new bed... new comfort

So, STAFF finally took the plunge and splashed out on a proper bed for me. Nice thick memory foam. Folded duvet on top. Then a quilted blanket. Then yours truly. And topped with a special Milty blanket on top to keep the draughts out.

Ah, a man can snooze like this. And after a weekend of double walks, shopping and a roundtrip to visit STAFF's niece and back, I am really in need of a bit of sleep. I am just glad it is Monday tomorrow. Chance for a proper rest!

Parlour games....

November is well and truly here. The air is wet. And cold. And most likely there'll be a gale blowing, sometimes with a bit of hail as well. So, after my round in the woods, I like to while away my time with a bit of snoozing and, ideally, snacking. But STAFF are not providing any snacks or any other entertainment for that matter, and so whilst THEY are "working from home", I have to make my own fun.

So, I decided to play a few old-fashioned parlour games. First, I needed to stretch and wake and warm up those muscles.And then the games could begin. The first game was How High Can you Stack all Your Feet? Whoa, make sure that it is a stable construction and you don't fall over! I say, I reckon I win this one.

And actually, I am quite tired now. I might just go back to sleep. Until dinner. Wake me when it is time for food!

That's not enough to make me tired!

So, STAFF got one of those iphone thingies. Apparently, I spend too much time on the Mac and THEY want to occasionally get online, too. Pah, feeble excuse. THEY should own up to THEIR love of gadgetry and weak resistance to anything shiny.

Anyway, with this iphone comes a nice app which lets you check how far and fast and up and down you walked. Now, this was an eye-opener! All I got this morning was 3km through the woods. Ok, so this is what THEY walked. I had to run more. Why? Well, STAFF put on no entertainment at all, so I had to find my own stuff to do. You know, track the foxes and madly crash through the undergrowth, creep up behind rabbits and say "Booo!" and watch them scram real quick (cracks me up every time), see how many squirrels I could get up a tree with one bark, track the fowl. You know, the kind of things you gotta do because otherwise you'd be totally bored hanging out with STAFF.

Well, as you can see, none of this is enough to tire me out! Here I am lying wide awake and being consoled by Larry Lamb. I just hope tomorrow we'll do a longer round! Maybe I should carry that iphone thingy. See how far I go. I'll be real careful with it. Honest!

______________________________________

PS: I am so cold I had to re-locate!

And STAFF are talking about going camping. WHAT? Without me, you FOOLS! Where do THEY get the idea from that I might enjoy camping? In this weather?

nothing like a little bit of a schnuzzle....

After my quite tiring weekend, and with the evenings getting a little cooler, I have to try that bit harder to get cozy.

I'd say I managed nicely here....Night, night.

walking through clouds

So, you look at the weather forecast, it says "rain", what do you do? Well, any sensible person might get a paper and some nice food (!) and plan for a nice relaxing day on the sofa. The STAFF, as you know, do not fall into this wonderful category and in THEIR wisdom planned a 6 mile hike through the Goyt Valley in the Peak District. And I had no choice but to tag along.
At first, I was having fun. The sun was sort of shining and I could scamp about to my heart's content. STAFF were looking at some ruins. How dull. I was looking for food - how exciting!
I am smiling away in the sunshine. At this point no one had taken the trouble to apprise me of the length of this jaunt. I am smiling the smile of all innocent dogs anywhere who can't read maps...
And you see so many great things out in the country. Like walking snacks! Yum! I was going for a sort of Wild West impression.... This path is too small for all of us. Leave now and I shall hunt you. Stay there and I shall hunt you! A clear win-win situation, apart from the fact that STAFF had clipped me into a harness which makes running at speed quite difficult. THEY always do that when there are nice big wooly snacks around. It is most frustrating!

Still, I enjoyed scampering through the long grass. Long grass has the advantage that it hides from view all exciting things, but not from the nostrils. In other words, I can find things that STAFF don't even dream about. And what THEY don't know about, THEY cannot stop you from snacking on.

As you can see, I am rather pleased with my efforts. I had me a good number of interesting things. Trouble with scampering through long grass is that you get grass seeds in your ears. Those are particularly tricky to remove when you lack a small finger and the kind of elbows that allow you to put the little finger in your ear and wiggle. That, and the ability to open cupboards and food containers, has to be the only advantage of bi-ped anatomy.Teehee! STAFF were trying to take a picture - pretty annoying. And there is always that point where THEY are not entirely sure where you are and the lens is going all over the place. So, I kept low, snuck up and at the right moment BOO! Haha. STAFF nearly dropped that camera. I was chuckling to myself for ages after that.

