HE'LL KILL ME FOR THIS!

I just had to show you this....I am not sure Pete will be too impressed, he looks like he has been squished on the top halve and stretched on the bottom....what a weird shape he has made himself into...that'll teach him for messing about!!!..I said it was raining...so he rolled his trousers up so not to get wet!!!!!Its a real worry isn't it??? I feel quite sane in comparison. It must be the bathroom doing him in. We have riped out Lauras bathroom but havent really got the time to put it back in, so we are doing bits and bobs as we can. Me and tractor Annie finished the wardrobe after Pete did the hard bits so at least thats done..... Our Architecture business has gone mad again, its either all or nothing at the mo...

ALL THE MORE ROOM FOR US!

Hands in the air is you are glad your brothers and sisters are gone and their is more room in the basket????...What all three of you???...mercenary lot eh!

GYLLYS NEW FAMILY

Gylly has settled really well by the looks of it and I am glad we found him a nice home. He has his junior owner Tom who seems to dote on him and will obviously have many adventures with him in the future....and Charlie...Gyllys big brother, who has taken to Gylly just fine. I think Simon and Carol will bring them down to see us when they are down this way, so that will be funny seeing him as a grown up dog!...Wonder if Lucky will recognise him?

OOOOHHHHH

Such a big seat for such a little fellow. Gylly went to his new home in Oxford with his new family. Simon sent me some pics, so I will share them with you....He looks like he is trying to be really brave to go to his new home but he looks so tiny!!!!

MUST BE SUMMER ON THE WAY

With the tulips out and strawberry's just about to ripen, it must be the beginning of Summer soon!....Actually that reminds me of my day yesterday....cool, calm, collected.....YEAH RIGHT!...Woke up to mountains of puppy poo...OK so less puppies less poo....but the puppies are growing....you get my drift.....then the usual rush in the morning with school college animal feeds etc. As soon as I got back from the school run, Pete had to go to an all day meeting, so home alone!...not a good sign....then the phone rang, it was the police....I was racking my brains trying to figure out what I had done and where the kids were...then he said 'have you got ponies missing?'....mmmm I thought...might be a sandwich short but nope ponies all still here. Well he said....there are two ponies roaming around by the jet garage and the member of the public with them didn't know what to do!...I said I would go and have a look as they may be Gaby's next door. Rang Gaby ...no answer...she was at work...OH NO it was going to be one of those days...SO grabbed a head collar and ran down to catch the ponies. Finally corralled them into a safe place and then back to where they came from...they were Gaby's by the way....Dogs still not walked and had a moment of OMG....I hadn't said goodbye to guests leaving...so ran back, quick smart to do the goodbye, ....then ran to see the dogs only to find 2 rabbits hoping around the conservatory and an egg in the puppies ed...Lucky had obviously been feeding them this morning!!!!YUCK!!!...Rescued the rabbits....shouted to Gem, then at the last moment I saw a frog tangles in the pea netting and he was choking...so grabbed some scissors and cut him free...gasping for breath he hopped to a safe place...so 2 ponies, 2 rabbits, 1 frog later...we shoved the dogs into the car ...oh and auntie Lou...to walk the dogs on the beach...Anyway hows your morning been??????

FUNNY MOMENT

Just remembered this and thought I'd share it with you...We were doing change over on Saturday and mum came in to stop for lunch. She saw a colourful packet of sweets on the worktop and pinched one....we heard a splutter from the kitchen and a 'OH MY GAAAAD' whats that!.....she had pinched a dog treat NOT what she thought was a liquorice allsort....it was an allsort...but it was a dog version!...That'll teach her to deprive Shadow of her treats!!! just look at her face!!

