The Dog's Blog

Just one lick - Please!

Sunday was another beautiful day at our peak district cottages.  As the snowdrops are now out mistress wanted to go down to Hopton Hall to do our yearly pilgrimage to see their snowdrops. The bad news with this excursion is that they don’t like Dogs. Why I have no idea. Its a garden why shouldn’t dogs be allowed in a garden. They allow children in surely they can make more of a mess than us. Especially well behaved dogs like us (well me, I am not sure about idiot brother)! Anyway we were dragged off to Hopton Hall in the CAR which was bad enough then we were left in the CAR for hours and hours while mistress dragged master round the gardens. The good news is that when they got back it was decided we would go a walk from a visitors car park on Carsington Water round to the Visitors Centre. We have never done this walk before so we were looking forward to it until we realized we would have to be on our leads the entire time.

Hopton Hall

Why? It was a footpath like lots of others but  It was also a bit busy which didn’t make master any happier. Anyhow it was a nice day and mistress seemed to enjoy the views across the reservoir.  When we go to the Visitors Centre mistress decided it was sunny enough for an ice-cream. We  haven’t had an ice-cream for years so though it might be our lucky day but oh no it was just an ice-cream for mistress. So we had to sit in the sun watching her slowly devour her massive cone. I am sure there would have been sufficient to share a bit with us. The walk back was a bit quieter and as there was less ‘stopping to admire the view’ we were back in no time.

Carsington Water

Its all a bit strange around here at the moment. Idiot brother disappears everyday with master, leaving me in charge of security. Where they go is beyond me and no one ever tells me anything. All I know is that they go off in the morning in the car and don’t get back till late afternoon. Leaving me in peace and tranquility for the entire day. It is rather quiet without idiot brother around.

Just inspecting someones handy work

Well Smudge is still moping around grumbling about his stomach. Since his favourite guests left our peak district cottages last week he just hasn’t been the normal placid (meaning lazy) dog he usually is. He will get over it. I am sure he will manage to con some other poor unsuspecting guest into giving him some food. We get fed enough anyhow so I don’t know what his problem is. Its not as though he is a ‘dynamic dog’. Sleeping most of the day can’t use up a lot of energy.

Anyway at long last we have been taken on a decent walk. As it was such a glorious day (although a bit cold) on Sunday it was decided that we would go for a walk. There was the usual discussion about where to go (which we are never allowed any say in) but in the end it was decided we would go for a walk around Chatsworth.

Me and mistress on Chatsworth Bridge

We have done this walk a few times but this time we  were going to go a slightly different route  via some of the more distant lakes that supply water to the fountains at Chatsworth and past the Swiss Cottage which mistress was keen to see. We started off from Carlton Lees car park  and walked over the bridge (the picture shows me on the bridge) towards Beeley and then up the hill to the Moor and into the forest. We were let of our leads early on so we could explore. We did get into a bit of trouble at one point when we enthusiastically greeted a gaggle  of  Grayhounds out for a walk on their leads.   Once we came out of the forest up by the Hunting Tower master realized that we had made a mistake walking round Chatsworth on a nice day. It was packed. So instead of having our lunch (well their lunch) sitting by the tower looking over Chatsworth we had to walk down through the crowds with our leads on before we got back into open fields and a bit of peace. In the end we/they sat eating the lunch with the magnificent view of Chatsworth in front of us. Mistress was wittering on about how the main house was looking very clean after all the work that has been done to it. It just looked like a big house to me! We got a few tit bits but nothing very exciting.   Once back at the car it was decided that mistress needed her Garden Centre fix. So poor master was dragged around the Chatsworth Garden Centre for half an hour or so. Luckily we  were left in the car. On the way back to our cottages we called in to see how the lambing had gone on at our neighbours but we weren’t allowed to see them so had to stay in the car again.  Lucky really as I am not keen on sheep. They are a bit too fearsome for my liking and tend to bully us.

Chatsworth House

OK where is my bit?

Its back to starvation again. Mozart’s owners left our peak district cottages yesterday evening. I hadn’t realized so I went and sat outside their cottage this morning, for my usual morning treat, but nothing. They had gone. Now what am I going to do? It may be just as well.  A couple of days a ago we went to the vets for our yearly physical and the scales seemed to be a bit inaccurate. They suggested I was 2kg over weight. How can I be over weight? I get starvation rations most of the time.

Anyhow bye bye Mozart. See you again soon  and please thank your mistress for saving me from starvation once again. Can I last until the next visit this is the question??? Maybe someone else will take pity on me in the meantime.

A Duvet Day!!!!

