Feb 10
Well, Mum’s all sad, and so Wallis and I are sad too…although not sure why. Something to do with ‘moving to
However, I have enjoyed our visits to
As far my health goes, I am now covered with a very thin layer of remaining hair, although Mum says she can spot a little new hair on my muzzle. I do hope so – I need all the warm coat I can get for
As far as Miss W – she has grown the very thickest of coats this winter! Not sure if it is time in
Right now we are on the road with Dad to
Don’t forget to stay in touch with our antics at my website above!
All for now!
Lots of licks, Winston (and Wallis!)
Jan 10
Now it’s my turn to be back at the vet! Mum says she only works to pay for our vet bills! I’ve been a very sick little fellow – and I have to admit quite grumpy (I don’t like feeling unwell!) Although the vets don’t quite know what is wrong with me (I am itchy all over, have lost weight and have lost most of my beautiful coat), they have found out I need thi-royd (whatever that is!) medication. This makes me really hungry and thirsty – Mum and Dad can hardly keep my water bowl full enough for me….and then, of course, I have to go out to the yard to p**! Now they are trying me on some other medication – I don’t know what it is or what for but I have drawn the line at swallowing all these pills unless I get a bit of cheeze with it, I’m done with pills!
On top of everything else it’s quite embarrassing to be seen wearing one of Mum’s cut off sweaters (Mum says all the shop bought doggie jackets are too small for me) – they do keep me snuggly warm, but a man has his pride after all!
Meanwhile, Miss W has been sneaking in some extra food too, and when Mum got back from her visit to Grandpa in Australia, she said Wallis was ’portly’, so she’s on a New Year’s Diet! We really missed Mum, and now Dad is in
Anyway, it’s a new year, so I want to wish you and your families a very happy new year!
All for now!
Lots of licks, Winston (and Wallis!)
Sept 09
This time it was Wallis’ turn to go to the vet on her own! She had been having some weird ‘fits’ like she was having difficulty breathing. After an extended one of these Mum took her to the vet. Apparently, she does ‘reverse sneezing’ – how strange:why not just sneeze normally? ‘Better out than in’ says Shrek in the movie – why would anyone want to sneeze inwards??? Plus it looks like really hard work – AND stressful! I’ve told Miss W to try really hard to sneeze outwards instead – of course, she does a lot of that anyway – hairspray, perfume, strong smells of Dad’s cooking, dust, my digging – all those things give her the sneezes….it’s that sensitive nose of hers!
We’ve been out RVing again since last time I wrote – this time out West in Palisade, so Mum and Dad could taste peaches and wine! Sounds yukky to me – why doesn’t anyone hold a cheese and piggies ears festival, now that would be REALLY tasty! Anyway the good part about it all was we got to go on some great new hikes, one high in the mountains in the shade of lots of scrub oak, the other was up a mountainside, and up, and up, and up! Dad said we would see the river soon, just over the next hill, and the next hill, and the next one, and the next one – huh – what a story!!! We never saw the river until we were back in the car heading home!!!! My advice: Don’t hire Dad as a map-reader or trailguide!
All for now!
Lots of licks, Winston (and Wallis!)
Jul 09
Hi everyone!
Oh dear…I am well and truly in the doghouse now! I didn’t realize it was my Cousin Henry who was visiting in our RV, I didn’t realize he was only sniffing at our water bowl and not stealing water, I didn’t realize I didn’t need to defend my family from him, I didn’t even realize I wasn’t supposed to bite his ear!!!!
Now I do….Mum was REALLY cross with me for a long time – no matter how many times I made big eyes at her and laid my head in her lap – she still told me what a bad dog I was!
Apparently I have become ‘antee-sowshal’ and I have to go back to day care to be ‘sowshalized’ again. (I am secretly very happy about that – I LOVE the doggies at day care …they don’t steal my water! But don’t let my Mum know!). So now I am the disgrace of our whole family nationwide! On top of everything else - Mum says she can’t afford to buy me any more treats this month, after paying Henry’s vet bill! What a dog’s life it is! How embarrassing!