2 GONE 6 TO GO!

I thought I would be sad to see the pups go...and in a way I am....BUT..and its a big but....it is like hell on earth here in the mornings, I am not sure I have the will power or stamina to continue....take today for example, I was working away on the computer...fed and cleaned the pups and then thought I'd just let them out for some fresh air....with that the phone rang a guy from 118 golf to confirm he can fit a tour bag into the travel case I have ordered!!...see I have that affect on people..poor guy had been stuffing a bag into another to make sure it would work..he would probably fit in here fine!!..... ordered the bag, whilst he was on the phone I hurdled a fence, climbed under a bush...not for fun I might add...to catch the darn pups that looked so sweet at me and said ' go one let us out for ten mins we wont be any trouble'....so after the second meeting with a bush and a bitten toe and a few teeth marks in my trousers, I knew then things weren't going too well....so just about to put them back in and Liz turned up to collect Wiggly and Gypsy...I had to try to appear calm and collected and in control...at which I failed miserably. Still They have new lovely homes and so do Ruffus (now Harold!) and benji (now Gylly). So 4 of the little blighters left...only kidding love 'em really!...Photos above were taken when they were so knackered they fell asleep cuddling each other!...the other one is Shadow tickling their bellies...aparently calming them down...yeah right!..., the pups seem to come back for more!

THE FIGHT CONTINUES...

The fight for custody over Sally Strawberry continues ...every day it happens until one of them is so tired that the other wins by default...I am not sure what it is with this Strawberry...but they all want it...and its Shadow's really. Same goes for the toy with the bell in it. They do love their toys and play for ages. Sometimes it does get out of hand as Shadows bum is bigger and heavier than she realises!

FOLLOW MY LEADER

Whatever the pups do, Shadow does and vice versa. One of the pups walked around in a circle and Shadow followed her and sat down right behind her...and there they sat for a while.....nutty dogs! (says me!)

THE SHADOW POSE

Shadow is a real character already. I said look at me and pose for the camera, and she stuck her bum out and gave a big cheesey grin!

TEDDIES IN

Potatoes and lettuce, all on the way now, we have had a few leaves already, Dad has the allotment in some sort of order, so woooooo betide anyone who messes that up...better not just and plant a few surprise seeds, we'll never eat!...It was great to have our own produce last year...so thanks Dad...but go easy on the courgettes, we must have eaten 350 last year....run out of ideas of what else to do with them!

ALLOTMENT ON THE GO!

It time to put the tomatoes in and start the green house up, so with water feeds in place and Dads green fingers, we hope to have something to eat shortly!!! I think he is doing Pumpkins this year too, I would like to do some butternut squashes etc, but all my ideas seem to miss the timing to get them in...I remember saying the same thing last year!

WHAT SOCK?

I asked these pair where my socks were, Shadow looked at me in disbelief that I could possibly accuse her of pinching my sock...whilst the other cretin ran off and hid!!!Think it might have been that Willow!

MAD????

I just had to tell you this...I had a right day of it and was covered in muck for most of it.....decided to have an early bath and scrub up!....It was 8.30pm and just jumped in the bath whilst Pete went to the shop. AAAhhhh bliss...NOT... There was a shout from downstairs "mum someone at the door'...so couldn't be bothered to argue who was going to deal with it, so jumped out grabbed dressing gown, ran outside only to find Pete saying I wasn't in....I thought about a hasty retreat, but too late I was sprung!... Gladly speaking to the lady (she knows who she is!)...thought whilst I was at it I would show her the puppies...forgetting I was still bare foot and in my dressing gown!...meanwhile Pete lets me in on why he isn't at the shop....the goat was out and he said it in rather a desperate tone!...oblivious to this at the time, I say yes yes I will be down to help shortly...he laughed in disbelief that I wasn't panicked and set about catching the goat as I showed the lady our puppies. Just got through the door and the woman's face was a picture, I said ' cute aren't they"....THEN i saw the rabbit they were pulling apart...the lady must have thought I fed them rabbits... I tried to explain that I don't and that lucky catches them and tries to feed the pups, I remove the rabbit only to return to find them all suckling on Lucky with a noise to deafen of slurping bliss....only moments earlier I had explained that we keep lucky apart from the pups as they are no longer allowed to suckle!!!.....WHY ME!!!!.... I fill the salt ..which is all she needed really...poor lady and donned wellies (still in dressing gown) and went to help catch the damn goat...that I realised after back tracking the conversation was an urgent requirement rather than a comment!!!!......OH MAN WHAT IS GOING ON HERE!!

