Charlie's DogBlog

Colliedays - Holidays - not for me, thanks!

2011-08-09T10:38:00.006+01:00

I knew I should have gone to Gracie's place for the Bora Bora party. Well, my humans and I were on holiday - they said it would be fun! Someone had the bright idea to hire a narrowboat and spend a week going down the Kennet and Avon canal into the River Avon at Bath. "Oh, let's take the dog with us!" says mum, "He'll love it!" Shows how little she knows - poor mum.

watching one of my humans dangle a stick in the water from the bow

Boats, water; okay, so I guess most dogs like that sort of thing, and there were a fair few enjoying themselves, but I'm obviously not most dogs. First there was this really loud roaring thing, an 'engine' they called it, and they would run it during the day, making the barge - and me - shake.

Bath deep lock - I was tied up inside for this one!

There were times when I did settle down in the bow to watch all of the interesting creatures - okay lots of them, like ducks and swans, were not so interesting - come and go. There were the early morning walkies with mum along the Avon at Bradford on Avon, and Sydney Gardens in Bath where I chased and met other furry friends. There were also those shady tables at the canalside pubs where water was brought for me to drink out of a little bucket.

finally - in Bath - boat gets tied up, I get untied!

I just never got used to the idea that I couldn't take myself for walkies anytime I pleased, or get away from the b-o-a-t! Oh, I tried. I jumped off several times when we were tied up, once pushing some pretty holes into the top of mum's foot with my claws in my enthusiasm. When the boat was tied up next to overgrown banks, we had to use the dreaded plank to get on & off. Needless to say, I was much too clumsy to use that properly. Mum developed some big muscles carrying me on & off the boat, and some good balance carrying a big collie across a foot wide plank - looked ridiculous, I'm sure.

Bath Abbeyview lock - the site of my almost-untimely demise

Once mum said I gave her two heart attacks in a row. Before one of the Bath locks I decided I'd had enough and, just as the boat was pulling towards the quay, I jumped - and missed. Yep, in the drink. But the worst part was that I was between the boat and the cement quay, and the boat had headway. Mum roared the engine into reverse and a passing jogger pulled me out, all wet! After that they closed me inside the boat for the Bath locks, with a chewie. Then suddenly, one of my humans comes up from below shouting to mum that Islay is missing! Mum thought I had done another deep six trick. She ran the length of the boat looking for me, but she didn't notice that I had found the cleverest hiding place - in the 2x2 ft shower under the curtain! I think my nose poking out gave me away eventually, and then it was the leash for me!

relaxing in the bow after walkies

When we finally got home after a week I went to my favourite cave behind the couch and slept in my favourite position: half-upside down, for a few hours. Maybe next time mum has one of these hairbrained ideas for a collieday, she'll leave me at home!

First Barkday

2011-07-15T11:33:00.000+01:00

Why is my birthday song special? Following in the long and inadvertent tradition of some of mum's beloved pets, my birthday falls on an important date in history: Charlie - 20th December Winter Solstice, and the day Vespasian entered Rome; Higgins - Cinco de Mayo; Princess - 4th July American Independence Day; and...

Islay - 14th July Bastille Day!

...which is why we sing the Islayaise!

Tuesday - Chewsday

2011-07-11T22:22:00.000+01:00

This is my favourite chair - yes, "my" chair - mum gave it to me!

Abbey of St Mary

2011-07-03T15:55:00.000+01:00

Thames Walkies

2011-06-11T21:57:00.000+01:00

part of the Thames Canal near Abingdon

Abingdon Lock

Goodbye, Friend

2011-05-28T12:57:00.006+01:00

Our good buddy Deacon has suddenly been called to the rainbow bridge, leaving behind his Dog Dad and Essex in Key West, to whom we send all our puppy love in their time of loss.

Deacon was a good dog, a beautiful collie, and we know a very treasured helper at Angel Paws dog rescue and companion at home and on the road to his beloved family. He was also our friend in the aether, making time out of his busy schedule to socialise at the blogging parties, always dropping by with interesting comments and imparting so much warmth and doggie history through his posts at Key West Collies. Along with Essex, he hosted a drop-by point on the great Animal Pirate Cruise of 2008, showing us around his home and giving us a memorable tour of Key West through a dog's eyes, he participated in the All-Animal Lyric Writing Bee and singalong, submitting his own puppy lyrics to "Both Sides Now" and growled at the Australian Talk-Like-A-Pirate Day. He was there for his family and pups in need, and he was there when so many of us said goodbye to loved ones now at the Bridge, and when at last my beloved Charlie crossed, and he was always ready in person or on the blogosphere to welcome new pups and friends to the community.

It sometimes happens that our beloved companions are needed beyond the Bridge sooner and more suddenly than we can understand, but we know that Deacon's golden heart and furry presence is helping those who need him there, just as he is looking back through the fog at his loved ones he had to leave behind. All of those dear friends who have gone ahead are welcoming him Home; he is not alone. Deacon was a friend, companion, comfort, and protector, but most of all, he was a DOG. We will miss you, friend!

"I wonder if it is heretical to believe that when at last my tired feet shall tread the Other Shore, a madly welcoming swirl of exultant collies—the splendid Sunnybank dogs that have been my chums here—will bound forward, circling and barking around me, to lead me Home! Heretical or otherwise, I want to believe it. And if I fail to find them there, I shall know I have taken the Wrong Turning and have reached a goal other than hoped for."

(Buff: A Collie, 1921)

Albert Payson Terhune

Exploring

2011-03-21T11:50:00.001Z

Walkies along "our" section of the Wilts & Berks Canal, built in 1796-ish, closed in 1914, this canal once connected the Thames to the Avon through the beautiful English countryside

I still don't understand "posing for the camera"

maybe if tempted by a treat....

one of the old locks, a bit overgrown

Tuesday - Chewsday

2011-01-25T11:38:00.002Z

I've Been Super-Good This year!

2010-12-22T14:33:00.003Z

I know I have to be good, so I've been doing my best to help out around the house.

When the men come to steal the garbage, just like Fenris said they would, they also take away all my favourite toys - those empty bottles, so I helped protect the recycling.

Then we got lots and lots of snow - the funnest thing I've ever seen! So after running around wildly and playing in it, the humans said it had to be shovelled. I wasn't quite sure what they meant, but I am always willing to help out - you run around in the snow and chew the shovels, right?

Merry Christmas efurrybody!

Merry Christmas

2010-12-12T20:12:00.000Z

Hey, it's my first Christmas and it's so exciting! I haven't quite figured out what it's all about yet, but it sure is fun - and yummy! I hope you all have a really wonderful and furry Christmas filled with puppy love and nice things to eat. (I would get around to everyone sooner, but my human is busy - well, she says it'[s busy, but I think it's just lazy!)

Wordless Wednesday

2010-11-23T21:11:00.000Z

Bonfire Night

2010-11-05T19:30:00.003Z

Guylay Fawkes!

Happy Howloween/Collieween!

2010-10-28T15:49:00.002+01:00

I have been so busy, and so have my humans. I finally got out last Saturday and a summary will be posted, but first, it's Collieween, and I had to post this! Trick or treat! Well, tricks anyway!

I'm so Boooored!

2010-10-17T11:49:00.005+01:00

I just went to the vet and got my second vaccinations - and I STILL am not allowed out of the house & garden for another WEEK!

Oh, I'm so bored! And worse, I have just discovered the most intriguing smell in the world! It comes from a plastic bag and the humans gather them up and put them in big plastic things that roll around. They smell absolutely marvellous! G-A-R-B-A-G-E I believe it's called, except obviously, from observation, the humans do not understand what to do with it because they keep getting rid of it instead of keeping it around the house. I tried to show them what to do with something like that - you know, pull it apart, spread it around, roll in it, play with it, EAT it.... but no, it's not allowed! Oh my DOG! Are they braneless?

Then, there is this really neat sound that I discovered when I hear it it awakens all of my natural instincts and I now instantly that it is something good to eat and that I MUST have it: the crackle of a bag! But no, they don't let me have that either! Then yesterday I found something really nice, a smelly soft old thing with a rubber sole, perfect for chewing and getting all slobbery - no, I couldn't have that, either.

NOW what to do? I'm tired of chasing pigeons - they never come back. They don't understand how to play. I'm not allowed around other dogs yet, so all I can do is listen to them bark from the other side of the wall. It's not that I don't like my toys, but I just know that there's something out in the big wide world that I want to go see, but I have to wait.

In the meantime, those clever collies in Key West, Essex and Deacon, have sent me my very first ever blogging award! So here it is, and here is what I have to do:

1. Thank and link back to the animal who gave you the award: Thank you Key West Collies! - now I have something to do while I wait to discover the big world outside the garden wall.

2. Share 7 things about yourself
---1. I'm a puppy, born on 14 July.
---2. I love to crawl under things and get stuck.
---3. I have been nicknamed 'Bonehead" because I run into things and it doesn't phase me.
---4. I drink from the bird bath - ick!
---5. I like to chew furniture...and shoes, and everything!
---6. I don't know what a leash is but I know I hate it!
---7. I'm hungry.

3. Pass the award along to 15 bloggers who you have recently discovered and who you think are fantastic. Well, as I am new to the world, all of the blogs are new to me, so:

1. Lorenza
2. Ludo
3. Cat Realm
4. Josh & Jess
5. Asta
6. Rocky & the Furkids
7. Mickey & co
8. Secret Schnoodle
9. Gracie
10. Momo & Pinot
11. Alasandra & co
12. Three Wild Heelers
13. Verdi
14. Pippa
15. Charlie
...and I'm still sniffing out more of you!

4. Contact the bloggers you’ve picked and let them know about the award.

Whoopie!

Oh, and I am pleased to let you know that, while I can't run around loose or chew things or get into garbage, I can dream up some lyrics, so I have REOPENED the FIRST EVER ALL-ANIMAL LYRIC WRITING BEE! Please stop by and try your paw at some song lyrics!

Thursday Morning

2010-10-07T10:15:00.005+01:00

I get to spend the mornings outside now scaring away the pigeons who want to bathe in the fountains. I like to drag my bed and blankets outside, too, but the humans keep putting them back in.

This leads to a really boring situation, so I have found other things to play with. In the afternoons I like to crawl under things and pretend to be a throw rug, but my human says I will not be able to do that for long - wonder why?!?

Thursday Evening

2010-09-30T17:49:00.006+01:00

Here I am again, just a silly little puppy who's getting to know his new home. One of my humans says I'm not her Charlie and that Charlie was one in a million. I don't know who Charlie was but I figure I'm pretty cute, especially when I don't sit in my water dish. I'm actually a boy, and I've been told I've similar table manners to another of my predecessors, Higgins - must've been a handsome boy. I still have to train these humans - they're a little slow, but they can be amusing, when they're not booooring! "Don't chew this, don't pee on that!" Well, we'll see about that!

Islay, Jewel of the Hebrides

My name comes from the Scottish island, the "Jewel of the Hebrides," Islay, but also from a statue of one of Queen Victoria's dogs, Islay, whose statue sits outside the Queen Victoria Building in Sydney collecting funds for deaf and blind children. (The QVB was one of my human's favourite spots in Sydney.) Here are some photos, but not of me as I have yet to sit for a photo without that I charge the camera with my nose -isn't that what those things are for?

Islay, Queen Victoria's dog at his wishing well outside QVB in Sydney

Introducing Islay!

2010-09-26T00:11:00.003+01:00

Hello world! I have just acquired four humans and with them, this blog! I am only new to the world, only about nine weeks old, so my humans have a lot to learn about me. I have my hands full teaching them, but I will not be alone. The spirits of all of the dogs who have gone before guide me. It's only my first night in my new home and, if you'll excuse a puppy, I have some heavy duty howling to get through before morning, so I'll take my leave now and be around to visit all of my new friends throughout the week!

Floating in the Aether...