And I seized the opportunity to clamber up some hills to show STAFF who is King of these hills! It was also so windy. STAFF, who don't have 4PawDrive, nearly got blown off the path a couple of times. It was very funny. THEY looked like THEY walked when THEY have partaken in the imbibing of a whole half pint of weak ale.
With hindsight I should have been more worried about the pretty clouds building up in the background. And then with the wind and whatnot and all, suddenly the clouds were not above us, or behind us or anything but all around us and we were walking through the driving rain inside a cloud. I hate getting wet. Unless I am swimming. There's no pictures of the torrential downpour, because we don't have an underwater camera.But here you can see the path we've just come up and the white stuff lying on it, which is a rain cloud. Eeeugh!

I was trying to encourage STAFF to hurry. I could see the clouds were closing in on us again! Thankfully, I had packed my Kagool, otherwise I should have been drenched. Now, correct me if I am wrong, but I am sure when I was a puppy the summers were warmer and longer, well, you know, more than just one day.

Back in the car, I crashed down on my blanket immediately. As you can see my accommodation is very basic. The STAFF totally make me rough it. After 6 miles up and down hills and through torrential rain and all I slept quite nicely on the way back.

And you know, I actually enjoyed myself. I wonder where we are going next weekend? I'd say adventures are totally back on the menu!

Speeding without speedos

You never know where a car journey might take you. Well, unless it is to the v.e.t.s. You can tell those trips from the stress hormones the STAFF exude. 

On a hot day, like today, the STAFF have the car windows open, and my fan going and I can tell pretty soon what route we're taking. So, I knew we were off to go swimming. Ah, well, it is good for my arthritis. And I was feeling a little stiff after hunting squirrels today, so I decided to be cooperative. And why not? Not that big a deal, if you don't act like that all the time. 

But before we hopped (read: were thrown in) the pool, I had a chance to soak up some rays and hope for the local goats to make an appearance. Nothing like a staring competition with a goat. Even though I have to admit that I often blink first, dangit!

And into the waves. I think I look totally fierce here. Like jaws! Only sleeker and meaner! If you manage to look past the 80s headband and orange life jacket, that is. Come on, try harder! See it now?

And then out of the pool, a quick hippie-hippie-shake and bang down the door to the tuck shop.

And after all these exertions can you really blame me for kicking back and relaxing under my favourite cat blanket?

A very exhausting day indeed. But tomorrow I shall be all supple again and no little aches and pains for me. All in all, I'd have to say it's worth it.

hydrotherapy spa treatment...aaaah...jacuzzi

As you know I have been spraining my paws a lot. No wonder, what with the STAFF forcing me to run through the woods every morning. Well, force is maybe too harsh a term. I admit that I do enjoy the woods, unless, that is, I sprain my paw.  Anyway, I  digress. 

So, the STAFF have decided to do something sensible and have started taking me to get hydrotherapy. We go to this really swish place - it has really nice staff and is very hygienic: the facilities are for clean canines only. No smelly bipeds. 

Aaaah, I do enjoy me a trip to the spa. I am not sure why I need the orange jacket. I am a fantastic swimmer! I could keep going for hours, nay days, weeks. But rules are rules and I put it on. 

And before I could even say 'What ho, my man!', I had been lifted into the pool. And off we went! Paddle, paddle, spread the toes, kick the legs, splash, splash, splash, splash. Wow, I did not realise that this would be such hard work. After what felt like hours, they tried to tell me I had been swimming for 5 minutes. What? Well, 5 minutes in Weimaraner time is probably like 5 hours STAFF time. 

 

Anyway, think 5 minutes of swimming doesn't sound like much? Well, go on, try it! Be my guest (find your own pool though!). But no breaks, mind. No pauses. No hanging on to the side. No, no, no! And no widdling in the pool! A, because it's gross and B, it costs £20 extra.

I enjoyed having a rest. Especially with my new friend Steve who knows how to put you at ease and all. 

And then more swimming. Another full five minutes! I have to admit to a little bit of puff-cheekedness on that second round. E.x.h.a.u.s.t.i.n.g.!

And after all that exertion, my fair and just reward! The hot jacuzzi! 

Sure, getting in and out on the harness-hoist is not great.

But so totally worth it when you get in! Ah, hot water. Massaging you. Soothing your tired limbs. I could stay in here for hours. In fact, I have put a hot tub on my, as ever modest and reasonable, wish list. I hope the STAFF are not too tight-fisted! And I sincerely hope that THEY don't think I would let THEM share my hot tub!

After the hot tub I feel so relaxed that even the b.a.t.h. is not all that bad. 

Nor that big hot air dryer thing. Makes me go all fluffy and such.

And then off to the tuck shop for a well-earned snack! Yummy!