TROUBLE?...CRUMBS NO!

Could you honestly think this little one (Gypsy) is trouble???How cute is she....well you wouldn't think she was cute if you saw the fight for sally strawberry. It was almost shot guns at dawn to get custody of the Strawberry....and its Shadows really!!!

THE SHADOW CUDDLE

Everyone gets one, whether they want one or not!....A shadow cuddle is a all encompassing cuddle that gets you covered in whatever she is covered in and then finished with a huge lick from top to toe!...mmm nice...the pups seem to love it, they take in turns...almost like they line up!!!

RESCUE MISSION!

Dad is in the National Coastwatch and takes his turn to keep us all safe the the bay. Its quite exciting really especially when something happens. This was an exercise...so no one was really in trouble, but quite impressive and a bit different to your day eh!!...Its more difficult that you imagine actually. I thought they peered through binociulars all day...but they have to do quite extensive training and map reading etc...it takes quite some time and exams to be able to do this....Wont be doing that then!!!!!

THE CASE OF THE MISSING CABBAGE!

Who's had the cabbage came a thundering voice....we bought a cabbage to help Luckys mastitis....apparently it works???!!!...And then it was gone, asked about but no one knew a thing, Shadow blaming the pups and the pups blaming Shadow...I have a sneaky feeling it was shadow though as the cabbage was bigger than a pup!!

KISS THE PUPS!

Well the pups certainly wont mind large dogs when they leave here. Shadow loves them and they must drive her bonkers, always hanging on her tail or cuddling in or just copying her really, shes a life size super hero.

BENJI AND THE BRUSH

Actually Benji has now been named by his new family as Gylly...but it just didn't have the same ring to it....You could start a new programme called Benji and the brush eh!!!..Ok so I have gone barmy...can you blame me!....He loves this brush, I am no sure who is teaching who though...is it Shadow teaching the pups or the other way around!

JUST TELL ME WHEN ITS OVER!

Gem must be pulling her hair out with all these Springers about!....She makes it to a safe place to watch the mayhem below. A typical day.....Get up (first big mistake!)...go down to see the puppies for breakfast, they are so excited that they skid in the mess from the night and it is every where, they are jumping around like loonies, I cant get them outside fast enough. Finally outside, try to feed big dogs so I can then sort puppies out without them eating it. Pups follow me everywhere and at great speed. They are in the bowls of the big dogs, finally get them to their plates and they are eating out the tin, as I cant dish it out fast enough. try to make sure everyone is eating and rescuing those that disappear before its over....whilst trying to clear the nightmare in the conservatory and lift and wash the bed. Meanwhile Steven and Laura come down for breakfast...wheres my PE kit, wheres my packed lunch...have you seen my homework and no I haven't touched it ...it must be you....I need a top for dance and its not where I put it!...wheres my wallet, keys...remember my golf stuff, I have a match ...etc etc...finished cleaning...well sort of ...puppies skid over all the paper I have just laid, making a right pigs ear of it....try to keep Lucky from feeding pups as she has mastitis...Shadow wants to play but hasn't got control of all her feet at the same time....also she sits wherever and when ever she chooses...puppy under or not!!!....try to get the pups in, but turn around to find ponies in the back garden...Pete left gate open..now have 11 dogs 4 ponies and Pete is shouting that the goats have escaped. Rush to pick up puppies put them indoors and hope for the best. keep eye on Lucky, shoo ponies to bottom paddock, catch goats....still only 7.30am and haven't had a cup of much needed tea...Laura now done all the packed lunches and all the crisis's of earlier seem to pale into insignificance....Need a cup of tea before I go mad....so no wonder Gem in on this chair hiding!!!!!When can you all pick your puppies up...coping is not a familiar word at present!!!If I didn't have to separate Lucky all the time it would be slightly easier...HHHHEEEEELLLPPPPP...If I ever contemplate breeding dogs please shoot me!

