Ducks dancing on ice - and the LOTH gets all a-Twitter over Donny

It's January, it's cold, what did you expect in England at this time of year? A heatwave? I don't understand all this fuss the people make. I still LOVE going out on my walks (but to be honest I'm less keen on going out in the garden between times and I'm tending to cross my legs until I REALLY have to go).

But put my dog coat on, dress yourself up like an eskimo and I'll happily walk along the frozen canal towpaths with you for as long as you want.

Yesterday morning we were a bit worried about the ducks so the Lady Of The House raided the bread bin, put on goodness knows HOW many layers of clothes, and we set out to see what was happening out on the local canal.

I'd never seen it completely frozen before and we walked quite a long way before we found a little groups of ducks and moor hens who'd were hovering in a small patch of water under some trees near the canal bank.

The LOTH started tossing some crumbs to them and a couple of the bravest (probably most desperate) ducks came hopping out of the water and scuttling across the ice towards us. The LOTH tried to tell them to slow down a bit as she worrying about them hurting themselves as they slid around. But they seemed very keen to eat so we were glad we'd gone down.

The we heard a mighty honking and the LOTH and I looked up to see a pair of swans swooping gracefully through the air just above the frozen surface of the water. We held our breath as they lowered their legs to land and then crashed right through the ice sending large frozen chunks and slices hurtling through the air!! Yes, pictures would have been nice but we had our mouths open watching them in amazement so photography wasn't an option!

We thought they might boss the ducks and bully them out of the way, or march across the rest of the ice and mug us for our remaining crumbs, but they didn't. They sat very patiently in the little pool of water they had created (possibly slightly shocked by their dramatic landing) and let us throw some bread to them while the ducks carrying on skating for their breakfast.

On this picture below, we thought the swans were making quite a nice heart shape with their elegant necks. We love how a pair of swans stay together through thick and thin (including ice). A lesson to us all as Valentine's Day approaches.

Speaking of matters of the heart - there was a HUGE rumpus from the upstairs office last night while I was catching some zzz's downstairs in the living room. I thought the swans had flown in through a window, and the Boy Of The House ran up because he thought the LOTH was crying.

It turned out she was on Twitter and had seen Donny Osmond (the object of her affections since she was 10, apparently) tweeting about the Superbowl and how he was supporting the Giants because they had knocked his 49ers out, so the LOTH replied that she was a 49ers fan too, and DONNY REPLIED TO HER.

I write this in capital letters because apparently it is a big deal judging by the fuss that followed. The LOTH was taking screenshots and 'favouriting' the Tweet and generally behaving as if she'd won the lottery or something. She says I have to show you the evidence in case any of your mums and people are excited for her too.

So there you go. If you want a slice of the exciting life the LOTH leads, she says you are welcome to follow her @EllaJP

I think I need some more sensible pet friends, to get me away from this madness, so I'm taking part in the Saturday Pet Blog Hop hosted by Life With Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume.

If you'd like to join in and make new pet blogger friends, please follow your three hosts, add your blog to the Linky and copy and paste this week's new Linky code into the html editor of your own blog. The list will automatically update on everyone's blogs as new sites add themselves over this weekend and we can all hop from blog to blog and find out everybody's news.

Thanks again to our three hosts for putting on the hop!

If you follow a new blog after finding them in the blog hop - please let them know that you found them on the Saturday Pet Blog Hop.

Canal boat dog day

I think I harbour an ambition to be a canal boat dog - like Jim and Jess and other lucky hounds I sometimes see sailing regally past as I walk the pathways.

So it was fun to go to the BIG Inland Waterways Festival which was held just a hop, a skip and a splash from my home.

As we got close to Shobnall Fields, where the festival was, there were lots and lots of boats moored along the canal through Burton-on-Trent. The Man Of The House looked off once side of the bridge - and I looked the other way so between us we didn't miss a thing.

It was a lovely hot, sunny day and inside the festival there was a fun fair, and bands playing, and lots of charity stalls and trade stands and nice food.