2010-06-14T20:39:00.003+01:00

Hello friends! I'm just making a little post to let you all know I'm still around, although extremely extremely busy. As the Northern Summer begins, however, things are due to settle down, and I have my eye on some beautiful Collie pups! What do you think?

Charlie and Higgins, Together Forever

2010-05-07T12:04:00.004+01:00

We will always have such beautiful memories, in our new garden...

Aloha Charlie!

2010-01-31T13:48:00.004Z

Found this photo when I was going through my Picasa album. Must have planned a Luau that never took place back in 2008, what a year that was! I miss you terribly, my darling dog!

From Blogger Pictures

Bunny Update

2010-01-19T15:03:00.003Z

Photo of Lovey in her new home in Australia with new best friend

Pick a Pup for me!

2009-11-03T14:16:00.009Z

Hello everyone from the United Kingdom of Great Rain and Northern Coldland! Yes, I left Summer on Sydney's wonderful harbour and landed smack in middle of the Oxfordshire Autumn, beautiful though it is!

Lovey is enjoying her new home full of four kids, fifteen rabbits and, yes, count them, forty guinea pigs! They have a farm and an enclosed pen full of clover in which to frolic and play, and get loads of fresh crunchy veggies to eat - yum!

Now I find myself completely without an animal. First things first, a home:

No, that's too big...

...cute, but too small....

...almost...we're getting somewhere.

In the meantime I find myself awed by Oxford's dreaming spires and the surrounding countryside where people have been really nice. But when I find a place, I will need a pooch! Please keep suggestions coming: what kind of puppy should I get? I like big-ish dogs, but I think I like to be able to pick them up if I can, do not mind fur everywhere, drooling can be a bit of a bore, prefer pricked ears, but will consider floppies, prefer non-smoker!

Si tu veux un ami, apprivoise-moi

2009-10-11T12:03:00.009+01:00

It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.

So we go through the world, taming that which is wild, that which to us, imperfect humans catches our hearts in one imperceptible moment in time, with a glance, with a look, with pricked ears and intelligent eyes... and we begin to see that which to the eye is invisible; we begin to see clearly with our hearts, and then we know longing and love... and what is means to say goodbye.

...to me, you're still nothing more than a little boy who's just like a hundred thousand other little boys. And I have no need of you. And you, on your part, have no need of me. To you I'm nothing more than a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you'll be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world ... Nothing is perfect," sighed the fox. But he came back to his idea. My life's very monotonous,...I hunt chickens; men hunt me. All chickens are just alike, and all the men are just alike. And in consequence, I am a little bored. But if you tame me, it'll be as if the sun came to shine on my life. I shall know the sound of a step that'll be different from all the others. Other steps send me hurrying back underneath the ground. Yours will call me, like music out of my burrow. And then look: you see the grain-fields down yonder? I do not eat bread. Wheat is of no use to me. The wheat fields have nothing to say to me. And that is sad. But you have hair that is the color of gold. Think how wonderful that will be when you have tamed me! The grain, which is also golden, will bring me back the thought of you. And I shall love to listen to the wind in the wheat...
(from The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry)

... and this big southern continent will always hold, for those whose hearts can see it, the last resting place of a dear dog, the grass on which he and his companion lay in the shade on hot days, smiling and happy, the creatures that held such interest for him and his sister, the places we played, the beaches we ran on, the breezes that were sniffed; it will always hold the furry and feathered friends we made here, still going about their animal business, perhaps with memories of some human, that to them is different among other humans - will they hold those memories, too? Only the heart can see them, and the sun will shine in our hearts, no matter how dark the weather...

...and so we say goodbye to Australia, to friends and to memories, memories that will grow in my heart, and we look towards England, to new friends, to a new home, to new creatures with whom we share the world... and our hearts - next post from Oxford, my friends!

You're Nobody 'till Somebody's Bunny Loves You!

2009-09-14T04:05:00.004+01:00

Yes, bunny love is pretty good - and this furry blog has lots of it: check out Our Fuzzy Family!

The human was trying to film me cleaning my face in that cute bunny way, but I'm a bit camera shy, so every time the camera came out, I stopped doing cute things and sat there relatively still and boring, or else turned my bum to the camera!

Bunny Times

2009-09-04T02:50:00.003+01:00

The human tried to take some vids of me running around, but I was too fast and they turned out badly! The ones of me eating were just boring, so I'm posting a picture of Charlie, who is going overseas with the household move.
You will all excuse me for not writing for a while. Some of my humans went on a trip and took the compyooter with them, and the one that stayed behind to give me veggies to eat hogged the remaining two laptops, though even if he hadn't they are in such a state that I would not have been able to use them anyway, besides, I have a lot of chewing to get through every day, so I can't possibly devote any more of my limited brain capacity to figuring out PCs!

At the moment, Spring is in the air and it gives a rabbit urges. I want to run free through the grass, but as there have been so many lizards (2+ ft long) around lately, I have not been let off the rabbit leash. (don't tell the humans, though, but I can squirm out of it any time I want!)

Hope you're all well and happy and we look forward to stopping by soon before the big moving house that is tearing up the place lately. The human says, at times through tears, that with all of the things that have transpired in her lifetime, it is uncanny how deeply her heart is affected by one little dog. Well, I miss those furry whirlwinds sometimes, too. Now all I have to play with are the lizards and they are, well, a bit boring!

Tuesday Evening

2009-07-06T13:30:00.006+01:00

I didn't chew any cords today, but lots of carrots and lettuce and rabbit food, oh and I got really bored so I gnawed my house, too. It was cold so I got to play inside. We were glad to hear that Asta is back on the aether and hope her humans are feeling better about everything.

Just a treat for us smaller animals: have a look at what this guy did!

Saturday Night

2009-07-04T11:53:00.004+01:00

Hello animals everywhere! This is Fierce Bad Rabbit - actually I'm not fierce at all, I'm rather a wuss and I let kids drag me around all day and play with me and give me rides and sleep with me and handle me and my name is Lovey! -But a rabbit can dream, sometimes.

I will be taking over Charlie's DogBlog for a short time as those of us who knew and loved (yes, I was one who loved having my fur tousled by a wet dog nose and snuggling up to a warm dog on the carpet) Charlie have missed being part of the animal blogging world and visiting all of our friends. While Charlie's family is getting ready for the big move to Oxford, I will revive the old dog blog and get it ready for the arrival of a new animal some time in the near future in England. Being an Australian Rabbit, I will be staying here - let's be honest: I don't exactly jump at the idea of a 24-hour plane trip.... carrots, now there's something I'll jump at! ...and grass and fruit and just for the sake of jumping, but not for plane rides, so I'll be staying here with a new loving family who will feed me and play with me.

In the meantime, don't forget to tell your friends if I don't get around quickly enough, that Charlie's DogBlog is on the air, and don't forget to stop by the First Ever All Animal Lyric Writing Bee, as I have kept it going uninterrupted.

Sunday Evening

2009-06-07T11:51:00.003+01:00

Wednesday Evening

2009-04-29T08:06:00.005+01:00

Many thanks and my deepest gratitude for all of the wonderful animals and humans who have stopped by to share their sympathy, prayers and support as I brave each new day without my dear companion. Truly, it is a time that must come to all of us who open our lives and hearts to those creatures who, though they teach us so much about love, loyalty and indeed, humanity, must leave us all too soon. I would like to especially thank KeyWest Collies, Alassandra and the Cats - and dog, Jan's Funny Farm, Sassy, Karl and the Cat Realm, Asta, Momo and Pinot, Ludo, Opy, Leslie, Pye and Tigger, and Opus in Italy - the list just goes on and on - for all of the posts and messages - thank you everyone who has stopped by and left us a little note, and to everyone who has shared the last two years with us in blogland. I do not know how I would be getting through if not for all of you.

I have spent the last few days reading and re-reading again all of the posts on our blog and others, reliving those wonderful memories of the adventures over and over again. I detest lugubriousness, and I know Charlie would not have tolerated my tears at all, being the dignified and somewhat aloof dog that she was, but it will be a long while before I can stop putting my hand out, expecting to feel that wet nose and stately head, rubbing the soft fur between pricked ears, eager to hear my voice.

Once again,

Thank you, my friends everywhere

Crossing the Lake

2009-04-25T08:54:00.009+01:00

Charlie! Charlie!

You are but a puppy. I cannot play. Let me be.

No, Charlie, I am ageless. I am here to take you onward so that you are not alone in your journey.

I can't. I'm too slow. Are we on a frozen lake? I can no longer hear the sounds of my happy family as I lie sleeping in my bed. Where are we going?

You will see, Charlie, when we get across the lake. Come, Charlie!

It's cold and the snow is getting packed in my paws.

Come, Charlie! Come with me; I have something to show you!

It's getting warmer. I can see the opposite shore. I'm getting faster and there is a forest over there! I can see him; it is the Keeper at the Gates of Dawn; how beautifully he plays his pipes!

Yes, Charlie! You are young again and it is Spring. We are in the Great Forest Beyond and all of your friends and kindred spirits await to greet you, see!

I had forgotten what it is like to run and jump! How joyful and happy I feel! The cool water tastes good and my tail is up high, wagging, and I can smell flowers, birds and many interesting creatures!

Charlie, you are home now, but there remains an important job to be done.

When I look back across the lake I can hardly see through the fog. It is still frozen. There is my beloved human; I can see her crying. She is so sad and I have left her.

Humans live much longer lives than we do, Charlie. You must wait to show her the way when it is at long last her turn, so that she will not be alone.

My human has lost so many friends in her life, how can I leave her now, and how can humans keep on living with such grief? I have left her all alone.

No, Charlie, she is never alone, for you will soon understand that even if you are not a creature of the Earth anymore, your presence is still there in the heart of your human. She has a great heart, and you have left it bigger and more full because of your life. She knows both love and pain, for humans must learn to reconcile the two. Loss and grief are part of the human existence, Charlie, but these things will right themselves in time. When you finally meet your human, alongside all of your friends who have gone ahead and those who will come after, you will both understand.

I shall miss her. I will never leave her alone.

No, Charlie, you shall always be with each other, but for now you will be young again, playing, jumping and being happy and healthy, and when your human comes to join you, she, too, will know youth again in its abounding eagerness, energetic anticipation and excitement, and more, she will know peace in her heart, and reap the rewards of eternal friendship and devotion, for the two of you have only just begun your journey.

Then I shall wait patiently, and when my human and I are together again, she shall hear the joyous barking and see the wave of tails in the air of all those to whom she has given her love and compassion - I will be there! Do not worry: I will wait for you!

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Beloved Furrie Carlie Cewe "Charlie"

at peace

ANZAC Day, 2009

forever in my heart

The lesser creatures await Christ's return to redeem the sons of God so they, too, will be released from physical death to eternal life.

Romans 8:19 (KJV)

Thursday Evening

2009-04-23T09:05:00.005+01:00

post by human -

My darling dog, I have never been without a dog in my life these long years I have lived it, and for the past fifteen and a half, not without you by my side. Over three continents, through life upheavals, career changes and a long road - I was never alone, for you have always been with me, human, fallible, imperfect as I am and you have never once ceased to love me with all of your canine soul, your deep eyes full of devotion and lifelong friendship. We have always been there for each other, never left each other behind, even when continents and oceans separated us, we were never apart for long.

It is heartbreaking for me to watch you growing old and feeble, and now these five days past I cannot get you to eat, though I've tried, have been dumping pills disovled in water down your snout, which you hate, have been plumping your bed as you grow skinnier, getting you out of corners in the middle of the night when you go wandering and get stuck, and talking to you when you pull away from me as if you've forgotten who I am. I will be strong for you, dearest dog, and watch over you. When you at last must go from me, please remember me to all of those who have left their pawprints so indelibly on the walls of my heart. I love you, dearest dog. I love you.

Ghosts of Christmas Past

2009-04-21T16:04:00.005+01:00

In the dim hours of the rainy days I am haunted by the memories of Christmasses long past, friends long gone ... and what happy memories they are and what a wonderful time we had!

