KEYS AND CUDDLES.

Mabel : The weather has been quite pleasant and we've had to be walked early and late because neither of us like too much sun. We are Scottish dogs and aren't bred for hot weather! Morris does like a wee bit sunbathing outside if there is a breeze but is strangely, is also quite happy to burn his testicles sunbathing at the window.

I prefer to have a cooler position, say on the golf course.

We've also been getting on much better with each other. Can even have a cuddle. The muzzles have helped. Also, Pam and Ewen now trust us a wee bit more so we get more space to chill in when they have to leave us. Mind you Morris doesn't help by eating the spar of the chair AGAIN and he's got a thing about fence post toppers. Boy really has eating issues.

Morris : I have no idea what she means. I just like to keep my mouth busy as it stops me nipping her. Had an interestng encounter with Ewen's camera thingy. He took a really nice picture of me and then I thought I'd move in closer for a better look. Quite impressed with myself. Handsome young chap!!!

We both had to help Ewen this morning. He lost Pam's car keys. She was surprisingly, unfazed and joined up to search. Of course she found them. We are both very pleased because Pam's car is our mobile kennel and we get to stick our heads out the windows.

MUZZLED!!

Mabel : We have a great time recently just running about. We've been at the beach a lot and that's brilliant. I can run a lot faster than Morris and he gets really, REALLY annoyed. He was very fed up when I had to show him how to run up a sand hill.

Anyway, Pam and Ewen bought him a muzzle, because when I was running he would try and take me down. Not very nice and he did pinch me once, but it is what we do.

Morris : They bought her a muzzle too because she can get a bit rough as well. As to climbing sand hills..... I can do that too.

I was very tired and apparently left my mark on the hall carpet. I was very relaxed in that position for some time!!!

We are also getting very good at going out golfing with Ewen and knowing what to do.

MIRREN

It is a year today since we lost Mirren. She, like all the others, is still in our hearts and much missed. Here she is is, our easter Bunny, dreamimg about bunnies!!

SUMMER ????

Mabel : Pam went away and left us for a whole week. I really missed her but it meant I got her side of the bed to myself. I was very pleased to see her come home though and we gave her lots of cuddles. Ewen took us for amazing beach walks and picnics so it wasn't a major disaster. In fact, in all honesty, getting the bed to myself????

Morris : I missed Pam but as long as Ewen was here I didn't really mind. We totally did have great runs. Pam was somewhere hot. It wasn't hot here. It rained and was very cold and I often heard Ewen complain that Summer seems to have passed us for the time being. Maybe we'll get better weather soon. I hope so because they bought us a paddling pool. It says it's large but it would never take Mabel and I. I like blowing bubbles in it!!

YORKSHIRE HOLIDAYS

Mabel : After the trauma of the previous Friday, we all went on our holidays to Yorkshire. We stayed in a lovely wee coattage in High Bentham. We went touring and walking in all directions. It was great. We were patted and told how beautiful we were, EVERYWHERE we went. It was like being on a celebrity tour. We slept really well and loved being there. We got to run around like racing dogs, to climb limestone walls and to visit rivers and caves. Very educational.

Morris : She is right. We were patted everywhere we went. Weirdly, most people thought we were Irish Wolfhounds!!! I didn't think we were THAT big. Like Mabel says, we did get a lot of exercise. I did sleep a lot when we got back to the cottage. Lovely dreams of rabbit ears. We even went shopping and carried our own pigs ears home. There was also a brillaint window where we could lean out and say hello to passing dogs. Felt really impressive.

VISIT TO THE VET!

Mabel: It has been a very dramatic week. I injured myself on Friday. Up till then the week was going fairly quietly. Okay weather, walks, sleeps, eats, the usual. Out for a walk on Friday , in the woods near home and I never felt a thing. Apparently, I was just pouring blood out of my back leg.. Ewen was upset and Pam was concerned. She even took the tie out of her trackie bottoms to tie round my leg to stop the bleeding. Pam said that Orry, our friends dog, tore his dew claw and that it bled very badly. She thought that was what happened but no. No-one knows. I was running very fast through the woods and must have run into some glass or metal. I had a deep, clean cut on my back led and had obviously cut a vein. There was soooo much blood they thought it was an artery. Anyway, Ewen rushed me to vet and before I knew it I was whisked away. Don't remember much till much later when I told the vets I wanted to go home. I felt very odd all of that night and tired the next day. On Sunday we went to Ednam house in Kelso and lay out on the grass and chilled. I was better when we got home because I whipped Morris's ass again.

Morris : For once she wasn't a drama queen. She carried on as if she wasn't creating pools of blood every where she went, and despite Pam's tourniquet, managed to cover the inside of the car in blood. It was peaceful, while she was away but I missed her. I wanted to get back to the vet to make sure she was alright. She was totally stoned when she got home. Next day, we all enjoyed a rest and then, on Sunday, we all went to Kelso and us dogs, lay out on the lawn. Really lovely. Just lay in the grass, nibbled some, and took in the lovely day. I stayed close to Ewen. Pam pointed out there could have been two of us at the vet on Friday. I have a long scratch on my back led. This one is jaggy and uneven. It didn't really break the skin. I must have ran onto a branch or something. The woods are now banned for walks. We now know I am 39Kgs and Mabel is 32.5Kgs so we are really growing up now.

Mabel : Met some friendly cattle this week. They seem to like me very much and follow me, along the fence, as I walk by. It's good to know I've been noticed. They smell very well, a bit like the hoof things Pam gives us. Pam also bought me a duck this week. I like the real ones, who fly away when I chase them out the water. This isn't a real one but it makes a satisfying quacking sound when I pick it up. Morris is a bit rougher and tries to pull the quacker thing out the duck's bottom??? I've been avoiding him by hiding in Pam and Ewen's bed but Pam says that has to stop since I acquired a tick on my ear. Got tick stuff - ed again.

Morris : The cattle are pretty big animals and Ewen says they will get much bigger. Mabel, of course gets it all wrong. Those guys would trample her if they could. The duck thing is interesting but I'm not called "The Shredder" for nothing. I seem to manage to choose things Pam would prefer me not to shred, like curtains and chair arms!!!! When sleeping, and not sunbathing, I prefer enhancing my physique and doing some yoga stretches. This week I went for a stretch with a twist. Good for the core muscles!!!!

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