Nearly Wordless Wednesday 29/2

Declan decided that if he wasn't allowed to eat KC, the next best thing was her  scratching post....

Deccy's Excellent Blog Award - March

The time has come to announce the category for March that could enable you to win my gorgeous Purple Sparkly Toilet Seat Award!

For March, I am looking for  The Very Best (Nearly) Wordless Wednesday Post. "Best" can mean anything; the funniest, wittiest, most stunning photograph - whatever you think will appeal to a slightly off the wall Greyhound! Here are the rules:

• Blog posts placed online between Midnight GMT on the first day of March and Midnight GMT on the last day can be considered.
• I will read my friends' posts in the usual way and make a short list of potential recipients.
• If you would like to nominate any of your own posts or those of your friends (as many as you like) you can do so by emailing me a link to Declan's Dogs Blog
• Once the nomination period has closed I will consider my own shortlist alongside any nominations received from you and will make the award.
• My decision is final. Because it's my award and I can say that. HeHe!!
• The winner will be notified and invited to collect the award from my blog. They may then display it proudly & prominently on their own blog! 
• Only one award is given to one blog each month (exclusive or what?!)
• Unless they object, the winner will also be named Blog of the Month on my Declan's dogs Blog Directory

Remember! February's category Make Me Giggle The Loudest! closes midnight GMT on Wednesday. I will then publish the nominations and announce the winner within a few days.

I hope you'll all enjoy this bit of fun and want to take part. Remember this is the only award for which you have to do practically nothing! 

Nearly Wordless Wednesday 22/2

If this is what Declan has done to David, just imagine what he'd do to Nick..........!

Make me giggle in February!

Wordless Wednesday 15/2

Declan the Chef

Had all gone to plan, I was intending to have a regular slot showcasing doggy treats - both of my own invention and from my doggy cookbook christmas present. However, the best laid plans and all that stuff.....

Some of you will know, (some will be trying to forget..) that over recent months I have had intermittent Exploding Bum Issues (EBI). Currently I am on a very bland "back to basics" diet, and touch wood, no explosions for 2 weeks now. Mum says if all is well in a weeks time she will introduce other foods one at a time to see how I cope. We are going to start with mashed carrot or potato. The excitement could very well prove too much...hmmmmm. 

So..... If I can't cook for myself, now that I have the outfit, I might as well cook for Mums.

I decided to go with the all- American classic - Meatloaf. I may well be on dodgy ground here, what with so many of my friends living over the Pond, so I hope you approve!

Ingredients

2lbs mince beef

1 large onion

3 cloves of garlic

2 tbs chopped parsley

2oz white bread, crusts removed

1 tbs mustard powder

2tbs Worcester sauce

5floz white wine

1 egg

seasoning

Method

Pretty much, just blend everything together in a food processor. Start by putting the bread in on its own, reducing to fine crumbs & remove. Then the onion, garlic and parsley. Blitz until they are very finely chopped. Then add the mince followed by all the other ingredients.

You may want to get your humans to help with the above... I found having quite long toe nails made it a bit hazardous.....

Pack the mixture in a loaf tin. I made a simple vine tomato sauce, just using cherry tomatoes, a good virgin olive oil and seasoning, reducing it over a low heat in a saucepan.  I poured this over the meatloaf before placing it in a bain-marie and cooking at 150 degrees centigrade for 2 hours. I think the tomato sauce helps keep the meat moist.  I then let it rest, covered in foil for 20 mins. (It was quite hard not to eat it, at this point..)

Traditionally, I believe, meatloaf is served with mashed potato, but my friends, this is Yorkshire! And what do Yorkshire folk eat with everything? Yorkshire Puddings of course! Just click the link if you'd like the recipe.

Meatloaf served with roast potatoes, cauliflower cheese and Yorkshire puddings.

I do hope I haven't incensed my American pals too much. Perhaps one of you could get your own back, by posting your recipe for Stotty cake!

Make me Giggle in February!

My Valentine - Beryl

I am delighted to report that Beryl has agreed to be my Valentine. I've admired her for a long time, and we have so much in common, what with our former racing careers....

Beryl is very pretty and without wanting to sound ungentlemanly, has a fantastic chest. Errr... I mean she has lovely markings on her chest...

As a bonus, Beryl has a really fun brother called Frankie, so I'm hoping we can hang out together and share a few beers.

I have made Beryl a brooch which I hope she will wear on her website...... I feel like a very very lucky boy!

Thanks Beryl; you're a star! 

Deccy xxxxx

Nearly Wordless Wednesday (8/2)

Not that Declan was dropping hints or anything...but it is a leap year after all  ladies!

Stop Press! I'm here & not at Gannys. I'm going next week now!

Make me Giggle in February!

I've been tagged!

My good friend Puddles has tagged me! Apparently this means that I now have to tell you 10 things about myself, so here goes.

