few wild animals to see.

Buster has now been pensioned off and is now retired. Although he is still required to be on standby should the need arise. It was good to catch him early this morning out and about and looking so fit.

I hear that another fraud has been revealed that has caused yet more problems for savers and investors. Yet again a few people (maybe 3) have been able to dupe both the general public and others into parting with money for a scam. Because of the ability these people have to filter the money away so only a percentage is ever found, they can have a good life if they go to prison and if their sentence is short enough still have a hoard when they come out.

I heard on the news this morning that a young teenager received first degree burns to most of her body through over exposure on a sun bed at an unattended "salon". Seems in the UK that these "self service" tanning salons are not regulated with respect to age of users and time they can stay under the tanning bed. Coupled with the fact that the salon does not have to have anyone in attendance to oversee the correct use of the equipment it looks like a "good little earner" as Del Trotter would say!

US President Obama has had a long haul to get his administration going and it ain't going to get any easier. The war in Afghanistan is still ongoing and will continue whilst the allies employ the military tactics the are using at present. The stupid reality is that the might of the USSR could not do it, so why are the allies employing similar tactics?

The car industry is a barometer of the financial state of the world it would seem. If that is correct then this recession had it's infancy long before the sub-prime problems, as car sales had started to slow in the early part of 2008, not significantly but it had slowed!

Well all this will not get me nearer to my walk or understanding why the human race is so totally immersed in money as the means to find what it is they seek.

Enjoy the weekend, you never know the weather might just be brighter.

Schools out

2009-02-18T08:14:00.002Z

It,s half term week in the South and there is a noticeable difference in the number of cars on the road at the peak times. The boss(he) has halved his journey time this week and the normal traffic jams are not there this week. It's the same during the long summer holiday too.

Perhaps this is a contributing factor as to why the young in Britain are becoming more obese? Couple that with both parents working and the use of convenience foods high in carbs and you have a picture forming of an unhealthy diet.

Because of the car many teenagers today expect parents to act as a unpaid taxi. Parents do it because of fear for the safety of their offspring and because public transport is now so poor and unreliable that they may well arrive home way past their intended "home time"! Walking seems to be a no no as their clothing is inappropriate and in some style dangerous if cycling. Then there is the increased likely hood that the cycle maybe stolen as there are few secure cycle parks anywhere.

Although the weather has not been as bright as forecast nature marches on and more bulbs are starting to show buds and all around the signs of the impending Spring are there to be seen.

More problems with the car industry in the UK and USA. Mini a BMW company has made people redundant, yet I recall they received Government money ( tax payers money) to keep the plant here in the first place. If they close the plant completely do the tax payers get their money back?

Next few days offer some bright spells so I hope to see more on my walks with D. The last few days have only spotted birds flitting about in the trees and bushes. No sign of the fox resting on the tree or any foxes else where. Soon with Spring so nature starts it,s courtship and there will be much activity to secure a mate.

Well food awaits and then a walk. I will tell you what I see on Friday, until then take care.

Busy weekend

2009-02-16T06:36:00.002Z

Saturday looked good with some sunny spells and the boss(he) has sorted out the garden after the snow damage. There where a number of bushes that take broken branches due to the weight of snow on them. The pampas grass lost almost all it's plumes for the same reason.

After a lot of cutting and hard pruning the garden is again looking tidy. The bulbs are on form and pushing through very well. Some of the early crocus have suffered as the snow had settled on the flowers and many just could not hold the weight.

Boss(he) is due to go to hospital next week to have something done about the kidney stones he has. Seems after the last renal colic attack they are concerned that his kidneys are not damaged due to the backing up of fluid causing the kidneys to swell.

How are we all doing on keeping persistant on the resolutions? Remember just keep at it and the change will slowly occur. Celebrate your little achievements each one is a milestone in reaching your destiny .

Funny the boss (he)had been off work last week for three days with his kidney problem his boss has been most off with him. Seems she is very seldom ill and as a result thinks everyone else should be the same. Maybe the holidays in warm climates and relaxing allows that to happen?

Well what ever the reason it's another day in another week so lets get to it and see what we can learn from the week- take care.

Rain,snow ice and more rain

2009-02-13T06:02:00.002Z

Icy roads and then last night a light snow fall followed by light rain. It's very difficult to know whats coming next. The water meadows at the local farm have been flooded and then froze so the geese could not wade about and get food. This morning the water has receded and hopefully the waterbirds will be able to feed.

The President of the USA has lost another nominee member of his cabinet. I admire both for their ideals and in fairness to Obama he needs people to be with him and not just yes people. He like the other world leaders have their work cut out to start the process of financial recovery.

As a canine my concern is that I have yet to hear about the checks and balance being put in place to stop this ever happening again. The sub prime could have been prevented, but because money was easy to get and credit too it's effect was to increase the overall debt of everyone for the benefit of a minority.

There is still debate about the banks paying bonuses, although now many of the boards are hinting that they will pay only to customer face employees. If people have to rely on bonuses on the lower levels of a company to have an overall fair wage then something is very very wrong.
I still can't understand why the person at the top gets paid a very good wage and then gets monetary bonuses or share options when those who do the work and take care of the running of a company get the least. I guess the indication is that working hard does not get you that far above the poverty line if at all?

Michelle the Veterinary blond has revamped her book and it's now even better and at the same price as the old one is extremely good value for money, go buy it now. Michelle is also encouraging dog owners to sign a petition to get the Government to micro chip all dogs, I think that this is a brilliant idea as then dogs that are abandoned will have their owners information on the chip. They can then be found and reunited with their pet or if they don't want it be fined to at least cover the cost for a new chip and to give the dog basic care until a new owner is found.

The weekend looks variable weather wise and the boss (he) has to fit a blind for nan whilst she is away with boss(she) as part of her Christmas present. I hope they have some dry weather to enable them to get out a bit.

Well it's time for some food then in an hour or so D might take me out if the rains not to heavy. Take care and have a good weekend.
Oh bye the way how have you all been doing with your resolutions the new habit should be replacing the old, if not keep going and good luck.

First the snow then the floods

2009-02-11T06:32:00.002Z

What a weekend it was for me. The snow on Friday missed us and went further North. Boss(he) was taken into the surgical assessment unit and stayed overnight with a kidney problem and everyone was at home on Saturday to see how their Dad was, so I got lots of strokes.

At first the snow melted very slowly and although it meant side road and lanes were still dangerous the melt was gradual. Then came the rain heavy all day on Monday and lighter the first part of Tuesday. The common was flooded in places I have never seen it before, not helped by the pond being frozen; I suppose?

Many places have been flooded in the South of England, whilst in Australia fires have devastated the bush and destroyed whole communities in Victoria. Many lives have been lost as a result of the speed the flames where spread by a strong wind. Many household also lost pets and livestock too.

Despite the lowering of interest rates there is still no move to curd the high interest rates on credit cards and loans that are on offer to people at present as a way out. Then the banks look at given the people how where instrumental in the problems big bonuses. Never mind the people at the coal face who get a small amount and meet customers every day and keep it all running. The faceless ones who are responsible are now considering giving themselves bonuses, for what? They should be made to pay the last two years bonuses back, their basic pay is still more than many earn in years.

More dogs are being left to their own devices as families feel the effects of the recession. Canine rescue centres are overloaded and also not receiving the money that need, as all charitable institutes feel the effect of the downturn. Dogs will eat cheap meat and offal which costs little and will keep them healthy. All it takes is a little change in the owners mind set to move from the convenience of opening a tin to getting some offal or cheap meat. Shin is good for making stews for a family with vegetable and some can be kept for your dog, It's not difficult just needs a different approach.

Despite the adverse weather the garden is starting to come alive. There are crocus in bud and flower and snowdrops should be showing their heads too.

Enjoy the sun, if you have any and take care. I'm off soon for a walk with D to see if the water on the common has receded.

Then the snow came

2009-02-05T17:56:00.002Z

What a week it's turning out to be with chaos on the roads, the railways and airports. Not much fun being a canine in the snow we have had as it was so deep one could not lift ones leg. Despite the weather conditions the week has been good to me. I have had snowball fights, help build a snowman and watched the robins eat mealworms just a few inches from my feet.

The boss(he) said it was like this in Finland one day after the heavy snow and nothing moved. The next day it was all back to normal. They are better prepared than we are as they get more of the white stuff and for longer periods too.

The Bank of England has dropped the interest rate to 1% but how will that help the economy when people are still struggling with credit card debt at 14% or more. If the credit cards reduced their rate to half what they are at present that would allow people to afford to pay more and also put a bit more disposable income into the economy.I think people should remember what the credit companies are doing and when they have the opportunity ditch them for good or pay off what you owe every month and pay no interest.

Friday tomorrow and there is snow on the way. It may miss and carry on or deposit large amount in the South of England. We will see tonight when I go out last thing or it will be quite and white come the morning.
Where ever you are take care and have a good weekend

Only two days to the month end

2009-01-30T05:33:00.002Z

What a change in the weather from wet and windy to cold with a wind the is best described as lazy; it just goes straight through you not around you.

The garden is showing signs that Spring is in the wings waiting to take centre stage soon. Remember the birds in this cold weather and put out feed for them.

If you have been doing something different for the last 30 days you should have changed a habit or created a new one. The boss(he) has been sorting out his priorities and has seen some changes to his attitude as a result so signs are very encouraging .

According to the news the UK will be the worst hit European economy in this recession. If the population of the UK believes it then that's what will happen. It's time to stop focusing on the recession and refocus on how to start rebuilding. If the news had a more upbeat view then so would the people. In a survey of small companies in the UK most are still looking to continue to exist and look for new products or business; only one had laid off staff and that was a joinery company reliant on the building trade. Maybe they should be considering how to diversify their products or look at new markets?

As a Boxer dog I got to wondering, as one does with does when you are being a dog and not doing anything. Why have the Governments of the USA,UK, EU and others being quick to say they will inject money into the country to get things going? Why did the sub prime come about? Why did the UK have debts expressed in Trillions? Because the whole basis of the world economies is on consumption of goods and services. The governments by not taking a more proactive part in cooling the rate of consumer spending contributed to the problems now. Credit card companies where not curtailed in their advertising and the banks loaned far in excess of their means. As we are all learning there is no free lunch. what an expensive lesson it is for many.

Well the weekend looks to be cold, but with some sunshine so there is some hope that a busy weekend will be at least a dry one. Take care and stop reading newspapers or looking at the TV news.

What a difference a day makes

2009-01-28T05:47:00.002Z

Yesterday morning was cold with a frost, at 08.30 it was minus 2 degrees C. However, the sky was blue and the sun was shining and the spirits were lifted. D took me out for a walk and it was still cold and chilly in the early afternoon. No sign of any foxes just a few robins and sparrows along the board walk.
Today it's back to light rain at present and looks to be grey and cloudy all day. Not my kind of day at all. Still it makes you appreciate the sunny dry days like yesterday

As the month draws to an end how have you done on the New Years resolutions? If you have stuck at it you should be seeing a change, no matter how small. Like the plants you are just starting to grow and as you continue you will change, just like the plants from nothing to shoots above the ground. Keep at it and you will replace an old habit with the desired one you want. It takes time, like it took a minimum of a month to create the habit you wish to get rid of now.

The boss (he)was talking about the finding of a report concerning asbestos in schools in Southern England and how it is in one form or another in too many schools. Mainly it seems that the schools are all post war, when it was used before the danger was known and the school are now getting old and the problem is there waiting to create potential health risks for both the children and adults who work in them.

The president of the USA is now firmly in office and his first major task is to ensure a lasting peace in the Gaza. Why these people can't live together amazes me as the only people who benefit from this are the arms dealers and the few at the top orchestrating the violence. Both sides no doubt have their reasons but the reality is they are there so stop fighting and use that energy to resolve their differences and prosper together.

Have a good day where ever you are and keep on changing the old habit for a new one.

Who is this Noah guy?

2009-01-26T05:54:00.002Z

The weekend was a mix of wet weather and some sunny spells. This morning the lanes are still covered with water and in some cases it is still deep. Many rivers have been put on flood alert and it,s now down to see if the northern front can push the Atlantic front away from the coastal areas.

Bosses(she) mother has not been well since before Christmas. She is 86 and got this bug that was circulating at the time, which in the young and elderly can cause problems in prolonging recovery times.

As we enter the last week of the month how have the resolutions been doing? If you have been changing one thing consistently every day you will have started to create a new habit. Three biscuits with your coffee down to two is a good beginning, next is to get it down to one and then if you wish to none.

The eldest son is due to move out on Friday which will be sad as he torments me in a nice way and I will miss the fun. Still he will not doubt be around on his way home on occasions when he is hungry. He has been very focused on what he wants to do and has done it all. It will be interesting to see what his next goal is now he has got a house.

My 47% owner was home on Friday night and stayed until Saturday afternoon; which was good. I see more of her now as she sorts out her life and refocuses on what she wants to achieve. Boss (he) likes talking to her as she is of a similar mindset as him.

Another week begins and how its pans out for the week is down to how you think and feel it will be. Have a great day and remember in every crisis lies opportunity.

Rain and more rain

2009-01-23T05:43:00.002Z

The last two days have seen a lot of rainfall during the night and this morning the lanes had many areas of localised flooding across the lanes from ditch to ditch. The forecast is for more over the weekend and Monday which will mean many areas will be on flood alert.

The USA has a new president and the 44th has a lot to do and a lot of expectations riding on his shoulders.He is also getting a puppy for his children which if done properly should bring much happiness to the White House. His speech told it as it is there are problems but with the backing of the people the American dream would be rekindled and rise again. No doubt this time there will be more regulatory controls on the financial institutes that contributed to the situation the US and the world finds it's self in?

Despite all the gloom and doom the media is happy to pour on the world there are signs that the small business sector is managing to weather the storm in the short term at least. In every crisis there is opportunity so lets hope that a complete rethink on mortgages and borrowing will create a more stable future. Why not have more fixed rate mortgages which allow people to budget over a long period and know what their commitment are to pay for their borrowing. This may mean that credit cards are less likely to be needed in the future. Take AMEX why in the midst of the problem hike up interest by 5% when they are receiving regular payments?

Once the sun starts to show the plants will start to rise some more and as spring starts it's early call we will see more colour in the early flower buds. Hedgerows are already starting to show signs of change as small leaf buds start to form.
More birds will be seen in the gardens and then the quest for a suitable nest site and collecting of building materials will begin.

Only a week to go and how are the resolutions? If you have been doggedly keeping it up then now is the crucial time don't look back or down just ahead and keep going for the next goal as ultimately you will get there.

Have a good weekend and despite the inclement weather take a walk or get out if you can just for a while, especially if the sun shines.

Still wet and cold but some sun maybe?

2009-01-20T05:40:00.002Z

It rained during the night, but not very heavy. Still very dark in the mornings and nowt to see, not even a fox. Despite the rain the overall fell is still cold and I am still moulting. Mind you my old friend the Gordon Setter is moulting too.

As the month starts the final third how have you done on the New Year resolutions? Take time to reflect and see how far you have progressed and what it feels like when you have made some progress. Remember if you want to loose weight go for a little at a time and keep off the scales, once a week is all. You will get a better idea by the fit and feel of your cloths.

