Water, water, everywhere

Hello, it's me Rosie again. I just thought I'd show you the state of my favourite playing areas!  I think the field has shrunk, normally the water is way behind that row of trees in the distance and it's not the only place that looks different

In October, my usual path by the canal looked like this:

It normally connected up at this point with my other stomping ground but yesterday...

 ...it looked like this! In fact this morning, Pack Leader didn't even let me get close as she heard the water rolling and charging over the weir and could see it whooshing past in the distance. She muttered something about flood warning and we headed back.






I could have stayed much longer...










It was ok, because someone had laid on an extra little lake, just for me in the meadow. Thank you!









Abbey fish ponds have also been filling up with water...but I still haven't seen any fish.











It was even better this morning. Pack Leader was happy to have wellies on her feet but they were only just tall enough in places.


























Yes! My favourite lake at Radley is even bigger!










This is what it normally looks like











And this was last month.










This is what it looks like now!

We all had to take the high path but I could still play around with Chip.









And I managed to find a perfume that smelt so good so I just had to roll in it to take it home with me. Just call me Foxy...








Pack Leader was fascinated by these birds in the trees. They were making such a racket! Personally, I  prefer pigeons, they are much easier to chase. At least Pack Leader took me home afterwards so I could jump around on the sofa while she had hot stuff she calls coffee. I don't know, I'm never going to understand those creatures, they have such strange habits!

Rosie xxx

A blog about important things

In the last few weeks, my Pack Leader has been a bit useless, she's been walking funny and complaining about her foot - very boring. Anyway, I decided to write the blog about ME instead, this time. I know that you all like pictures of me. So here I am running as the morning mist began to lift. It was a bit cold but I was kept busy by my favourite pastime of catching a ball. I prefer tennis balls but any will do, it is great fun letting you slow two footed creatures pick them up for me when I hide them in the grass.

That was one of my favourite walks, but not as good as the clandestine walk I had a couple of days ago. It was pongtastic, I had three packets of crisps to lick: cheese and onion; ready salted and Sensations. Yummy! Nearly as good as steak flavour. Now if you want to be my friend for life, let me have those beefy potato slices. mmmm. It was topped off by half a sandwich, a melt in the mouth taste but my pack leader only let me have one bite - it must have been because it was white bread, not wholesome brown. I must tell my friend Chip that I too like bakery goods now.

When I got home I decided that I wasn't going to let the teddy bear in my bed stare at me any more! Grr! take that! 

Okay, I'm going to have to sign off now, I've got an appointment barking at Animal planet followed by a snooze.

Rosie xxx

music lessons

If you wanted to know why Rosie comes with me in the car during music lessons, take a look at this...

Rosie and Chip

Autumn has been very wet this year. Look at Rosie's and my favourite route. Honest, there is a path under all that water! It may be some time before we can visit the field near the river again














Meanwhile, Rosie's chewing phase continues...She says, 'Shoelace, what shoelace?'

She is definitely an Autumnal dog: here she is challenging you to her favourite game of 'Spot the dog'.

This last one shows how wet even our normal routes have become. Rosie loves it though, since Mudeford she has decided that she is a water dog.

In the glowing November light, Rosie and Chip went for a quick plunge in their favourite lake.

After a good game of chase, they settled down to a game with sticks.

Chip, ever the gentleman, was prepared to share!

New forest and beach experiences

We decided to take our first holiday with Rosie. It was exciting as we spent a night in a hotel in the New Forest. It was so stunning in Autumn, this was the view from the hotel car park!







Trees and moorland beyond, were wonderful for the dog. She was so well behaved in the hotel and even sat for two hours under the table while we had a meal! She slept on a blanket on the floor in our room and apart from waking me up to check if it was morning (at 3am!), she was as good as gold. So happy to have her pack close.





We had been reluctant to let Rosie off the lead in the New Forest with so many exciting smells and animals around. We thought it better to take her to the beach and chose Mudeford.














I don't think I need to say how much she loved it...although it was confusing for her at first:

She made lots of new friends too, including Jenson, her male counterpart

The only problem was that Rosie liked to pick up interesting smelly things on the way... here are two examples:

 Yes, barking at the waves is so much fun...











 Sadly we had to return back home...until next time

October days

One of the joys of walking Rosie is getting a chance to see views that normally I wouldn't have time to notice. The nights are drawing in but not without stunning displays...

Once a week, Rosie and I wait together in the car while my daughter has her cello lesson. You can see by her path of destruction that she has a good time.

 Sometimes, it is all just too much

and too long for her.

Errant teenager?

These last few days have involved Rosie pushing those boundaries. She is nearly 6 months old and is trying it on. We have managed some lovely walks such as Radley Lakes, where we saw the swans appear from the morning mist.

Yesterday, I noticed this lovely shrub while trudging through the undergrowth. I took the road less travelled as I was trying to stop Rosie saying hello to the bicycles on the cycle path. At the moment Rosie averages 2.5 seconds between gulps as she attempts to eat unsuitable things. The walk back home included poo of unknown variety, probably fox, an old biro, Kit Kat wrapper and half a mature current bun. I managed successfully to steer her away from an old banana that has been on someone's lawn for at least 3 weeks now. She's had her eye on it but I'm still one step ahead...just.








This morning we enjoyed a walk with friends across a field. Rosie showing off her autumnal colours. She is enjoying playing a game of coming close to sniff whatever treat I have but not close enough to be put back on the lead. It is very frustrating and a cause of concern and much wasted time, usually while waiting in the rain. The other day it was worse because she found half a tennis ball and thought I was going to take it from her. Thankfully, Rosie is fickle and is happy to talk to other dog owners she knows and they have been helping me to catch her!

Unfortunately, while the field was good for four legged friends, it was not so good for two legged people, especially in wellies! At least I got a good workout!

Rosie's ode to cheese

A Contribution from Rosie

Oh how I worship you!

The house of flavoursome fungus.

You moulded mass of pleasure

Coagulated casein divine

For you I will do anything

As your melting milky texture

secret spice and sweetness

Silkily fill my senses

O purveyor of the glorious goods

For you, I will return, as long as

You acknowledge that I am the Big Cheese

-        addict

Rosie