So I console myself with some reflective (i.e. napping) time in my favorite new haunt – the bath tub! It’s nice and cool in there, so I like to curl up in peace without Miss W’s snoring and I can get a nice cool rest!
All for now!
Lots of licks, Winston (and Wallis!)
May 09
Hi everyone!
Well….lots of news from us this month!
First of all – we went on vacation! Rover Retreat in Golden is just a great place to spend your vacation! There a lots of different doggies to play with. Wallis made a new friend and played with him tons. He was very nice to her, so I did not need to fight him off or defend her (as I have had to do in that past!). For me, I had lots of different playmates, and went to sleep at night tired out. Wallis and I have our own ‘room’ at night, so we can rest up nicely. Our food there is just as good as at home, and we get all fluffed up with a nice warm bath before Mum and Dad arrive to take us home. WE LOVE going to Rover Retreat!
Next I have to update you on the skwirral situation! Apparently, their nests getting blown down did not encourage them to go away – instead they had the cheek to gnaw a hole into our attic! How can a dog concentrate on anything hearing them scamper about overhead??? Mum decide to put an end to it and called in Critter Control…but that was just sooo distressing! They put traps on the roof and on our fence and I just KNEW when there was one in the trap all stressed out! I was so frightened I could not let Mum leave the house, and I begged to go with her everytime she left. I put on my best ‘shaking-all-over-ears-down-frightened-at-the-vet’s’ performance….but it didn’t wash with Mum who said Wallis would take care of me!!! Thankfully, the skwirrals seem to have all gone, the traps are gone and I can relax in my own home again. Gosh life is stressful at times, isn’t it?????
All for now!
Lots of licks, Winston (and Wallis!)
Apr 09
Hi everyone!
Ha ha! That pesky skwirral has got his come-uppance at last! The wind knocked his nest out of the tree in my yard, so he can’t hide up there when I chase him! What a smelly old nest it was – full of all sorts of rubbish! I was so glad when Mum shoveled it up and took it away! What a dirty critter! My bed doesn’t smell bad like that! Perhaps he’ll go somewhere else now and stop teasing me and Miss W!
On a happier note, I have been helping Mum spring clean her office. My job is to put my nose into whatever she is doing, lie down in the middle of anything she is clearing out, and carefully examine anything she puts into the trash bag. Apparently, my contribution to the task in hand is not totally appreciated, and I am sometimes banished to another room. Wallis, meanwhile, makes her contribution to the effort by lying on her back, paws in the air, snoring! As if that gets anything done in a timely manner!
..and finally this month - Don’t forget to visit me online at www.winstonswisdom.com or you can email me at Winston@winstonswisdom.com ! Thanks to everyone who contacted me last month – this elektronik stuff is fun!
All for now!
Lots of licks, Winston (and Wallis!) ..and PS Hugs to Auntie Jeanie who is feeling rough right now…lots of doggie licks to her!
Mar 09
Hi everyone!
I have entered the Internet world!
Of course, I am already very competent at writing and typing, as you have seen with my regular column here – but now I am online!
To find out more about me (and Miss W), you can go to www.WinstonsWisdom.com. You can find back copies of my articles, pictures of us, and my ‘bio’!
I had a lot of fun (and a lot of help from Mum) in putting this together, so I hope you enjoy it! I even have my own email – you can email me at Winston@WinstonsWisdom.com – howzatt??????
I am looking forward to hearing from you!
Meantime, Miss W and I are enjoying chasing the kyotees this week – even though Mum tries to stop us and tells us horrible stories about people around town getting bitten by them…..I’m sure they would like to play with us, if we could just catch up with them!
All for now!
Lots of licks, Winston (and Wallis!)
Feb 09
Hi everyone!
Mum tells me that this is the month to think about the things I luv, so I have started to make a list….
Of course, I luv my Mum and Dad….especially when I can snuggle up with them or they feed me, or take me for a walk or play ‘dot’….
I guess I luv my sister, Wallis, too….well, most of the time…right now what I luv most about her is when she lets me lick her face all over…
I don’t luv that darned skwirral that keeps jumping around my yard and teasing me… (whoops – Mum crossed that one out! I’m supposed to be listing things I luv not things I don’t luv!)