Now as a dog I love going for a ride in the car. You may remember me mentioning that the MPV went as it lost a cam belt and despite the little damage the bosses decided it had to go? The global problems at present have had a dramatic affect on the car manufacturing industry with the USA government attempting to bail out with loans. What I can't understand is that in this age of technology why these companies fall when car sales drop.

There had been lots of early signs that there was a slow down in mid 2008. At that point the manufactures should have got together with their dealers and looked at how to improve their customer care. Most of my bosses experiences with main car dealerships has been negative. Once they have your money then move on to the next punter. Getting problems sorted is never easy and the impression is that they are doing you a favour booking your car in for a service.

Now this will on it's own have very little impact now, but in the long term people remember and tell other people. The dealership that offers quality customer service and at a reasonable price will be in a better position when the upturn comes. Then building on that service they can survive. With the technology available today there is no reason why people can't be sent updates, offers and just good car care advice for free.

Keep going with the resolutions and see if you can offer some exceptional customer care today and if you have no customers to a neighbour, friend on someone in the street. Take care.

rain,wind and more rain.

2009-01-19T05:56:00.002Z

The Atlantic is having an affect on our weather at present. the weekend was a mix on early rain, then sunny periods with a cold wind. Today it has been raining almost all night. Nothing to see this morning other than puddles and in the lanes the ditches are running fast and some of the rain water is laying in the roadway.

Boss(he) sorted out the file sending problem it was to do with the total file size being to big, which he was amazed at as it was not that large but did contain some large jpegs.

Over half way through the month and how are the resolutions going? Keep on changing and it will happen. Slowly at first but once it starts it's difficult to stop; bit like jogging or weight training.

The garden is looking good as the bulbs start in earnest to push their way to the surface. If the rain is followed by sunny days then the prep for Spring will be starting to gather momentum. Of course frosts and falls of snow are always a threat but most will survive and flower.

Remember the birds this time of year as all the berries disappear from the hedge rows and they look to the gardens for food. The robins are feeding from the table in the summer house if D puts meal worms on it. They are two of the young ones from last year. I wonder what happened to the one with a stubby tail?

Despite the rain I am going to have a good day even if it means no more walks today. You have a good day too.

All safe if not a little wet

2009-01-16T05:51:00.002Z

I am happy that all the passengers on the plane that was forced to land in the Hudson river are safe and well. No doubt quick thinking on the part of the pilot and the air crew was a key factor in the outcome. It was also remarkable that so many boats where able to be in attendance so quickly.

The boss(he) is having a problem at the moment being able to send a large document via email to someone and is uncertain as to the cause as he can receive email but not send, all of a sudden. I shall watch this with interest to see if he remains calm and sorts it or looses it.

Wet morning and dark so little to see not even a scavenging fox this morning. The evenings are starting to draw out a little now. Yesterday I went on two walks with D. In the morning I was a bit stiff so only made the end of the board walk. In the afternoon made it down to the pond, which has now thawed completely.

How's the resolutions going? Over half way now to changing a habit or still thinking about it. Remember to climb Everest you first need to take a step in the right direction. Don't beat yourself up if you don't make it every day just keep at it. There's nothing like persistence to get to your goal.

D is off today to get some meal worms for the birds so I will stay indoors with M in the warm. There are at least two of last years robins that come into the summer house to get their feed and a male and female blackbird will feed off the decking. Blue tits and chaffinches have been seen on the feeders as have sparrows. Two collar doves feed from the lawn and a couple of wild pigeons frequent the garden.

We have had a complete change in the weather as the Atlantic starts to contribute to a more mild front. This means we get more winds and rain both not on my list of favourite weather conditions. Still the wind ensures the leaves get collected into neat piles and the rain will soften and help nourish the soil.

Have a good day and learn something new.

Mild and damp, well wet really

2009-01-15T05:43:00.002Z

Mild morning and wet although the rain had stopped by the time we went out. It seems that lately mild weather includes rain at this time of the year. I prefer cold crisp mornings with a blue sky and the sun. great for smells and helps the soil break down after it's been dug.

Met one of my canine chums yesterday on my walk with D, seems that his boss throws sticks for him and one was a little rotten and splintered in his mouth. Saw the vet as one splinter had got into his gum and turned nasty. Best to throw a soft ball or "ragger" that does not have bits that can stick in our gums.

It's day 15 of the New Years resolutions so how's it going? Boss(he) is looking at getting fitter. But at the moment he is not doing much in the way of changing a habit with another more beneficial one, so he is not getting any fitter. 30 days of consistently doing something different will change a habit or replace it completely. The problem is to be consistent and do it.

This brings me to another problem with humans. They spend a great deal of their time doing things without being truly involved. When you change from doing to being you change your perspective and outlook. One way of doing this is being aware when "doing" say the day job that opportunities to learn something are there every single minute of the working day.

Now I appreciate that if your up to your eyes in debt and working like stink just to live then it's difficult to reflect on being able to learn something every day. Perhaps the first thing is to learn from your mistakes that got you in debt in the first place. Secondly, very important don't blame anyone else for the problems accept that it was your choice. You did not ask the credit card company to give you all that credit, true, But, they didn't make you use it all, you did that. It was your choice.
Lesson learnt is understanding more how credit cards really work and you will realise that you must be their master not slave. If you can't afford to pay the balance off each month then stop using it. Resist the urge to spend on credit. It feels much better to buy with cash knowing that it's paid for, completely.

If you only learn one thing and that is as a human being you are responsible for your actions. Given any situation you have free choice. That free choice may have unpleasant consequences, but it's your choice. Rant and rave at the driver who cuts you up or just ignore it. The reality is it's happened so why go berserk after the event it's pointless and although you get a rush of chemicals coursing through your system it's not doing you any good.

Look out for opportunities today and you may be suprised at what turns up when you begin to start looking. Take care and have a good one.

Is it all bad news for 2009?

2009-01-14T05:46:00.002Z

Good morning world. It's a frosty morning and still dark so unable to see much this morning. Yesterday was mild with some sun and the fox was laying on the tree just off the path where D and I go for a walk.

There are signs that despite the world monetary problems nature is continuing, as early signs are that the daffodils, crocus and snowdrops are starting to make a show above ground. Before we know it the mornings will become a little lighter and the sunsets a little later.

Despite all the promises that Governments made to the banks we are not seeing any filtering down to the consumer. Is this because the money has yet to be given to the banks or are the banks just filtering it in such a way that share holders get their money. Listening to many people at Christmas time they felt that if they had money to spend they were reluctant to as friends who were less able may think badly of them! The boss(he)was talking to an accountant who was not going to buy a new car because he felt his clients would take a dim view of it in the current situation. What does that do, if multiplied, to the car making industry?

Money needs to flow to enable economies to flourish and if people are not using money but hoarding it then the economy will stagnate. The knock on affect is that because of globalisation the world starts to have an economic downturn.

There still needs to be a deep and thorough investigation of why the financial institutes and their backers were allowed to bring about this whole situation, starting with the sub prime in the USA which then spread to the UK, then the EU and from there to the rest of the world. Of course the sub prime was only the beginning of the realisation that people were allowed to borrow way beyond their means and like in the UK debt was being expressed in trillions not billions.

We canines are also feeling the recession and I hope that people who brought puppies at Christmas did so after careful consideration of the cost implications?

Then frost is here for a while so it will be interesting to set at first light what it looks like in the gardens. Remember to put food out for the birds and learn something new today.

Mild weather to start the week

2009-01-12T07:11:00.002Z

After a very cold Saturday, Sunday was mild with some sun and today it feels mild; with the inevitable chance of rain. Sunday was helping D get down the Christmas lights from out of the Box tree and packing everything away until December comes around again. They all looked at seed catalogues whilst I was busying myself around the garden sorting out the smells and tracking the fox who visits.

How are the New Year's resolutions going? I talked about this last year and the need to set achievable ones and to make a substitute action to replace the one that has prompted the resolution. Loosing weight then change a habit like having a couples of biscuits with your coffee or tea to having one or none keep it up for 30 days and you will have broken the habit. If you can substitute something else say eat a piece of fruit then you will be getting more benefits. Never set impossible tasks for your self, remember that only way to achieve anything is in small steps that create success then the next and so on always getting positive results.

The boss (he) was having a moan on Saturday as Amex have increased their interest rate by 5% when in the UK and USA interest rates are at n all time low. His point is that they should be lowering them to allow people to continue to pay off the debt not hike the interest rate up. All this will do is cause more people to default or go into insolvency. Seems that the banks having been bailed out by the tax payer are now through their alignment with the credit card companies still generating more hardship.

Well the day is still young and there is much to learn so take care and speak to you soon.

Much milder today and little frost

2009-01-08T05:54:00.002Z

Although I spent a greater part of yesterday snoozing I was also thinking too. I had two walks yesterday with D and we both had a good time. I like walking along the board walk they have made in the first common, it saves getting muddy paws and I get to see what's happening in the bushes and lower trees.

Plenty of active robins and some chaffinches with the occasional blackbird and yesterday a little wren appeared briefly. The trees are starting to form the shape of buds ready for Spring and some of the tall grasses are still keeping their green colour.

What did you learn yesterday? I learnt that there is no point in being grumpy about the weather. The reality is that its cold accept it and move on to finding ways to stay warm. In my case that meant finding a suitable place to get some shut eye that was also out of the cold.

Now is the time to start making plans for the garden, seed books should have arrived and it's time to start thinking about getting trays of seeds ready for germination in the coming months under cover. With the abundance of seeds on many plants after their flowering there are plenty of FREE seeds if money is tight this year.

The bosses have been looking at ways to reduce their outgoings by simple things like turning off lights when not in a room, maintaining the rads and boiler at lower than 20c to name just a few. Cooking more stews and other dishes that use a slow cooker and incorporate plenty of vegetables helps on fuel and the food bill too.

I am lucky that the family treats me as one of them and they ensure that I have food and fresh water some pets are less fortunate. Pets are a great responsibility and getting a pet is not a simple decision. Most people will change their car at least once in 10 years, some every 5 years. Often a great deal of time and effort goes into the model,colour make etc yet a pet purchase can be just on a whim. A dog or cat can live for 10 to 14 years, now consider that as a car and you then have some idea of the running costs. Of course dog food is cheaper than petrol of diesel but it's still a cost. Car insurance, pet insurance, car services and yearly pet vaccinations.

Have you learnt something today already? Every day is a new opportunity to acquire more knowledge so just take advantage of it, Most times it will cost you nothing but will prove invaluable to you now or later.
Have a good one and may the sun shine in your world.

Very cold but no snow

2009-01-07T06:04:00.002Z

What a chilly morning, the frost was very light early this morning although it was very cold. My paws felt cold and my ears got very cold. It's a problem being a Boxer that the coat is very fine and short but does not offer the protection that some of my long haired canine friends have to keep warm. Just have to sort out some extra cover when I am at home.

A couple of people have emailed at my web site http://www.healthyboxerdog.com/ for the blonde vets blog which has a lot of information about her day to day life as a vet and also some interesting chats she has had so pop over and say hi at http://www.michelleshanson.com/

Well what did you learn yesterday? Only by looking at each day as an opportunity to learn can humans move on and expand their horizons. Regardless of any religious beliefs you are a part of the universe and not an isolated being. Just check on your quantum physics and what that has to say about all your inner structure, it's just energy some may call this our spirit.
But its there and it should be every one's aim to get to find the time to quietly listen to that inner voice that will offer the greatest guidance to what each and every human is here for.

The cold weather is all but stopped any activity in the garden other than tidying and picking up the last of the fallen leaves. I noticed the other day, on my walk with D, that there are daffodils showing full leaves and will, if the frost does not have an affect, soon be showing buds. Some of the hedgerows are starting to produce the beginnings of buds in readiness for Spring.

There have been a number of changes to the car situation in the family in the last few months. The MPV died with a broken cam belt even thought it was not due to be changed and the clutch cable, which had been changed was causing problem. So it went as an exchange for a very old Fiat Punto 55SX, which to the amazement of the boss(he) is a good little runabout. A smaller engine means more economy and less road tax so we will see how it goes. Not so much room for me though. Having said that the back seat it comfortable and there is less vibration than in the MPV on the floor.
This is just one of the families efforts in the present situation to get themselves on a better financial footing for the future. There's still problems with short falls on the endowments to get sorted so I guess I maybe moving in the future. Two of the eldest in the family are spreading there wings, one has already left and the other goes end on the month. Boy will it be a lot quieter around the house.

Have a good day and make the effort to turn it into a learning situation.

Still cold but the snow has all but gone

2009-01-06T05:55:00.003Z

Despite the fall of some more snow yesterday the thaw started by mid afternoon and this morning there was a frost but no overnight fall of snow. Pity as I like to follow the tracks animals make in the snow and when day breaks the world looks so different with a dusting of snow.

Remember this cold will mean many birds will come into the gardens seeking food so leave out some seed and fat balls. If we had made an effort to retain the fat from Christmas there would be fat balls enough for all the birds and we would have saved a load of washing up liquid and fat going into the sewage system too.

Michelle the blond vet phoned boss (he) yesterday to see how I was and will visit when she is this way to catch up on things. Great lady and a caring vet too. Took her dog out for lots of walks over the Christmas period, very important to keep bonding with your dog and make exercise for dogs and humans part of your routine. That way we all stay fit and keep control of our bodies. She is to give a talk shortly on the evolution of the dog so I will keep you posted when it is available on the net.

My web site http://www.healthyboxerdog.com/ has had some additional material added and you can get PuppyPower the definitive e-book on choosing and caring for your puppy there as well. I am in the process of getting together all the articles about dogs, and boxers in particular, to add as a resource for people who visit .

Have a good day and remember look at every day as an opportunity to learn something new or increase the knowledge you already have about something. Only by furthering our knowledge and taking some positive action can humans continue to survive.

New year new thoughts?

2009-01-05T06:28:00.002Z

A happy New year to everyone. Despite the current world situation there is reason to believe that 2009 can offer hope to us all. If humans would just stop for a moment and tune out of reading and watching and listening to the doom and gloom they would find opportunity. Einstein is quoted as saying in every disaster there is opportunity.

Blame is lame. There is no point in blaming the greed of a financial advisor that got you into a mortgage that now means your facing a shortfall on your final payment or worse. Action is what is required to change the thinking of Governments that allow this to happen and to banks and other financial institutes that have been part of the current situation. A concerted shift by humans into their financial awareness and seeking ways to sort it out will offer more opportunities than just blaming it on others or worse "bad luck."

A white blanket had covered most of the UK this morning and it was interesting to note all the different tracks in the snow. I will enjoy building a snowman and chasing snowballs if the thaw does not happen to quickly.

On a personal front I have had a mild seizure which will need to be monitored. The bosses have found a holistic remedy that should help if they become more frequent. I am also moulting at present which is odd with all this cold weather; I put it down to my age!

