Monsters, Moon and Merriment

Well, you probably saw Mum's Facebook entry this morning.  I have to say I think she was most unfair to make fun of my fear - Dad was away and, as I'm only a pup, I can't protect her from monsters.  You say hedgehogs aren't monsters?  Well I have it on good authority that they are most antisocial creatures who spread parasites and are covered in horrid needles.   In case you didn't read it, I will copy it at the end of this blogpost.

Having had an early start to the day, Mum & I decided to go for a walk.  We went to get Pat so she could come with us to one of our favourite places - 2 1/2 miles starting from the Water's Edge Visitor Centre in Barton.

Part way round the walk something dead weird happened.   It started to get dark.  Well, I know we all got up rather early due to the monster in the blackcurrants and I know I eventually had a sleep, but I didn't think I had slept all day!   All the birds started to go to bed and it got chilly.   Mum and Pat kept looking at the clouds in the sky and talking about something called an eclipse.  Eventually the stopped and Mum took pictures of the sky, so I looked up..... it looked like a round monster was eating the sun.  Mum seemed more interested than worried.  Odd, is what I call that.   Mum tried to explain it wasn't a monster, just the moon hiding the sun, but it all went over my puppy-head and I asked if she'd brought any food as I was hungry.

We walked on and you won't believe it. but the sun got warmer and it got lighter again - pretty darned quickly.   So..I hadn't slept all day; this eclipse thingy had made it go like nearly-night for a little while, that's all.  No monster?  NO, no monster!

Later on we went to Pat's.   Bo & I had a tear around the garden then Mum & Pat declared they wanted peace for a cuppa and if we wouldn't settle, someone would have "time out".   That someone ended up being Bo - Pat kept telling him "NO BITS!" because he kept rolling me over and being rather personal, but he didn't want to stop.   So he got to go behind the baby-gate.   And me?  Well I know where to relax at Pat's....  Mum gave me a funny not-too-pleased look and I said "What?  What've I done wrong? Pat says it's ok!"  So she took my photo.

After the coffee stop we went back outdoors and started with the mayhem again, but 'twas shortlived as our humans had a plot.   Out came leads, but with them came goodybags [nom nom].  We had a training session in the garden and it was really hard to remember we're only supposed to listen to our own Mum, not each other's.  It's sooo tempting to go to Pat when she calls Bo, as I can look so appealingly and see if I can get some of his snacks as well as going to my Mum for mine!   At the end, Mum said I'd done very well as I did some great sit-stays, down-stays and walks-to-heel at the same time that Pat was working with Bo.



Mum's scandalous FaceBook status this morning:

"Mum...mum...mum!"
"What is it Oscar? It's 4.30am".
"I dunno. .. need to go out......"
"Okay."

We go downstairs. I open the door. Oscar shoots out, stops and looks intently at something then rushes in, tail beween legs.

"What on earth is it?"
"Mum... A monster.... o...o..over there"

A torch indeed reveals an intruder - in the shape of a hedgehog under the blackcurrants. We have to check the garden, front and back and then I suggest we go back to bed. He won't settle so we go back down in case he now needs a wee. Nope. Got to check the garden again. Mr hedgehog has gone.
"Oh no... It could be lurking anywhere... I can smell it's been all over!"

We go back upstairs but are still unsettled half an hour later. He's wide awake, so am I. Charlie cat is yelling that it's breakfast time. It is not!. So we go back downstairs for another check. He still doesn't want to risk a wee because the monster might get him. A Dentastick chew takes his mind off it for 10 min.

So here we are 5.30am all wide awake in front of the fire. No point in me trying going back to sleep now, as before long the excitement will mean he'll definitely need to go out and do something. Methinks the kettle is calling.

A walk in the rain and something gloriously smelly.

Mum's had two walks today!  Dad had to stay in something called a hotel last night so it was left to me to look after her.   She had to go and get some dog-food money today, so to make sure she was awake I took her for a 20 minute walk round the village at about 7.15 this morning.  Then a bit later she went off but was back for lunch.  We thought another walk could be fun but looked out of the window and it was raining.  We checked the weather forecast and thought maybe it would stop but it didn't so we both donned raincoats and went up on the Humber Bank, leaving the car at Far Ings nature reserve carpark in Barton.  The bonus of it being wet, according to Mum, is that there were very few other people & dogs about.  To me that means it was less interesting, but it was safe to leave Mum off lead much longer while I explored. I have to say I approve of the coat Mum got me at Crufts.  It's natty for £10 don't you think?  It kept me dry in all the nasty rain :).

Outside Far Ings visitor centre. Nobody but us about!

After a bit, Mum decided some training would be in order, so we practised some sit-stays and down-stays.  Mum walked away, came back, told me how good I am, went away, came back, walked round me, gave me a tasty treat and then said "OK!" to tell me to run about.  It was great fun.     Here's the photographic evidence:

 

A bit further along there's a path (muddy!) down to the water so we went to have a look.   It's real fun down there and I even had a little paddle. I can't say, hand on heart, that it was intentional though;  I was too busy looking at a bit of wood I fancied picking up and suddenly I was up to my knees in cold water.... yeuch!!     

We did actually meet a couple of other dogs and had a chat. Mum said I was good, though it was frustrating not to be able to go and play.   Mum keeps telling me that not all dogs like rough play with young pups like me - she must be wrong. It's such fun surely everyone loves it?   

On the way back she got cross with me once and I really don't get it. I had sniffed something totally delicious on the air and tracked it down.  I thought it'd improve the smell of my coat and prepared to roll in it.  Mum quite made me jump "Oscar NO! Leave it!"  She then explained saying "I'm not having eau-de-fox poo in mycar!"  I thought it best to do what she wanted and she gave me a lovely treat for going up to her and saying I was sorry as I didn't know she didn't like that smell.  Curious, but hey... I love her!

I despair of Dad

Just look at what he's done in the garden with all those pots and trellis!  He's made a barrier with them.  He's crazy, I tell you, crazy!  He says the vegetable garden needs preparing.  A few weeks ago he seemed really pleased with my help. He'd cut down old dead stuff and I helped him spread it all round the garden and chew it into nice small pieces. It was hard work and  I'm sure it helped him get it dry so he could burn it.   Now he's started digging over the bit in front of the shed and I thought he'd appreciate me helping with that too, as he must know dogs are fantastic at digging.   Apparently he thinks he can do it better alone.  He says he's going to plant seeds and it doesn't need me messing with them;  can you believe the  cheek of it? Me? Mess with things?..... as if I would!    So, the drill appears now that I have to be supervised in that bit of the garden and I'm to learn that I'm not allowed to play on the nice soft brown bit, only the green bit. Ho hum, humans are weird sometimes. It's his loss.

On the credit side, I had a great morning.   Son and Daughter-in-law humans (Mike-Jaz and Dee) came to stay on Saturday night because yesterday was "Mothers' Day".   Poor Mum though had to go out to work briefly yesterday morning - I told her not to bother, but she grunted something about paying for doggie needs.  Anyway, while she was out for a few hours, Mike-Jaz & Dee asked me to show them round my village walks and we had a lovely time :)