Christmas 2009

Well my first Christmas in my new home....

I can remember my previous Christmas with the Greek people I used to look after, but whilst they seemed to celebrate I certainly was not included. Now this Christmas was definitely different! Mr & Mrs Stop'it had lots of hanging things in the house and on the balcony and for some strange reason Christmas morning they gave me a collar type thing to wear. Now I ask you do I look a "prat" or what? I left it on though to humour them.

Hes gone !

Well Pal has gone back home with the people he looks after and its back to normal for me. Now my people look after me very well indeed, with walks on the beach most mornings and regular meal times, but yes, I do miss playing with Pal.

The time of year is now coming towards winter (as you know my blog has not yet caught up to current day events), and whilst I am very much an outside dog I do not really look forward to winter nights. So the other day I had a great surprise when some men turned up and started building me a giant kennel area! Well truthfully it was clear balcony blinds for the Stop'its, but that still meant a giant winter kennel for me... Yippee I am going to be warm this winter.......

Going home tomorrow

I heard the Stop'its talking and Pal's people are going to collect him and take him back to his home. Now I am very glad the male human Pal looks after has recovered from his operation, but I was really quite sad to know Pal will be going and I will be alone again. Well I guess I am not really on my own, as I have the Stop'its to look after; that is far better than the days when I was....what you humans call a stray. The truth is us dogs do not recognise that word, it just does not exist in our vocabulary. Lost dog, unwanted dog, dumped by humans dog all exist, but "stray" definitely not! You see all us dogs want to care for a human, look after them and their belongings; in return all we really ask for is a little food and shelter.......

Too hasty

Did I really say ''I hope he could stay for good?'' Perhaps that was a comment made in too much haste. Some days I think both of us got on Mr & Mrs Stop'its nerves, I heard him say goodness knows how Pal's people had me for 9 weeks (now I ask you as if I would be trouble?), but I know the Stop'its were ever so grateful they did, but not as much as me because if they had not I would have been put in the Kalamata dogs home as a stray. However he soon used to forget about our little irritations we caused him, play games and have some good fun with us. There was the odd occasion however that Pal and I fell out, nearly always over food! Then he would sulk and not speak to me for ages..........

Friends for life.......

As time went by Pal and I became real good friends, I even let him share my sleeping basket in the basement. Now like lots of couples one or another have things that can really annoy. Pal says I snore, and I think he eats too much.

On the latter I had to be very quick eating my dinner because if I took my eyes off my dish he was in there eating my grub! . One day my people gave him a dental bone, now one of those concrete looking bones lasts me weeks, he crunched his and it disappeared within 10 minutes! Time went by very quickly but Pal's people did not come on the day originally planned as the male human he looks after needed a few more days to recover from his operation. I hope he can stay with us for good....................

Time to rest.......

I think I told you that us dogs were not permitted in the upstairs area of the Stopit's house but we are allowed in the basement. Yehhhh!!

So after a hard days play Pal and I used to sit on the sofa and watch television. (Thats us with Mr Stop'it)

We are very lucky really as not only can we watch Greek TV, but we can also get some UK TV through the satellite Mr Stop'it put in. My favorite programmes are "Lassie" and "One man and his dog", but I could sort those sheep, out far quicker for the BBQ than they do!!

Dirty or what ?

You may remember me telling you that my people dig lots of holes in the garden and plant trees but I was not allowed to dig. Well when Pal was here with me I could blame him !!

We had lots of fun digging when the Stoppits were not looking (as you can see), we did get a bit dirty but this added to the fun !

Pal and I chased about the garden for hours each day, we could play "rough and tumble" and I used to bite and hang onto his neck & ears...... We also could play ball but the big ball Pal managed to burst, now I could not get that ball into my mouth, and in a bite or two Pal did..........I'm not saying anything....................

Pal comes on holiday

Pal arrived with his people and not only did he bring his food bowl and food he also brought his "comfort blanket". Now I ask you what a thing to bring, whimp or what? Thats him behind me on the balcony. I suppose I had to allow it as he was only still about 9 months old.

Anyway I gave him a good tour of our home, except the upstairs bit where the Stoppits won't allow me in, saying that HE tried it on and tried to get in! Wow that was soon sorted by both my people and his, I told him, but he did not listen!

It soon became time for Pals people to leave him, I actually felt a bit sorry for him as he cried at the gate as their car drove away and I remember how I felt when the first people I looked after "dumped" me. This was however different as it was only for a short while and he would be going home when Mr Rottweiller got better...... so to take is mind off things we played games, lots of games !

Summer....this is the life !

All through summer the routine was pretty much the same. My people always took me out in the morning and most days they spent time doing human sorts of things in the garden. Now I have just over an acre to run about and dig holes in, but for some reason whilst the humans dig holes when I do it I have my name shouted at me...." Rosie Stoppit ! " Well I should not complain too much they do plant trees in the holes they dig and my mate "Pal" loves trees for the obvious reason. I decided to take it easy and sunbathe.....

Now talking of Pal just after summer one of the humans he looks after had to go to into hospital for an operation. I am not sure of their name but when I stayed with them they called me "Rosie Rottweiller", so I guess it must be Mr Mrs Rottweiller.....Anyway as Mr Rottweiller had to go to hospital my people volunteered to look after Pal......we had some great fun, I'll tell you about it tomorrow....

Getting into a routine....

With all the worries of having puppies out of the way, and my operation scar healing really well, days with my people started getting into a great routine. Each morning Mr Stoppit would get up about 0730hrs and come out of his kennel; now as the nights tend to be very long hard work for us dogs making sure no ones about and foxes etc stay out of the garden, I am always really pleased to see him. I always roll over so he can tickle my belly (I love that), then I get brushed down and fed.

Once Mrs Stop'it appears we go off to the beach for my morning walk. Thats me and Mrs Stoppit in the photo taken last winter on the beach. Here I can have great fun, and I intend to make the most of it as us dogs are only allowed on the beaches in Greece from October to May, then the humans demand them for themselves !!!!!