I must consult the blond vet michelle about this as she is really good and more important has a mission to help animals big and small. She is also a dog owner so that is a double bonus. She has a book called PuppyPower which is a must for anyone considering getting a puppy or a dog owner. With Christmas over it will be a testing time for many puppies that will find life may have an unfortunate twist come the end of January. Again on the news the recent increase in dog and other pets being abandoned is blamed on the recession? Reading the advice in PuppyPower would have prevented that from happening. How much does it cost to feed a pet in comparison to a pack of cigarettes, bottle of wine, a newspaper?

Well here's to hoping that the snow does not cause to much turmoil on the roads and rail this morning.
Have a good day

A good read

2008-11-04T06:28:00.002Z

Days go by so fast that before I know another months has slipped away. The weather has turned now and the mornings are colder and this week wet and grey. Other than so stiffness in my joints I am doing well, although at present I am not going out in the mornings for a walk so counting the calories at present. Don't want to loose all that muscle just in case they need a Boxer for the next Bond film :)

You may remember from our last chat that I talked about the vet and meeting Michelle who sorted me out. Well she is a vet with a mission and as a dog owner too here advice and opinions are worth listerning to. Lucky for you dog owners and more importantly future dog owners Michelle has written a book all about puppies and all it entail. Speaking of which her book inform me that docking tails in the UK is banned other than in very specific instances. There is a mass of information on such topics of what breed to buy to match your life style, grooming, feeding care and much more. Pop over to HealthyBoxerDog.com for more information.

Where ever you are I wish a good day for you and yours and will speak to you soon. Take care.

Been away for so long

2008-10-18T08:11:00.002+01:00

What a busy 7 months it has been. What with a pretty naff summer and all the problems with the World monetary system I have been very busy sorting it all out.

On the home front the boss (he) has had a big problems with kidneys stones and it appears he may have damaged a kidney. But they have not done anything about the stones even thought they are quite large and will not pass en masse.

I have had a bit of excitement too. Went a bit weird a week or so back. So down to the local docs (vets) and met a very nice vet called Michelle who after a little sorting got me back together seems I had cancer in one of me testicles, not nice. Well all sorted now and on the road to recovery. Seems Michelle is a vet with a mission and has a blog and web site so I will be updating on these shortly so you can all go over and take a look. Does a lot of good work with animal charities too.

Well Autumn is upon us and even in the UK we have some wonderful colours on the trees. Despite all the problems in the world it amazes me that nature can put on such a show. I think that humans should take a little time amidst this present turmoil to look around and see all the wonderful things nature does. I know there are floods, tornado's and snow storms and lives are lost and even put into hardship but that's part of living. The choice is do you brush yourself off and start all over again or quit?
My family has endured cancer and death and hardship but they just keep going and whilst they do I am certain they are moving forward.

How time flies

2008-02-20T17:32:00.002Z

Another week has flown and so much has gone on I hardly know where to start.
Sadly one of my old adversaries passed away last week. Although we never saw eye to eye I am saddened by his passing.

This week it has been very cold and every morning I have been over the common there has been a thick frost and heavy mist. Global warming has taken a few days off; I guess.

The garden is starting to take on a new life and even some birds are collecting nesting materials. Bulbs are pushing up and early ones are in flower the first signs of spring are with us now. The next few weeks will see the begining of colour on the trees and bushes as the buds start to sprout and a subliminal green will start to appear in the fields and hedgerows in the South.

I see that this blog has dropped out of the Google search completely, which supprises me because some of the front runners are there because of forum input. But my purpose it to let people know what I am up to and my views on the human world at large.

A theme I keep returning to is that of being and not doing. Look you are called human beings not human doings. To be human is to be what your purpose is on the planet and that revolves around being not doing. I best describe this as a spiritual side of humanity. You can be in love and be loving you can't be doing love or loving. You can be strong but not doing strong. People have got it upside down. Spend a little time being you and not what you think you should be because of your ideas of how others perceive you. We often do thing because thats how we think others expected us to be.

Well like the last time the spell checker is not working so someone is being lax. Probably takien my being literally.
See you, take care.

Back after a week away

2008-02-07T07:08:00.000Z

Wow, what a time I have been having. I have been busy with the boxer dog web site and now it's all in place. By the time you read this I would have got the site hosted and it should be live. Problem has been that the family I live with have been busy using the PC for all their homework and other projects that I have not been able to get a nose in or a paw on the keyboard.

I see that interest rates are coming down on both sides of the pond in an effort to stabilize the economies of the US and the UK.

Birds are starting to build nests and the Snowdrops are out as are some of the early Daffodils. The garden is starting to take on some colour and although the mornings are cold there is a great deal of activity in the garden. I have just noticed that the spell checker is not working in Blogger this morning so apologies for any K9 spelling mistakes.

Well have a good day and my thoughts are with the people who have lost love one or had their home devastated by the hurricane in America.

Wet with more to follow

2008-01-21T06:10:00.000Z

Well the rain eased and by Friday the flood plain water was subsiding.Although the ground is still waterlogged the water is draining which means my paws don't get too wet.

As I was walking down on the common it struck me that the main problem with humans is their detachment from nature. There has been an increased shift towards humans disconnecting from each other and from the planet they live on. Humans it seems know better than nature and spend time and effort trying to change nature, when in the long run it would be easier if they sort to change and work with nature. There will always be natural disasters, but humans should look towards their contributing to others through their contamination of the environment, deforestation and industrialisation. Take China, a vast country that through localised industrialisation has polluted many of it's rivers which were a source of life for both humans and nature.

Man's constant quest to find ways to produce with reduced production or material costs whilst maintaining a profit seems to be one of the biggest factors behind the global destruction of the planet.Outsourcing to Asia to save on wages has been a motivational force behind many of the companies in both the USA, the UK and Europe. The net result is that this creates in the outsourcing country a desire to have what other have got and the consumer loop is created and at what cost?

Us dogs don't go around trying to change the planet, rather we "go with the flow" of what nature offers. On the river Thames in the UK they built a barrier to prevent flooding in the upper Thames and London. They have also build along many of the margins that surround the lower Thames, which means that when prevailing conditions are right the Thames will be very high. In the past this would have meant localised flooding of the corridor land which was mainly marsh and wetland. When it is drained and built on the water must then go further up stream. Hence the Thames barrier to stop London flooding.

How's the New Year resolutions going? As this is the 21st day of January if you have been sticking at it, your habit should be changing or have changed. Replacing a habit with another more beneficial one will also speedup the change.

An incident at Heathrow airport clearly demonstrates that humans exist in many facets of their life on a knife edge. Thankfully there was no fatalities and save for the damage to the plane and skid marks on the grass, damage was minimal to the environment. In the storms last week a cargo ship started to loose it's deck cargo of sawn timber and then sank with fuel oil still onboard. The timber will be washed ashore, but will be of little use, the forest where it was cut is minus all those trees and there is still all the fuel oil onboard the sunken ship waiting to leak out and pollute the sea.

Whilst the government of the UK is careering from problem after problem I see that the presidential run for the White House is now in full swing. Why is it that humans in democratic countries elect their representatives and then take no further part in how that person on party runs the country. They seem to abdicate that responsibility and then complain when it all goes pear shape.

That's my view as a Boxer dog of advancing years. The answer is for humans to stop fighting nature and to start working with it. There maynot be as much profit in it short term but long term humans will have a better place to live and so will we animals.

Wet or what?

2008-01-16T13:57:00.000Z

Two days of rain and we have parts of the UK flooded. So far not as bad as 2007, but could be if the rain returns. The weather forecast is for rain over the next 5 days so it may get worse.

This morning was cold and the outlook was dry and I was happy as the last two days I have got soaked. There is nothing quite like a wet dog to raise the smells in a house.

What makes this whole situation so crazy is that the Government is insisting that more houses are build in the South of England. The only large space of land left are either Green Belt or flood plains. Guess where they are suggesting the houses might be built?

Now besides the smell it is advisable to either wash your dog after they get dirty and wet or at least dry them off with a towel. This will encourage the oils to come near to the surface and help keep the rain from soaking in and causing us dogs to get a chill. Our vet calls this Aunt Maud's disease and often associates it with us dogs getting a chill.

Remember the modified diet I am on well it's based on the BARF one, without so much of the raw because I have a problem with eating raw meat. If it's cooked for a while that's fine I can eat it if it's raw inside; if you know what I mean?
There was a big recall in the USA of commercial pet food and more worrying was the fact that well know brands were involved. It's a multi million, if not billion, dollar business so profits are huge. It would seem that many brands buy their products from specialist processors and that's where the contamination occurred. The result was many cats and dogs died within a short time of eating the contaminated pet food.

According to the bosses the only advantage of commercial pet food is convenience as they have found significant savings buying meat for me and even part cooking it.

I hope all your New Year's resolutions are still on tract. Just stick to it for 21 to 30 days and your new habit will be established and the old habit will have diminished or no longer be a habit.
Till the next time have a great day and don't let people get you down.

Raining on my world

2008-01-14T05:50:00.000Z

Mixed bag of weather over the last few days. Mostly rain and some blustery winds, which I don't like as it blows in my short ear. The ponds on the common and the surrounding ditches are now overflowing and the common feels if it's at saturation point.

Plenty of activity in the kitchen over the weekend with soup making from the last of the vegetables from the garden. Next year is will be all flowers and some beans which will be dug back in to add to the soils Nitrogen content. The high winds have meant that the fences have taken a battering and both D&M and our next door neighbour had panels broken. Guess what people will be doing next weekend if the weather is dry?

Boss (he) sorted out a problem on one of the cars.... loose wire to the brake pad wear indicator. Diesel is now over £1 per litre or £4.50 plus for a gallon. There is still plenty of oil but speculation is allowing some people to make a lot of money at the expense of the rest. The wet weather so far in the UK will mean that vegetable prices will rise because of the problems with the crops and the increased fuel costs. This means that "Jo public" gets hit multiple times. Crazy or what?

Due to an oversight on the part of bosses I had to eat some commercial dog food on Friday. Well I didn't, because it smelt odd after having my food sorted by the bosses. Although convenient and useful in an emergency I have been much better since I have been on a modified meat and veg diet. My veg is precooked to help with digestion because in the wild my natural prey like rabbits would have predigested it and then I would have eaten them. Sounds gruesome but that's what happens in the wild. Also way back dogs were given scraps from the table and usually after the humans had eaten so the pack instinct was established. They ate before us so we were down the pecking order.

This week looks like another wet one and what with the Writer's Union and actors boycotting the Globe awards the week ahead is going to look interesting. Where ever you are try a little singing, whether it's sunny or raining it will make you feel a little better.

Keep on with those New Year's resolutions

2008-01-11T06:49:00.000Z

As a Boxer dog I see the suffering my "family" go through in their efforts to keep to their New Year's resolutions. As I have indicated it's all about changes to habit and choice.

According to those who spend their time on compiling the stats before 30 days most have either given up or not started their resolution. Mark Twain is quoted as saying Yesterday, everybody smoked his last cigar, took his last drink and swore his last oath. Today, we are a pious and exemplary community. Thirty days from now, we shall have cast our reformation to the winds and gone to cutting our ancient shortcomings considerably shorter than ever. What do you think was he spot on?

Below are 10 reasons why people fail to achieve success in their resolution:
Not writing resolutions down on paper
Procrastination
Going it alone
Not enough knowledge to map a plan
Lack of focus
Discouragement
Those inevitable obstacles
Too vague
Laziness
Emphasis on negatives, not positives

In my observations, as a Boxer dog, the above is not only for New Year's resolutions but for everything in a humans life. I will leave you with this as a moment to ponder that take those 10 reasons and if you do the opposite then you must succeed. Now that must be easy? After all we Boxer dogs are an easy going bunch who love nothing better than to play and be Boxers.

What a week that was

2008-01-08T06:19:00.000Z

Another week has rushed by and the festive season and New Year are now gone. The snow last Friday was very brief and mainly fell as sleet. I like the snow but it builds up in the paw pads and gets very cold as it turns to ice. My friend the Welsh Border Collie has lots of problems as his fur is much longer. If you are taking your Boxer out in the snow remember they have short hair and need a coat if you are going to play for hours.

Global warming? Yet the cost of fuel in the UK is set to increase above inflation. Train fares have increased above inflation and wages for the public sector are set to stay at inflation. No wonder it's called Rip Off Britain! Home repossessions due to rise even higher this year, who benefits from all this?

My diet is going well and all in all I have more energy, my coat is good and for 9 years old things are looking up since they changed me away from commercial pet food and all those additives.

Good news it looks as if D&M may start taking me out for a walk again. Remember they lost their confidence after the ear tearing incident. I hope they do start because it not only benefits me but they get some exercise too.

Not a lot happening in the garden, just keeping it tidy and planting out some hyacinths brought at Christmas which have finished flowering. Many of the bulbs are starting to show through and the willow has catkins starting to form. The evenings are starting to draw out a bit too.

Have a good week and speak soon and remember change your habits and behaviour to achieve those New Years resolutions.

A New year is here

2008-01-02T05:40:00.000Z

I hope that those of you that celebrate the New year had a good time. It seems that firework displays are becoming the way capital cities bring in the New year and some are spectacular.

According to the RAC, a motor breakdown service in the UK, today will be one of their busiest as many people have not used their cars for a week or more. It never ceases to amaze us Boxers that with all this technology to be found in cars today it still relies on a battery to get is all going. According to the boss(he) the only advances in batteries seems to be the cost and less maintenance, yet they still only last three years or four; if your lucky. Why?

The weather here is due to change from mild to snow in the next day as temperatures drop. Snow brings with it all sorts of problems, not least the roads and railways seems to grind to a halt, if the falls are heavy.Boss(he) seems to remember when he lived in Finland where the snow falls were heavy that there was disruption for the first day. After that everyone seemed to adjust and services were restored and life returned to normal for the rest of the snow season.

Well, that's two challenges for 2008. Advances in car battery technology to have a prolonged life and be recyclable. In the UK a better system to accommodate snow without disruption. Both I am certain are achievable with a plan of action. Which brings me onto those New Year resolutions. Have you formulated your plan. What changes to your habits and behaviour are necessary for you to succeed?

My web site has been tested and is now ready to go. What do you suggest as a good hosting service? I have asked this before but got very little useful feedback so come on lets have some suggestions?

My best wishes to all humans and may this year begin a change to the way frustration is expressed. Less violence and more awareness. We boxers are amazed at how people can get so violent when driving their cars. Road rage, which has resulted in people being killed. Why? It's a habit that becomes part of human makeup. Violence is an instant gratification for a moment when frustration takes over. Yes there is injustice, unfairness and other actions that lead humans to feel they are not in control, but is frustration expressed as violence the answer? Of course ranting at someone who changes direction without indicating or carves you up is frustrating. But loosing your temper is an indication that some meaning to the action has been internalised to create the reaction. If you pay less attention to the action or even dismiss it then you are changing the reaction and if you persevere you change the habit. Outcome, less stress and you still get to where you where going and feel better for it.

Have a good start to 2008.

Happy New Year

2007-12-31T05:35:00.000Z

It's New Years eve day here in the UK. So to everyone a Happy New year for tomorrow.
The weather is on target to be wet, windy and cold with the possibility of snow by Friday. In Scotland they celebrate New Year with a serious intent.

