Training in extreme weather

Irish heatwaves are a rare thing, but 8 weeks into extremely sticky heat and we are experiencing problems. For me and the four dogs, training now takes place at unlikely hours or at unlikely venues. We try to vary it as much as possible. Most days they are each given a task to do and so trained individually but then if the two-legged handler sleeps late, training takes place in the river. The dogs love this but I don’t as I generally end up the wettest of the lot.

 

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Ellie is on the left on the last photo in the slides she prefers to stand on the bank and manage the recovery – this collie only gets wet as the last resort.

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A Trip to Venice

From the moment we landed, we began to relax. The city is a vibrant but relaxing place to visit.

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The hotel was great, the staff even better than great, helpful, polite and always on hand to offer advice.

20180414_181756[1]We managed to squeeze in, a trip to a glass factory, the Peggy Guggenheim Gallery, a ghost tour of the city, two walking tours, a boat trip through the city and many lazy meals in the huge variety of restaurants.

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The icing on the cake was the weather, as we came from cold and dull to brilliant blue skies and warmth of 20 degrees.

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Odd things you see on Irish Country Roads.

The world might be full of technology but for some people having a conversation and socialising are more important.

This thought stuck with me when I was taking the road to my dad’s house and all traffic was brought to a stop… by a family who were locked out of their farmyard home.

Oddly most of the car drivers (women) were very busy taking pictures, along with oohing and ahhing to worry about the safety of the family of hens. I smiled and tried not to give them a lecture about helping or #RAOK, as I set about returning hen family to their house.

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I began to search for their owner. My first house call was  not appreciated as I woke the home owner judging by his sleepy appearance and his pj’s and slippers. Eventually the lady who owned the hens were found and peace was restored along with traffic flow, as chicks and hens were let in to their yard (through the blue door).

Since then I have noticed most people drive with care on this particular section of road.

Life with Dogs

Life with dogs…is not easy, just take a look at these pictures

Dressing up for my blog site didn’t turn out the way I hoped this Christmas

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They both were behaving like a Diva. So I took Ellie outside, this is the best I got..

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Are you for real? I am not posing out here it is mucky and cold.

So I tried Judy. She wasn’t much better as all she wanted to do was find fish.

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How Bob arrived.

A co-worker of my husband asked, “would you be interested in a 2 year old dog?”

The question caught him out, as he kindly asked what kind of dog. Fast forward to the weekend and we went to see this Norwegian Elkhound. Bob was bought for a lady in her eighties. But he was too big, too strong and heedless.

We arrived at the house in the country and were greeted by Bob, front paws on the top of the gate and hind ones planted firmly on the ground. He took one look at us and smiled. I think he was saying, gotcha!

He was correct. He had us from that goofy smile and ceaseless tail wagging.

He came home with us quietly. We stopped to buy leash, bowls, dog food etc. And then the trouble started. He decided he would be boss and eat everything in sight. Wellington boots, shoes or slippers weren’t good enough they were simply a starter. What he liked was the tough teeth crunching wooden posts, his kennel and finally his coupe de resistance, the electric gate leads.

As everyone knows he obviously survived the electricity but didn’t go back for seconds. The reason being the wires were encased in plastic casing then a metal casing. In fact everything we thought he might eat was encased, or locked away or hidden.

Luckily he mellowed as he settled down though he never lost that heedlessness making teaching him a very big challenge. In the end though I think he has been the teacher.img_0201

Take this idea I had for photos of him and Ellie.

I had everything set up then he decided he wasn’t in the mood for modelling.

On this occasion I didn’t give in.

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It isn’t easy getting the bow in place, getting him to allow it to sit there was the big problem.

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There is that look on his face again, wouldn’t you love to know what he was thinking?

 

Irish Wedding – The Day Before.

Friday the 12th of August was “D” day before Sara and Colm’s Wedding.

We were woken early by Bob, demanding breakfast. You would think he knew something strange was happening. And it got stranger because they (Ellie and Bob) both had a bath.

Though he showed his disgust at this pretty simply by ;  rolling on the grass.

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It was just as well we were up early because shortly after the invasion of helpers landed one after another and soon the house was a giggling mess of bridesmaids, groomsmen all intent on helping set up the venue.

With the van loaded, garden stripped of most of its blooming, daisies, hydrangea, roses and any thing else that looked interesting, we set off.

 

It was hard work, but with six of us working together we had the place ready in five hours.

Some new talents were discovered during the process, though some did take a nap every now and then.

 

 

It did look pretty amazing in the finish. What do you think?

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So it was home, with the boys to Dublin and the ladies (+Pat) home to relax and chill.

 

Maria’s Stuff Playing with Pictures

I have been having fun at a photography class. Basically learning how to make better use of my camera.

But in the process I discovered some old photos’ and have started to play around with them. This one reminded me of how much fun, kids get out of the simple things in life,

in this case it was: Boxes.

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Bob’s Diary: Perhaps we should build an ark?

A walk which Ellie tried to turn into a game of chase

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but I wasn’t having any of it.

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The field was flooded so walking and definitely running was off the timetable , for me, instead I decided on a snooze, meanwhile the other pair had made a new friend

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or was it a friend and a half?

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Bob’s Diary: Start like you mean to continue

Have you broken your New Years Resolution yet?

All around me I hear people, dogs, cats even birds saying they are disgusted with themselves for they have broken their promise to get fitter, or slimmer.

Well I am proud to say I have not broken mine.

Because I have no desire to learn how to swim, drive a boat,

 

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This is the bridge Ellie usually swims under and Maria goes under via boat.

or be fitter or slimmer,

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I like me just the way I am.

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Now can someone please tell Maria this as she insists a two mile walk is good for me.

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