Off to the beach………

Every one is promising today is the day we are off to the beach.  “its surely too cold for anyone to have a picnic today – so we can take Bart to the beach ” mum said – not sure what she means but I would love to have a picnic or two.  We are going to Saunton Sands, which is huge, with many other dogs to play with.  Last time we were there I was trying to be on my best behaviour, trying really hard, but a ball was thrown, I ran like the wind to get it and unfortunately up ended one of the children in my pack.  When I swing round really fast my ears get in my eyes and I cant see – perhaps I’ll wear my bandana to the beach – I look rather fine then 

A Returning Friend…………….

Its a beautiful day in Goodleigh, and today my old friend George is returning to the Byre – our holiday cottage.  He came to play last year, a big brown dog who is very well behaved.  I went down for a quick visit last time he was here and he really was not that interested in coming for a quick walk – so off I set.  I took a left out of the drive, quick drink from the spring then off to find apples.  I am quite lucky that just a little walk away is a rather lovely apple tree and at that time of year a number of them had fallen to the ground.  In hindsight I did rather eat too many, and by the time dad had found me I was feeling ill.  I had a very quiet afternoon with a grumbling tummy – bet George was glad he stayed at home.  I would love to be able to say I never touched a rotten apple again, but……………………….

I Love Rugby

Watching the World Cup al night makes me very tired

It’s Christmas!

This is my favourite time of year, Christmas trees to attack and decorations everywhere, plus sweets!

Had great fun yesterday, me and Dad put a tree in The Byre for the family coming for Christmas. Apparently if you just put the tree up and leave the decorations for the family to do they really enjoy it, seems a bit lazy to me but it adds to the Christmas experience. Why do work when someone else can do it for you, strange!

Anyway the place looks great, all warm and cozy Dad even left a bone for their dog, more than I ever get!

Still I’m still searching for the chocolates in the card with windows, my brothers and sister have really hidden them well this year but I’ll find them.

Have a great Christmas

I’m for ever blowing bubbles!

As you already know I have a good appetite and will eat most things, wrapped or unwrapped. Well last night I obviously felt that I needed an internal clean up because whilst everyone was otherwise engaged I went on a search for those Christmas chocolates that my brothers and sisters get every year. Thing is I know that they eat one chocolate every day, so I need to find them quickly.

Any last night as I went up stairs I heard my brother Sam in the bathroom so thought maybe he was having a sneaky feast but he was taking a bath and I think I frightened him a bit when I barged in.

But I was very quickly diverted by what I thought was a large bar of white chocolate in the shower, so knowing I need to move fast in these circumstances I gobbled the bar down in one!

Well, I realised pretty quickly that it wasn’t a bar of white chocolate but a bar of soap!

Still, at least I was smelling sweetly for the night!

The Holidays are coming!

Whilst watching telly with the family the other night I heard this song “The holidays are coming” and it had this big red lorry on the screen, for some reason it reminded me that every year when I hear that song my family have a great time decorating the house and usually filling the house with loads of chocolate for me to eat.

The best fun is the game of hide and seek they play with these boards with lots of square holes filled with chocolate. Each of my brothers and sister have one and they usually hide them in their room. Well the first year I found them they were in the kitchen but I think after I found and ate all them they probably thought it was too easy. So now, when they leave a door open, I run up stairs and hunt for the Chistmas boards filled with squares of chocolate, to be honest they are usually just on top of a cabinet but sometimes they try to hide them.

So, now that I’ve heard the Christmas tune I guess the chocolates will be coming soon!

A walk in the river!

Went for a walk with my friends this morning Jenna and another Lab called Molly and her Mum Winnie. It’s one of my favourite spots, Brayford Woods which is great fun because it has a river which we paly in.

It was was great fun today because Winnie decided to join us, at least I think she wanted to, well she was struggling to get down the bank into the water so I thought I should give her a hand, she did look funny all wet and waving her arms about shouting and screaming, seemed like she was having a great time. My Mum, Cally seemed to think it was fun as well as she was laughing so much she actually started to cry, weired!