For all the people caught by the snow and freezing weather in the USA I hope that you were able to have a good Christmas. In Cambridge, in the UK, part of a village was hit by a tornado which caused some damage, nothing like the ones in America which cause so much damage and hardship.

OK New Years resolutions. Remember my last post, you need to plan how you will succeed and change habits and behaviours to bring about that success. After all doing the same things you have been doing in 2007 will bring you the same results you have at present. There's no point in blaming the credit card company for getting you in debt over Christmas. You used the card and purchased things. Be grateful for what you brought and work out a plan on how to pay off the debt. Maybe stop using the card. Cut it up. Pay more than the minimum,but do something different to what you have been doing and change will occur. If you have more than one card then try paying more off the card with the least amount first. Then when that card is paid off you will have more to pay off the next one. It wont happen overnight but it will slowly get better,just press on and go for it. It's not always the fastest that wins the race.

The stitches are out of my ear now and it feels great. My diet is going well and I have no dog breath, although I still suffer a little from wind. Boss reckons that we are saving over tinned foods by about 60% so he is happy and so am I because the meat and veg I am getting tastes better. I will let you know in 2008 where we got the information from and also the sources the bosses use to train me and keep me well behaved.

Boss is in work this morning to start on another maintenance project. I think he is raising the height of a complete sink unit and work surface to stop people getting backache. Boss has been busy around the house taking down a breakfast bar and changing lights and putting a new roller blind in one of the bedrooms.

Gardening has almost stopped with just keeping the beds clean and tidy the order of the day. The compost heaps have been turned again and one is looking good for the spring. D sits in the summer house most days and puts down crumbs for the blackbirds and robin. The blackbirds will coming into the summer house and peck up crumbs from the door mat. The robin has on two occasions stood on the table whilst D has been doing the crossword, waiting to be feed.

A long blog today but it's the end of the year. I wish you peace and happiness in 2008 and may the warmth of the sun be on your back.

Boxing Day was good too

2007-12-27T07:37:00.000Z

I hope you had a good Boxing day. The family love it with all the cold meats from Christmas day and pickles and chutneys. I love it because I get scraps. Now some people think that you should not feed dogs scraps from the table. Before commercial pet food that's what most people did. Dogs got bones to chew and left overs from the table or plates. Dogs were leaner, healthy and did not suffer from so many diseases.

Back to work for the boss today. He is busy sorting out all sorts of maintenance projects over the coming week. D took me out over Christmas which was enjoyable. Christmas day seemed like any other day from a traffic point of view and yesterday the boss thought that the main A road was as busy as a normal work day.

New Year is fast approaching and many people make resolutions that they have no hope of keeping. The problem with New Years resolutions is that they are either to big or said with no plan of commitment. Look loosing 20lbs or 10Kgs is easy to say, but without a plan and commitment - forget it. It's doomed to fail. Plan how to loose the weight and over what period and how are you going to check and modify your habits and behaviour to succeed. Yes habits and behaviour - how did you gain the extra weight? Dogs don't eat for comfort we eat to live and survive and to be able to live our life with purpose. Remember those scraps from the table, often out only source of food other than that we hunted or scavenged else where. We were not feed food from out of a tin that contains additives and preservatives.

Humans have a saying " having no plan to succeed is a plan for failure. If your New Year's resolution is to get out of debt then plan how and impliment it. Just one little change in habit or behaviour can make a big change to your debt or for that matter the weight you loose.

Have a Happy New Year and may your plan succeed as only you can make it- none else.

Merry Christmas

2007-12-25T05:45:00.000Z

Merry Christmas to everyone, every where. No matter your belief or religion celebrate the opportunity to feel happy and loving towards the world. Us dogs and boxer in particular are fully aware that this is an emotional time for many humans. Us too.

All of my friends in the US I hope that the snow has not caused too many problems and that you are safe and well. The screens of Yule tide we see in the UK show that you can sure decorate and celebrate. So enjoy and be happy and say hi to a neighbour. Take a moment to remember all those less fortunate than us and look at all you have and be thankful even if it's only a bowl of soup someone in the world will not be eating on this day.

To my friends in the rest of the world thank you for reading and giving me your thoughts on my comments on life from a boxer dogs view point.

My ear is now fully healed, although a little ragged. The mulled wine is warming and starting to fill the downstairs with a wonderful smell of spices. The boss does it every year as it reminds him of when he was young and his family had very little, yet at Christmas his parents always managed to make some mulled wine.

Light a candle some time today for those who no longer are with you for Christmas. Take care to only do it whilst you are there to watch it and put it into a holder to collect the hot wax. We don't want and accidents or fires to happen.

The weather here is odd. It's raining very hard and I got very wet this morning. I was hoping for a clear bright day with a frost to make it a white Christmas. Oh well better than the horrible fog we have had lately

I wish you all the best today and may you find peace amongst the mayhem and enjoy the day. See you tomorrow

What a week that was

2007-12-16T15:10:00.000Z

Tuesday was not much better than Monday. The weather all these week has been either wet or very cold. We have has freezing fog on my walk in the morning to crisp mornings that make it difficult to answer a call of nature. Boss thought it was that cold that he saw two lumps under my ears; whatever that means.

The Christmas feeling is now with the family. More food has been added to the box in the back room, which has now acquired some seasonal paper around it.

Boss(he) is making Christmas cards. No his not tight, just likes the idea of doing something special for everyone. All the presents have finally been brought and on Sunday eldest son is on the way home. As I have indicated this is good fun because I can wind him up by standing at his door and he goes ballistic in case I walk over his black carpet. What he doesn't know is I go in the room anyway.

Saturday was grey and cold and boss took off a radiator that was not getting hot and back flushed it several times and then put it back in the system. Then we had some interesting problems which was the result of the pump being put in upside down. Boss thought that a mark in the body indicated the flow when in actual fact the mark was on the other side. Personally, I think he needs his eye sight tested for closeup work.
Replaced pump the correct way and low and behold system is working fine all the radiators are hot even the ones at the back of the house. Interestingly the one in the hall is the only one that is warm.

Sunday and the rads downstairs are luke warm and upstairs fine. Much mattering and other verbalising before boss goes out with D to get both lots of shopping.
Afternoon is spent trying to sort out the rads. The one in the hall is blisteringly hot as are the ones up stairs, whilst the ones down stairs are just getting warm. Pump working, valve working. A blockage perhaps? Seems part of the problem is the thermostatic valve sticking or getting blocked. At least upstairs is warm.

Out with boss for a walk this afternoon and not a sole about and the sun was shining too.Back home and the central heating is no better. Boss is now a little peeved to say the least as he has spent the last two weekends on replacing bits. Now thinking that there is a possible block or trapped air holding off the flow on the return side.

Have a good week and may the sun shine and your heating work.

Ear today a bit less tomorrow.

2007-12-10T12:06:00.000Z

Well been to the vet and the end of my ear has gone, no longer there just a ragged end.
What a week with all the rain and towards the end of the week some awful high winds too.Christmas is definitely on the way. Decorations are now up the tree is decorated and the lights are switched on occasionally. Food is being prepared and frozen and a box full of goodies is at last in the back room. Only 15 days to go so lets take the time to enjoy and spread a bit of cheer.

Saturday was a busy day with everyone whizzing around getting presents and bits for the car. Number one tease will be home next week from Uni so I can annoy by standing at his door and threatening to walk over his black carpet. he he.

Sunday was cold and wet with gusting winds at times. Made it difficult to stand on three legs whilst answering a call of nature. Boss(he) drained down the heating system and put in a new ball cock and valve on the header tank and then a new pump in the central heating system. Deep joy and some swearing seemed to help loosen nuts and by the afternoon it was all up a running again. Late afternoon we all sat in D's Summer house and they all had a glass of wine and talked about boss's childhood days living in the outskirts of London. He recalled his Dad working underground for Plessy during the war and the people killed on the metal bridge crossing the main line when an enemy fighter plane strafed it.

Monday, this morning, was wet and cold with a blustery wind which made it feel colder than it was. Doubt I will go out during the day even if the weather improves a s D&M has lost their nerve taking me out after the ear biting incident.
May your day be good and your dreams become reality not your nightmares.

Christmas is coming

2007-12-04T05:46:00.000Z

Thursday was an odd day weather wise. Rain and more rain then some sunny spells. not enough to encourage D&M to take me out though.

Friday was a bright sunny day, although there was a chill in the wind. Again no walk during the day. Since my ear was torn by that mutt D&M have not taken me out. Seems they have lost their confidence. It was not their fault the dog attacked me. Avoidable perhaps but one of those incidents that happens.

I see that there is a great deal of news focused on a white 50 year old teacher from England who ask her class, in the Sudan, what to name a cuddly toy. Having giving the toy a name used by Muslims for their boys, a member of the school staff made a complaint. Extremists then took over and yet again non Muslims are shown the total inflexibility of a religion that has as it's foundation similar beliefs to all other religions. All religions have common ground, the way the principles of those religions manipulate it is the cause of so much that is wrong in the world at present. What I find, as a dog, so amazing is that humans are unable to see through this pretense.

Saturday and the weather consists of a fine rain, more like mist. D has called and is going to take me down to the pond and back. Hurray, I do like my walk with D, if only because at his age I think the exercise does him as much good as me. Bosses went into the town for a short time to have a look at possible present ideas for the family. As the afternoon was sunny and dry work in the garden and cutting and trimming before the winter sets in.

Sunday was wet, but D still took me for a walk to deliver the papers. One of those days where the weather "stops play" in the garden or any where else. Boss(he) put nan's number plate up after much faffing about trying to use existing holes and plugs; made a 5 minute job into a major task.
My ear is healing and according to the boss(he) I am a true boxer as they often have cauliflower ears. Laugh a minute sometime, he is. Next Tuesday I have to have the stitches taken out.Can't say I am overjoyed at that prospect.

Monday sees much activity to release the teacher I spoke about earlier. Perhaps, some sense will prevail as for many people this it just another example of extremism from a religious group.

Well December is with us and the count down to Christmas begins. Amongst all the waste that this will produce as people buy to excess it would be useful to spend a moment on what it is we are celebrating. Is it the birth of Jesus or the pursuit of excess. Yesterday on the BBC web site I noticed an article that indicates that a vast fortune is spent on presents that are not wanted. How many females still get underwear in colours and shapes that they will never wear? How many pairs of socks go to the back of the draw? EBay does good business after Christmas when all those unwanted presents are sold on.

Web site is all but ready to go live. Looking for a good reliable hosting that does not cost a fortune and offers certain facilities. Any opinions on that one?

Tuesday is here already and it was chilly this morning but the rain is holding off; but for how long? Must go as I need to have some R & R before my visit to the vet. See you, take care and be happy.

Midweek and where has the sun gone

2007-11-29T17:19:00.000Z

Wednesday was not my best day. My ear was giving me some pain and even worse I was not eating. I got boss(he) to help a little with the web site to keep it on schedule for completion this weekend.

The Skyline R32 GTR has gone. All 416 BHP now belongs to someone else, boss was a little sad but the guy that brought it looks to be a the sort to get it back on the road and give it lots of TLC.

I think the boss(he) is suffering from pre-Christmas tension at the moment trying to organise presents and the like and get everything sorted for the family. Nan is away for a couple of days so the new number plate in black slate, very tasteful, will be screwed to the wall as a surprise.

I am hopeful that this wet and cold weather will make way for some sunny and cold weather. I love the blue sky and the way the sun makes for contrasting colours with it being so low in the sky.

Have a good day and remember you have the choice be miserable or be happy. Blaming others is just that it's your choice so choose for happiness.

Interesting start to the week

2007-11-28T06:33:00.000Z

Monday was "just another day" as the Beatles sang. Weather has turned very Novemberish with damp roads and some fog patches. According to the boss(he) the grey and silver car brigade insist on driving without dipped headlight in poor visibility for some strange reason?

Tuesday same weather early on then it brightened with some sunny periods. Went out with D&M for a walk and whilst out along came another little dog laid down ready to spring up and have a play and it bit my ear and would not let go. Blood everywhere and another visit to the vet, ear was trimmed, more jabs and back home having been given a very mild sedative. Back legs seem to have a mind of their own and I feel so tired. Would not have minded but the mutt was only a little thing, seems that I have had more trouble with little dogs having a go at me than any other size. Hm must be a reason. best take a little more care when little dogs approach from now one. Check the vibes before making a decision on whether to play or not.

Looks like the car will go today. Boss(he) has had a hard time keeping focused as on Sunday another tire kicker phoned and had a look. Turns out the original person is going to buy and was having problems with selling his car to finance buying this one. It will be sad to see it go; as a fox would sometimes sit under it in the morning and I would chase it off. Still it's better to go to someone who will get it back on the road and give it plenty of TLC.

Just a note that I will not promote any sites on my blog that just leave me promotion chatter,reciprocation is the name of the game, I like my back to be scratched so you do the same or don't bother with your promo comments. Grrrr.

Web site should be up by the weekend, a little delayed with my two visits to the vets. I will keep you posted.
Enjoy the sun and let it shine in your heart.

Happy Thanks Giving

2007-11-26T05:44:00.000Z

To everyone a Happy Thanks Giving. My American relations take time out to meet with friends and family and partake of a meal and other good things to celebrate. I think it sets the mood for the festive season culminating in Christmas. In the UK we celebrate the harvest with a thanks giving too, but not in the same manner as our friends across the pond.

What a week of changeable weather out with the boss in the mornings and not certain if it was going to be wet or very cold. Still it's November so should expect some changes to the weather, particularly getting colder.

D took me out on Saturday, only one jogger and very little else. The sky was filled with fast moving clouds but we got back without getting wet. Bosses went into town after dropping youngest son and girlfriend at the station. Boss(he)sorted out the pelmet lights in the kitchen and the day looked to be one with achievements.

Sunday out with D and boy was it cold. Flushed a heron by the pond; his feet must get cold standing in the water. Saw Buster, he is very busy at the moment with all the security problems and looked to have lost some weight. Talking of which my diet is going well and I am a leaner, meaner boxer dog. More info on my web site.

Much collecting of leaves and some tidying of the garden, sunny and quite mild considering the morning was cold.

I see the BBC web site has a section explaining the sub mortgage problems in the US. The only problem is that some people have made a lot of money and caused hardship to many, not to mention that people are now homeless. The net result it not contained in the US, but has rippled across to the UK and beyond. Tighter regulations and less small print could have prevented it. But, then there would have been less money for a few to get at the expense of so many. In this country there are still ads on certain TV channels encouraging you to get into debt by consolidating your existing debt into "one easy payment". It is still a debt and if it's tied to your house it has the potential to create more problems.

Smoking is bad for your health and advertising has been banned. Lets do the same for debt and credit cards there are just as bad for peoples health if not more due to the stress debt causes. Of course people should not get into debt, but buying a home or car is a debt and we all need them.

Have a good week and may the sun shine and light you world.

Where has the sun gone?

2007-11-20T13:13:00.000Z

Out with the boss on Monday, early and although it had been raining it was dry and the sky was becoming clear with a multitude of stars showing. Rather uneventful walk as we saw nothing and no body. The clear sky does mean that it is getting cold. Only one thing for it. Back home and under the covers until breakfast time.