No one sent us a valentines card. Well no one sent me one anyhow and I can’t imagine anyone being stupid enough to send idiot brother one. There are lots of dogs here at our peak district cottages  but not one card. No extra food, nothing. Master has been his normal romantic self and took mistress out for the day (without us). Well when I say out, he took her to the cash and carry over in Sheffield. But at least she got her Dunelm fix on the way home. I had a nice relaxing  duvet day (long overdue) but of course idiot brother did his normal ‘security’ dog thing and kept waking me up with his barking. Why can’t he just chill out? Mind you he was a bit annoyed that master hadn’t taken him with him. He has this notion that whenever master goes out he should go with him. He is a dog.  He is supposed to do as he is told.  We did get a nice big chew when they got back so even idiot brother agreed it wasn’t that bad.

Something to chew on.

It has been a week of good news though. On Saturday master’s friend that spoils us a lot suddenly turned up again. We were so glad to see her, we sort of forgot our manners and nearly knocked her over. As usual she came ‘bearing gifts’. Well treats for us. We had a couple of pleasant hours with her before she had to go again. Why can’t everyone feed us as much as she does. It isn’t asking a lot, is it?

The other good news is that one of  our (or my) favourite guest is here. Now master is saying I am getting spoiled but I disagree. I am just getting the attention and treats that any well behaved dog should get. Not the draconian regime we normally live under. Smudge  do this, Smudge do that, no you can’t have any more etc etc. Just a bit of loving kindness and a lot MORE FOOD. That’s all I ask. Idiot brother of course is quite happy as he is. Put him in the car and he thinks he has gone to heaven. Idiot.

I wonder if he has any food?

Anyhow all that snow has gone at long last. It was a bit cold which I don’t much like. At least we didn’t have to get our paws washed every time we came in. Unfortunately now the snow has melted we are back to the washed paws game again.  I am trying to learn how to stand on one leg (to avoid the water) but it isn’t easy.

The White Stuff -

Its been snowing again at our peak district cottages and mistress is not very happy. Master is fine in the snow other than grumbling about having to clear it and grumbling at me for trying to help. But mistress just hates it. She walks around as if she is about to fall over all the time. I suppose it is a bit more difficult to walk properly on two legs. Far more sensible to have four like us. Anyhow after I helped master to clear the snow from the cottage entrances and from the bottom of the drive we all went off to collect the papers (even Smudge). As it was such a nice sunny day and town looked quite picturesque it was decided we would all go for a walk round town. This could be fun I thought. But oh no we had to be on our leads. Why? There were hardly any cars about and all of those were going slowly. So off we went at a very very slow pace to let mistress keep up. Luckily I got master so it wasn’t too bad.  Town was very pretty with all the snow. After we got back to the car, master offered to buy mistress a coffee at Chatsworth so we could see Chatsworth in the snow.

Bakewell in the Snow

Lots of people were out sledging on the slopes surrounding Chatsworth and we sat and watched them for a time whilst they went off to photo the little village of Edensor. Then we (or they) popped into the Chatsworth Farm Shop restaurant for coffee. As usual mistress ended up paying for the coffee but its the thought that counts. After Chatsworth we had a drive around a few of the little villages and lanes.  Thank goodness we were in the 4×4 or we would have got stuck a number of times and I for one am not pushing (or pulling) master’s car out of a ditch.  In the end after a long drive round we got back home and we were aloud to relax in front of  a nice warm fire (much to smudge’s relief).

Bakewell Church in the Snow

Just checking

Master has been at it again at our peak district cottages. Apparently master had the national park forestry man up to inspect some trees during the summer and it was felt that a few of the trees could do with a prune. So the other day the tree man came. Well! I am not sure what master expected but we certainly didn’t expect entire trees to disappear. It has let a lot more light into the courtyard but even still? Anyway from my point of view it was a great day as we were kept inside all day. None of this ‘off you go’ thing. So we could stay inside, in the warmth all day. Mistress, very kindly, even put the fire on for me. Idiot brother of course was incensed.

More exploring

All that activity and he couldn’t see what was going on. Master kept going in and out, there was lots of noise and sawing etc and he just had to sit there. Pity really.  I would have let him out. With any luck he might have got hit on the head with a bit of tree – knock some sense into him.    Instead I had to put up with his winging and whining all day. Anyhow they must have done what master expected them to do as he isn’t cross or anything. I assume at some point in time we will all have to help in getting the wood into the woodshed. I also assume that idiot brother will be a pain and get in the way. The pictures show me checking the aftermath of the destruction wreaked in our garden.

I wonder what's in here?