This week I luv the fact that we get to sleep with Mum…even if I miss my Dad being gone so much!
I luv to go for hikes and the trails and I luv to watch out for the kyotees and skunks!
I luv slippers, especially ones I should not have…
I luv to carry around toys (or slippers!) in my mouth….
I luv to dream and wriggle around and woof quietly while I dream (Mum told me I do that!)..
I luv to go for rides in the car and bark at all the dogs I see – or,even better, rides in the RV – that’s THE BEST!
Lastly, I luv all the friends who read my column and then come and visit and give me big hugs (especially all the ladies!)
All for now!
Lots of licks, Winston (and Wallis!)
Jan 09
Hi everyone!
Well – that trip to MO was quite an event! We didn’t know we’d also be meeting up with doggie cousins too! They were very good about sharing their huge yard with us, and chasing ball with us (and letting Miss W get it most of the time!). Whenever we needed a rest and Mum put us in the RV, they lay outside waiting for us to come out and play again! Most of all they were very kind about letting us, er, ‘play’ with their pussycats! I just don’t understand why they had no interest in chasing those critters until they ran under the deck – it seemed like a natural past-time to me and Miss W!
The next couple of weeks were very sad for us – Mom was gone! I looked everywhere for her, but Dad kept telling me I had to wait for her to come back. We were so excited when she got back, and I stuck right by her for several days to make sure she didn’t go off again!
Santa was very good to us again this year. I got put outside (again!) for getting over-excited and wanting to open both Miss W’s stocking as well as my own….well, they just smelled soooo tasty!!!! Having Staci visit us was fun – she is a great snuggler!
New Year is almost here – and Mum says my New Year rezolooshuns are to be nice to all the doggies on the trail, love my sister, Dad and Mum every day - and to not steal her slippers! Ha!
All for now!
Lots of licks, Winston (and Wallis!)
Dec 08
Hi everyone!
As I write this we are travelling in our RV through
We do have some ‘pit-stops’ on the way, which are lots of fun.Plenty of new smells and some even provide us with fire hydrants to pee on! If we are lucky Mum will find a nice grassy corner away from everyone else where we can play ball. We did this this morning, until Wallis saw a ‘critter’ and took off into the hedgerow – Mum was not impressed!
The problem with our current journey is the lack of snuggle places. Although it’s nice to stetch out l-o-n-g on the floor, I also like to sit on Mum’s lap riding shotgun, and sometimes a nap on the sofa is good. Today all the seats are taken, and my only option is the floor! Mum did offer me the sofa bench in the dining area, but I am very suspect about what is making that rattling noise in the oven back there – it’s very loud sometimes and scary. Despite what Mum says I am suspicious that there might be something lurking in there about to pounce on me.
Today we have my step-sister Sarah with us and her two children Seth and Emma. The best thing about them is that they drop lots of food when they are eating – which Wallis and I get to clear up for them. We also have cousin Ellen with us – she LOVES to pet us so we really like her! It’s so nice to have a cousin!
All for now – enjoy your turkey and visits from Santa!
Lots of licks, Winston (and Wallis!)
Nov 08
Hi everyone!
As I trotted around the house this morning, so very proud of myself, that I had BOTH Dad’s slippers in my mouth – I thought I would choose the topic of ‘Slippers’ for my column this month!
Quite honestly – I LOVE slippers! In fact, I love all my soft, huggy toys, but slippers have a special appeal. Firstly, I am not supposed to have them! That makes their appeal even more! If I have to reach up to Mum’s bedside dresser to get hers, or seek out Dad’s from under his chair – it makes me feel that much prouder when I carry them around.
Secondly, they are soft and have nice smells of my special humans!
Thirdly – even though I don’t think my contribution in this respect is recognized nearly as much as it should be – I get them warmed up and moist, totally ready for my humans to slip into and instantly warm up their tootsies!
So – all in all, apart from when I leave them out in the yard, I think I do a really good job with slippers in our house!
All for now.
Lots of licks, Winston (and Wallis!)
Oct 08
Hi everyone!