Boy was the afternoon bad. The rain was persistent and heavy at times and kept everyone inside. Not only was it wet but cold as well. Not good for a Boxer dog as me joints suffer a bit in this weather. I was inside keeping guard, whilst M watched the TV with her eyes closed and snored. D came in from the summer house to tell M that a fox cub had walked across the decking in front of the summer house and carried on up the garden before jumping into next door's garden.

Tuesday it had rained in the night but again was clearing as we went for a walk. My fox friend came with us part of the way. Cheeky, walked only a few feet behind us until we hit the clearing then was gone. The temperature is about 7 degrees and it feels colder. Out and back at a brisk pace and then under the covers to get warm and await breakfast.

Boss took the computer to a friend to have the hard drive checked as he thought it was on the way out. Brought PC back with a new hard drive and a hope that the data can be recovered from the old drive. Both he and his friend are thinking that it might be due to the drive being in upside down, as his friend sees a lot of drive failures with this location problem. Any thoughts out there?

Lets ensure that our week is not a grey as the weather by changing our view point. That way the pillock who just changed direction without signalling and without any lights on in poor visibility, may have something on his mind other than other motorist!

Mainly wet weekend

2007-11-19T05:50:00.000Z

Saturday and D will come and take me for a walk later as it is raining hard, blast the weather. 10 o'clock and the rain has eased so out for a walk. Very little to report only one jogger and he did not look happy. Strange, most joggers never look happy!

Not much going on today. Boss(he) is at D&M stripping off old wall paper and peeling paint as he is unable to do any outside painting; due to the rain. Went to see how boss(he) was doing. Looks like the finish plaster has come off in one place partly due to the leaking roof and partly because the scratch coat hardly had and scratches to help the finish coat bond to it. He will need to take down the plaster ceiling and look at the state of the joists and put in a proper lead flashing on the outside, cut into the wall.

I am back to normal now and my diet has been given the OK by the vet who reckoned that for a 9 year old I was in very good condition and as strong as they come. My new web site is coming along and will be ready soon; more information to follow.

Sunday and it's dry but very cloudy with fast moving grey clouds every where. Again nothing of interest, not even a jogger today. Deliver papers and have walk without getting wet. Boss(he) is off to do some recreational painting today. A vase of flowers I think.

Rain by mid day and it has got cold again. No gardening today as it is too wet. I like the sunny cold days by dislike these wet and cold ones as the cold seems to get right into the bones.

Christmas is not far off now and no doubt my relatives in the USA are starting to prepare for it. They always seem to have a more community spirit to Christmas than here in the UK, where everyone has their own somewhat private celebrations. It will be interesting to see how the market responds to what should be a lean time as the interest rate and leveling house prices start to hit the pockets of consumers.
See you soon take care and may the sun shine on you for a while.

Another week is all but done

2007-11-16T19:14:00.000Z

Thursday was very cold in the morning with a heavy frost that took the sun some time to melt. What a glorious sunny day with birds busy feeding and the leaves falling from the trees like confetti. Blue skies with the occasional white wispy cloud. A day to be glad to be alive and in the now. Still feel a little off colour, although my appetite is back but I have only a restricted amount to eat until the weekend.

My apologies to the pigs of the world. It would appear that my reference to being a pig had offended. As a creation of the world I have no problem with pigs and my colloquialism was not meant to offend my pig readers.

Friday was very cold again and today the sun did not burn off the frost in areas of shade. The Blue Tits were very busy in the trees and Robins had a good time searching for food amongst the fallen leaves.

Seems this week has not been good from a techie point of view as the main family computer has gone on the blink.Dad is doing his usual and will at least get it back and running to backup to another drive. Technology is a wonderful thing, yet humans are always at it's mercy. Take cars they are more and more reliant on computers to control the braking, traction control etc. Yet on little thing can immobilise them. Lifting up the bonnet is no longer of any use. The boss remembers when he used to build engines and gearboxes for his custom cars. He does admit is was in the 70's.

Well lets hope the weather stays sunny for the weekend. Talk tomorrow.

Another week is flying by

2007-11-15T06:41:00.000Z

Boy, what a week. After my little episode on Monday evening down the vet and completely loosing the plot and the will to stay upright. Tuesday was a mix of gaining some sort of reality to this world and plenty of sleep. Food was just starting to become an interest in my life. Boy I must have been bad to not think about scoff.
Funny, or not, but life often gives at a jolt when we are not being what we ought to be. What was I doing, begging for treats and make a pig of myself. When I should have been doing what I am good at - being a boxer dog.The treats would have come anyway, although not so many and been better for me.

Lesson to be learnt? When you put more effort into doing and not into being life gives you a jolt to reset your bearing and be more and do less. Humans have the same problem. Take my family, they are always working hard and long hours for less. He works long hours and earns money so he pays more tax. She works hard and appears to get no where in terms of reward or acknowledgement. The end result is that resentment creeps in and blinds them to the fact that doing less will produce more.

Now most humans are told to work hard and be honest and punctual and you will succeed. Whilst these attributes are creditable they do not take account of the BIG picture. All this talk is about separateness, all individuals striving to have a better life, job, car, holiday, house etc. Yet humans are not separate, if they were the vast majority would not be experiencing the same things, in varying degrees.
Recent surveys have found that over 78% of people are not happy in their job and a similar percentage find the job they do stressful!

The dollar is now trading at just over 2 to the pound. What does that REALLY mean. Nothing because there is not enough gold in reserves or on deposit to cover all the "money" in circulation. I have spoken about this before and the "feeling" attached to money that gives this false sense of security. The value of gold rises to attempt to cover for the credit. Copper is now more expensive to buy yet in the UK we are building no more houses than normal. Why has copper become a "hot" trade. What do you think?

As a dog and in some ways more able to see the whole facade of "human life" my observations lead me to conclude that humans have lost their way and instead of trying to find the way back delude themselves through the pursuit of money and material things as the way.

Enough of humans things the days have been cold with some rain and some sun. Life in the garden is one of storing for the Winter and readying for Spring. Last evening I came upon a young fox in the garden who was off like a shot and on the bosses shed. Well I had to start barking as the shed roof is getting old and not able to take the weight any more. D came out with his flash light and the fox was off the shed and into our neighbours garden without a goodbye. Today, Thursday it is very chilly at minus 3 and my coat seems to be rather thin so I am home to get into bed. Looks like it could be a wonderful sunny day. See you again.

Where did the rest of the week go?

2007-11-13T05:53:00.000Z

After Einstein and all the weather changes from wet to very cold yesterday (Monday) where did the week go?

Last Thursday was uneventful,although the weather was fair with some sunshine and activity in the garden. Birds busy at the feeders or grubbing about on the ground. D still breaks up biscuit for the birds in the summer house and the Robin and blackbird still come in to peck it up.

Friday was much the same although there was more sun around and on our walk in the morning we had a fox a company for a while. Blue tits and goldfinches are busy in the silver birch and at the feeders with the finches liking the Niger seeds.Went for a walk with D in the afternoon but no one about. Must be the time of year as I have not seen Buster or No Brain for a while now.

Saturday out with D to deliver the papers and some medication for one of our friends. The leaves have now started to fall very quickly and trees are now like skeletons, although some are still showing some wonderful colours in the leaves. The boss(he) wants to go to see the fall in the USA before he dies and looking at some of the pictures on his screen saver I can see why. Some activity in the garden with racking of leaves and the turning of the compost heaps to aid the process. Boss(he) was ill later in the afternoon; just before it got dark. Must have been some virus as he was in the small room quite often all evening and was in bed early. Mum had a bonfire to get rid of the last of the wood debris. The ash will be used around the garden and put into a heap in one corner to suppress the weed growth there.

Sunday, was mostly wet and someone came around to look at the car, but they all never make up their mind there and then. I had a bit of an odd day as D and I got wet on our walk and I was bit off the food; unusual for me I know. Because the weather was damp it was day around the house with a lot of pottering; not the Harry type. Boss(he) was feeling better, although still a bit groggy on the pins and feeling light headed. All in all a day more for being than doing. Nice for me as it meant I could relax and look into D's eye with my big brown eyes and get treats.

Monday. Oh boy I wish I had not eaten so many treats as I feel bad. I can just about make the effort to drink some water and can't eat a thing. Boss(he) is off work today as he still is not 100%. So by mid-day we go for a long walk in the sun which is nice. There was a heavy frost this morning and in the hedge row there is still some frost where the sun had not reached. Back home and drink of water, but no food. Feel awful and my belly is making some odd noises. Mostly sleep until everyone else gets in. Boss(she) is quite worried about me and just before 7 o'clock the boss takes me to the vet. That visit was not enjoyable had two injection and now I am home and have lost the plot completely as well as control of by back legs. Seems the vet gave me a mild sedative to quieten my stomach and that's it I am out for the count. Bliss.

Wednesday already

2007-11-08T05:00:00.000Z

Mixed weather so far this week, although mostly sunny with a chill to the wind this morning. Not a lot going on this morning, only one fox as a companion for a while before they were off to look for some food.

Lot of negativity in the house at the moment which I find starts to depress me. If I get depressed it makes my wrinkles, wrinkle and that's not a good thing. As Einstein said, " in every problems there lies opportunity". Humans spend to much time dwelling in the past and not being in the present. I guess it's hard for them to do, but they just go over the same ground again and again getting more upset or frustrated. Look if you are in the present, right now, have you a problem. No because if you are in the present you are reading this. It's only when you let the mind start chattering that you move away from now and start to go back in your history or even worse go forward to the future. We dogs learn from the past and change what we do so that it positively effects what might happen the next time that situation arises. That's why we sit, roll over and do tricks if we associate that action with a treat or food.

Remember Einstein's quote? Lets look at it a little closer. If there is a problem, there must be a solution. Not always the first that pops into the mind, but by changing your viewpoint it may present an opportunity. Take as an example going broke. In the UK their is an author and a peer who lost the lot. Whilst in prison he wrote a book, it was published and he got paid. He has since written other books and they have all been published and he is no longer broke. He may not be a peer anymore, yet. Does that matter? Probably not, but he is not broke. He saw opportunity and went for it when he could have easily thought his world had come to an end. Change your view and change how you see the problem, which opens up opportunity. Einstein knew a thing or two about life and human existence. What do you think?

That's enough on humans and their approach to life for today. Look it could well rain today so smile and the sun will shine. I like the rain as it cleans the place and gives life to all living things. I must admit it's best when it rains in the night, then I don't get wet.

Smile and someone may just smile back like wagging the tail has the same effect. See you?

Tuesday and the world of woe

2007-11-06T05:58:00.000Z

Cold and star studded morning as we had our morning walk. Fox in the drive of the house 2 doors away, but little else to report.

The bosses were talking about the problems in the USA in the housing sector. Now being of American descendants my ears pricked up. What I gather is that people trying to get a roof over their heads and have a place to live with basic living requirements have, because of their background been poor or low credit risk. Then through less than honest advice they get on the property ladder and all is well until they find that the rate of interest starts to rise and other "small print" increases their debt beyond their earning means. Possessions start happening and then the only people to make from this are the banks and other financial institutes that backed it all. They still own the land and property yet leave the dwellings to decay rather than keep money coming in from the lender.

Who gains certainly not the borrower because they are now homeless, not the state or the government as they will bear the burden of the homeless in one form or another. My problems is that many of those house owners will have had dogs. Now with no home or backyard they will be on the streets to roam and be killed by traffic or by the state. To make matters even worse their bodies may well end up being processed into pet food.

There is a similar problem in the UK where people brought endowment mortgages which are now maturing only to find that they will not have enough money to pay off the mortgage. The mortgage brokers still get their percentage as commission and the mortgage lender has potential property worth many times the value of the endowment.
Who losses, the person who took out the endowment and most are now reaching retirement age as the endowment matures? They are having to borrow against the equity in the property AND GETTING IN MORE DEBT. People are making money out of this misery and at present they appear to be untouchable or unaccountable because the governments of both countries are afraid to take action to preserve the basic payout to pay up the mortgage or pressure the banks to accept some payment. The end result is the dollar is at an all time low and the economic repercussions are being felt around the world. The UK economy is slowing, house prices are slowing and Christmas is coming and no one has money to spend so production of seasonal items will be lost.

Oil is at a high, not because OPEC is cutting back, but because of speculation on the market based on US reserves, which are inaccurate. Who is making money? The people who are manipulating the market. Remember this happened to silver way before my time. One person started a chain reaction with silver until the bubble burst then silver went back to it's market value. Some lost but some made millions on what, a whim or serious manipulation of the fragile system of market forces.

Humans need to stop doing and concentrate on being. Why because in all reality do you think that there is actually enough money in the world to pay what everyone is owed. Of course there is not it's all based on credit. When enough people start to panic and take money out, like Northern Rock , in the UK. The Bank of England had to step in as there was not enough available cash. What a system. Little wonder it can be manipulated and causes so many financial problems for those who have no say in it.

Humans, seems many are just going through life paying for the wealth of the minority. No wonder they pay a premium to be entertained so they can loose themselves in another world for a while.

May the sun shine and the warmth touch your body. It's a blessing from above and it's free so enjoy. Until tomorrow take care.

What Monday already

2007-11-05T05:56:00.000Z

What a week sunny periods and cold mornings all week. D took me out on Saturday and as we approached the pond 5 deer walked across the path to drink at the waters edge. Where else can you see such happenings within metres of a busy A road and in a high populated area? Bonfire tonight to get rid of some of the large thick wood that will not compost or shred.

Sunday and D and I met a young mum with her little boy who made a fuss of me and called me "big dog". Very misty on Sunday and at one point D and I had our heads above the mist and the rest below it. By 9 o'clock the mist has been burnt off and the day is sunny and bright. The grass is still growing so the little lawns are cut with the blades set high. Then off to Nan's to do some more topcoat whilst it is dry and warm. People busy next door clearing up the garden looks like they will have a bonfire too.

Monday and up early with the boss(he) and a fox walked with us down to the common before meeting another fox and then they when off. Cold this morning and the only thing to do is get back home and get under the blanket.
My web site should be up soon with information on boxer dogs and some very good links and a free ebooklet for those who give their name and email address. More later on this and some other things I have seen the family doing on the computer.

Well must go as I have so much to do on all this web stuff. It's not easy for a dog as the paws keep pressing more than one key. A challenge I will overcome or invent a keyboard for dogs.
Have a great day and may the sun warm your back and touch your heart.

Where has this week gone

2007-11-01T05:48:00.000Z

What a busy week. Monday out with the boss over the common for a long walk then back home and a busy day in the house. Sorting out the larder and disposing of all those jars of jam etc that had gone past their sell by date or had lost their appeal. Reorganising and doing stock rotation of the honey, chutneys and other home made edibles. In the afternoon the kitchen and dining area got the works and the floor was given a good clean and mop with nick knacks and the like being cleaned and rearranged. Before I knew it the day was closing and with it getting dark by 5 o'clock there was time to reflect.