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Me and my brothers Higgins and Taffy, Christmas 1998

Those were such happy times!

Sunday Morning

2009-04-12T01:54:00.006+01:00

Happy Easter!

Wishing you all a yummy scrummy Easter with lots of treats! I tried to catch the Easter Bunny and intercept the chocolate, but this bunny didn't have any eggs at all and just wanted to nibble a carrot! (I kind of think I overslept and got the wrong rabbit!)

Then I got online and my human not only helped me create a site specially just for us animals who write fabulous lyric for those human songs (don't forget to check it out and see the clever Lyrics provided by Essex and Deacon! - just click on the link here or on the picture to the right.) but she also showed me the message we got from our new friend, Caplin the Capybara! He's so cute, and we fell in love with him last year when we found his vlog on YouTube. Please evfurrybody stop by his lovely blog, say hello and welcome him into our animal blogosphere if you haven't been already!

And for all of those humans out there who have ever experienced Blogger trouble, here are some things we have found out: Safari + Wireless Router + Blogger = no good! The trouble with the three of these at once is latency - ha ha, no not my latency, but the occasional lag that a combination of two or more of these components does not like to deal with - then it all breaks down and you get a "failed to open page..." message. So, yes, Asta and all you terriers 'n' 'Dales, the moral is, "better wire-haired than wire-less!" However, even with wires, the problem still occurs, so we're going to try a new browser when my human can get all of her stuff organised enough to transfer it....

Tuesday Evening

2009-04-07T12:41:00.009+01:00

I've had the engineers and IT support staff (dad) on it for some time, and we have it from the "horse's" mouth that this bloggering irritation is indeed a difficult nut to crack. We've imrpoved the problem somewhat by using wire thingies instead of that little box with the lights that sends stuff through the air - some kind of wireless router (don't tell Asta) - but this has not solved everything. The odd thing is that the impediments were occurring only on blogger pages and not on others, and that we were getting error messages from blogger, but I won't bore you all with the details.... The important thing is: We're Back! and working on the rest until we solve it!

To celebrate our reunion with the blogging world, I am starting the

first ever all-animal lyric-writing bee! Here are the specs:

Using the song "From Both Sides Now" as a model, write your own lyrics for one or more verses that reflects your life and views as an animal, then post them on your blog, link back to Charlie's DogBlog, then stop by and leave me a comment that you've participated ...and we'll see how long the song gets! no time limit, and no tagging necessary, just spread the news by patter of paw, linking to this post. TELL YOUR FRIENDS TELL YOUR HUMANS TELL EVFURRYBODY!

I'll start:

Rabbits, tails and bouncing balls,
In my youth I've chased them all.
Furry whirlwinds in the sun,
In field and forest glade.

Now old toys are smelling stale,
My teeth won't grip them anymore.
Cozy bed calls from the floor,
Stiff joints and blurry sight.

I've looked at dreams from both sides now,
from then and now, and still somehow,
it's dreams' illusions I recall...
I really don't know which is real at all!

Wordy Wednesday Challenge

2009-03-25T01:39:00.004Z

Here's our entry for Zoolatry's Wordy Wednesday Challenge (along with some appropriate and really gret music! - John Lennon couldn't have said it better if he could have spoken Dog!)

Sorry, my friends, but our computer situation has not improved - my human is about to cry. After fiddling around with software ad nauseam, posting seems to be okay, but commenting just does not work, and the problem seems to be with BLOGGER. We were so excited to see everyone's Wednesday posts and we visited all our friend's beautiful blogs today, but alas, we were only able to get ONE comment out only, so we could not even let everyone know we'd been by to see them! (sniff!) We spent forty minutes, had to re-enter passwords 8 times, reload pages 17 times to no avail, got numerous error messages from Blogger (bX9345....etc. & it won't let us go to the help message board without signing in over and over again), and we lost count of the "failed to open page...Blogger not responding). I am so very sorry, but we've had it for the day - I'm going to go take a nap and try again tomorrow. My human feels this is getting very discouraging, but we DO visit all of your wonderful blogs and wish to let you all know that we're still sniffing around.

Apologies

2009-03-23T00:02:00.004Z

Sydney -or Blogger - for dogs:

My friends, I must extend to each and every one of you my deepest apologies, for I have not been able to blog because of my human's high level of frustration with Blogger. For the past few months whenever we try to post, view blogs, or even post comments on others' blogs, more than half the time we get the repeated message, after long waiting times: "Failed to open page - Blogger not responding." We have all the latest OS, software, processors and connections and have been unable to determine the cause. My human has become so frustrated with this that we are considering giving up altogether, which, we admit, would be a great disappointment to us, for we already miss the interaction in the lovely animal blogging community we have come to love in our lives. Thus far, however, we hesitate yet to make any such rash decision, and hope that the problem will right itself sooner rather than later.

On the bright side, we have found a really great dachsund blog that I know many of you will love, and would like to share it:
The Long and Short of It All

Saturday Evening

2009-03-14T08:09:00.006Z

I almost slept through St. Patrick's Day! I curled up in my bed and I saw all of those little green men dancing around, but they will have to go in a few days so that they don't miss St. Partick's Day, either. I will miss them; they were entertaining. My human said that since a dog my age ages five years for every human year, I get to have five birthdays this year. That means I'm having a dogday in a few days, too - wonder if those little green men will join me?

Oh, and look how lucky I am! My friends Maggy and Zoey and their human at Zoolatry felt bad that I missed out on swimming with those funny dolphins, so they gave me a ride on Shamu! They also made this cute picture for me - what thoughtful kitties they are!

The last one reminded my human of some lovley song lyrics - remember Nat King Cole? (we changed the words a bit)
...a little shy
And sad of eye
But very wise
Was she...

And then one day
A magic day she passed my way
And while I spoke of many things, food eating,
This she said to me
"The greatest thing
You'll ever learn
Is just to love
And be loved
In return" - Naturedog we know how to be loved!)

Tuesday Afternoon

2009-02-17T05:30:00.007Z

Do you think that this looks cute?

Well two-legs does. She thought that he was so cute that she went to swim with him and his friends - and left me behind with two Schnauzers. Sure they are good friends of mine I've known for years, and sure their humans fed me the specially-home-cooked food that they make three times a day, and sure I got to go and sniff out a nice new yard, but that doesn't matter. I was left behind for this squeaking flip-turning oddity of the seas. I bet he couldn't raid the wastepaperbasket for tissues, chew them up and get fur everywhere! I bet he wouldn't know what to do with a sheep if one came up and said 'baaaaa' to him!

Well they came back - they must've missed me!

Saturday Night

2009-01-31T12:20:00.009Z

Yes, I've been sleeping... sleeping the long, deep sleep of golden years and the silvery haze falls over my eyes, the mists of the past float through my puppy dreams. Dreams of smow, of crisp autumn leaves, of the Grunewald and of the myriad smells of many interesting creatures going about their creature business; of frozen lakes in the winter, of lapping water in the summer, boats, raccoons, the odd mink sitting on a fencepost in America's North, keeping a sharp eye out for kestrels; the horses and the big skies of Texas; and then there are those many many cyber-animal-blogging-friends who have been kind to let me into their happy lives and to share in my small puppy adventures, the best, yes the best a dog could have in old age. I must confess, my dreams do keep me busy. How else is a dog to while away the forty-plus degree heat? It has been a very hot Summer, and it's not over.

However, it is remiss of me not to have put the paws to the keyboard in such a long while. Though the heat is strong, and saps the energy from the best of us, I have been encouraged to eat more than a meal a day, which makes my human happy as she thinks I'm getting too thin. (I don't see her pigging out in 42ºC with a fur coat like mine!)

I have been the recipient twice of a most honourable award, many warm thanks, however belated, to Latte and Scylla, Charybdis and Socks:

"The award states that "This blog invests and believes in PROXIMITY - nearness in space, time and relationships!"

In other words, "These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers! Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award."

Apologies if you've already had one, but it just goes to show how many paws so appreciate your proximity - I would love to pass this on to:
Asta
Verdi y Gaucho
Josh & Jess
Mickey
Todd
The Cat Realm
Secret Schnoodle
Sassy Cat

I have also been included by my pretty collie friends Essex and Deacon (who did a fabulous job on theirs, btw) in a game Reilly started. I have been given the letter H! Not to worry, I'm right on it! Watch this spot (but not too long because I'll be really quick this time, promise! - I'm awake, I'm awake!)
H
H is for Higgins, my beloved brother, may he rest peacefully in the Great Forest Beyond.

H is for Hippopotamus - aren't they cute - I want one for my bathtub.

H is for HAM - yum!

H is for Hydrangea, my human's favourite flowers.

H is for Horse, like the little one that was born in the stables where I lived as a puppy those long years ago.

H is for Happiness, like the kind I feel when I'm with my human - she's the best!

...over to you, Charlie Daniels and the Corgi Girls for P and S respectively!

And on the subject of awards... Australia have lost both the one-day and test series to South Africa, but they do not go away empty-handed. I am giving them the BIG AWARD for the DUMBEST LOOKING UNIFORMS ON THE PLANET - (what are those, space suits?) SORRY GUYS, IT'S JUST NOT CRICKET!

RQ1920 In My Dreams

2008-12-30T10:39:00.002Z

What a beautiful day for a finish! The weather has been magnificent, sunny, clear, and Charlie's Dream sailed around the rocks this morning in sparkling waters off the coast of Tasmania, rounding to the north for Hobart. Averaging 6 kts, after four days five and a half hours, at half past six this evening she finished 86th out of 100, five of which are yet to come in, seven retired and one disqualified. This is a picture of me in the park celebrating line honours. It's party time now!

The Best Christmas Ever!

2008-12-27T01:55:00.003Z

I hope you all had a happy, yappy, yummy scrummy Christmas! I did! I got ham and chicken and beef and a tin of MyDog lamb bake with vegetable consommé and more arthritis pills and some doggie chip cookies - oh, and I also got about five great big chocolate covered ginger cakes, yum! Well, okay, so those weren't actually meant for me, but the small ones very nicely left them out on the floor one night. Of course I didn't let the box or the wrapper deter me! Oops, here comes my human.... and ham and chicken...

I also got a very special post by Leslie, Pyewacket and Trixie on Top Cat Rules for my Barkday! I have so many blessings!

Boxing Day and the race started! Bet you can guess which yacht I'm watching - that's right, it's Charlie's Dream!

Waiting Patiently

2008-12-22T05:38:00.007Z

There is a spot set out carefully where I'm told to expect an arrival. As you can see, all of our little figures are looking on in anticipation, even the animals. I have joined in with the sheep, cow, donkey and camel, and am watching the spot. Very soon something miraculous will happen!

Do not be afraid. I bring you good news and great joy that will be for all. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:10-11

For all of you, my friends, I wish you the peace and wonder of the Christ child be in your hearts throughout the year, and may you have the happiest of holidays!

It's the BIG 8 - 0!

2008-12-19T09:07:00.006Z

Barkday 15!

Happy Barkday to me...Happy Barkday to me...I want some more dog treats...but I have to go pee.

I made it! I made it to my 15th Barkday - that's about 80 in DOG years! I'm showing my age, too. I sleep most of the time, unless there's food to be had. I can't hear unless there's something said about food. I can't see, unless there's food around. I can't smell...yep, you got it, unless there's food! Some days I can't even be bothered to get out of bed, unless... well, you know the story! It's not a bad life. I'm quite happy, as long as there's food! I have a good family who love me, and FEED me!

For my Barkday I got a double helping of minced chicken and beef, some arthritis pills and a great big dose of cortisone! I'm happy now! I even did not mind posing in my Santa hat for this picture.

As Christmas is near, I'm going to the beach for the sailing club parties this weekend - why, you ask? So that I can see Sandy Claws!

Have a great weekend everyone!