1.    Describe yourself in seven words?
Witty, charming, handsome, furry, tall, funny, modest!!!


2.    What keeps you up at night?
Wind. My own and the outside variety.


3.    Who would you like to be?
Why would I want to be anyone else?! Well maybe Uncle Flynn because he was obviously a bl**dy saint, the way Mums go on about him.....


4.  What are you wearing right now?
My celtic knots collar, a silk smoking jacket and a fez. Just kidding...... I'm not 
wearing my collar.


5.       What scares me?
Being left alone,  KC.


6. The best and worst of blogging
All the new friends that I've made. 
The house hasn't  been cleaned properly since we started. (This is just a feeble excuse on Mum's part... like she loved cleaning before. Sheesh!)


7.       The last website I visited?
That would be We 3 Doxies!


8.       What is the one thing I would change about myself?
Why change perfection? Some people say I'm a little too modest for my own good.....


9.       Slankets yes or no? 
This is a new one on me... perhaps we're a little behind the times in Blighty....? But anything I can snuggle under sounds damn good!


10.     Tell us something about the person that tagged you.
Puddles is a feisty little dachshund with a big personality and great sense of humour. I haven't known her long, but I'm a big fan. Oh and she likes beer. Anyone who likes beer is good by me.  

Me with my Good Boys Ears on.

I'm supposed to tag 8 friends, but Mum is an idle git who won't help I know you are already busy people and I didn't want to put you under any pressure. However, if you too have a penchant for self-publicity, feel free to consider yourself tagged!

Make me Giggle in February!

The Politics of Teddies.....

Last week Other Mum had to take a trip to London. She had a meeting at the House of Commons about Road Safety Legislation. (Wonder how she kept her eyes open through that one...!)

Other Mum is a Civil Engineer. If you ask her what she does she will say she designs road networks and layouts. If you ask Mum what she does she will say she is responsible for all those "bl**dy speed humps and sleeping policemen that rip the bottom off your car". If this has happened to you, please feel  to complain directly to Other Mum. Hehe!

However, the really important thing about Other Mum's trip was that she brought me back a present!

My very own House of Commons teddy!

Other Mum apologised for him not being very big, but said we would have to re-mortgage the house to afford one the size of Mr Teddy. After much thought I decided to call him.......... Mr Prime Minister, or David for short!

Mum says because he isn't very big, I will probably rip David's head off before very long.

Mum said she'd quite like to rip David's head off too.......

 Now, now Mum, This is my blog and not the place for you to start getting all political!

Declan has (nearly) left the building....

I just wanted to let you know that tomorrow Mum & I are going to stay with Ganny for a few days, so Other Mum will be in charge... She says that as she has to go to work (whatever that is..) she might not have time to comment much, but she has promised to read all my follower's posts and keep me informed about the giggle-worthy ones! I'm also going to try and leave her a couple of posts to publish whilst I'm away.. if Mum will let me near the laptop.. HINT! Hope you all have a good week.     Deccy x

Make me Giggle in February!

Today's Walk

When we got up this morning, it was freezing cold. I think both Mum & I were pretty grumpy when we went on our first outing of the day at 7.00am. But by 9.00am the sun was shining brightly and outside started to look very inviting to me. I lay around humphing a lot...

Eventually Thicko Mum got the message and suggested that we might enjoy another walk now that the weather was brighter. Well done Mum.... It's not like I've been hinting for an hour.... doh!

It was still -2 so by the time Mum had put on 27 layers of clothing, another half hour had passed.

For God's sake Mum hurry up and get ready. If I had gnadgers they'd be frozen off standing here with the tailgate  open....

So we set off and decided to stop at the tennis courts first so I could have an off lead gallop.

The tennis courts are at a place called Queensbury, which is quite a lot higher towards the moors than we are at home, hence the snow! I wasn't really in a very gallopy mood today mainly wandered around sniffing, weeing and staring into the middle distance.

After we'd done, we went for a walk in the park, which is where Mum spotted this chimney, and thought you might like to hear something about the mill it belongs to.

Black Dyke Mills Chimney - 228 ft

The building is no longer used as a mill but it is the erstwhile home of the Black Dyke Mills Band. Interesting name I'm sure you'll all agree.... anyway moving swiftly on...

The Band can trace it's origins back to 1816 and largely comprised of mill workers and their families. It is one of the oldest and most famous brass bands in the world. (Famous amongst whom, I'm not sure....) Nevertheless, they have recorded with Tori Amos, Peter Gabriel and The Beautiful South. How jolly impressive.

On the way back to the car, we called into the tennis courts again for one more chance at a zoomie, but frankly, I really couldn't be a**ed!

So now I am home on my sofa dictating this to Mum. Normally I'd do it myself, but in this weather I'm not coming out from under my blanky! Hope you all have a great weekend.

Make me Giggle in February!

Nearly Wordless Wednesday 1/2

Declan wondered if any of his crafting friends could make him a Mini-Me from his spare fur.........