Tuesday was another long walk in the morning followed by a day in both gardens with lots of light digging and planting for spring and some final pruning. All that needs to be done now is to turn the compost heaps to aid aeration and give the whole effort some fresh air and new life.
Out with D in the afternoon and a very nice sunny day with plenty of blue sky and much activity in the garden with the resident robin turning over the fresh dug soil looking for food. The blackbird is still coming into the summerhouse to eat some of my dog treats.

Wednesday was a mixed day with the weather but with some sun, but quite chilly when it was not to be seen. Got grey as the day headed towards lunch time and lots of leaves to be swept up and put away to mulch. Hair cuts in the evening which is a time for the adults to chat and have a little socialising. Time for me to take advantage of the situation and gets some treats by making a nuisance of myself; in a nice way you understand.

A mixed week so far with much activity in the house and Halloween and then getting the bonfire for November the 5th on the agenda. Speak to you soon. May yours days be filled with that which you desire and not with what you don't want.

Sunday and it was a wet one

2007-10-29T06:02:00.000Z

Out with D at a reasonable time wet to start with then just very damp. Set the tone for the whole day damp and wet. Made fully weeds easy but not pleasant to work in and I spent most of the time under cover.

No painting today and only an hour or so of gardening clearing all the Nasturtiums as then are now running rampant and choking many of the other plants. This year there have been four different colours but they are now on the compost ready to provide nutrients back to the earth later in the new year. One of the small rose bushes is still budding despite the hard frost last week. How the trees have changed as more leaves fall and others change colour, although some of the Beech hedges still show green.

The car should be gone this week and then one of the tribe is going to go out with the boss to remember what they had learnt about clutch control, a couple of years ago. Odd how learning to drive a car at first is a problem, I guess three pedals and a gear stick and steering wheel all inside a box in motion can be quite scary. Me I find long drives boring especially as I cannot lay down because of the vibration from the back wheels in the MPV that we have.

I now have to settle into the routine again. Just when I was getting used to going at 3 or 4 times on walks in fields with lush green grass and not noise save the birds and the odd bee out collecting nectar from the last of the clover flowers. This week will be a little different until we get past the hour change in the time from summer to winter setting. Odd really as I thought it was all to help with the harvest during the war?

Well time to run, or just amble as I am off home now as it is getting dark by 5 o'clock and I smell cooking, which means food.

A weeks holiday in Wales

2007-10-27T17:49:00.000+01:00

What a week. Good weather most of the time with some very cold nights. Plenty of walks and a few visits to the shops and other places. The people are very friendly and pat and stroke me and say what a handsome dog I am. I will have to take their word as I am a very modest dog!

No going to the beach this time as the weather had a bite to it. We had some sunny days with blues skies and some very nice sunsets. Some days the boss(he) took me out before it was light enough to see very far.But it was worth it as we got to the coastal path the sun would be trying to break through the clouds and the colours were spectacular.

Big holdup on the motorway but we arrived home safely. D informed me that I was lucky to have missed the heavy frost on Tuesday. Then he took me for a walk and commented on how slim I was and full of vitality. I think it is the diet I am on, I will tell you more about it at I listen to what the bosses say about it.

It's been a long old day and I am about ready to take some kip so I will speak tomorrow.

Friday the sun shone yet again

2007-10-20T05:31:00.000+01:00

Cold night and clear skies. Too cold to go out in the early morning so stayed in my bed. Boss(he) just laughed and said he would get me an overcoat.

Fantastic sunny day and birds were busy and flying things were everywhere. The frost has caught the last rose buds, but the sun still encourages them to burst open to give added colour to the autumnal colours in the garden. Spiders webs are like the finest lace and the berries of the bushes are reds and oranges to provide food for the birds. Yes from a dog's perspective it's a brilliant day even if it's cold.

Tomorrow sees me off on a few days holiday and if the weather stays fine lots of walks away from the crowds and traffic, bliss.

My boss(he) loves Autumn as he sees the colours as a promised of what's to come. Winter is his blank canvas on which the surface needs preparation, Spring is the outline of the picture with the base colours, Summer is the filling in of the shapes and forms and Autumn is the work finished and mellowing. He being a painter of sorts I think he sees everything like a picture.

Well must pack and get some rest busy day tomorrow.
See you Saturday week. Have a good week and may your days be lit by sunlight.

Thursday glorious sunny day

2007-10-19T05:38:00.000+01:00

Up and out early for a walk under a canopy of stars. It is just amazing to see all the stars on a clear night. It's cold too with a frost and the boss(he) is rattling on about how wonderful it is to see it all. Whilst I agree I wish he would get a move on my coat is short and I'm getting colder by the second.

Home and in the warm. On the basis that the sky is clear the day should be bright and sunny.
After the sun burnt off the frost and mist the day is just great, plenty of sun and blues skies with the odd flurry of clouds. The frost has caused the trees to drop more leaves and when we go for a walk D and I walk through a carpet of different leaves with a variety of colours and shapes. If the wind blows it will cause the leaves to form into heaps which the birds turn over looking for things to eat. It's a busy time for the birds looking for food, especially as this is the first real frost of the Autumn.

Remember we spoke about the differing opinions on the selling of the car. Well so far there have been 4 phone calls and three people wanted to see it; of those two have turned up and one is going to put a deposit down on Friday. Once it's sold the space will be used for parking one of the kids cars off road. Now would those people have rung anyway on just having a belief that it would be sold was enough for it to happen? The boss(he) take is that if you have the belief and faith then as long as you have emotion that sets up a vibration that will resonant with others and it will happen. He reckons it's easy to understand but more difficult to do. Like when you believe the traffic lights will all be green and they are. Weird or just the Universe responding to your request?

What a fantastic sunset all fiery reds and oranges that coloured the edges of some of the clouds. The colours were just fantastic and fill a dog's heart with joy. If it stays clear there will be another frost tomorrow and it should be a clear day.
The sun has set now and the colours are fading as dusk arrives. D and boss(she) have been chatting in the summer house and boss(he) has just come home. They need to bring the tortoise in to winter in doors as she is over a 100 and they are concerned that the frosts maybe too cold for here to survive.
End of a great day and tomorrow promises to be just as good if not better. May your tomorrow be great and the sun warm your back.

Wednesday and the sun did shine

2007-10-18T06:06:00.000+01:00

Sun shine was evident after a slow start. The rain from the night has brought down a lot of leaves and the lanes are covered. Should make for some interesting driving. Leaves are a problem to the railway too and often are the cause of train delays.

The day has certainly taken on a wonderful autumn hue. The sun is calling the last colours to the leaves and bathes everywhere with light. I can site or lay on the decking and see all the activity going on in the garden and get my back warmed; bliss.

It would appear that humans have a preoccupation with over eating and obesity. Last week it was not good enough to go for a brisk walk you have to jog. Seems to me that part of this problem is that humans life styles have changed so dramatically in the last twenty years that they have created the situation themselves. Low fat was the fad so everyone was onto low fat diets and did they loose weight? No, because the fat used in many products as a binder and filler was substituted with carbohydrates which is just as bad. People have less time to spend cooking so either use convenience foods are ready meals. Then they are told to eat "5 a day" so the food industry responds with various drinks, smoothies and the like to make it easier for consumers to get their 5. The core problem seems to be a human fixation with time.

Einstein saw time as an illusion and we dogs know that to be true. Take feeding dogs. Humans will spend a lot of money on tinned, dried or moist packet foods for us that saves soooo much time? Is it good for us, hardly as we often die earlier than we should and all the dried products inform that water must be available. Why? Look what do dogs eat in their wild state? Raw meat, bones and any other thing to survive including water of course. So why feed us with processed garbage that costs a fortune and does us little good. Time, because it is easy to open a tin or carton or packet. Look at the ads on TV are the people in a rush?Of course not because the emphasis is subtle and relaxed because your dog is being fed and it's oh so easy and quick.

Why do humans put on? They have become disconnected with who they are. They spend their time doing a not being. They are also unable to manage this thing called time. My bosses spend their weekends doing all sorts of activities that are mostly manual in nature, Yet both are overweight, even if by a few pounds. Now they organise their weekends by setting goals and targets and the more they set the more they achieve. They make food from scratch and cook a roast most Sundays and still have time to watch a bit of TV too. Yet they still have a problem with weight and time. Eating late or missing meals or worse snacking. Habitual eating habits are one of the main problems with humans as they fight to find time. Time to do what I ask?

It's been a sunny day with some cloudy spells but the evening is looking good so tomorrow if the cloud stays away it will be cold with a chance of frost, I reckon. See you tomorrow and enjoy the sun

Tuesday and the rain came

2007-10-17T05:33:00.000+01:00

What a wet day and grey too. Early morning rain gave way in the afternoon to some sun, but not the best of days; weather wise. Me, I stayed in and kept warm until the afternoon when D took me for a walk. Very pleasant in the sun. Two days running D and I have spotted a fox sitting in the afternoon sun by a fallen tree on the common. Sees us but does not bother as we don't bother him, so all is well.

Seems that in the late 80's a storm changed direction and created havoc in the South of England. Thousands of trees were uprooted or so badly damaged that they needed cutting down. Kew Gardens was one notable place to loose many of it's old trees. However, as a result people now have a better understanding of tree growth and root structure. As a consequence new plantings take into account root spread and how soil can become compacted around trees if humans are allowed to walk around them. Us dogs help irrigate them and also use them as territorial markers and as a living thing we acknowledge their right to exist.

One of the problems with humans is they get attached to trees and in the main their attachment is misguided. Take for instance all the silver Birch trees in peoples garden that at present are just small trees. Within the next 10 years they will be too high to keep manageable and as a woodland tree not suitable for gardens they will then create a future problem. When houses are built around trees for aesthetic and environmental reasons the developers will not consider future growth of the trees in relations to the space to maximise building plots and profit. A reluctance to cut down, thin out or reduce the number of trees will lead to problems in the future for humans. How many Elm trees are there as a result of Dutch Elms disease?

According to the news the weather for the next few days is set to be sunny. Looking at the sky at the moment I think they might have got it wrong. Looks like more rain on the way. But as my front leg is not a multimillion pound computer I will put this stiffness down to age and not damp. See you.

Monday strangers in the night

2007-10-16T06:02:00.000+01:00

What a weird morning. Out early and in front of us appears to be a jogger who seems to be tired, to the point of exhaustion. As we get a little closer he is in his boxer shorts and is either drunk on high on something. Keeps starting to jog then stops then starts again. Even worse he is now jogging in the road and may be injured. Boss, notifies the police who send out a patrol car which arrives when we are going back home from our walk.

On a walk boss sees a fox sitting in the shadows and after I have sorted out my digestive residue it starts to follow us. I have to turn and show some indignation at it's action. It makes no difference it just stays further back and follows us down the lane until we hit the main road.

The morning weather seems odd too. A mild morning for October with cloud and a light touch of rain. If the cloud breaks it will get a little colder and the sun may shine.

Mid-day and out with D for a walk and we see another fox resting in the undergrowth who is not bothered by our passing. Buster was on a different shift so we saw him today. He is very busy at present and because of his age should be slowing down but because of all the human problems he reckons he will go way past retirement age in active service.

Rest of the day is uneventful other than boss(she) brings D a copy of a booklet on a local bus company, which D find most interesting and is grateful for the copy.

Boss(she) starts a little evening job to help with paying for everyday things. Boss(he) is certain that the car will be sold soon, had two enquiries over the weekend after putting the sigh up.
Must go food calls.

Saturday and where is the sun?

2007-10-14T05:42:00.000+01:00

Out with D and very little is out and about today; must be the grey weather. Only two joggers and one postman all the time we were out.

Bosses went to town and came back looking happy. No improvement to weather. Boss(he) is cutting the chipboard flooring to fit. Boss(she) is blowing the leaves and fixing hanging baskets and doing some more planting in pots. Floor is down, doors are finished and shelves have been fitted. Filing cabinet has been put into shed and the sand has been moved in readiness for possible slab laying under the tree. D&M busy putting things in the shed.

Bosses start to change things in the back room and its looks like tomorrow will be over Nan's for painting and replacing rotten wood.

Boss(he) is cooking up a lasagna from scratch, which everyone, including me likes to eat. He always leaves it to mature for a day or two in the fridge before it is put in the oven; reckons it brings out the flavour. Does the same thing with curries too.

Tomorrow looks as if it might be a repeat of today on the weather front. If so I would think the last of the rubbing down and possibly priming, if the air is not damp. Replacing rotten wood looks high on the agenda. Boss(he) says that changing from imperial to metric leads to waste when replacing old wood, as the new is a different size so you end up cutting to fit and wasting wood.

Lets hope we have a bit of sun as it always makes you feel better and the birds are busy and sing and life looks that bit brighter. Till tomorrow then.

Friday and all systems go

2007-10-14T05:29:00.001+01:00

Grey, cloudy start to the day. Not much to see or do at present.Fog yesterday caused a number of avoidable accidents. Boss(he) was saying that people were driving without headlights on and in light coloured cars too. In this day and age with alternators there is just no reason, even if it's during day time. How are us dogs to see you?

Bosses have decided to change things around at home this weekend if the weather is not good. They are going to finish the shed by laying a chipboard over floor for added strength and finish the doors and add the furniture or fittings.

Mid-day and still no real improvement in the weather although D has hinted that a walk is on the cards. Yes, we had a walk and a long one too. Now many people or other canines about. The leaves are now changing colour very quickly and many are falling. Winter is just around the corner and my coat is not that thick yet.

My change of food from tinned and dried to fresh is working really well and I fit better for it. Less joint problems too. I will keep you posted as it continues.

Tomorrow beckons and (she) has a real bad head cold so we will see what tomorrow bring. See you then

Foggy day

2007-10-12T06:46:00.000+01:00

What's this fog? Boy I hate fog it clings to my short hair and by the time we get back I am cold and wet. No doubt this will cause a number of traffic accident with people driving too fast and too close to the person in front. Humans do have strange lemming type tendencies to driving in conditions like fog and rain.

Good news the sun have broken through and it's just gone 9 o'clock so it's looks as if my walks will be taking place with D&M today. The sun is making the garden look like a special place, all the spider's webs are covered in dew and the sun sparkles off each droplet making the scrubs looks as if they are bedecked with jewels. Great day to be alive and wonder at the simplicity of nature in the moment.

If this weather holds then the weekend should be good. Bosses have to go to town first thing, then they will be painting and finishing the shed. Then I hear that it's clearing out the garage; that will prove interesting I will help of course.

What a great day sun, and no rain to talk of today. The evening is looking great and boss(she) is sitting in the summer house with D having a glass of white wine and looking at the amazing sky as the sun starts to set. Boss(he) has just arrived as dusk starts to become night so it's off home and have me back rubbed and some scoff.

Tomorrow is another day of adventure that has yet to come and now doubt it will be misty again before the sun breaks though so enjoy and the weekend beckons. See you.

Wednesday's mixed bag

2007-10-11T06:11:00.000+01:00

Out for an early morning stroll with boss and saw a fox sitting in the road; little wonder they get killed. Boss(she) has a busy day with work, Pilate and then does ironing for someone. One of the tribe was in a competition over the weekend but did not get through. I wonder if it was because she had her hair cut short?