It's Here!

2008-12-11T02:46:00.019Z

With only a few entries, but very good ones at that (and I'm not talking about my human's paltry attempts at graphics since no longer having the software at her disposal!), we present the winners. However, it would not be a Gala without a bit of bubbly, so enjoy an ethereal glass of champagne, and congratulate the participants!

We begin with the Mikado...

Sassy Cat as Katisha,

me as KoKo, the Lord High Executioner,

and as Nanki-Poo,

and beautiful Asta...

as YumYum,

PittiSing,

...and the Mikado of 'Japan'

BRAVAE!

a musical interlude...

...and The Cat Realm in Trial by Jury:

Karl as the Judge, Mrs. OZ as the Plaintiff, and TinTin as the Defendant!

What an excellent job, everyone! Thanks to all who participated and kept us from going to the beach int he rain and gorging on ice cream and happi joose!

Tuesday Evening

2008-12-09T09:17:00.002Z

Holidays are here! It's Summer and the lazy dog days are here - lazing around on the porch in the shade, listening to the bugs singing in the evening, playing on the beach, oh, and I can't forget Christmas! The humans are always in a good humour at this time of year, and feeling generous, so treats are more frequent and walkies, too, though I'm not too quick on those as I used to be.

Just stopping by for a quick announcement this evening:

The Gilbert and Sullivan Gala Photo Pageant is still on! The entries close tomorrow, so if you haven't already, dust off your costume and have your human take your picture and send it to us! I'll make the post this coming weekend, that way, if there are not enough entries, my human and I will have time to go to the beach and gorge on ice cream and happy joose!

Saturday Morning

2008-11-28T21:01:00.007Z

Hello my friends and a very Happy Thanksgiving to you all! (hope you all got lots to eat!) My human has been too busy to type for me, so I have been sleeping. She has been using the keyboard to type lots of words, first something about Septimania, which a lot of people wanted to hear her read out loud in Melbourne - I don't know what that was all about but it sounds like a disease, so I stayed away from it. The other thing was a very long one about the quest for the Grail, which I thought was interesting because there was food involved. My human told me that in one of the stories the Grail was a mystical stone that produced food when the Grail King commanded it; anyone know where I can get one? That piece was important, my human said, mainly because if she finished that and sent it off, some people would give her lots of money. I said, "big deal." But then she explained to me that money can be exchanged for food and treats, so I magnanimously ceded the keyboard.

Now that all of the typing has subsided, my human is helping me type again. We have received some really great photos for the Gilbert and Sullivan Gala Photo Pageant, and hope to get more in the following days (especially as it has been raining and it is not beach weather!) If it is raining and we are forced to "lie around on the beach and gorge ourselves on ice cream," and it is raining, maybe we will just sit on the porch and get some of what Skeezix calls "happi joose!"

Now I must make way around to all of my animal friends' blogs and see what has been transpiring during my nap!

note: we can't find the card-reading thingee, so the pictures of my beautiful self after the BATH I got will have to wait till later this weekend when we can go to the big building with lots of people to but a new card-reading thingee. (got it! - look at me squinting in the flash!)

Friday Morning

2008-11-06T22:15:00.005Z

Hello Everyone - yes, I'm still here in my little paddock. There has been a lot of hullaballoo in the human world lately, especially about the recent political election. I don't meddle in human affairs myself, and even if I did, they never let me vote. And all of you politically-opinionated animals out there: they won't let you vote, either, so give it up. It is true, I suppose, we can exert some influence over our humans at the polls, but I sort of gave that up after Goldwater. I guess I'm just so disappointed that Tosca did not win the election - even though we all knew where to write-in "Doggone Party!"

As a pleasant diversion, I am having a special event on my blog: The First Annual Gilbert and Sullivan Gala Photo Contest! Send a photo of yourself in your favourite Gilbert and Sullivan opera character costume (any way your human can dress you in it, even if it is photoshopped) to mighty_munk at yahoo dot com dot au by 10 December and winners will be posted before Christmas holidays begin - there will be lots of categories, too, and an extra-special photo gallery. The judges will consist of a panel of non-blogging animal lovers- their photos to be posted.

As I did not tolerate my human dressing me up, he he, she gave up and photoshopped this promotional photo of me as Nanki-poo from The Mikado. I the event of there not being any interest across blogland, my human and I will instead gorge ourselves on ice cream and pass out on the beach - mmmm, not bad, either. Pardon me, though, friends, I must go and hide, or play dead or something - I have heard the word B-A-T-H...

Tuesday Afternoon

2008-10-14T02:45:00.005+01:00

Wonderful weather - warm, breezy, sometimes a little rain, sometimes a little sun. Perfect for sniffing around my little spot in the garden that my humans call "Charlie's Paddock," or for lazing on the porch and dreaming of long romps in the woods of the Grunewald with my brother Higgins, may he rest peacefully in the Great Forest Beyond. We would smell the traces of all kinds of woodland creatures going about their creature business, and jump over rocks and fallen trees, rustle through drifts of fallen leaves, wade in the little lakes and run down the paths with wild abandon. Those were the days! Now I prefer to stay on the porch.

But life is not all snooze for a blogging dog, for my dear doggie friends have once again bestowed my humble bloggie with some very nice awards, for which I express my puppy gratitude:

From Happy, an Autumn Friends awards - so very cute!

I will pass this one on to some friends' blogs in the Northern hemisphere where they are enjoying crisp autumn air and vibrantly-coloured leaves: Habca, Comet & Blu, Moxie & Izzie, Momo & Pinot, Reilly, Lacy's pals, and Tatum. Have a great autumn everyone!

...and I also wanted to give this to Essex and Deacon because they are enjoying the colours in Ohio, but somehow I missed putting them on the list! (oh I am so embarrassed) Sorry, collies, you have my humblest puppy apawlogies! (sniff) Do accept the award and have a great time up North!

And from those pretty collies in the Keys, the "I Love Your Blog" award. I was so dazzled by their Golden Paw when I visited their place, that they most generously awarded me with one of those, too! (I put it on the right)

This one I will pass on to some blogs I love, too, but I'm only allowed seven, so here it goes: Gaucho & Verdi, Noah and the Leuradales, Girl Girl, Josh & Jess, Secret Schnoodles, The Cat Realm, and Pacco!

Phew! It's hard trying to narrow it down, but that's the great thing about blogging awards: they always circulate and we're all making paw prints in the aether! (hmmm, I wonder if instead of 'surfing' the web, we dogs can say we're 'sniffing the fireplugs?') I'll go have a nap and see if anything comes of that thought...

Tuesday Evening

2008-09-30T11:28:00.003+01:00

Hello all of my blogging buddies! I am writing this via conference call with my human because she is in Brisbane this week. Being a good dog, I helped her pack and get ready to go. We were so busy making sure everything was set for me to watch the small ones while she is away that she did not have time to publish my post before she left, but promised she would do it later.

We did have a nice day yesterday getting all of the laundry done - and there was a lot of washing after the weekend as warmer weather is here and sailing and cricket are the order of the weekends. I was going to go to the sailing club but my human said 32 degrees C was no climate for a dog to be lying about in, and she's probably right, so I stayed home and kept the bats from the mulberry tree. - yes, it's a tree, not a bush, and there are no monkeys -

After we did the washing, I kept watch over my human's slippers and she made some puff tarts with the mulberries that were harvested - you can also see that she did not forget to make doggie puff pies for me (with beef boullion) We had a lovely afternoon because the rest of the household spent the day in the "top paddock" out back, so we ate our puff pies and listened to our dreamy Debussy and Ravel string quartets.

Last week I got some really great awards for my bloggie; my human told me that she would help me post the awards when she gets back!

Friday Night

2008-09-19T12:53:00.008+01:00

Lots going on in bloglond I'm a furry whirlwind to keep up with you active pups & kits! Good news: Deacon and Essex escaped Ike!
It is spring here and the little creatures are coming out. Here we have possums, lizards, big ones, and bats - wom-bats. When we lived in the other part of the world we used to have these testy little creatures.

I'm sure many of you are familiar with this fellow. Well, I was puppy sufing and found this great website that I think many of you will enjoy: check out
Scary Skwerl World!

And since it was aaarrr bark like a pirate day, I got meself some bones - aaarrrr - and chewed them up! But not before I took me picture - aarrr - as pirate Charlie, aaarrrr Captain Chaaarrrrrlie! Now I need a parrot!

...and please stop by to wish Opus a Happy Birthday (it's his first without his brother Roscoe).

Wednesday Afternoon

2008-09-02T01:21:00.005+01:00

Yes, I am a lazy dog - I cannot in all good conscience blame it on my human, aan though she is very busy, for I have been sleeping and sleeping and sleeping and there are days I only come out tto see what's in my bowl.. I have not forgotten all of my furry friends and their humans in blogland, though, so I had better make a post! (those pawlimpics tired me out!)

Firstly, Happy Birthday to Copito and Momo!

And next I would like to thank all of you who have signed my guest book and left messages and photos - I am still tracking down some of your blogs (because I can't seem to find and easy link from photobucket), so be assured, I am on my way for a visit!

And a big thank you to Momo and Pinot and Leslie, Pye and Trixie at Topcatrules for these great awards for my dogblog!

As a good dog should, I will follow the rules this time; here they are:

1. The winner can put the logo on his/her blog
2. Link the person you received your award from
3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs
4. Put links of those blogs on yours, and
5. Leave a message on the blogs that you've nominated

I would like to bestow these awards on the following brilliant blogs I love (if you've already got one, please consider it an "award - and-bar" you know, like the DFCs and Vcs) Oh, and cause I got two awards, I get to bestow DOUBLE!:

Hudson Furkids, Sassy Tales, Verdi and Gaucho, Asta, Key West Collies, Lorenza, Reilly, Latte and Cookie, Pippa, Karl's Cat Realm, Girl Girl, Gus & Louie, Comet & Blu, and Charlie Daniels.

Tuesday Afternoon

2008-08-26T05:42:00.002+01:00

What fantastic photos the pawlimpics brought out! I have been admiring them all week, and have seen some really great doggy activities caught on film! Paws up to Lenny and his humans for a great show! Speaking of paws, the weather here has not been great, and the other day, yep, I got caught! I was just coming in after enjoying a particularly good romp in the mud, walking in and giving everything a polite sniff of greeting when, behind me I hear the words that stop me cold: MUDDY PAWS! I knew right then that I had to stop and have my paws cleaned before I went anywhere else. And that's just what happened. Then, of course, I got salmon and some Portuguese chicken - yum!

Saturday Afternoon

2008-08-09T07:08:00.002+01:00

Sunday Dogcam: looking after Swimmie, our goldfish. He's doing fine and is very active and happy. I must be doing my job well. Lenny's Bone Relay was so much fun and now the pawlimpics has started there are so many excellent photo entries!

My human has been too busy to help me out on the computer much the last couple of weeks, but now that we have some time we are trying to do the rounds.

Sunday Afternoon

2008-08-03T05:53:00.003+01:00

Many Surprises! Lenny's human is letting me in on the Sydney leg of the Pawlimpic Bone Relay! She sent me the cool photo for the event. Many thanks!

Then I got this very pretty award from Habca, the very intelligent dog living in my old haunt, Berlin! (I've seen this award making the rounds at many wonderful blogs and am humbled by the company! Many thanks, Habca & human!) And this is what comes with it:

1) You have to pick FIVE blogs that you consider deserve this award for creativity, design, interesting material and also contribute to the blogger community regardless of language.

2) Each award has to have the name of the author and a link to his/her blog to be visited.

3) Each award winner has to show the award and put the name and link to the blog that has given him/her the award itself.

4) Award winners and the one who has given the prize have to show the link of the "Arte-y-Pico" blog so everyone will know the origin of the award.

5) In compliance with said RULES, the award winner must show the RULES.

My human is deliberating on this one and will help me with the keyboard so that we can post a list of the five blogs to whom we are passing the award very soon.