This month we had another visitor – this one was a lovely lady, but spoke very weird! Mum says she is from Ing-land – wherever that might be! Mum says that it’s where my anssesstors come from – whoever they might be! Anyway, in spite of what I hear my Dad saying, I think people from there must be really nice because she was so good at puppy massages, throwing the ball for Miss W, playing ‘dot’ with me – and letting us snuggle up on the sofa with her! She can come and visit us anytime. I liked having her hike with us in the mornings too. I was sad to see her go!
At last, in our house all the furniture moving and painty smells and hammering and drilling and sawing seems to have to come to an end. I found it all very distressing, and even gave up eating for a while (that stressed out my Mum!).It’s very hard to try to snuggle up with Mum when she is on the floor installing baseboard – and I get told off for walking through the paint tray or leaning against a wet wall! Personally I think I look quite handsome as a white and cream colored dog!
It’s Fall here now and that pesky skwirral is VERY active in our trees! He’s been gathering stuff from all over the place and keeps running across our roof, jumping from tree to tree, running along the fence and all kind of acrobats…one day, just one day, he’ll be a little too clever and I’ll be sitting at the bottom of the tree ready to pounce on him as he falls! Then he’ll be sorry for teasing us!
All for now -
Lots of licks, Winston (and Wallis!)
Sept 08
Hi everyone!
This month I have to tell you about our adventure with the smelliest creature I have ever smelt!
We had just entered the trailhead and set off on our usual morning walk when I saw something moving in the long grass. I started following it and ignored Mum’s calls – it was just too interesting to leave! It was a pretty little black creature and I though it might like to play with me. I followed it down the bank and it went into the drainpipe under the trail. I got down into my puppy play pose it to show I wanted to just have fun, and gave a couple of friendly barks – wrong thing to do! That set off my sister, Wallis, who galloped over to the other end of the drainpipe and peered inside barking at my new little friend! Anyhows, I guess my friend didn’t care for two doggie faces staring in at either end of the pipe, so all of a sudden it lifted it’s tail and – poooohhhhhh!!!!!!!
At that point Mum dragged me out by the scruff of my neck and Wallis retreated from the other end with one eye closed, rolling around scratching herself!!! By now we ALL stank!!!! Mum was quite cross with us both and ran us up the trail to try to get away from the smell, and needless to say, long and hot baths were the order of the day on our return home. Mum complained constantly about us stinking up her, her car, our bathroom, our towels and everything else! Good job Dad was gone in
All for now -
Lots of licks, Winston (and Wallis!) PS I learned a new word too - “skunk”!
Aug 08
Hi everyone!
Well, I survived the visit of Dad’s grandkids! The eldest one has got to be quite practised at bossing me around! But I forgive him because he shared his turkey bacon with me!
Last week I lost my Dad! We arrived at the trailhead and he was with us, but as we started walking up the trail I realized he was not there. I sat down several times and stared and stared back to the carpark to look for him, but he was gone! I was so upset! Mum kept telling me he had ‘gone to work’ – but Dad doesn’t just go to work from the trailhead! He gets all showered and clean and tells me off for dribbling my water on his clean work pants….he doesn’t just disappear to ‘work’ when we are going on a walk! Finally Mum dragged me up the trail and told me not to worry so much, and that he would only be a short while at his ‘offiss’. Imagine my delight when I spotted him down the hill as we came down the trail from our hike! I was soooo excited to see him again! I stayed very close to him for the rest of the day – it’s very stressful to lose your Dad like that!
This week we have been counting turtles on our hike too! I did not notice them in the pond at first, but Mum pointed them out to me and I saw them plop off the log into the water! So now we count them each day. I am sure that big Heron is counting them too. I wanted to chase him today, but Dad said ‘no’….he didn’t mind me trying to chase that darned bunny rabbit that keeps teasing us each day though! One day I’ll catch that fluffy tail as it disappears down its burrow and he’ll be sorry he teased me!!!
All for now -
Lots of licks, Winston (and Wallis!)
Jul 08
Hi everyone!
Well, I survived the visit of Dad’s grandkids! The eldest one has got to be quite practised at bossing me around! But I forgive him because he shared his turkey bacon with me!