It would appear that the bosses were fortunate enough to see a buck and doe eating up close to day; which seemed to make them happy. I still remember my rubbing nose session with a deer down the lane,which was fantastic as we are not that compatible; according to humans.

What an odd day, weather wise. Misty, with a chill to the air early on and then some rain and masses of cloud. By late afternoon, early evening the sun broke through and for a while the evening was quite pleasant, even autumnal.

Middle of the working week and there is much to do in the garden and around the house. This weekend looks like another busy one with the final finishing of the shed and more painting over at Nan's. If there's time some more working in the garden before the frosts start to appear, which get later every year.

Off for another walk so I will talk tomorrow. Move out of your comfort zone just a little and find a new world to discover.

Wet Tuesday

2007-10-10T05:57:00.000+01:00

What a day rained on and off all day. By mid afternoon the rain was heavy and many of the lanes were flooding as the water tried to find a way to drain. Still it will make pulling those last weeds easier. The summer house roof did not leak, after the bosses gravity defying action and the new shed stayed dry; so he did a good job on the felting.

Bosses still have a problem about the car; remember I spoke about their differing outlook on how to resolve it. Well boss phoned the original owner and ask if his friend would buy it. We will wait and see the outcome.

I hear that the exercise my boss does with me in the morning is unlikely to be of benefit to him. Seems to me that the experts are missing two important issues. One he works hard during the rest of the day and more important he believes it does him good. Harnessing the mind to do the bodies work is just as good and doing a hard workout and stressing your heart, which may not appear until later in life. What do you think?

Wow the evening has turned out fine. Clear blue sky and a bright sunset. Makes being a dog well worth the effort when something like this happens. Night maybe cold it depends on whether cloud start to come over and keep the air mild. Have a good evening and may tomorrow bring you joy.

Monday- Monday

2007-10-09T06:28:00.000+01:00

Up early and out with the boss for his walkies. Not a bright night with very few breaks in the cloud so not much to see. Seem to be having a problem with wind which the boss recons is not helping the ozone layer.

The car came back on Friday and has been a nagging point. Boss (she) is focused on getting rid, whilst he is saying just let it be and it will be sorted. Now humans seem to be action orientated so I can understand that doing something is the best way of getting something done. To back that up it's been sitting there for two years and nothing has been done with it other than the occasional wash and polish. So I can see that she has a point. He on the other hand believes that the car will go when less effort is put into getting rid. Interesting logic, human that is, would indicate that she has got it right and he is just drifting. What do you think?

The day has been odd, very little sun and a sky filled with clouds. Robin has been very busy in the garden and the Blackbird is still coming into the summerhouse to eat bits of my treats. Leaves are starting to change colour now and the horse
chestnut is dropping it's leaves.

Went for a walk and met a young English bulldog, really nice young lady and the owners made a fuss of me so it was good all round. Hope I see them all again.

Very odd feel to house tonight bosses seem to be on edge with each other. Off to bed as early rise tomorrow as I have to go for a walk with him to keep him company I guess. Have a good day tomorrow and if it rains it will help the plants and make weeding easier. Still lots to do in the garden, including turning the compost heaps.
Must go, take care.

Sunday and finish the shed

2007-10-08T05:54:00.000+01:00

D takes me out for a good long walk. Weather is overcast with some patches of blue sky. Nothing of great interest today, the hedgerow is providing some food for the birds.

Finishing of the shed today, glazing the windows and fitting the doors. The doors are a tight fit, but the bosses agree to leave to settle in before planing any wood off. Windows done although the boss (he) is not to impressed by the design which consists of a plastic cill on which the "glass" rest, leaving a lot of movement which could be a problem with rattling in the wind. Boss(she) is sweeping the floor and collecting all the odd screws together, I help by nudging the box and they spill out. I was only trying to help.

They are off now to finish undercoating over at Nan's. I will stay at home and look after the tribe. Bosses back now and talking about how much more work it was to prep the bay window which is oak and how the paint will not "stick" for more than a few years. Some rot in the door frame has to be cut out and the wood replaced. Well looks as if they will be busy next weekend again.Oh and Nan's lawn was cut edged and an azalea planted.

Time for dinner now and boss(he) is defragmenting him computer and sorting out what to do now his car is back on the front. He wanted the space to change the suspension on the old car which has done 165,000 miles and still going. Boss(he) says the suspension is "tired" and needs changing before it is given to one of the tribe to have as their first run about.

Time to settle down to relax after a busy day. See you tomorrow and may it bring you and yours new hope and inspiration.

Saturday and was I busy

2007-10-07T07:15:00.000+01:00

D took me for a good walk, but I was not feeling to great; too much R&R. Saw lots of people today so I think we were late.

The sleep over was OK and after much fuss making and stroking they all disappeared into their worlds. The bosses went to town and got a book for Nan and some work trousers for him.

Off to Nan's and whilst the boss(he) gets sorted with ladders and things I sit and help with a jig saw by laying my head on it to stop the pieces moving. Boss(he) is up and down ladders rubbing downs and cleaning the woodwork before painting with primer. Tomorrow it looks like undercoating and then some top coating of the work done last week. She(boss) is going to help by rubbing down the front bay window, whilst he does the glossing out back.

We arrive home and boss(he) goes around to look at shed that arrived two weeks early. Seems to me there are lots of bits of wood stacked everywhere. Other boss(she) arrives and they lay the floor to get an idea of the size. Then he says, "lets put the back and one side in". It's three hours later and the shed is erected and the roof has been felted. I hardly had time to help. In between boss(she) vacuumed up all the leaves on the lawn too.

We're off home now and because they are both tired and hungry so they order a Chinese for a change and all the family have a good scoff. Pity that one of the family is in London and hardly ever get to come home and the other one is at uni some ways off.

Weather is looking good for tomorrow so lots of activity and busy things for me to be involved in. Until tomorrow may your morn bring you what you desire and not what you don't want.

Friday here already

2007-10-06T07:09:00.000+01:00

Fine night with clear skies and lots of stars. Boy it's great to look at all that and know your part of it. Boss(he) never ceases to wonder at it all; me too.

The shed has arrived, two weeks early. The man that delivered it has two English boxers, brother and sister that come from a rescue centre. I think the bosses are talking about painting some more wood preservative on it before they erect it. Most likely they will do that this week.

Saturday should be sunny so they are going to get on with the painting. More rubbing down and undercoating and hopefully start the top coating. All down to the weather, needs to be dry and just warm enough to allow the paint to dry without to much shrinking.

The day is sunny and bright with some clouds, but by mid afternoon the sun is warming to the point of getting hot. Birds are busy and bees are out in the lavender collecting nectar. Good day to be around to enjoy life and show gratitude for such a day.

Tonight the house will be full as one of the tribe has four friends staying and they are all sleeping over in her bedroom; with only two beds kinda cramped for me.

I'm off for a walk then some R&R before that all happens. Talk tomorrow, until then enjoy the day

Sunny day in a dogs life

2007-10-05T05:41:00.000+01:00

Sunny day with some clouds, but the sun was on my back and it was a great day to be alive. The sun seemed to light up every corner of the garden and the rose buds respond by opening. Such a bright day could mean clear night skies and low night temperatures. A frost might kill off the midges that have been identified as the cause of the blue tongue outbreak in Suffolk. Many of the trees will change colour and hopefully hold on the branches and not fall off yet awhile.

Boss thinks his car will come back tomorrow. He it now looking at doing the engine himself as he reckons its no different to the ones he used to build, just two more cylinders!

Busy weekend ahead as boss will continue to do painting before the weather gets too cold or damp. Remember the shed it should be here in two to three weeks? Wrong it's due to be delivered on Friday. Another weekend taken up with construction work and fitting shelving inside. I will of course assist in any way possible and if all else fails get in the way.

Buster, the bomb dog, has had a busy week at the airport and is always on call. Why any human should wish to take the lives of other seems inconceivable. To do so under some religious reasoning is beyond us dogs. Life is the reason for everything, why have the seasons if not to create more life. We dogs live our lives for the living and being, humans live for doing. Therein lies their problem, if they concentrated more on being then living would require them to be more attuned to each other. All dogs know that they came from just two dogs and then with time adapted to their surrounding environments. Same way humans are all from the same source so instead of killing each other they should become more enlightened and be part of living, not existing.

Enough philosophy for today. I am out to enjoy the sun and see whats to eat and then all this activity will lead to sleep. Be seeing you.

Another grey start to the day

2007-10-04T05:35:00.000+01:00

Out early and all the signs point to another grey day with mist. Boss is talking about it being more like November than October. Rattles on about crisp sunny days with clear skies. Must be getting old and going back to his youth.

Despite the earlier misty start the day is looking promising now. The sun is trying to come through and the birds are becoming more active. Out for a walk soon so I will see what the afternoon looks like.

The sun has broken through and the afternoon is looking good. The temperature has risen and there is much activity in the gardens, with birds eating berries and searching on the ground for food. D breaks the outer casing off some of my treats and feeds the bits to a blackbird that has being coming into the summer house since she had her young. Some times she would bring her young to feed when they could fly. Last year there was a robin's nest in the compost in the green house. Why a green house when it's made of glass? Must be to do with all the plants and growing and showing green? Glass house has a different meaning if you are in the army.

The evening is not looking to bad, although the clouds are building again. I wonder what tomorrow will bring. Every day is full of new things and familiar things never boring because us dogs have a purpose in being dogs, and it's great.
See you tomorrow and may your day be blessed with something new and let the smile spread across your face. Bye for now.

Tuesday - grey day

2007-10-03T05:58:00.000+01:00

What a dull looking day. Must go in the garden and look at all the colour still there. Strange how the weather effects everyone. Us dogs just find somewhere warm and doze, knowing that tomorrow or the next day the sun will shine again.

The fall is upon us according to the boss. He has in his mind to go to see the fall in America as he never ceases to marvel at how nature can produce such wonderful colours on the trees. He says it's God's indication of the glory to come after the winter as spring arrives and colour returns to the land.

A single act by one individual can have such an effect on others. Today out for my 9 o'clock walk passed the local school. One person turning out when the road was not clear led to a complete snarl up of the traffic. It took some time to clear as some of the cars where still there when we walked back some time later. It's a human trait that is becoming more evident, that of not considering others. People conversing with someone on their phone in a train so everyone can hear. MP3 players loud enough that the person next to them on the bus can hear. The best one is people who have the window down on their car whilst player music so loud. Why spend all that money and then change the intended environment for best listening by opening a window. Yes humans have definitely lost the plot.

Forecast for next few days means not so many walks as D&M like the sun to shine and the day to be bright. Not to worry I have plenty to do around the garden and there is always some shut eye. Until tomorrow, may the rain be fine and the wind light.

New day, new month

2007-10-02T05:44:00.000+01:00

Wet and not the best weather for an early morning walk. But I did it just to keep the old boy happy. Seems there is a bit of a problem with the car the boss sold so it's coming back. Just getting used to the space and possible place to park one of the other cars; off road.

My new diet seems to be working well. I feel a lot better and wind seems less of a problem. It does concern me that part of the problem is that people just do not appear to have the time to prepare meals for themselves, yet alone their pets. After all the additive problems with pet food in the USA humans are led to believe that what's in the average tin of pet food is good for it. Some of the results from America would suggest otherwise.

Good day at D&M's had a walk and plenty of R&R. Helps with the wrinkles you understand.
The shed should be delivered in a couple of weeks, so more activity there. Because D&M have vast amount of books and thing the bosses are going to suggest that that get another shed and they could move some of the books into the shed; giving them more room indoors.

Off home now to see what sort of day the family have had. I'll keep you informed. May the sun shine and the birds sing in your garden.

Sunday and a lot of sand

2007-09-30T17:50:00.000+01:00

Out with D this morning to deliver the papers. Very little to report of interest no one about, although the birds were active in the hedgerows.

After taking everyone to do their shopping it was time to move the sand. Boss(he) had put in the area to be covered and the depth of bedding mix and ordered accordingly. Just a little too much sand like 250 Kgs. Not to worry it will be used to fill in the hollow in the front lawn, although they both think sharp sand should be used.

Went to the local school this afternoon as boss needed to take in a network storage box. It's got 2 Sata drives. What ever they are? Have you noticed how humans complicate life with the language they use? Some words seem to have many meaning like love, love that dress, love to see you, love you, love that car etc, which is useful. Whilst others have changed over time, awful now seems to describe something not very nice yet it meant awe full or filled with awe.

Well we shifted the sand. I helped of course when it came to filling the hollow in the lawn. Boss got quite cross as as fast as he racked it I redistributed it. Boss(she)was quite amused by it all. Grumpy just got on with racking it back down again and when I went to help he told me to go away. Talking of language that humans use boss(he) told me to go !away". How often when out I have heard people getting cross with their dog and shouting at it to "come here". When it does the either shout at it or hit it. Now what does that teach the dog, when it hears the words "come here"? It is uncertain as to what the outcome, will it get hit or shouted at. Humans just don't understand how clever we dogs are. Even "no brain" the setter is very good as sitting and other things that a working dog should do. Treats us with respect and dignity and we are no problem.

Off to bed early tonight as it's an early start tomorrow. May the sun warm your back and the day grace you with life.

Saturday's post

2007-09-30T06:14:00.000+01:00

Wet morning got soaked out on my walk. Boss is under sink as the waste disposer has broken and the new one is a different size. Looks like he is talking about new pipe work to the taps so he is going to change the taps for a different one they got some time back.

Day is getting better boss(she) is busy planting more bulbs next door. Boss(he) has just come round, wag tail and get back massage,; bliss. They are measuring and laying slabs to check the exact area to clear for the shed base. Much activity going on, I help by walking around and sniffing the ground. Wheel barrow is now filled with lots of earth and distributed around the front garden.

Weather is not looking to good, plenty of rain clouds around. Hello one of the tribe has come over to see everyone she works in London and finds it expensive to travel every day so has a shared flat on the outskirts, not a great area but she can bus or walk it on a fine day. Good to see her, she has done well for herself and is a very positive person. Gives me lots of rubs and makes a fuss of me.

Whats this? The pair of them are mixing cement and laying slabs. After much back aching work the 36 slabs are layed, both look tired and despite D&M making drinks they are talking about hot baths; with smells in the water?

Slabs look good and level so it's a good job. Tomorrow boss(he) needs to repair tire on barrow as it picked up a cloat nail from the old shed.
Off home now and a well earned rest speak tomorrow as it's paper delivery day.Hope the weather is dry, hate getting wet. See you

Friday in a boxer's life

2007-09-28T05:41:00.000+01:00

Fair morning for a walk much milder than yesterday and the moon is trying to break through the clouds. Looks like the bosses are going to be busy this weekend as a big bag of sand, bags of cement and some paving slabs have been delivered. I think this is the base for the new shed to go on.

Household seems a little down, I think it's because one of the tribe is back to uni for their last year. Strange that we have a system that even creates debt whilst still studying. I know the bosses took out a loan to help and that a student loan was taken out too. Now when his studies are finished he will be in debt before he starts, even though he has worked every holiday to ensure that he has no outstanding debts to the bank or credit card company.

