Damn good job I buried those bones!

On our outings over the last week or so I have seen far less trucks to bark at through the window of the tin box on wheels. I have heard humans talk about the truck strike but never really gave it much thought. So what ? Fewer big wheels to quash my poor stray canine friends must be good! Now the other day my people went to top up my food supply and "Shock & Horror" the shelves are bare......

It appears nearly all the supermarkets have run out of fresh items and now even tinned food, toiletries and most basic lines have all gone. If these truckers think this action will change the Greek economy they should come and pay me a visit......I'll bite their ass !!!!!

I think the main part of summer is coming to an end out here in Greece. We have had virtually no rain since late March so a few showers last week were very welcome, or so the Stop'its say !  Well if a few showers make humans happy then last night they should have been ecstatic...

Last night someone certainly upset Zeus....I lay awake on my sofa on the balcony as lightening bolts lit the night skies all over the mountains and the Messinian coast line. Of course this was followed by massive bangs of thunder....thats the bit I definitely do not like. Fortunately for me my people brought the big plastic curtains down so the rain and wind was kept out but I still get a bit afraid.

Now as I have learnt how to open the door by jumping at the handle on the door to the humans kennel I thought it better I check they were not afraid as well

Big Game Hunter !

After a normal start to the morning Mr Stop'it was off to the garage and out came the gardening tools. Now over the years I understand the garden has improved as it was once meadow land and all overgrown. Now we have flowering shrubs all around the perimeter, lots of fruit trees and a veggie plot (that is fenced off so I can't get in!).

So the plants get water in the dry summer months my people have put down "magic rain tubes". I have to be very careful as sometimes when I'm on guard duty in the night it starts to "rain upwards"........gee that makes me jump as my undercarriage gets wet!

Anyway all this water makes the grass around the trees and shrubs grow so Mr Stop'it has to get out the "motorised whipping stick" that cuts all the long grass down. The other day he quickly stopped the machine and picked up a pebble with legs !!!

I'm not certain what all the fuss was about but Mrs Stop'it was all maternal over it.........odd these humans!

Visit to the Car Rally

As I promised yesterday I was going to tell you something about the FILPA Rally here in Greece. This was the 39th International Rally and started in the town of Nafplio (see my earlier blogs, because I went there!) over three days the drivers covered 600 miles with many trials and constant speed test driving to Gerolimin & Sparti. The final prize giving evening is here in Kalamata on Saturday.

There was a whole mix of cars taking part but I was confused on what the Greeks class as vintage and what my people say is the difference between vintage and classic. One of the cars taking part was a Triumph Spitfire and I heard Mr Stop'it say he once owned one, does that make him "vintage" too?

I know this BMW was one of the cars my people liked the most, well I guess it is a bit ostentatious to have a Rolls Royce over here in Greece. I was allowed to have a good sniff around all the cars before they started off and several people spoke to me as I was the only dog there! The problem was Mr Stop'it would not let me get in any of the cars to go for a ride. 

We had lots of photos taken of the cars as they left....well I think it was for the cars not for the girl in tight red trousers!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After a while I got a bit tired standing watching all this and I slipped out of my harness....gee I got told off for that!  Then one of the girls at the start line with tight red trousers starting talking to me....I think Mr Stop'it was jealous because after that he took me to sit down at the taverna with him.  I did get a well overdue long drink of ice cold water though whilst he and Mrs Stop'it had a frappe............

Rolls-Royce of a dog....

My people were up and about early this morning and I just knew something special was going to occur.  Now the problem I have is making sure they realise I want to go with them as well !  As it happens I did not have to worry, as when I see my yellow cushion in Mr Stop'its hands I know I'm included in the outing.  You see in the "blue tin box on wheels" I'm given a cushion to sit on which also allows me to reach the  window so I can get my head out and have a good sniff about as we drive through places...

Well we all went to the jetty in Kalamata (I thought we were going to buy smelly fish), but instead the Stop'its took me to look around some very old cars.  I'll tell you tomorrow what this was all about, meanwhile I decided on the one they could buy me ! (Its in the photo)..................

I went shopping.......