Last week I lost my Dad! We arrived at the trailhead and he was with us, but as we started walking up the trail I realized he was not there. I sat down several times and stared and stared back to the carpark to look for him, but he was gone! I was so upset! Mum kept telling me he had ‘gone to work’ – but Dad doesn’t just go to work from the trailhead! He gets all showered and clean and tells me off for dribbling my water on his clean work pants….he doesn’t just disappear to ‘work’ when we are going on a walk! Finally Mum dragged me up the trail and told me not to worry so much, and that he would only be a short while at his ‘offiss’. Imagine my delight when I spotted him down the hill as we came down the trail from our hike! I was soooo excited to see him again! I stayed very close to him for the rest of the day – it’s very stressful to lose your Dad like that!
This week we have been counting turtles on our hike too! I did not notice them in the pond at first, but Mum pointed them out to me and I saw them plop off the log into the water! So now we count them each day. I am sure that big Heron is counting them too. I wanted to chase him today, but Dad said ‘no’….he didn’t mind me trying to chase that darned bunny rabbit that keeps teasing us each day though! One day I’ll catch that fluffy tail as it disappears down its burrow and he’ll be sorry he teased me!!!
All for now -
Lots of licks, Winston (and Wallis!)
Jun 08
Hi everyone!
I can tell we are getting into Summer….on our walks I trot from shade to shade in the trees as it is so lovely and cool. I do come out sometimes to chase the ball with Wallis, especially if Mum or Dad throw a ‘high one’ so I can jump up and catch it. It still seem quite pointless to run over and take it back to them though, so I
just drop it and let Wallis do that bit.
Grandpa came to visit last week. I like having him around…he plays ‘dot’ with me and lets us snuggle on the sofa with him while he is having his ‘drift’ or his ‘do nothing day’. I do try to help him with the crossword puzzles, but sometimes they just don’t use doggie words! Anyway, he didn’t stay long as he was off to ‘Skotland’ to visit his family. Mum tells me he’ll be back again next week – and we are all going on an RV trip together – yippee!!!!
Today, Dad’s grandkids arrived with Sarah, my half-sister. They are very LOUD! We don’t usually have all that squealing in our house and I am not sure what to make of it all. Plus they keep picking up things off the floor – and everyone knows that ANYTHING on the floor belongs to ME! But Mum and Dad love them, so I try to be tolerant – and Wallis loves them ‘cos Seth throws the ball for her all the time! The very best thing is that they do drop food on the floor a lot….and I do have to be a good dog and clean up after them, don’t I????
All for now -
Lots of licks, Winston (and Wallis!)
Apr 08
Hi everyone!
Isn’t it great to see Spring!
This week Wallis and I got to go out with Dad and play in the canal – one of our favorite occupations! Even though I love the snow so much, I love even more the chance to get cool and wet. I’m not much into chasing ball on the ground, but I really enjoy swimming after it in the water – and dunking Wallis under water if she gets to the ball first! That’s a pretty good way to try to get her to drop it!
Mum and Dad were gone last month, and so we had the wonderful Micki taking care of us – ohhhh, I just love those puppy massages!
This month I got my old trouble back with my toenails and another one came off. This meant we had a visit to Dr Paige (Dr Molliconi is at home with a new baby – I don’t know where she bought it, but she got a new one!) and back on all my medications again. The good news is that it came of quickly and now I am happy again…I didn’t have to get grouchy and upset with Wallis and bite her ear again. Mum was quite thrilled about that!
Meanwhile, Wallis is becoming and old lady (so Dad says!) and her arthritis is playing her up if we spend too long playing ball or stick. Mum and Dad have put her on a restriction on how many times they will throw it, so she spends a lot of time on our walks just carrying it….seems quite pointless to me, but she never stops wagging that tail, so I guess she enjoys it!
All for now!
Lots of licks, Winston (and Wallis!)
Feb 08
Hi everyone! (I missed you all last month!)
I hope you all had a great Christmas? We did – we got to open presents, even if they were not ours, and got lots of toys and treats. I got very grumpy with Wallis though, as she had a toy with the loudest squeak in the world and would just not stop squeaking it!!!! I found out that being grizzly and grumpy gets you turned out into the yard for a few minutes until you cool off!