 

Family Introductions

At last, finally got the camera back off eldest sibling, Olivia! So now I can show you my family and of course me!
I’m the gorgeous black Labrador and Jenna is the scruffy looking black and white “Basil Brush” look-a-like!
Had a great laug yesterday as the people in The Byre were good enough to take me on a walk up the lane at the back of the cottage.
Not sure if they meant for me to tag along but had a great time anyway, paticularly with the young “Ridgeback” who’d never seen sheep before! Luckily I was able to make him understand that they weren’t fluffy Impalla and not for chasing!

The Birthday Party

It was a roasting hot July day and Cross Farm was very quiet as most of the family were away and we were being looked after by Dad. When he is on his own he tends to let us take care of ourselves so me and Jenna went for a wonder whilst he slept in the garden.

As always, the holiday cottage was busy and there was a family staying and by the sound of it there was a pary going on! Well a party means one thing, FOOD!

So I thought we’d go and play with the children and generally make ourselves adorable, whilst Jenna did her ” Oh so cute” thing I was able to check out the party food, inside The Byre the table was all laid for a feast and there pride of place was the birthday cake, oh thank you God.

Nobody knew I was in there so I thought I’d help myself, I was just about to reach up and grab a big old bite of that cake when a loud shreak went up and there in the corner was Granny, I was so pre-occupied with the food that I’d missed her! At the sound of her cry all hell broke loose Jenna came running in to see what I’d got and the large man grabbed me just in time.

All was not lost as Jenna managed to run off with a box of chocolates!

As, they couldn’t shift me very easily I also got fed large helpings of sausages so all was not lost!

Happy Birthday!

 

Barties first ramblings

Hi my name is Barty and I’m a black Lab, I live at Cross Farm and we have a holiday cottage called The Byre. This blog descibes what happened when they started to build it, enjoy….

“Over the past few months I noticed that the rabbits and ducks have gone from the old barn and now men with machines have started digging up the garden and knocking down the old place. Wander what’s going on?!

Six months later.

Now I get it, they’re building a house out of what’s left of the barn, I wander whose going to live there, looks very nice, perhaps it’s for me and Jenna (a colley, spaniel cross who we adopted from the Dogs Trust to keep me company). Must say looks rather smart if it’s just for us!

Today a massive digger dug out the old pond where I used to chase the ducks, you wouldn’t believe how many frogs came out of there and the size of them, I reckon they eat ducks!

Me and Jenna are having a great time sneaking down to the new building site where the men leave their lunch and helping ourselves, they try to catch us but they’re way too slow!

I must say the old barn looks fantastic now that it’s all done up and they have managed to keep the old round pillars, which helps us remember the old place.

Inside they have made it into three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, dining room and a lounge! How did they manage that out of our old barn and it looks great.

Still don’t get whose going to live there perhaps Dads using it to get away from all us kids (apart from me and Jenna, there are three children Olivia, Sam and Alex plus four cats, Monty (the boss) his brother Louise and two girls, Angus (I know bit weird ) and Martha. We all get on really well, although Jenna still thinks it’s funny to chase the girls, she wouldn’t do it Monty. The first night Jenna came home from the Dogs Trust, she tried to play with Monty, who thought he’d better make sure Jenna knew who was boss, Monty lashed out and sliced right through Jenna’s eye lid, she was ok but soon learnt who was boss!

Six months later

Well the new barn is finally finished and looks great. Now I know what it’s for – other people turned up with suit cases and moved in but only for a week. Mum and Dad obviously don’t know them but they seemed quite nice and they brought a dog with them, a gorgeous blond retriever, what a babe!

Soon as we heard them arrive Jenna and I bolted down to greet them, they were a bit shocked at first but I quickly smelt the chocolate in the car and dived in to help myself whilst Jenna distracted the adults with “Oh aren’t I cute” act.

Frightened the hell out the cute blonde but she soon took to my charm and was rolling around the floor within minutes!

Dad came down and grabbed me and was apologising for my unruly behaviour whilst I got to know the blond retriever a bit better.

Just to make them feel at home I did my “tail between my legs round and round” dance the bitches love it!

Anyway they made their way inside and stayed for the week and seem to have time. I popped down a few times to check out their barbeque and what was left in the bins, well a dogs got to do what a dogs got to do…..!”