This boat was on the grass for people to look round. Maybe it was for people who hadn't got their sea legs yet, or those who couldn't swim.

I liked the boats that where on the water. I think I'd like a holiday on a boat one day.

These Vikings seemed to be having a rest in the arena - like I do after a walk. The Lady Of The House said they were playing dead as part of a battle re-enactment. But I think she was wrong. I think they were just snoozing in the sunshine.

Anyway, before I go can I ask a quick favour? My friend Frankie tends to jump in the water a lot when her 'dad' goes out in his canoe and her 'mum' wants to get her a dog life jacket/buoyancy aid. Although Frankie swims they'd feel safer if she had a jacket. But her 'mum's' really confused about how many different makes and types there are. If anyone has any recommendations for good websites (especially UK ones), or what to look out for they would be very grateful.

Sorry I'm not posting as often these days, but the LOTH is busy with other writing to keep me in the style to which I have rapidly grown-accustomed and she keeps hoping the computer. I am REALLY trying to visit you all as often as I can and I do post the odd quick update on my Facebook page when I can.

Thanks also to all those of you spread the word about the Nowzad Dogs fund to get Tundra out of Afghanistan to a new home in America. It worked!! Hurray!!

Simply sailing down the canal

We've had some lovely walks along the canal in recent days. I love all the tantalising smells in the hedges by the path.

I was a bit jealous when I saw these two hounds who smiled and waved (in a doggy way) as they sailed past us. That looks a great way to ride.

I suppose for now I have to stick to walking the paths...but maybe one day we'll have our own canal boat trip.

Have you ever read Narrow Dog to Carcasonne?

It's a brilliant book by a man called Terry Darlington from the Midlands who took his whippet (and his wife) on a really adventurous trip to France on a canal boat. The LOTH can thoroughly recommend it. It's a fabulously funny and entertaining read.

Today I am again joining the Saturday Pet Blog Hop hosted by Life With Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume.

If you'd like to join in and make new pet blogger friends, please follow your three hosts, add your blog to the Linky and copy and paste this week's new Linky code into the html editor of your own blog. The list will automatically update on everyone's blogs as new sites add themselves over this weekend and we can all hop from blog to blog and find out everybody's news.

Thanks again to our three hosts for putting on the hop!

If you follow a new blog after finding them in the blog hop - please let them know that you found them on the Saturday Pet Blog Hop.

Manic Monday - and the rest of the week

The Lady Of The House has been hogging the computer again so it's all I can do to get on here and try and catch up with all the things I've not told you yet......

Firstly, for those of you in the UK, PLEASE don't forget that it's the second-ever Great British Greyhound Walk coming up on Sunday (June 26). I'm sorry to exclude so many of my dog friends but it IS just for greyhounds and lurchers and the idea is to get as many people walking their hounds at the same time across the country.

It's about getting our people together to socialise and also raising the profile of greyhounds and lurchers.

I'm not happy because it looks like I can't join one of the many organised walks, which is a shame now I'm being a lot more sociable and confident with dog friends.

But the LOTH is in another play next week with Little Theatre Company and Sunday is the day they set up the scenery and have the technical dress rehearsal. And as the Man Of The House doesn't drive we can't get to one of the walks without her.

Maybe next year.....

Anyway, I've had a couple of new experiences this weekend. Whenever I go out with my family we usually keep on the move - either walking across country or maybe walking round a country show or a fair. But on Saturday we went to watch the Boy Of The House play his first official game for Rolleston against Stretton. So there's all this grass and we're just standing there. I couldn't quite understand it and after we'd stood there for a while watching the BOTH and his friends run about I "roo-woo'd" a bit to tell my folks I was confused.

After that they took it in turns to take me for a little amble round the pitch now and then and to watch the Swifts who were swooping down and around (I love watching those clever little birds). The MOTH and the GOTH tried to persuade me to sit down with them on the grass but I wasn't having it. I did like being with them all - and the BOTH's team won 6-3 so that was good.

