I am such an obedient dog

I loves my mum

I am treated to cheese scone!

Treat after this morning’s walk as we visit another favoured cafe, OMNI, and I am allowed to share my mum’s cheese scone.

My mum says I am very lucky boy to get anything because I was naughty earlier, pressing her up against the wall in excitement trying to get my lead as we prepared to go out.

THEN losing my Chuck It ball as we approached the cafe.  She had to backtrack to find it, leaving me tied up to a lamp post.  Nix, no ball.  Oops, I’d dropped it in the cafe and it had run under a table…

I have to say, however, the scone was nowhere near as good as the cheese scones she makes herself – not enough cheese by half.   My mum’s are FULL of cheese.

My mum’s cheese scones

Rub 75gr butter into 500gr SR flour; add 1/2 teasp mustard powder and 250gr grated strong cheese (eg Cheddar, Red Leicester); bind with 300ml milk.  Roll out on floured surface until one inch thick.  Brush with milk, sprinkle with more cheese then cut into shapes and bake for 15 minutes at 220c (200c fan).   Cool slightly, split and slather with butter.

Looks like she’s chopped sundried tomatoes into these ones.  You can add bacon, olives, chives, ooh, all sorts of savoury bits.  DROOL!

Happy families!

Having a sneaky cuddle with my mum on the sofa and suddenly I’m surrounded by the felines.  First Marley sidles up onto the pink silk cushion (silk, mind you, I’m never allowed to sleep on it) then a few minutes later Cleo decides to get in on the act.  Of course there’s no space left so she she plumps onto my mum’s knee.  One cat I can cope with – but one on each side is a bit too close for comfort.

Such a happy family!

Smitten!

Gorgeous young brindle whippet – Lola – in our breakfast café making eyes at me has made my day.  Utterly smitten!  She was with her family, peering provocatively from under a chair but tried to play shy when let loose.  That didn’t last long and we gave each other a friendly inspection.  I even offered her my Chuck It ball to play with which is unheard of.  I hope she’s in there again soon.  I’m in lurve!

Is she giving me the eye?

Bushed…

After my outing at the weekend, followed by a joyous swim off the beach, I am done in, completely bushed.  I was so sleepy yesterday afternoon that I hadn’t realised my mum had forgotten to give me my dinner until 7.30pm!

She decided I should take it easy today so it was a trip to the shops instead of running in the park.  She was right – I hadn’t the energy to pull on the lead like usual.  She had clothes to donate to the PDSA and the staff were so taken with me they said she could leave me in their care and go get her groceries – otherwise I’d have been tied up outside Sainsbury’s.

SIX offers they told her they’d had for me when she returned.  SIX – I am such a popular dog!

 

Resting in the summerhouse.

 

We have the car roof off

Love it when my mum takes me with her when she’s staying overnight with friends.  I get a long ride in the car and loads of fuss when we arrive.  Then I get to lie by my mum’s bed which isn’t allowed at home.

I am adored and played with till really late then again the next morning.

I love Peter and Margaret’s garden (them too) which has great places to run and fantastic new smells.

There’s a fish pond as well but I’m not allowed in that.  Although my mum eats sushi I don’t fancy raw fish at all…

Today was really sunny so mum had the car roof down when we drove back home and I was allowed in the front seat (properly anchored, of course) instead of the boot.

She did it!

She did it.  She threatened and she did it, caught me unawares when we got back from our walk this morning as I was lying in the yard, cooling off and having a zizz.

Got the trimmer on me again, that’s what!!  Had to smooth out the first attempt, she said.  I was so bushed after the walk (actually lots of running for the ball and a chat in the pet shop which supplies my food) I was unable to put up any protest.

But I was rewarded with biscuits so it was worth it.

The big trim

The new clippers arrived so my mum set to straight away.  It took quite a while for her to get used to them and she thinks she will make a better job next time.  I’m not exactly bald but a mass of fur was sliced off and lots of brown spots have appeared along my flanks to match my legs.   Don’t remember them from puppyhood!

I start off okay but get fed up quite quickly, shuffling away into a corner and having to be coaxed out.  I really don’t like my feet trimmed but she insists on snipping off the tufts between my toes and paws.  She says I look six pounds thinner.

Glad that’s over for a few months.  WHAT – she might go over me again with the shorter blade??

Left, after; bottom right, before

After

Look at what came off!

After

Before

Bespoke English Springer Spaniel clippers (10F and 4F German steel blades) from http://www.masterclip.co.uk/