Thursday Night

2008-07-31T16:06:00.005+01:00

Another week has passed me by; well, I sort of watched it pass by like I didn't know what it was or where it was going, and, hey, here I am! My human thinks I'm getting doggy dementia in my advanced age, but it's really just that I am not completely awake all the time - I mean, what's the point of waking up all the way if you're just going for a little sniff around to see if the water dish is still full, only to go back to bed? It has its down side, though. One night I woke up my human (I let her sleep in my bedroom) because I had gotten up for a stroll and got stuck in the corner behind the rocking chair - no, not physically stuck, I just did not have enough wits about me to turn my furry behind around and walk the other way, so I had to be directed (how humiliating!) There have been other times, too, when I am standing there looking at something particularly uninteresting and I just fall over as if I were drunk, or sort of run into walls. It sort of upsets my human, but what's an old dog to do? At least I remember where the dog dish is, even if I occasionally forget who these people are who keep coming in the door and acting like they own the place! Here are some photos from the DOG CAM of the things I have gotten stuck up against, you know, like WALLS...of all the places to put them!

Cheer up, though, I have entered four events in the Pawlimpics - exciting, isn't it?

I should make an amendment here, because I don't want anyone to worry. The vet says my imbalancing acts (I should've enetered in the pawlimpics gymnastics event for that one!) are due to my arthritic joints on which I am standing and shifting weight, especially my back legs that have never been quite the same since the infamous paralysis tick incident of 2006. On the whole, I have been deemed a pretty healthy old dog, except for my nasty teeth, and, above all, I am well-fed!

Sunday Morning

2008-07-20T01:43:00.004+01:00

Hello my furry friends far and wide -I have been offline for some time and I heartily apologise to everyone with whom I take such pleasure in day to day blogging, for my prolonged absence from blogland, and for having missed a few parties and a wake. My humans have been dealing with some rather major issues, one of which is the computer and internet connection, about which I, being a humble canine, know nothing, in my elevated and enlightened state of animalia. However, now that the humans seem to have sorted out the computer issues at least, I may resume my social obligations in the wonderful, yet fickle world of blogging, and reconnect with furry friends everywhere! I shall now endeavour to make a fitting post upon my return, and hope that it finds everyone well, furry and fed!

My human has some weaknesses, as many humans do, and don't we animals know it; but how we love them anyway. One of my human's weaknesses is the frivolous gaiety she seems to derive from such inane sources as "Carry On" and Joe Bob Briggs' "You might be a redneck if..." lines. I shall try my paw at this, and please let me know if you can relate to any of the following in your paradigm:

You Might Be a Sheepdog If:

... your route from here to there is not a straight line, but a circle
... you dream of sheep
... you feel a deep sense of accomplishment and a job well done if all of your humans and toys are in the same area with you circling them
... the calves of your humans' trousers all have little holes in them where they have been nipped for not moving fast enough in the right direction
... you chew your feet
... you feel the urge to get up and do something whenever you hear a whistle
... the lady in the red scarf you saw on the sidewalk did not appreciate your trying to separate her from the humans she was with
... you like the doors to stay closed when your humans are inside
... you get the feeling that no one understands what they are supposed to do unless you bark at them
... your favourite dish is lamb

-love and licks to all - Charlie

Monday Night

2008-06-30T12:56:00.004+01:00

My human is home for the next several weeks, which means no inviting animals over to raid the pantry in the middle of the day any more.... My small ones took the opportunity to play cricket, which was fine, in the house, which was not. I did my best, as a good dog should, to keep watch; I chased stray balls, barked quite a bit, ran around. Luckily I succeeded: the air from my barking changed the course of the ball so that it did not meet with disaster, likewise the flying fur from my wagging tail, all expertly calculated and executed. Good thing my human did not notice, but I do think that those small ones should be more careful.

I was pleasantly surprised by a series of beautiful scrapbook pictures of me by Tigger and Leslie from Topcatrules, one of the blogs that I love to frequent just to feel good looking at all of the lovely photos - where there is the most eloquence without words; I always leave with a happy heart! Many thanks my friends!

Friday Morning

2008-06-27T00:55:00.002+01:00

What a nap - every time I fall asleep and have lots of great dreams about chasing down small fluffy creatures to play with, I wake up, and the humans are up to something again! They're busy moving things around, cleaning and all kinds of weird human activities. As long as they leave my bed alone... no! They're WASHING it! Oh dear oh dear what is a dog to do?

Wednesday Morning

2008-06-18T02:22:00.004+01:00

My humans are very busy people. Being an old dog, I am not too active, but I thought it best not to be left behind when one can better one's capabilities. This week I have worked very hard on perfecting my paper chewing skills. I have tried and tested new methods for sniffiing out the best papers, expanding my raw material base from mere tissue paper to note paper, wrapping paper, newspaper and yes, even toilet paper. I have determined the best method of attack: chomping, nibbling or licking it until it's soggy; the best way to savour the chew, and the best angle of chaw (this is a technical dog-chewing term for you humans not in-the-know). Origami paper is favoured at the moment, especially those that have already been folded into something lovely that the humans are considerate enough to leave out for my chewing pleasure. Results and conclusions are yet to be determined! I welcome your suggestions, opinions and preferences.

Monday Night

2008-06-16T11:23:00.004+01:00

Thank you all very much for all of your visits and comments during my blogoversary month; your kindness and friendship has really warmed the innermost undercoat of my fluffy puppy heart! My human is celebrating, too, this week. She has brought home four great volumes of paper bound in purple covers - very heavy, and they smell funny. I really don't have a clue why anyone should want to celebrate because of that, but go figure - humans, hm? You've got to love them, - they feed you! Anyway, my human invites anyone and everyone to stop by her blog to celebrate the smelly heavy papers, too, so tell your humans!

Film Friday

2008-06-13T00:11:00.004+01:00

Yes, my human finally came through for me; here is the blogoversary slide show I ordered. Not all of the wonderful furry friends I made this year are in it, but as many as I could scrape together quickly. Nevertheless, it is dedicated to friendship and fur, and to all furry bloggers, even those I have yet to meet!

and in case the writing at the end is too small - thanks to everyone who made photos for me and whose photos I put in the slide show - licks & slobbers!

Saturday Night

2008-06-10T03:53:00.006+01:00

AAAAaaaaaaaaaa! I'm MORTIFIED! My human is such a nitwit! In trying to post some more cupcakes sent by the generous Sassy, she has deleted the Blogoversary Weekend post! Below is what we could salvage, but I have to dig through my dogbed to get the photos back. But I am putting my little nose into my paws and crying because I cannot get back all of your lovely comments.....sniff!

Saturday Night

One - Year Blogoversary Month!

June marks one year in blogland for me, as many of you already know, and, due to the many messages we have received, my human will be making posts throughout the month to celebrate the year. Firstly, many thanks to everyone who has stopped by to wish us well, and many, many thanks to everyone who has made our first year in blogland so enjoyable and rewarding, to those who have stopped by only once, and those who are regular visitors, all those who have lefttheir photos on my guest book and those who have left their comments in the blog. We have laughed and partied together, shared stories and information, dreams and memories, we have welcomed new arrivals and mourned our friends who have gone to wait for us at the Rainbow Bridge. It has been quite a ride, and I am happy to have been a part of each and every one of your blogging experiences, and am glad to have had you all in mine.

To celebrate this long weekend (no, it's not Queen's Birthday Weekend, it's Charlie's Blogoversary Weekend!) Sassy Cat Little has sent over some lovely kitty and pup-cakes for all those who stop by with an appetite! Also enclosed is a beautiful card from Sassy, Opus and Roscoe - many thanks!

My human made me a special breakfast, too: ham and a runny egg.

This is a photo of my breakfast, 53 seconds after it was given to me,
and me 55 seconds after it was given to me.

Thursday Afternoon

2008-06-05T05:36:00.007+01:00

It was on just such a dreary, rainy afternoon about a year ago - give or take a day because we dogs aren't that picky about details like that - that I entered into Blogland. Since then I have met many furry and human friends, been inspired, entertained, and have laughed and cried, eaten and licked; I have met wonderful people and furries from every corner of the world without leaving my comfy dog bed, and I have been to lots of parties!

Thank You Everyone in Dog, Cat and Hamster Blogland for a Wonderful Year, and here's to another!

Happy Blogoversary Charlie!

I will make one small note: to my human who accidentally left me outside all day yesterday, in the cold, in the rain, when the days are their shortest, with nothing to eat - I forgive you. (yes, I know that there was a dry dogbed in the warm laundry room that I could have stayed in but I was much more interested in standing by the gate and waiting for you! Don't worry, my coat is made for this weather!)

Monday Afternoon

2008-06-02T03:28:00.004+01:00

What a busy weekend, what with Karl's and Ruis' wedding (which, I must add, was fabulous!), and the rabbit and I getting our claws clipped - ack! I also tried on a cat costume for the reception, but my human had to hold it on my puppy snout because I kept putting my nose down and letting the mask fall off! Karl and Ruis put on a fantastic party for everybeast, and there were many furry tears shed when they exchanged kitty vows - what a beautiful way to unite!

I was such a happy puppy when the postman came on Friday because I received my puppy parcel from Opy and Charlie, my puppy-exchange pals! Big Thanks to you, for my weekend was fully of Schmackos, and liver treats.....oh I ate sooooo much! Lots of lick and slobbers to Opy and Charlie, and also to Noah and his sisters who will be receiving my puppy parcel very soon!

Here I am with the goodies Opy and Charlie sent me before I devoured half of them! (you can see my winter coat has come in, too)
please stop by with get well wishes to Opy's Charlie, who is at the hospital!

Friday Morning

2008-05-29T23:55:00.003+01:00

Friday already and the weekend's here! Ham all week and some smoked salmon, just to make sure I'm all filled out with a glossy coat for:

The Wedding of the Century!

Yes, I am talking about Karl's and Ruis' wedding that will happen this weekend on the Starship Voyager. They've already beamed up some of the guests, myself included, and the happy couple have arrived in a transport ship! The setting is splendidly done, the cake is ready and, guess what? They have even given me a costume for the occasion! Do stop by and check out the festivities; everybeast is going to be there!

This is Charlie of the starship Voyager wishing you all a pleasant weekend!

Thursday Morning

2008-05-22T01:12:00.002+01:00

Name Game Tag!

Thanks to Moxie and Izzie, I've been tagged with the Japanese name game. I know, when I read I, too was thinking: Charlie Charlie bo Barlie... Well, this one is to go with those yummy Japanese treats I had earlier this week. You spell out your name with the following key:

A - ka, B - tu, C - mi, D -te, E - ku, F - lu, G - ji, H - ri, I - ki, J - zu, K - me, L - ta, M - rin, N - to, O - mo, P - no, Q - ke, R - shi, S - ari, T - chi, U - do, V - ru, W - mei, X - na, Y - fu, Z - zi

That makes me: Mirikashi Takiku! Cute! (much better than those names in the Mikado - though we won't be too harsh with Maestros Gilbert and Sullivan!)

Then you tag 6 friends:
Essex & Deacon, Punkin, Skeezix, Comet & Blu. If you've already been tagged before, then pass it on! (Please refer to my sidebar for links because I can't seem to get blogger links to work in the posts at the moment.)

Tuesday Morning

2008-05-19T23:52:00.006+01:00

Winter. You'd think that these humans would stop doing so many sports in winter - it's not like there are any mountains around to ski on, or snow, or anything like that! Well, they were in and out all weekend, and you know the saying:
If you can't run with the big dogs, stay on the porch!
That's just what I did.

Food, as always, a satisfactory compensation and should never be sniffed at, just gobbled down! I had turkey, roast beef, salmon, lamb and ham! I made out quite well. In the meantime my human's friend returned from Japan and brought boxes of goodies to us. Some of them were wrapped up to look like little people. My human shared them with me, of course, because inside were some yummy treats!

