I am being abandoned!

Well......maybe I exaggerate a little, but my Mum is deserting me for a whole week! She is going to Ganny's without me as they are going on a short break to Wales. I do hope she hasn't forgotten the useful phrases I taught her before we went to Wales last September. No doubt she will still remember how to order a whisky if nothing else.........

And so I am being left in charge of Other Mum and KC; I will have my paws full, no doubt. I am hoping I can get Other Mum to take me on a few outings, as I want to show off my new collar set. Yes, I know, it's a bit of a turn around for me, isn't it?! From the dog who had "one to wear and an old one for spare" I have now had 3 collars in the last 6 months. Not up to Bunny's standard admittedly, but nevertheless....

Me modelling the Renaissance martingale and purple velvet house collar.

Now isn't this just one of the nicest collars that you have seen? It was made for me by my good friend MeggieMoo and her "Muvva" who own a fantastic dog accessory business in Denmark called MeggieMoo-collars, coats and more. Moo and her family come from the UK but when they moved to Denmark, good collars were hard to find, so they started making their own. Mum says she couldn't be more pleased with my new collars. Muvva even lined my martingale with purple cotton and put purple velvet on the back webbing! She ordered them last Sunday and they arrived on Friday.  Moo ships all over the world, so if you are looking for a collar, coat, fleece, jimjams, lead or harness, you really should check her out.

This is MeggieMoo. You can read all about her life here. She's had some real ups and downs but now she is safe and loved with all her family and shares her home with foster dogs too.

One of the reasons that Moo and I became friends was because of her brother "Thick Harris" or "Fik" to his friends. Fik is like my body double, I honestly doubt you could tell us apart, although Fik is actually a lurcher, having a bit of Saluki in him.

Harris

Amazing or what?!

So if I don't see you for a while it is because I am being severely neglected by Other Mum and you might want to consider sending food parcels or something.....

Here I am asleep in my purple velvet smoking jacket.....or house collar as some lesser mortals call them. See? Already I am being made to sleep outside....Whatever will become of me?

Love Deccy x (drama-hound extraordinaire) 

A Trip Down Memory Lane....

When we last visited Ganny for her birthday, the weather wasn't that great, but on our final day, the sun came out and so Mum decided we should take a drive out into the countryside.

Mum took us to a little village called Berkswell that is located between Birmingham and Coventry. When Mum was little it was in the County of Warwickshire, but now resides in the somewhat less glamourously named West Midlands! Not that anyone from Berkswell would ever admit to that.....

Mum took Ganny, Other Mum and me there, because her and Ganny have very fond memories of the village from when Mum was young. She says that her Grandad, Nanny and all the family used to drive out there on a Sunday afternoon, have a picnic and then call in at the village pub on the way home!

This house dates from the 17th century.

You don't see many red telephone boxes anymore....at least not in working order!

The church of St John the Baptist dates from the 1100's

Another reason Mum likes the village so much is because her Great Grandmother was born there sometime in the 1870's 

Great Grandmother was born in one of these whitewashed cottages, but Mum isn't sure which one.

The stocks on the village green are just opposite these cottages...I wonder if any of my relatives had the pleasure?!  It's a bit difficult to see from this picture, but the stocks only have 5 leg holes, and it is said that this is because they were built specifically for a drunken 1 legged soldier and his two drinking companions!

The village pub, The Bear Inn dates back to the 16th century. It belongs to a chain now, but Mum says it still feels like the little village pub she remembers from her childhood.... (that'll be getting on for 40 years ago then, Mum!)

You will often see this image of  The Bear & Ragged Staff, as it is the emblem of the county of Warwickshire.

Here is Mr Bear climbing up his Staff in the pub beer garden!

After all that exploring I thought we deserved a nice cool drink....and anyway, a post wouldn't be complete without a picture of me, would it?!

I'm getting bored now Mum; time to hit the road!

Wordless Wednesday 5/6

In Bluebell Wood

Birthday Boy!

Today is my 6th birthday! I suppose I'm middle aged now, but I don't really feel it. I do wonder, however,  if I can now sleep 21 hours a day and not just 20?...........

I've had lots of lovely presents and good wishes from my friends; I feel a very lucky boy.

Mums' bought me this lovely new bed and a pad to make it super soft.

Oh yes, very comfortable.....

Enough with the camera! I need to test it properly......zzzzzzzzzz......

These are the rest of my cards and presents. Ganny sent me a tenner this year.....that's inflation for you! I also had some dried liver slices and an unstuffy duck (or is it a chicken?) and an unstuffy chipmunk (that looks like a squirrel)

I even had a card from Beckett, Veil & Maddy over at Home Is Where The Hounds Are in Canada!

Best of all, Mum made me a cake! It is Fishy Fudge Cake with cream cheese and pumpkin frosting. 

Ooooh this looks nice!

Certainly beats kibble for breakfast......

Is there anymore Mum?!

I am just going to have a little nap to sleep off my breakfast and then Mum and I are going to go on a nice walk. After that, I might just spend the rest of the day doing this.......

Help yourselves to cake everyone!

Nearly Wordless Wednesday 29/5

Aaarrrggghh!! KC have you put chili powder on my toast?!!

Baking with Declan

Today I would like to tell you about my new treats that I baked earlier this week. They are called Cheesy Pumpkin & Marmite Bites. (catchy name huh? hmmmmm.....)

You will need:

 1/3 can of pure pumpkin

1tbs coconut oil (heated to dissolve)

1tbs grated cheese (Cheddar, Parmesan....)

1 clove of garlic, finely grated

1/2 tsp Marmite, dissolved in 1tbs hot water

3tbs porridge oats / oatmeal

rice flour. (this is added last - use enough to bind the mixture together)

Simply place all the ingredients in a bowl and bring together with a knife and then your hands (or paws...) until you have a scone-type mixture that you can roll out. If you add too much flour, and the mixture is too dry, add a little milk or more coconut oil.

Roll out the mixture to around 1/2 inch and cut out shapes. I used a 3cm circle cutter, This makes around 50 biscuits. 

Place them on a baking sheet and cook in a 170 centigrade oven for around 30 to 40 minutes.

Well, the proof of the pudding, as they say.............

Oh yeah Mum......now that is good!

If you are in the UK, Pure Pumpkin (not the pie filling) can be found in Waitrose stores and some branches of Tesco in the World Foods isle

Coconut Oil is available in health food shops and most Asian supermarkets. It is meant to do wonders for the skin and coat, so I'm taking it on a daily basis now!

Nearly Wordless Wednesday 22/5

Ooooh! Don't mind if I do. Ta very much!