PETALIDI

Normally when I get taken out I am allowed to run and have a good sniff around the fields or beaches. The latter is of course still out of bounds to us canines until the end of the month but I do get to have a wander around the harbour at Petalidi some days. However I was most surprised when after my outing the other day I got put on the leash and taken into the town shopping with my people.

Whilst it was only shopping for "human" type food I was able to have a good look around so I thought I would share with you on the next two blogs a picture of the places I went to.

Todays photo is of the harbour ( I can wander in the grass in the foreground freely), if you look at the back you can see the market stalls that come to town every Friday and set up right along the sea front.

Ho nuovi amici umani

Being an extremely smart dog it did not take me too long to work out these people were from Italy and to get the hang of their lingo. I also found out that the canine that looks after them is called "Jack" my people said he could come a visit me next time they come to see us. Unlike me though I heard Jack is a poor traveler, and unfortunately for me I understand that despite having his own "luggage" the bags come empty.

Just my luck again !!!!

Well the human chat went on for ages, so I went to sleep.....

We have guests.....

Now after all that activity Mr Stop'it starting laying the table on the balcony (this means food!!), so clearly they were not going away as I originally thought. Later that morning I was awaken from my mid day snooze by some humans and their car at the garden gate. I alerted the household, and ran to see them off. However "Dad" Stop'it came to the gate and let these people in.....I had never seen them before though. Once they were out of the tin box I gave them a good sniff and could tell they had a canine friend that looked after them also. Thats always good news as this always means they will like me.

Now the male visitor spoke a totally different language to mum & dad Stop'it and it certainly was not Greek (you see being a bilingual dog I understand more Greek than the Stop'its!!), and every so often the female visitor broke into this language also.

I need to find out more about these people............

Busy, busy, busy......

The Stop'its were up and about early today. I was given my normal morning brush down, fed etc. and then both of my people started doing lots of tidy up things.

Now I always get very worried when I see this sort of action because sometimes it means they are preparing to go back to Britain, and that means "without me"! As you know when they do I go and stay with Pal and although his people are very kind and look after me very well, I love my Mum & Dad Stop'it.

Mr Stop'it was about with the "sucker-upper machine" that always eats up the bits of food I leave on the floor for later. Despite attacking and barking at it as it hisses its demented gobbling tones, it continues to consume my food bits with relentless hunger each time it appears. Actually I don't think Mr Stop'it can control it as he always seems to be pulling it back towards him when it runs forward!

I'll let you know what happens..............

I got stuck !

Now once I was on that table I am sort of stuck, especially with Mr Stop'it holding me. At first the lady dog doctor listened to my chest and heart beat through some plastic tubes she stuck in her ears. Next she got some sort of a spying tube with a light in it and stuck it in my ears, then worst of all the final humiliation she wanted to take my temperature and stuck it up my a@#!

Now I ask you why take a healthy dog like me to the dog doctors?

Thinking it was all over I then spied the dreaded needle and glass tube thingy......yep I got stuck with it!

Gee was I glad to get off that table. What totally confuses me is that Mr Stop'it actually pays good money to have me put through all this pain and humiliation. I'm beginning to believe he is a masochist!

Its THE table!

As you now know I'm always up for a ride in the blue tin box on wheels, so yesterday morning off we set and headed to Messini. First stop a deserted end of the beach where I could have a run around with Mr Stop'it. Next onto Lidl for my weekly supply of food, and then we drove into the town centre and Mr Stop'it got me out of the tin box and put me on my leash. Now I immediately knew where we were! Near the dog doctors!!

Well a year ago I did not mind going there, but after "the op" I am no longer so keen. I sat down and demonstrated on the pavement outside, but to no avail....I ended up inside! Now the dog doctor lady is very nice, but once I'm put on the "cutting table" I'm none too happy. What was it going to be this time?

Yes, I knew it !

Well I was right! The morning started normally, brush down, food and sit outside on the swing hammock with Mr Stop'it. Now after that he normally disappears to the basement to read his E Mail, but this time he called me into the upstairs human kennel area. You will remember I am normally not allowed in there, as I entered I seen he was in the room that houses the "rain room"! I am wise enough to know its pointless running, so I gave in and entered the rain room peacefully. Truthfully I know I needed a wash down as Pal and I had been playing in the dust allot over the last few days.