Monday Morning

2008-05-12T00:29:00.002+01:00

Because we have had unusually early cold this year, the colours of the trees around Sydney are displaying their full autumn splendour. This morning I was out with my human in the golden and crimson world, the mist hanging low over the ground with that crispness, haunting my memories of bygone days in the Grunewald, where my brother and I would run wildly through the fallen leaves, the feeling of expectation and excitement impossible to contain. The sun came out and the mist is burning off; crispness turns to goldenness: a magnificent day. Now I shall sleep and dream, for those days of activity are gone, but the memories are pleasant, and illuminate my dreams.

These days are slow, but my human and I are together, and that is all that matters to me. Soon I will have to go, and I will wait for her at the bridge. I have known her all my life, and I have loved her forever; she has a good heart, whatever may befall her in this world, and no one can touch that. When I accompany her over the rainbow bridge, I will speak for her. On the other side of the bridge, everyone has a voice. Now I will spend these golden days with my beloved human, for time grows short.

Oh, it's a long, long while from May to December
But the days grow short when you reach September
When the autumn weather turns the leaves to flame
...
And I have lost one tooth and I walk a little lame,
...
the days dwindle down to a precious few
And these few precious days I'll spend with you
These precious days I'll spend with you

Many of you will be experiencing the Northern Summer soon, and the lazy dog days that go with them. My dreams and wishes will be with you in your pleasant Summer!

Boat Trip!

2008-05-10T00:57:00.001+01:00

Spreading Puppy (and Kitty) Love one lick at a time!

This month we are cruising the Gulf of Mexico and will be stopping in on our animal friends in the region. Please join us!

Our Gulf of Mexico Cruise Finale

Mack's Mess and Key West Collies

Do stop by and see the mess we made at Mack's place, and the wonderful reception Essex and Deacon gave us at their place in Key West!

Friday Morning

2008-05-09T01:03:00.003+01:00

The Week in Food

Saturday
beef sausages

Sunday
turkey roast

Monday
lamb

Tuesday & Wednesday
Portuguese smoked chicken breast

Thursday & Friday
honey-glazed ham

I was feeling magnanimous enough to share my kibble with the rabbit, too. It's a dog's life!

Monday Morning

2008-05-05T00:08:00.003+01:00

After Karl's Blogoversary party, I received several invitations to stop by in the boat and I borrowed to get to the U.S. from Australia. This special boat is great; it portages itself, so we were able to go from Baja to Arizona with no trouble. After much planning and deliberation, at least 17 animals have decided to join us for a cruise around the Gulf of México today to visit for a start, then drop in on http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifany more of our friends. Off we go!http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif

Momo-cat, Charlotte, and I cruising to America.

The Hi-Jinx arriving with all of us at Coco Beach!

Monday Morning

2008-04-21T00:24:00.004+01:00

It's still raining, still cold. There have been some momentary pockets of sun that have appeared long enough for us to go out for a walk, but my servant was always nearby to make sure I didn't get wet when it started to rain again. This brings me to the subject of today's post:

The Good Thing About Getting Old is...

- you can stop and have a lie down in the middle of a walk and nobody complains

- you can ignore commands that you have known all your life if you don't feel like following them, and not get that harsh "no" for it!

- you can get just about anything you want from the kitchen just by acting dejected and playing up the arthritis

- your human no longer picks you up and dances around the room with you in her arms to Benny Goodman

- you can sleep all day

- snapping is allowed, but it had better be quick and your teeth can't touch the skin!

- you get carried up the stairs

- you can sleep all night

- if you have to get up to be let out in the night, people don't complain, they hurry!

Let me know what comforting things you notice about your senior age, if you are a senior animal, or if you live with one, or you know one, or your best friend's uncle's cat's dog's owner has one!

Thursday

2008-04-17T05:37:00.006+01:00

What a great party Karl had! So many animals and so much food, entertainment and drink - I had such a good time, even if I did come away with this crazy party hat! This is a picture of Momo and me coming back across the Pacific - we forgot how to steer the boat, so it took us a while, and we made a slight detour to see Alasandra and her cats, too, by portaging the boat from Baja across the desert to the Gulf of Mexico - yes, it is the only yacht that will do this by itself, and this is why we have decided to keep it - those humans form whom I borrowed it do not seem to miss it anyway! Again, Thanks Karl and thanks again - Capital Party!

-just in from Tucson: Opus & Roscoe have sent a photo of their clean-up afterward!

Tuesday - Chewsday!

2008-04-15T00:15:00.005+01:00

Happy Blogoversary, Cat Realm!

The Cat realm is the blog of Karl, Anastasia angel, Mrs. OZ and Emil, who have invited everyone to a mariachi blogoversary party at Karl's place in Tucson. There is a big beautiful cake, lizards on the barbie, tequila on the table, and of course, lots of friends! Here only only a few photos, courtesy of Ruis, Sassy, Momo et al. There are loads more at Karl's place, so stop over and wish the gang a VERY HAPPY BLOGOVERSARY!!!

Being Sydney Animals, it is not always easy to get to these parties, one way and another, and one does not wish to impose too often upon others' transport arrangements. I was down at the harbour and saw many nice big boats, some with barbecues cooking sausages! Well, I reasoned that the humans would not miss it if I were to borrow one for a while to get Momo-cat and myself across the Pacific to America. Unfortunately, being an old dog, and a bit slow and sleepy, I miss out on things, and, just as Momo and I set sail, Opus and Roscoe came by in their VW bus and took my friend away to Arizona with them, and left me behind to make the trip alone! (don't worry, I'll save some flying fish for you, Momo!)

When I got there, the party was in full swing. All of our friends are there eating, drinking and visiting. Karl's has a beautiful garden with a tub under the trees and it is very pleasant. What wonderful hosts! I am told that there will be mariachi entertainment, too!

Monday Morning

2008-04-14T00:03:00.005+01:00

Monday Morning, temperature below average, rain, what more to be said? It's time for a dog to dream.... That's a good thing after the weekend, which was another busy one with people over and food being dropped! I got so many treats and so much attention. Goldfish 3 has also settled in well and is enjoying his new home, now, too, so I've done my job!

Friday evening I had such a swollen snout - Two-legs feared that a tooth had formed an abcess; my fourteen-year-old teeth are really not a pretty sight! But after her moving her finger around my super-sharp peridontal back chewing teeth, she didn't find anything, so concluded that I must have been bitten by a nasty bug, of which there are many here in Australia, perhaps even a spider. Didn't kill my appetite or my excitement over anything, though, and over the next two days the swelling went down, so we avoided a trip to the vet - phew! (that place intimidates my human as much as it does me!)

Time for a rest because Karl's blogoversary starts tomorrow, here, at Karl's place, and at every animal's place who turns up - should be a great time to get together and celebrate another year of blogging, friends, and support each other as our friends go to the rainbow bridge (particularly Miral, who went this past weekend).

Wednesday Morning

2008-04-09T01:15:00.005+01:00

Book Meme

Goodness me, every time I wake up, there's something else going on! You animals certianly are busy - I'll do my best to keep up. This morning Alasandra and the Cats have tagged me for a book meme - what fun!

Here are the rules:

1. Pick up the nearest book.
2. Open to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people and post a comment to Mickey once you have posted it.

Here we go...there are a number of books within paws' reach; I shall try to pick out the least boring one...

Grant a le cors, le vis et le menton,
Le regart fier assez plus d'un lïon;
Ceinte a l'espee, dont a or est li pon.
Amené a un destrier a un destrier arragon;
Megre a la teste, si a gras le crepon,
Bein ateindroit a l'olivier amon;
Mout a bon frein, d'or i a meint bouton,
Et la sele est l'ovre Salemon.

...that's enough, eh?

My human says I should translate it for other humans, though I know as well as you animals do, that all humans' languages sound the same to us, right?

From laisse LXII of the A manuscripts of the Old French chanson de geste, La Bataille d'Aliscans:

roughly:

Great and imposing are the size of his body and face, and his look is more fierce than that of a lion. The hilt of his sword is gold, fixed to his side, and he comes upon a charger that is small of head, from Aragon, and with a body large enough to top the olive trees. The bridle is of excellent quality, decorated with many jewels, as if it had been made for Solomon himself.

to tag: , Essex & Deacon, Stanley, Gaucho & Verdi, and Punkin!

P.S. Thanks for all of your kind wishes - Goldfish 3 is doing quite well, and wishes to send his greetings, (he also says that he's got an expert fish-herding dog looking after him, and is very happy!)

Tuesday - Chewsday!

2008-04-08T02:02:00.005+01:00

As a sheepdog, I have been given the very important task of looking after goldfish #3. Charlie, the intrepid protector of the weak, champion of the small and helpless, will do what a sheepdog, er, fish-dog, must do! I'm watching, and watching.....

It's an important job, or Two-legs would not have entrusted it to me! Though I did have some ham for breakfast and am feeling a bit like a nice nap. If I just nod off for a while, I'm sure he'll be just fine when I wake up! But then, I did hear the humans say it was Chewsday, so I might also have a peep in the wastepaper basket and see what there is to be chewed...

Monday Morning

2008-04-07T00:53:00.003+01:00

Busy weekend - the humans had a party. Lots of food. New goldfish named Tiny - only lasted 48 hours, poor little guy. He didn't seem to settled of a fellow, though. Well, time for a nap, and an announcement:

Tuesday Afternoon

2008-04-01T01:55:00.002+01:00

My human has been doing human things on the computer - boring things, using the keyboard, of all things! I told her I have social obligations, so she let me get on for a bit. It was only for a while because I got a new dogbed for the Winter and have barely left it, it is so comfortable. I have been getting turkey for breakfast for the past few weeks, so I'm having fowl dreams! - gobble gobble!

Thursday Morning

2008-03-26T22:20:00.003Z

It has been a sad week, with so many animals sick, missing or gone to the Rainbow Bridge to wait for us. I won't name them all here, for I know that you all will have seen them on their blogs, but Two-legs and I send our prayers out for each and every one.

The casualty in our family over the Easter weekend was Goldie, our very big goldfish. He never said much, but was a congenial chap, always came to the glass to say hello, never asked for much, just occasional clean water and some fresh green plants. He was the only other animal in the house with me after Higgins, my brother, went to the Rainbow Bridge last year. I know you cats are fond of fish, and my human wanted to include a poem that she learned in primary school called "Ode to a Dead Goldfish," about a fish who met his end at the claws of a cat! She cannot remember all of the lines, or the poet's name, nor can she find it anywhere (so if anybody knows, please tell us!), but below are a few of the lines she does remember, to hopefully brighten your day:

Stirring with oars of filmy gold,
the glassy tide that round him rolled,
he ruled two quarts of universe
and gave no subject ground to curse.

The snail in peace devoured the slime
and the seed toward heaven did greenly climb.

....

...but fate,
which must to all men soon or late,
gave him the last and bitter cup.
Now see him floating bottoms up!

And for some good news: England win the test series - though some better batting by NZ would have been agreeable to all.

Thursday Morning

2008-03-19T22:38:00.003Z

Today there is some very sad news. My dear friend, Lacy Lulu, has gone to wait for us at the Rainbow Bridge. Many of us loved her, for she was the dearest dog, and her humans are in our hearts and prayers today. We will miss you, Lacy.

On this sad day, my human posts a bit of Kenneth Graeme's The Wind in the Willows: her own condensed piece of the chapter titled: The Piper at the Gates of Dawn. It tells in Graeme's lovely way, how Rat and Mole finally find their baby otter friend, Podgy, for whom they have been searching, at the beginning of Summertime, and how they find him with the Friend and Helper, a satyr. In our book there is a beautiful illustration, too, but the words will have to do here. It is this passage that my human likes to recall whenever animals are in trouble or need, or when a loved-one is missing (being a dog, I don't much understand humans, but I daresay I understand their hearts):

The line of the horizon was clear and hard against the sky, and in one particular quarter it showed black against a silvery climbing phosphorescence that grew and grew. At last, over the rim of the waiting earth the moon lifted with slow majesty till it swung clear of the horizon and rode off, free of moorings; and once more they began to see surfaces -- meadows wide-spread, and quiet gardens, and the river itself from bank to bank, all softly disclosed, all washed clean of mystery and terror, all radiant again as by day, but with a difference that was tremendous. Their old haunts greeted them again ...