CUP OF TEA?

How come he gets to sit and have a cup of tea eh!!!!! Shadow is his happy friend when its cup of tea time and I think the pups are joining in too. Millie (now Bramble named by John, Dylan & Kellan)wouldnt leave the tea alone!!! and Maya (just fallen over the other side of Petes leg!)...now Willow (named by new owners Steph and Gareth) still follows Pete around. She is really funny, I am glad she will be living fairly close and I think Jeff will bring her out now and again when hes out gardening....I wonder if the pups will remember us when they see us again, be strange really after all this full on time with them...and boy has it been full on!

EGG DECS!!!

Pete decorated his Easter egg from Laura after I had told him that I had bought a dog....do you think the expression on the egg was trying to tell me something?????...We all decorated our eggs happily.....But not Pete!!!!..He did try to explain it was a character he was trying to create...????

TOM WOULD HAVE BEEN TWO

Little Tom our hand reared Shetland foal would have been 2 this month. We lost him June last year after a long battle. He was 14 months and was lovely, if you have been reading this blog for a couple of years you will remember all we went through. Little Toms Cottage is for him, this was his stable when he was poorly...that's when he wasn't in the lounge of course!! Lucky was only a baby here too, that shows how tiny Tom was.....God Bless Tommaso...sleep well XXX

BEACH WAS A BIG HIT

They all loved the beach ...and mum and auntie Lou jumped in for the ride too!.. I wasn't sure who would be the most trouble...them or the dogs ha ha...but no we all made it back to the car, Tractor Annie with wet feet and mum covered in sand...the dogs were fine!!!...I think it was a great experience that we would like to try to do at least once a day...but we'll see....I dont know what Gem was doing here...shaking I think...she looks a right scraggy ol' thing in this picture...not her best pose!!!

FIRST SEA STEPS!

Today I thought I would see if Shadow would follow me down the steps to the lower paddock, where the car is. Lucky, gem came too, and before we knew it we were by the car...so Shadow having had a rough journey before...I just wondered if she would hop in the truck....and they all did, Shadow needed a bit of help as the truck is quite high, but she loved being with us, and we took her for a short walk on the beach to see if it phased her at all....but it didn't she absolutely loved it ...as did Gem and Lucky...Her are her first steps into the sea!!

SOCKS!!

The puppies have found socks and be warned...they love them...the fluffier the better for them.... stole this one and ran away with it when I tried to catch her!!!

PUPPY FEED TIME

It will be odd when I don't have to do this, its kind of taken over my life,.....I seem to feed them, clean them up, play, put them to sleep and then do it all over again. Its quite tiring actually, when you are trying to run a business as well as everything else. VERY time consuming...but happy puppies so that's the main thing.

So starting back left is Bracken then Wiggly below that...on the next plate is left Benji and right Gypsy...next plate...left is smartie and right is Ruffus....then the closest plate is left Millie and right Maya....thats the gang!

SHADOW BEING A PLAY THING!

These two will get there comeuppance if they are not careful, one distracts Shadow and gives her a big kiss whilst the other swings on her tail...talk about working in pairs!..Shadow loves them and strangely enough, Lucky doesn't mind at all, but she still wont let Gem that close to them. I think Lucky ans Shadow will be great friends...with Gem in charge of course! I think these two are 'Maya' and 'Wiggly'..but they all have a go!