And after all that, I can just about manage to climb on the sofa, find a comfy, sunny spot and 3, 2, 1, zzzzzzz.....zzzzzz.....zzzzzz

My whole body feels all relaxed and supple and nimble and strong. I love it! I'm going again next week. This time I'll take my own cash, and when the STAFF aren't looking, I'll get one (or two) of everything from the tuck shop. 

I think I'll even go back when my paws are fine again. It is just soooo much fun!

swimming is tiring and makes hungry!

I went for my first trip to the  hydrotherapy pool today - for my iffy paws. Wow it was tiring.As you can imagine, these paws can shift quite a bit of water! And shift water they did!
But it was all rather tiring. The hoist, the swimming, the jacuzzi (!), the shower and the blow-drying. All a bit scary, you know. My bath assistants were super nice though. So that was good. 

But it was  a lot of work and I am still waiting for my dinner. 

I am not sure yet what to make of it all. Right now, I am going to have a snooze. 

I'm going again next week - maybe I'll take some pictures then. 

keep on running -- up and down the hills -- yeah!

I told you I would not be kept from the best woods for long! Last week the STAFF got themselves some running shoes (from my cash!), and a new lead for me which allows me 5 glorious meters of freedom, and now, morning and evening we run. Mornings in the best woods and evenings around our home territory. I say run, but really it is just the STAFF huffing and puffing and me at a slow trot. As you can see, I don't get tired at all! Certainly I would not be falling asleep sitting upright on the sofa. No, not this Weimy.

Where was I? Oh, yes, so, to get my paw good and strong and stop it from getting sprained again, the v.e.t. - cat from hell she is - suggested taking me on two super dull walks around the block a day. No more than 5 minutes, she hissed, for the next 109 years! Always on the lead! Well, I can tell you that gave me a lot of spare energy which I got rid off by charging up and down and up and down the stairs, skating on the wooden floors, charge-jumping the sofa... etc... you name it, I did it. It didn't take that long for the STAFF to get the message and that's when THEY got themselves running shoes and off we went. On the lead, but still. Not too shabby this new rehab programme for my paw. Not too shabby at all!

Sometimes the STAFF are good to me. And bless THEM, THEY look tired all the time now - from just a little bit of running, I ask you! - and sometimes just fall asleep on the sofa. I suppose THEY are just not as fit as I am...

PS: On reflection, having spent most of the day sunbathing, and, er, snoozing in a dozing fashion for, er, a short while, I might have to admit that I am perhaps a leeeetle bit tired myself. And I don't mind resting my paws for a few more hours.

After all, wherever I lay my head, that's my home ¹. 

¹ Conditional upon basic needs² having been met.

² Basics needs include, but are not limited to: a run in the woods, cuddles, food, something soft to lie on, a warm spot by direct heat source (sun or radiator), STAFF available upon request.

Pssst....The STAFF have gone crazy.

So, remember how I said that I kinda like going to Bestwood. I should have been more cautious about who I said it to... The STAFF, not known for their sense (common or otherwise) never ever do anything in moderation. So, they have taken me on a forced march around Bestwood everyday last week. I mean, Come On! It's miles! And it is so exciting that I cannot just walk calmly next to them. I have to charge. I wonder whether they are doing it to escape the OAPs bacon gifts on our ususal round? Hmmm, that would be cruel. On the upside, I get more food. On the downside, I burn it all off. Anyway, I am completely knackered!
Thankfully this weekend the weather's been awful again. On the plus side it meant a shorter trip on Saturday and no hanging around whilst they prance about with the camera. On the downside, this was because it was raining so much it was like having a shower (they did remember my new and rather fetching coat, so I was mainly dry; I'll show you a picture sometime soon).
I have attached a picture of me jumping for joy when I realised that today we were just going on a reasonable stroll by the river. Phew, with that and a bit of sleep I can face the hardships of next week. I still hope that it is just a phase the STAFF are going through and that we will return to a more sedate, bacon eating life style. But seeing the determined glint in their eyes makes me worry a lot...

PS: As I was saying I am sooooo tired I can't even stay awake long enough to tell you... tell you... something...zzz....zzz....zzz

That's why I'm easy...

Weekend's been great! Two trips to Bestwood (the name says it all), lots of grub and plenty of time spent with the STAFF.

Life, I can tell you, is good!

I wonder why they say "tired like a dog"?

Pfuff! Weekends are sure very tiring! After our long hike yesterday, the STAFF and I went to see some friends today. I investigated and marked the big garden, went on another long walk, including some quite daring "nearly-swimming-here-guys!"-episodes in a duck pond, had pub lunch and then played some more in the garden.

Thankfully, it is the week soon and the STAFF and I will be able to relax and wind-down after the weekend. Well, I will anyway.

Tomorrow is my birthday. I wonder whether they got me the flock of lambs, chicken farm and junk food hamper I asked for? Oooh, I can't wait to find out...