You can see the BOTH on this picture in the red "No 5" shirt. Look at those black clouds too! It rained on
us three times but then was really hot in between times.

The LOTH and the GOTH decided I needed to have a few more experiences that involved me realising that sometimes we go out and we stay in one place for a while.

Today it was lovely and warm and sunny and so the GOTH and the LOTH took me for a nice walk down the canal and then we stopped on some seats outside a canalside pub for lunch. I was a bit confused again and "roo-woo'd" a bit again. But after a while I lay down in the shade. But I stayed alert and was quite happy when we moved off again.

By the way, I am still on my lead in these photos. It's loose behind me but the LOTH has still got it in case I spotted something chaseable. The LOTH thinks that might be what confused me. I associate my collar and lead with walking. I'm not sure what it is.

Anyway, next thing to tell you....it was Father's Day this weekend too and the MOTH was HUGELY surprised that the rest of us had organised for him to fly to Ireland for five days next month with the GOTH. Here he is reading the piece of paper that explained about this little holiday. We wrapped it round a bottle of Guinness. The MOTH's grandparents were from Ireland but he's never been there. The GOTH went to Dublin (which is where they are staying) last year so she can show him round.

Me the LOTH and the BOTH will do some nice fun stuff while they are away so don't worry about us.

Finally - because the LOTH is looming as if she's going to demand the computer again - a BIG and VERY belated thank you to K-Koira who awarded us the Versatile Blogger award AGES AGO. I LOVE reading about the adventures of the Flyball dogs but it sometimes makes me feel quite tired because they have so much stamina. Do check this blog out if you don't already visit.

More recently, What Dogs Do - another great blog by some fellow Brits (hurray!) - passed on to us an Inspiration Award. Thank you so much too. I was really really pleased and proud.

I am supposed to pass on these awards to other blogs....and I PROMISE I will but I really have run out of time today.

Just ducky

I've been enjoying some lovely walks down by the canal in recent days and I've started to make friends with the various duck families down there.

There is this family with really teeny, tiny ducklings.

Then there are these ducklings who are a bit older.

I'm a bit worried about these ducks as they seem to have forgotten where the water is...

But the very favourite duck family of me and the Lady Of The House is this little family of three. We think their mum must have adopted them because they don't look anything like each other, do they? But they are always together and seem very happy.

Wordless Wednesday - One man and his dog

Unidentified object in the sky

There was something most strange on our morning walk today. The sky was blue and there was the big bright shiny thing in the sky. It seemed slightly familiar but I'm really not sure what it was. (Ha ha!!).

The Lady Of The House is all for us having a one-hour walk in the morning every day that we can manage it. I enjoy it and then I am happy to sleep while she gets on with work.

This is the approach to the Kingfisher Trail (I'm enjoying it far more than I appear to be here)

We are lucky with the nice areas there are to walk close to our house. Yesterday we went along the canal path and there was still some well-disguised ice patches and it was funny to watch a little moorhen apparently walking on water.

I'm hoping for a trip out in the car this weekend. I keep dropping hints (like jumping up at the back of the car as we walk past it on the drive).

Hope you are having a nice day too.

A walk and a half

I am absolutely shattered after a seriously major walk this morning.

I've told you before, despite what you might think we greyhounds really don't have much stamina, although we DO love the companionship of a walk with our loved ones.

However.....my loved one this morning, a.k.a. the Lady Of The House, showed that her sense of direction has slipped somewhat since she won her Pathfinders badge in the Girl Guides (light years ago, I understand).

Stepping out in the crispy, fresh morning (after a hard evening watching The Apprentice) she got tempted to dodge down paths where we had never ventured before and had to admit in the end that she'd got a bit lost.

Admit it - we are lost

We found ourselves walking alongside the Trent and Mersey canal at one point, which we know runs through our village but then we weren't sure which way we were heading.

I think it's this way

The L O T H kept her head though and eventually we were back on familiar territory. Wake me up when it's time for dinner.