FINALLY THERE

Shadow has finally turned the corner and she is eating and playing with the others and the other pups. Shes like she has always been here, out in the garden and all sorts now...I am so relieved, it took hours of dedication to get this far, I think if I just left her it would have taken quite a long time, but she is happy and we love her. Wiggly just climbs all over her as do the others, and when she is fed up she gets up and they all fall off!...Its weird to think they are both puppies eh!! and not that far apart in age!

HIDING

Shadow is coming out of her shell slowly...she is hiding from one of the springer pups here....as if a chair leg can really hide this huge puppy!!!

MEET SHADOWS DOG SIDE OF THE FAMILY

I had a great email from Penny and Martin, they are the human owners of Shadows dad..he's a real champion, quite stunning actually, you see him pictured above with them. The picture of a dog on his own is Vilkas....Shadows uncle which they also own. The other picture with Laura in it, is Shadows mum...looking a bit worse for wear after all that feeding, but she soon be back to normal, with fluffy coat in tact!

WHEN MUM IS AWAY!!!

As soon as Lucky leaves the room the pups wake up and jump in her bed and all snuggle up, they love it for some reason, in fact they fight over it!!!

POOR LUCKY..

Poor Lucky, she has done so well feeding her pups, but we had to rush her to the vets with a temperature of 104 and acute mastitus, she was soo poorly. We have been advised to take the pups off her and feed them hard feed now, which we are. The pups are putting on weight and are so healthy, so I dont think it will have any affect on them. I have rang all new parents to say they can have their pups early, so they can have time to settle in, especially if Lucky cant feed them any longer. Mind you they are raring to go, they take a bit of looking after, you have to be with them and not leave them unattended for long. They also can only be outside for short spells as they get too tired and cold. A temp of 21 degrees is about right for them...So long as they are your life for a few weeks its ok!..But you do need this constant one to one for a few eeks to get them bedded in properly, that makes them better pets.

SWIMMING?

The water bowl doubles up as a swimming pool....as does our conservatory floor at present...they seem to constantly be in the bowl rather than drink the water and if they are not in the bowl, they tip the water all over the floor and skid in it....what am I going to do with them!!!!

STEVEN HAS BEEN HERE!!

Ii think Steven thinks all the pups should be golf proficient by the time they go to their new homes, so he's been teaching them a few shots....not sure this one has the hang of it!...Just because this one is called Smartie ...doesn't mean she can do everything!

AND THERES MORE!!

Is this a younger slimmer version of Pete????...No its Adam in Petes clothing!!..It was the kune kunes turn now to cause trouble. When they went up to feed the pigs, Pixie managed to climb down the leat and up the other side and fell down the bank into the other paddock. She was ok but they had to walk her right down through the paddocks ...up around the trampoline and up to where she needed to have her tea....in the midst of all this kerfuffle...Laura caught her toe and ripped her nail off!...OUCH!!!...So I guess I wasn't too popular at this point...being away.....Finally everything settled down for them enough to have some tea....I think Adam quite likes the Kune Kunes they follow him everywhere...I think this environment suits him really!!!!...Dont worry Laura we'll be back soon!!!!

WHERE DO I START??

Well its only been a few days since I logged in last...but so much has happened. Steven was chosen to represent South England in the Adams Cup for the British Junior Tour so we were off to Whittlebury golf club in Northampton somewhere ...well I think that's where we went!...sense of direction not my best attribute!...Laura and Adam agreed to look after the farm. Steven won in his singles in the afternoon..he was really on form, and nothing was going to stop him ...so well done Steven...I took the picture of him relaxing with his club after a mighty finish...this could be what you see on TV in the future who knows!!!!we live in hope eh!...He came back with a trophy so that's always good, and he really enjoyed it.

OUTSIDE IS A SCARY PLACE

DUN DUN DUN DUN ....Jaws the chicken was after this poor little pup. I had to rescue her from the ferocious Hatty. She tried to peck her on the bottom!...Would never have thought it would happen ...but it did...so watch out puppies there's a chicken about!