...the animals landed in this silent, silver kingdom, and patiently explored the hedges, the hollow trees, the runnels and their little culverts, the ditches and dry water-ways, while the moon, serene and detached in a cloudless sky, did what she could, though so far off, to help them in their quest; till her hour came and she sank earthwards reluctantly, and left them, and mystery once more held field and river. The horizon became clearer, field and tree came more into sight. A bird piped suddenly, and was still; and a light breeze sprang up and set the reeds and bulrushes rustling. Rat, who was in the stern of the boat, while Mole sculled, sat up suddenly and listened with a passionate intentness.

`It's gone!' sighed the Rat, sinking back in his seat again. `So beautiful and strange and new. It has roused a longing in me that is pain, and nothing seems worth while but just to hear that sound once more and go on listening to it for ever. No! There it is again!' he cried, alert once more. Entranced, he was silent for a long space, spellbound. `Now it passes on and I begin to lose it,' he said presently. `O Mole! the beauty of it! The merry bubble and joy, the thin, clear, happy call of the distant piping! Such music I never dreamed of, and the call in it is stronger even than the music is sweet! Row on, Mole, row! For the music and the call must be for us.' In silence Mole rowed steadily, and soon they came to a point where the river divided, a long backwater branching off to one side. With a slight movement of his head Rat, who had long dropped the rudder-lines, directed the rower to take the backwater. The creeping tide of light gained and gained, and now they could see the colour of the flowers that gemmed the water's edge.

For a space they hung there, brushed by the purple loose-strife that fringed the bank; then the clear imperious summons that marched hand-in-hand with the intoxicating melody imposed its will on Mole, and mechanically he bent to his oars again. And the light grew steadily stronger, but no birds sang as they were wont to do at the approach of dawn; and but for the heavenly music all was marvellously still.

On either side of them, as they glided onwards, the rich meadow-grass seemed that morning of a freshness and a greenness unsurpassable. Never had they noticed the roses so vivid, the willow-herb so riotous, the meadow-sweet so odorous and pervading. Then the murmur of the approaching weir began to hold the air, and they felt a consciousness that they were nearing the end, whatever it might be, that surely awaited their expedition.

A wide half-circle of foam and glinting lights and shining shoulders of green water, the great weir closed the backwater from bank to bank, troubled all the quiet surface with twirling eddies and floating foam-streaks, and deadened all other sounds with its solemn and soothing rumble. In midmost of the stream, embraced in the weir's shimmering arm-spread, a small island lay anchored, fringed close with willow and silver birch and alder. Reserved, shy, but full of significance, it hid whatever it might hold behind a veil, keeping it till the hour should come, and, with the hour, those who were called and chosen.

The two animals passed through the broken tumultuous water and moored their boat at the flowery margin of the island. In silence they landed, and pushed through the blossom and scented herbage and undergrowth that led up to the level ground, till they stood on a little lawn of a marvellous green, set round with Nature's own orchard-trees - crab-apple, wild cherry, and sloe.

`This is the place of my song-dream, the place the music played to me,' whispered the Rat, as if in a trance. `Here, in this holy place, here if anywhere, surely we shall find Him!' Then suddenly the Mole felt wonderfully at peace and happy -- but it was an awe that smote and held him and, without seeing, he knew it could only mean that some august Presence was very, very near. And still there was utter silence in the populous bird-haunted branches around them; and still the light grew and grew.

Perhaps he would never have dared to raise his eyes, but that, though the piping was now hushed, the call and the summons seemed still dominant and imperious. Trembling he obeyed, and raised his humble head; and then, in that utter clearness of the imminent dawn, while Nature, flushed with fulness of incredible colour, seemed to hold her breath for the event, he looked in the very eyes of the Friend and Helper; saw the backward sweep of the curved horns, gleaming in the growing daylight; saw the stern, hooked nose between the kindly eyes that were looking down on them humourously, while the bearded mouth broke into a half-smile at the corners; saw the rippling muscles on the arm that lay across the broad chest, the long supple hand still holding the pan-pipes only just fallen away from the parted lips; saw the splendid curves of the shaggy limbs disposed in majestic ease on the sward; saw, last of all, nestling between his very hooves, sleeping soundly in entire peace and contentment, the little, round, podgy, childish form of the baby otter. All this he saw, for one moment breathless and intense, vivid on the morning sky; and still, as he looked, he lived; and still, as he lived, he wondered.

Sudden and magnificent, the sun's broad golden disc showed itself over the horizon facing them; and the first rays, shooting across the level water-meadows, took the animals full in the eyes and dazzled them. When they were able to look once more, the Vision had vanished, and the air was full of the carol of birds that hailed the dawn.

As they stared blankly, in dumb misery deepening as they slowly realised all they had seen and all they had lost, a capricious little breeze, dancing up from the surface of the water, tossed the aspens, shook the dewy roses and blew lightly and caressingly in their faces; and with its soft touch came instant oblivion. For this is the last best gift that the kindly demi-god is careful to bestow on those to whom he has revealed himself in their helping: the gift of forgetfulness. Lest the awful remembrance should remain and grow, and overshadow mirth and pleasure, and the great haunting memory should spoil all the after-lives of little animals helped out of difficulties, in order that they should be happy and lighthearted as before.

Tuesday Afternoon

2008-03-18T01:38:00.003Z

As Autumn settles in here in the lands of the Southern Cross, an old pup likes to sleep - and I have been sleeping often; long, deep sleeps that sometimes cause Two-legs to come over and check that I'm still breathing. She comes over to pat me,
stroke my soft fur, kiss my puppy head and tell me what a good dog I am and how much she loves me. It's very nice, I'm sure, and I love her, too, but there are times, more often now, that I just want to be by myself. If she could understand me, I would tell her,

"Don't take offence that when you come to sit by my side and be with me, I get up, move three feet away, and lie down again. I do like to be with you. I just want to lie down alone. I know where you are, and you are here in the house with me, and I am happy."

Poor Two-legs. She wouldn't understand a word. She is a clever human, as humans go, but I have given up trying to speak human. I mean, why can't they try learning DOG for a change? Anyway, she is right about one thing: I am dreaming. I am dreaming of being in my islands, the Shetland Islands, whence come my ancestors, but where I have never been. nonetheless, the cold winds call me, the clean, icy sea air, the desolate moors, ancient rock walls and small animals that I was bred to herd and look after

This is a good time to dream of being alone on the Shetland Islands, walking about the windy craggy landscape and sniffing the fresh smell of sea air, ponies and sheep, and other wild animals; to be my own dog! It will be Spring soon in the Shetlands, baby animals will come with the Spring blossoms and ice will melt coolly into water again, and, of course, a dog like me would not want to be around for that bit of human fun and madness called Up-helly-aa, their Viking festival!

Tuesday Morning

2008-03-17T23:02:00.003Z

A good morning indeed, I had my ham and now I have peace and quiet. I would just like to include and update on the Farewell to Marvin Braveheart, the Legend in His Own Lunchtime. Good news is that he and his human are okay, but will no longer be in blogland. They had their reasons for leaving, but we shall miss them nonetheless. There is a short and sweet farewell to them on Blue's Blog.

My human has begun taking on the Rainbow Bridge now, so please let us know how we can make it a comforting place for each human who has someone waiting for them at the bridge. Please have patience, however, as we are not too quick and it will take some time to get it all going properly. In the mean time, you are welcome to pass the word along.

Monday Afternoon

2008-03-17T03:33:00.005Z

What a wonderful St. Patrick's Day week I had with my furry friends in Ireland! They are still partying in Ireland, and will be for some time as St. Patrick's Day will go on just a bit longer.

It is always a very sad thing to lose friends, as friends in this world don't come around very often. My human and I were saddened to discover that Marvin and his human have left blogland. Jeannie is the sweetest of humans, and her Marvin's adventures will be hard to get along without!

Goodbye Marvin & Jeannie - we will miss you!

On a brighter note, I would like to present AWARDS!!! This St. Patrick's Day has been absolutely tops, and I cannot thank everyone enough who included me in all of thehttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif most enjoyable capers, photos and fun! Makes me feel all warm & furry! To all of the dogs & cats who came: love you lots, & thanks for the great time. I got to meet some for the first time, like Stanley, see & find out about some really beautiful spots in Ireland, thanks to , and participate in some things that I never thought I'd do, like playing bagpipes!

Most of all, I would like to thank the totally hip, coolest and funnest cats, who were super-quick with the photos, goodhumoured and loads of fun to be with in blogland (I look forward to more!): Karl, Ruis, and Asta! You are the very first recipients of the TOTALLY HIP BLOGGER AWARD! Now you must pass it on to three hip bloggers to perpetuate the spirit of hip-ness, for which, if you need any help, you can refer to Zaphod Beeblebrox, who said, "I'm so hip, I can't see over my own pelvis!" Congratulations!

St. Patrick's Day Celebrations

2008-03-16T22:29:00.004Z

Happy Saint Patrick's Day, my furry friends!

Wishing you a rainbow

For sunlight after showers—

Miles and miles of Irish smiles

For golden happy hours—

Shamrocks at your doorway

For luck and laughter too,

And a host of friends that never ends

Each day your whole life through!

photo by Karl

one more stop at the pub; the Temple bar in Dublin...

photo by Asta & Momo

St. Paddy's Day Parade - don't we look great!
...and the costume that I wanted to wear for the fancy dress ball - but I was told I don't need a costume, I'm a DOG!

photo by Karl

...so here I am again with my white leggings and rainbow plaid vest, hiding a ham in the vest, again!

When it is time to go, go in style! Goodbye green isle!
photo by Opus & Roscoe

What a time was had - and I wish again to thank all of my furry friends for including me in this Irish caper - and for not giving me away about the ham incident! So good it was to be together, all of the memories of a busy, fun weekend and a Happy St. Patrick's Day - and all sins are soon mended:

...as Opus & Roscoe kindly relayed to us all upon their safe return to Italy!

Irish Weekend Continues

2008-03-15T09:51:00.004Z

All animals at the picnic on Ireland's lovely green downs.

photo by Asta & Sassy

Some of us thought we would check out Ashford Castle, architecturally interesting, beautifully set in a little inlet with marvellous views, and, of course, the set for a few films, including Remington Steele. Thank you, Karl, for the fab photos!
here I am concealing a large ham in my delightful rainbow plaid vest!
on the castle grounds, sniffing about, check out the costumes!

photo by Opus, Roscoe & Sassy

and then we animals try to play the pipes (oooh, my little doggy ears!)

Momo sent this photo os us enjoying each others' company where animals like it best - outside in the beautiful green garden:

The gang has some big plans for Sunday, so check out the Cat Realm, Cat Naps in Italy, Mieow, et al. for some photos of the Guiness Brewery and Dublin Castle - I'll be there, even if my humans don't let me on the computer much this weekend!

Party Animals in Ireland

2008-03-14T04:24:00.009Z

Here we are again in some of Ireland's best spots: more photos by the talented group.

Blarney Castle (photo by Sassy)

can't go to Ireland wihout visiting the pub! (photo by Asta)

and of course sampling the local culture...

photo by Opus, Roscoe & Momo

Friday Morning

2008-03-13T22:07:00.009Z

I was graciously invited to join some of my cat friends on their trip to Ireland to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. As more dogs and cats came along,thirteen in all, I believe, the trip grew into a long-weekend affair, complete with the kick-off picnic in Pisa with Opus and Roscoe on 13 March.