How the seasoning is changing fast leaves are falling and there is less activity around the bird table unless the sun is shining. The frogs are keeping a low profile and the baby toads are not in their usual places. There are still roses in the garden and many are buds, the dog wood is showing good colour and the acer's leaves have changes to a golden glow. According to the bosses the grass should slow down and require less cutting. Bulbs have been planted in tubs ready for next Spring and winter pansies have been put in hanging baskets to give some colour to the garden over winter. Much clearing and trimming of plants to give shape has been going on and I think some replanting was talked about too.

Will keep you informed of the work in the garden and the shed base as it occurs. must go as there is a warm spot just been made available on the sofa.

Thursday - a cold morning

2007-09-27T05:38:00.000+01:00

Up early and out with boss. Cold morning with a strong breeze. The moon is full and the clouds are moving fast. Autumn is upon us and the horse chestnut tree is already dropping it's seeds. My winter coat is not ready yet so I feel the cold just like I feel the heat of the sun in summer.

No Brain the setter is able to catch things when they are thrown towards him. Me I have no nose and have a problem catching anything. Seems odd that. The bosses think I maybe long sighted. Any other boxers have the same problem?

More blue tongue infection found on the same farm. The cold weather today might help?I wonder if we are able to either produce a vaccine or isolate the animals and see if they can combat it themselves to build their own immunity?

I see that the Blair's are cashing in on their claim to fame. I wonder what percentage of their money do they give or use for charitable or life enhancement projects. Seems to me that many of the world's wealthiest give money to create a better life for others. Take Bill Gates, you may curse him when you are trying to upgrade to Vista, but he and his wife have a foundation that help the less fortunate in the world. Any projects or assistance that helps to give others the means of sustaining themselves and growing into self efficiency must be good.

Talking of which it would appear that this world is all about lack or scarcity. Yet there are more millionaires now than ever so is there a lack of money? Hardly, and what about food? There is enough food wasted in the western world to feed the starving in the world. Humans have got it wrong and as long as they are not affected they have little concern for anyone else.

I see that the Natives of America are to get special shoes that are designed for their feet to help them be more competitive and combat obesity. Their feet are much broader and higher than the norm. Am I surprised, these people roamed the plains and the lands of America following the food trail mostly on foot. They had horses, but never that many, so they walked as did the people of Africa to hunt for food. Whereas the majority of the palefaces used horses to traverse the land and only walked short distances, in comparison. As a boxer, I was bred for working, mostly hunting out wild boar so my paws are large, yet my hind quarter is narrow and designed for speed with a deep chest and strong front end. I would be of little use flushing rabbits out of their burrows. My point is that we have all evolved to differing tasks. Give them shoes designed to their feet, but to help them overcome obesity. Sounds more like a marketing pitch, regardless of how genuine the intention. Look at why they are become obese might be a good place to start, although it may not sell many shoes or trainers!

Well I sorted the human world problems out for today, must concentrate on my being which means plenty of R&R and then walks, then chasing cats and lastly sorting out the family I live with before dinner tonight. It's always busy being a dog. See you tomorrow

Wednesday already

2007-09-26T06:28:00.000+01:00

Boss(he) calls this the middle of the working week. I have noticed that those that work the most and the hardest often do not seem to get the rewards, just more hard work. Fox was out this morning opening bags of rubbish and making a mess on the road way. Boss says he remembers when people has metal dust bins and the dust bin men emptied them into the dust cart. Now it's all plastic bags which take an age to degrade and the road look a mess because the refuse collection is done on contract and often they just leave the rubbish in the road.

Now the GTR has gone the bosses are talking seriously about cutting the hedge and sorting out the front. Interesting that along the front of the dwellings used to be a ditch and the lane ran along side the ditch. When it rained excess water ran into the ditch. Old Bill across the road remembers that there was never any flooding then. Mind you he says the winters were much colder then. Is this global warming or just one of nature's cycles?

As I have said before humans go on about the environment then do almost the opposite. Take houses, why build more in the South when there are plenty in the North and there is more brown land available up there. All that happens is more houses, more cars more congestion more toxic fumes and more doing the environment. Why are houses still built with wooden windows which will be replaced with plastic , why not build them with plastic in the first place and double glazed with reflective glass. I think that humans are motivated by greed and are too materialistic.

Dogs require food,shelter and warmth anything after that is a bonus. Humans exploit us just as they exploit each other. yet they can not understand that is why they are screwing the world up and ultimately themselves. At the moment there is an outbreak of foot and mouth in Southern England which is causing all sorts of problems, financial for farmers and other and also the well being of many people. This outbreak would appear to all come from one source a laboratory complex that had defective drain pipes that had been noted. Yet because of lack of funds nothing was done about it? This site complex appears to be shared between private and government establishments. Why was money not made available when one must be profit based and the other is government funded and the government waste tax payers money on other less important things, like training schemes that become scams?

The morning is cold so that might help with the blue tongue problem that has erupted in the Southeast. I hope so as animals are being slaughtered. I also hope that all these slaughtered animals are not going into a food chain somewhere, like pet food?

Strange lot humans but they can be also the most kind and loving individual too. Just like dogs really but with less intelligence and a lot less common sense. They think they train us but we train them. We sit when they say sit not when then say stay. They have to use the correct word before we do what that word means. Well will most likely see Buster today and will discuss our plans for taking over the planet before humans do anymore damage. Sunrise is looking good and the world awakens. Smile at someone today and everyday, especially someone you don't know. Go on try it and see how it lift your day, us dogs do it all the time. TTFN

Tuesday and skip is going today

2007-09-26T05:55:00.000+01:00

According to D&M the skip is going today. Well it went nice and early which means that the space is there for the delivery of the materials for the new shed base.
Big day to day I have found out as the boss is selling his GTR which he loves, but has not been able to do anything to it for so long that it would start to fall apart. I remember sitting in the back once when he took it for an early morning spin. Boy does it go and sounds brilliant. Oh well a new chapter begins.
Strange how humans get attached to 4 wheels and a load of metal. Men also refer to cars as she very much like sailors and ships. Is this some affinity to an emotion that they can express to an innate object but not to a living human of the female gender?
Car has gone, I do my bit by barking to let people know that I know they are around. D&M are a lovely couple, well they must be as they take me for walks and feed me and talk to me. But, as humans go they do have some strange rituals. D sits in the summerhouse and reads or does the crossword whilst drinking beer or wine. M does some maths thing in the paper or sits and reads and marks items in the papers, but never appears to get rid of the papers.

Mind you the lot I live with are also weird. One spends most of his life on the computer playing a game and talking to other players world wide. Another one spend most of her time trying to do impressions of a sea gull with sand in it's throat; she calls it singing! Then there another one who is into uni and studying and only appears for food or to answer a call of nature. Another one spends most of her time in London, because that's where she works. Then we have the two bosses well they are total opposites. She sees the glass as half empty and he sees it as half full. Now how crazy is that especially if it's the same glass.

Seems to me that humans are so preoccupied with detail that they spend there lives doing things when they should be, being. Look I spend my time being a dog, sleeping, eating passing wind, smelling the wind and the flowers, chasing cats and looking for frogs. That's being a dog I am not doing dog because there is no doing dog only being a dog. Humans seem to spend all their time doing things, doing work to pay the bills, doing the shopping doing this and that. That's not being, other than stupid. This doing seems to be a relentless task they have to do to get anywhere or anything. Enough of this serious stuff it's time for some scoff and a little beauty sleep. See you tomorrow?

Monday skip goes

2007-09-26T05:40:00.000+01:00

Monday already and up early and out for his morning walk with me in tow. Not much to see, although according to him there was a lot of traffic on the road so early in the morning.!
The skip should go today which is a good thing as it has had additions to the content overnight. Must be the garden fairies or humans getting rid of garden stuff too lazy to take over the dump themselves?
Odd day weather wise as it is warm but with some cloud and light rain. Need the rain to give the plants some water and wash the ground. We have one period of torrential rain around 09:00 which creates a lot of surface water and run off from the land as it's so dry.
Talking of wet, my old mate "no brain the setter" was out when I went with D for a walk this afternoon. Really great dog, all happy and bouncy but can't remember from one minute to the next. I guess when we where bred for chasing wild boar, setters where bred to face guns which requires not having any brain. Why because why run towards guns very bad for your health, particularly as some humans act stupid when they have a loaded gun in their hands.
Skip still has not gone and it's evening now. Bosses are not happy as they need the space for the slabs and the sand and cement for the base for the new shed.
Must go as food and the soaps call.

Sunday - shed in skip

2007-09-25T05:47:00.000+01:00

Yesterday was very productive. The shed is in the skip, garden is looking good and the burn heap was reduced to ash. All thanks to my organisational skills.
D comes around and takes me for a walk, very misty but with the promise of a good bright day. See two deer in the mist but they are away before I can get to them to say Hi. No walkers or other humans doing early morning activities. Still mist is rising and there is blues sky. Pass heron on the pond, very busy looking in the water. Must like his own reflection. Nearly home time for some scoff and then some shut eye.
After the shopping they are all in the garden busy doing things. I think they call it pottering, although J.K Rowling is no where to be seen. Since the big scare in the USA about contaminated dog and cat food the bosses have taken me off tinned food and now buy offal for me. I must admit it is a whole lot better for me and it save them money and I love it. Always worries me how this could happen until you look at the short term gain humans seem to focus on. After children and often in place of comes pets. Now I know that for some that means a hungry market that mean MONEY. So they obtain "meat" and add cereal and other materials and tell pet owners it's good for their pet. It cost money, they have no real idea of what goes in it and it contributes, in the case of dogs, to a decrease in life expectancy and increased illnesses.
I digress, the patches of grass are mowed and a general tidy up of the garden is done. Off to Nan's to take over the big ladder ready to do more window preparation next week.
Back home and go round D&M's for a chat and glass of wine. All very civilised and the day has been quite good, just a little chill in the afternoon air as Autumn start to make it's presence known.
Have a good week and may the sun shine on your face or warm your back

Saturday is shed down day.

2007-09-23T06:15:00.000+01:00

Boss(he) up early sorting out the tools required to take the shed down. Explains to me how he will need to cut bolts and take the shed down bit by bit. Now I have seen this all before, starts off like that then out comes the wrecking bar and hammer and it's down in bits.
What did I say, bolts too difficult to get the saw on, so out comes the bar and off comes the door within seconds. Lots of dust as it's got wood worm in it. Within a short time the front of the shed comes out to leave the roof sagging on the sides and the back. Next the two halves of the roof then the sides and lastly the back. Skip is then loaded and by midday it's all done. screwdriver and saw returned, unused.
Other boss(she) has been around helping whilst I have supervised, the only way to get things done. They now move to clearing out the green house and before I know it they are in the garden doing weeding, repairing the water pump, trimming and showing me the frogs ( they call them oggits) never mind I know what they mean.
Stop for a hot drink and filled roll, whilst I have my scoff and away they go again. Looks to me like a bonfire is in the making which is interesting. Why? Well (he) likes flammers with little smoke and everything burnt within a short time. (she) likes to burn everything which means some smoke. This will happen after sunset and is a ritual getting cardboard first, because it flames well and produces lots of heat and then away it goes. Well it's all burnt and it was quite good as they put a lot of lavender on which smelt OK.
A good productive day, the humans are pleased and thanks to my organisational skills it was done in an orderly manner. I can now get down to some serious shut eye whilst they have showers and watch a little TV before bed. Speak tomorrow as they are doing something over Nan's also must chat about my diet.

Skip arrives

2007-09-23T06:07:00.000+01:00

What a day the skip arrived and with some effort it was sited so you could just get by. Nice day with plenty going on as D&M where busy moving bits out of the shed. Strange how many humans store large amounts of unusable rubbish for years and then have to pay to get rid?
Not much to report spent most of the day being (a dog) and very little doing. So much better for the inner you, gives you time to listen to your inner thoughts. Well it looks like I may get a walk after all as they can just get by the skip with me in tow. see you tomorrow

20th September 2007

2007-09-21T06:34:00.000+01:00

Good morning,
Met a new hound this morning. A old English Bull Dog, seems that we are related somewhere in the past so always interesting to find out about your relatives and where they came from.
Weather not that bright today with showers on and off most of the day.
Big day tomorrow as D&M's shed will be taken down over the weekend, and the skip arrives tomorrow. I will be busy helping with pulling the shed down and chasing any rodents that should be in residence. If I can I will get some photos, it should present plenty of opportunities to observe humans as work. Dogbert would find this interesting in his understanding of humans.
Out of body experiences is in the news; I see. Bosses both agree that when I am suffering from wind they have OBE?
One of the clan should be back from the Dominican Republic today so will keep an eye open for all the news about their holiday.
Talking of holidays, only four more weeks and I will be off for a few days somewhere in England. Never know where as they often setup the Tom Tom incorrectly and we all end up miles from the intended place. I of course can get back to base quite easily without some gadget.
Must dash as there is some scoff in the bowl and then some shut eye. See you tomorrow?

Sunday in the life of a K9

2007-09-20T06:00:00.000+01:00

Another late start. Bosses went out last night to a 60th party which they both enjoyed. Boss(he) wakes up with a start and gets out of bed in a hurry as he thinks it's gone 7 o'clock. Why humans are so into this time thing never ceases to amaze me. Time is dictated by light and dark. When it's light you do what ever you need to and when it's dark you sleep. Why make it difficult. Problem is that humans are to busy doing and not enough being. Oh well, their choice.
Anyway weather looks fine and sunny and D is in fine fettle this morning so we are off at a good pace. Nothing to report on the walk as we see nothing and no one. Mist rising off the field looks good and gives one a real sense of the beauty of nature and life in general.

Some harsh word are said by boss(he) as it would appear that something he got the garage to done last year has gone again and also the drive shafts are getting near to needing replacing.Seems to me that cars are not only very expensive to get but then are expensive to own and all because the public transport system is so poor.

Off to Nan's again as her paint work needs rubbing down and cleaning before priming and top coating. All these different words to describe an action or something. Weather is holding out and bosses seem pleased with what they have done.

Back home and round D&M's. Boss(he) is going to repair the summer house roof as the felt has split with all the thermal movement ( bosses words not mine) Whilst (he) gets on with the roof, (she) starts doing the wood preserving of the decking and balustrade. Wow minor problem (he) has a problems as the ladder has shifted and he is clinging to the roof, doing an impression of spider man. Phew, all is well minor adjustments to ladder catch with hammer and up (he) goes again. Oh no not again. Just finishing screwing in the finials on the top and the ladder has shifted again and (he) is attempting to defy the law of gravity. To make matters worse it looks like he has pushed the screw driver through his bottom lip. Well at last he is down on the ground, badly bruised shins, ribs and skinned arms and a bloody lip. Cup of coffee and a biscuit seems to get him sorted. Well after all that excitement the rest of the afternoon and evening pass without incident. D says that he will take me out in the morning which means I can have a late start.
Boss(he) is muttering on about Northern Rock and all sorts of thing, must be shock or something coming out, according to boss(her). I will keep you posted speak tomorrow.