Really its not too bad as Mr Stop'it takes great care not to get soap in my eyes and I can get my own back when I get out of the rain room and shake water everywhere!!!!

Time to go home

The other morning I heard the Stop'its talking on the phone to Pal's people. Now as much as I would never dream of listening in to other peoples conversations you humans do talk very loud. It transpired that Pal was to go back home sometime after 4.30pm that day.

So in the afternoon Pal and I sat and waited for their arrival. Pal was quite sad to go though, and now I've been left on my own again. You see as much as I like playing with the Stop'its in the garden they do not let me bit their necks and hang off their ears like Pal does.

I overheard another comment between the Stop'its too that day, they were planning a visit to the "rain room" for me !!

Dinner times

Gee can Pal eat!

Mr Stop'it normally gets my dinner ready some time between 6-7pm. In the summer time it is better to eat a bit later in the day when the temperature has dropped. Often I leave a bit of food in my dish for the "night munchies", but I could not do this with Pal about. Walk away from my dish and he's there cleaning it out!

Now when Mr Stop'it gives us dinner he always stands between us and watches us both (I think he got this habit because I always stand and watch them if they eat outside just in case they drop a bit of food on the floor as I have to clean it up for them to keep the place clean!). Once I have had my fill I leave the rest for Pal to finish off.

Dog tired...

As I said it was sure a hard night. Once we both had been brushed and fed in the morning by Mr Stop'it we had our normal run about and play time. Mr Stop'it has some obsession about us wanting to play ball or throw things away and expect us to bring them back to him, only for him to throw them away again! We've "cottoned on" to that one so we tend to just ignore him, he soon gets fed up having to get them himself and leaves us alone to play fighting games between ourselves.

We watched the person called "donkey lady" by the Stop'its tending her crops and I had a good old bark at her, Pal just watched. You see I always bark at her as she carries this big stick she sometimes hits the fence with to annoy me. Now if only I could get over that fence at her !!!

But we needed our sleep time to be able to enjoy another night of tormenting, so rest in our arm chairs was required.......

Oh what a night......

Now if it were a bit later in the month I could have entitled this "Oh what a night, late September back in ......."

(music maestro please!)

Well I think we excelled ourselves last night, but I do not think Mr & Mrs Stop'it, especially Mrs Stop'it were too thrilled with us. You see around 1 in the morning three village mutts (dogs) decided to come and annoy us at our gates. Pal and I ran down to the gate (as the photo shows) in the dark and had to see them off. Well it was not easy or indeed quiet. The whole canine village joined in what we were doing! This brought Mr Stop'it out and he seen them off, but he just does not understand we are only protecting the boundary. For my thanks I got tied up on the balcony, but Pal did not. That was a lucky break for us, as Pal could still run off and see what was happening and report back to me.

Well around 5am it happened again, and as I could not get loose, I woke Pal with some very loud barks (he sleeps really deeply), and sent him off to sort it. This time Mrs Stop'it came out, gee I was in for it! Was she mad........So all three of us ended up in the basement until sun rise.

I think I'll have a long kip today and keep out of her way.....

Pal arrives.........

Now as I was saying my mate Pal was due to stay with me for a few days, well he arrived today!

I was quite excited really when I heard the car arrive, I ran to the gate and could see (and hear) Pal inside. Soon we were running and playing in the garden. One good thing (I think) is that when Pal comes over I do not need to clean up the garden for Mr & Mrs Stop'it of all my bits of left over bones etc. Pal does that for me! The only thing is I have the devils own job of keeping him of the good (smelly) bits (of bone that is).

He does try now and then the other bits (well you know what I mean), but he gets none of that! Typical youngster, just does not know when its right to do that........

Thank goodness the weather is changing and we have a small cool breeze setting in, that meant I could play chase all the longer; but now I need a bit of rest..........just wait until tonight the Stop'its do not know what they are in for!