Everyone enlisted the help of their humans and the result was many, many clever and well-done photos of all of us party animals having a great time socialising, celebrating and visiting some of Ireland's landmarks and beautiful site. Posted here are only a few of the photos that were beautifully created by my friends' talented and fun humans (only a few images of myself of which were finished by my human on AppleWorks look paltry in comparison). For even more photos & fun the St. Paddy's Day, please visit: Cat Naps in Italy, Karl & Ruis' Cat Realm, Alasandra & her Cats, and all of their furry friends!
True to form, Opus & Roscoe knew how to entertain their guests. There was pizza with sausage, and plenty of catnip, which I think we might have hit a little hard, because someone then suggested that we all go up to the top of the little tower (that you can see in the background) to get a better view of the beautiful surrounding countryside - we must have really been tipsy, because it still looks a bit crooked in the photo!

I can't quite remember what happened after we crowded to the edge for this lovely group shot, but this is what the Italian paper read when we picked it up on our way to Ireland:
(the above photos credited to Opus & Roscoe, and Karl, with editing by Asta, Sassy & Momo (dog or cat?), and the one below to Karl)

We all then piled into our little Hippie-bus and had a jolly time on our way to Ireland - who's driving?

Once there, some of us enjoyed sleeping off the catnip in a quiet, green glade, of which there are many such delightful places in Ireland, and where Karl had a dream about some funny-looking leprechauns!

I wish to thank all of my furry friends who included me in the fun, and their humans who were patient with my meagre photographic contribution, kind with my suggestions, and good-humoured in their communications with my busy human. You have all made the weekend for this pup and her human - lickie-smoochies, and Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

Wednesday Afternoon

2008-03-12T03:32:00.004Z

It will soon be Autumn and the faint crispness in the air is easily recognisable to my puppy sense. With it come fading memories of younger days in faraway places with long-gone comrades: the chill of ice in the air, the crunch of snow under excited paws, the white spray that flies upward from the swish of a fast-moving, fluffy tail, crisp, coloured leaves and falling chestnuts, cracking against the pavement and making the red squirrels and birds even crazier, wood-smoke in the air and the welcoming warmth of the humans' hearth. These are comforting memories for an old dog in the twilight years. Almost as comforting as Two-legs' arrival at home every day. We do love each other so, and when we look into the other's eyes, we know exactly what is in the soul - joy and sadness, peace and grief, and never-ending, never-waning friendship, no words are necessary.

Monday Morning

2008-03-09T23:01:00.006Z

Manic Monday? Yes, for my humans, who are always a bit mad about something. There was the cricket - yes, another defeat - England was crushed in the test match by New Zealand with a pitiful 110 runs in the last innings, but Mr. Vettori was in top form, so it was not too bad, sailing on Sunday, one of the last days of beautiful Summer weather that are expected to visit us this year, so in the waning warmth, the humans get a bit fanatic, you know; all of this running around packing and unpacking...and then there was the mad digging around and pulling up weeds and bushes from the garden in the evening hours of Sunday, stuffing all of the pulled-up plants, trees and vegetation into a great bin, the sides of which overflowed pathetically (they must have been proud of themselves!). It was during this time that I took advantage of the opportunity to bark at the neighbours, and then proceed to raid the pantry for goodies!

So now I am here to enjoy my house in peace and quiet that comes with all Mondays when the humans run off to their human endeavours. Which is fine - welcome even, but they forgot my ham this morning!

However, Two-legs was not too busy to note the email from one of the cats in the blogosphere, and wishes to pass on the message to sign a petition banning an artist from an Ecuadorian national exhibit (I hope that is right, Gaucho, Verdi and Lorenza are welcome to correct what my translation from the Spanish might have missed) for having let a puppy die of starvation as his contribution. Even if humans are unable or unwilling to give aid to those poor animals who need it, they should never be rewarded for perpetuating suffering. Irresponsibility and cruelty should never be rewarded. I was unable to glean too much info from the internet, but adding another signature to the petition cannot hurt, and at the very least will show how many concerned souls are out there.

Today I must also apologise on behalf of my, at times slightly disoragnised nonetheless loveable, human, Two-legs, to Leslie, Pyewacket's generous and talented human, who sent us this darling picture some time ago. Two-legs only just found it in her computer files (she doesn't let me onto those very often) and could not remember where it came from, or when she received it, but would like to thank Leslie for doing it, and show it off to all of our friends in blogland. (soory it's just a bit late)

Friday Morning

2008-03-06T23:56:00.005Z

Turkey? Yes!!! I got turkey for breakfast. The morning was delightfully fowl! In fact, I'm so excited that I'm going in circles, well, maybe just one circle because more than that is a bit tiring. However, my brother Higgins, may he rest peacefully in the Great Forest beyond, used to go in circles when excited until he dropped exhausted on the floor or until someone diverted his attention. He made us all quite dizzy - maybe that explains my human, Two-legs! Got to love her, though. She fed me turkey for breakfast!

Got more reason to be excited: Opus, Roscoe and the gang have invited me to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in Ireland with them! I'd better find a suitable little green hat!

Monday Morning

2008-03-02T22:31:00.004Z

It's getting cooler and the days are getting shorter. However, it was a very busy weekend at my home. My humans did not go sailing, but instead engaged in some more annoying activity here at the house. They went out to cricket on Saturday and left me in peace for a few hours, which was fine, but then on Sunday, instead of spending the morning on the water, they brought home some things from a hardware store, you those places that smell really interesting, but then usually aren't? They spent the rest of the day moving things around, taking them apart, sweeping this here, pushing that there, vacuuming, leaf-blowing, and all manner of ridiculous human activities. When it had just quieted down enough for me to ask for a piece of ham, they sat in front of that glowing box to watch more cricket, and I can tell you, after all of that they were a bit tired, though my humans would say it was only the disappointment at India's defeat of Australia by six wickets, despite the exciting century by the star batsman, but they are only human, after all. Today they have left me to my quiet home for a while to sleep, dream, and cause any amount of mischief I deem necessary.

I would not be doing my doggy part, however, if I were not to mention Monika's Doggy Rescue efforts here in Sydeny, where my humans took some blankets and walked some pups on the weekend. They have a good success rate of finding homes for these poor little dogs, and are greatly dependent upon volunteers. My humans walked a lovely little fox terrier mix named Oprah, who is in need of a loving home. She is sweet and lovable, and will make someone a fine pet - she will also fit into a bag, she is so small! There are over 100 poor pups at the Ingleside shelter now, all being lovingly cared for and made ready for new homes, so if you know anyone interested, please help pass the word along!

Now, my friends, I am off to my fluffy bed for my leisurely mid-morning nap. But before I go, I would like to bark happy Birthday to Momo-cat's human, who will be celebrating on 4 March at Momo's place! All Best and Beautiful things!

Thursday Morning

2008-02-27T22:47:00.006Z

I have been shamefully inactive this week in Blogland, but very happily dreaming and digesting ham. Mmmmm. However, it would be remiss of me not to graciously thank the cats and dogs from CCSI and the aCATamy for the lovely red carpet party and the award with which I was presented for my part as a Christmas Tree. Thank you to all of my furry friends who share their big hearts with all of us, and I would especially like to thank Skeezix and Sassy for the award and photos.

Also today, I would like to bark Happy Birthday to my human. She likes birthdays, as long as there are no numbers involved. Everyone deserves a special day, so besides fur and licks, I am posting some others of her favourite things, some of which she has already received from her two-legged companions - one of Cornwell's new books, flowers, South Seas pearls, and, of course, cognac - and some special music from one of her favourite Rodgers and Hammerstein productions. (however, I fancy she likes the fur and lickies best!)

Monday Afternoon

2008-02-25T01:33:00.002Z

So much ham this morning - yum yum! My human was making sandwiches and, all of a sudden: a miracle! A clump of shaved ham rolled out of the refrigerator and onto the floor! Needless to say, it was mine after that! I will have to sleep it off today. Mmmmmmmmm...

Tuesday Morning

2008-02-18T21:55:00.004Z

Baby is Back! I read the good news on Baby's blog, as well as that of everydog whose been following the disappearance of Baby, that Baby is now back with her family. I know that everyone joins me in in joy and relief that one of our furry friends has been reunited with those who love her and will keep her safe! Welcome home pup, and enjoy a big dinner, a long sleep and a good brush!

Barking about brush: I got brushed yesterday. It was a good, long brush. I don't get brushed as often as I used to because in my old age I absolutely loathe being brushed. So much so that my owner puts it off because she doesn't like doing something to me that I hate that much. But she does it anyway, and yesterday I got it, and I got it good. Yeah, i look fabulous, but I had my claws clipped and my paws trimmed and my leggings shaped - and the brush, oh, the brush! But, yes, I do look gorgeous now!

Sunday Afternoon

2008-02-17T03:35:00.005Z

It is a cloudy and cool February, not at all hot and hazy as normal, so I have spent the weekend lazing around the house with my humans to wait on me - fetching me treats, giving me furry rubs... A great way to let the champagne bubbles from Momo-cat's Love Boat cruise waft away into fond memories.

Another lovely treat: Essex and Deacon, my collie-Valentines, have awarded me with the Funky Blog Award, which means that just because I'm old, I haven't lost my funk! (In German one might say that I still have some spark!) Thank you so very much my friends!

And to enjoy the honour, I am passing this award on to some more funky blogs by some funky dogs *and cats* who have funkified my blogging experience, -if you've already got one, consider yourself twice as funky- and they are: Perfect Tosca, Karl & Ruis, Marvin Braveheart, Momo-cat, Asta - oh, and I can't resist: two more for extra funkiness! Opus & Roscoe and Gaucho & Verdi! Have a funky day!

Friday Afternoon

2008-02-15T04:59:00.004Z

What fun! Momo-cat has invited me on the Love Boat for a Valentine Cruise. Everyone there looks absolutely gorgeous. The food is wonderful and the weather is beautiful. I cannot think of a better way to spend the Valentine week, with puppy love and kitty kisses! Do stop by and have a drink & dance!

I will always hold a candle for my dreamy valentines, Essex, Deacon & Cal - oooh, sooo handsome!

And a romantic waltz for all of you furry lovies!

Happy Valentine's Day

2008-02-13T22:32:00.003Z

From my big heart to all of my furry friends and their beloved humans, have a lovely Valentine's Day!

Monday Morning

2008-02-10T22:34:00.000Z

The cats took me on a trip to Venice for Carnival. I had such a good time that I forgot all about ham and cheese, for about five minutes! We had a lot of fun fooling the humans into thinking we actually had masks on. Momo-cat gave gondola rides. Karl and Ruis, Asta, Momo-dog and Pinot, and of course the boys, Opus and Roscoe were only a few of the many lovely friends who were there. - and of course, the funny farm fur friends!
The lights were beautiful, the atmosphere charming and no one chased us away! (though I do believe there were some of us who gave chase to a few pigeons - couldn't help it, there were just so many of them. It's like they were all chanting, "chase me!, chase me!" or something!
We all changed costumes several times of course, because we were having so much fun, and because darting after pigeons, up trees after birds and diving into the canals after fish necessitated it! What a wonderful carnival it was! Thank you all who came and invited me along.

Friday Morning

2008-02-08T00:26:00.000Z

As I dream in the comfy house, and my humans are out doing whatever it is they do, in the rain, I am reminded of that funny little noisy thing they look at some evenings, the one with the fuzzily-lit pictures moving on the screen that really makes no sense to us animals, but the humans seem to love it. My humans have been watching a series of documentaries about the Apollo missions (though why anyone would want to leave this good planet is beyond me). Dreaming today, I am reminded of how much dogs seem to mean to humans because, no matter where they go, they just can't forget about us, and references to us end up everywhere, from the celestial constellations Canis major and minor, to those beautiful and ethereal phenomena called Moondogs, and those NASA guys naming the lunar vehicle after their favourite friend, Rover!