Of course, the Christmas snow was just heavenly! Mum put on warm clothes and played in it with us for ages, until we were thoroughly wet and tired and ready to curl up in front of the fire for the rest of the day. I love to play in that soft cool snow – even if it is hard to find the ball sometimes! It was nice to have Mum and Dad home from Ostraylee-uh – we loved having Micki and Tammy visit us, but Mum and Dad are the best!
Now to the matter of slippers. I KNOW Mum got new ones ‘cos I have seen them on her feet. They are black and fluffy with bobbles on the front…they would be so nice to carry around…but she must be hiding them somewhere when she doesn’t have them on, ‘cos I have been able to find them! Funny, that!
And just a little update on the kyotees – we have been seeing a lot of them lately. Wallis and I even chased one on Boxing Day (that’s an English term Mum uses), but we turned around and went back to Mum and Dad before we got too close. Good job the Park Ranger didn’t see us, per Mum! We weren’t going to hurt anyone – just wanted to see if he would like to play ‘chase stick’ with us!
Ah well…..just remains for me to wish everyone lots of happiness, chews and ‘dot’ in 2008!
Lots of licks, Winston (and Wallis!)
Jan 08
Hi everyone!
I hope you all had a great Christmas? We did – we got to open presents, even if they were not ours, and got lots of toys and treats. I got very grumpy with Wallis though, as she had a toy with the loudest squeak in the world and would just not stop squeaking it!!!! I found out that being grizzly and grumpy gets you turned out into the yard for a few minutes until you cool off!
Of course, the Christmas snow was just heavenly! Mum put on warm clothes and played in it with us for ages, until we were thoroughly wet and tired and ready to curl up in front of the fire for the rest of the day. I love to play in that soft cool snow – even if it is hard to find the ball sometimes! It was nice to have Mum and Dad home from Ostraylee-uh – we loved having Micki and Tammy visit us, but Mum and Dad are the best!
Now to the matter of slippers. I KNOW Mum got new ones ‘cos I have seen them on her feet. They are black and fluffy with bobbles on the front…they would be so nice to carry around…but she must be hiding them somewhere when she doesn’t have them on, ‘cos I have been able to find them! Funny, that!
And just a little update on the kyotees – we have been seeing a lot of them lately. Wallis and I even chased one on Boxing Day (that’s an English term Mum uses), but we turned around and went back to Mum and Dad before we got too close. Good job the Park Ranger didn’t see us, per Mum! We weren’t going to hurt anyone – just wanted to see if he would like to play ‘chase stick’ with us!
Ah well…..just remains for me to wish everyone lots of happiness, chews and ‘dot’ in 2008!
Lots of licks, Winston (and Wallis!)
Dec 07
Hi everyone!
Yes, as Mum said, I am moping around the house. The suitcases are out and that means only one thing – Mum and Dad are leaving and we don’t get to go. Now when the washing baskets started getting filled up, and food stacked up in the kitchen –then I am happy, as that means an RV trip and we get to go too. So Wallis and I run around excitedly trying to get through the door at every opportunity and
out to the RV we can see at the front of the house, so we are not left behind!
Yesterday Mum sat me down and explained that they are going to visit ‘Grandpa’ – at that point we found out that Miss W knows another word, as she came rushing in from the other room! That must be because Grandpa is such an excellent ball thrower and never gets tired.
Mum also told me that Micki is coming to take care of us again. That’s really good news. I love Micki! She gave me lots of puppy massages last time and I fell in love with her! She’s also a good ball thrower for Wallis.
This morning Wallis got into trouble – she dove into one of the plastic sacks waiting to be packed and plucked out a Christmas toy destined for our cousins, Bryn and Sheena in Ostraylee-uh! She ran around the family room squeaking it like mad until Dad rescued it! It was funny!
Just a little line left to say I hope Santa visits you all this year and brings you lots of squeaky toys and biscuits – and maybe a new ‘dot!
Lots of licks, Winston (and Wallis!)
Nov 07
Hi everyone!
I thought I would write to you this month on the subject of slippers! A subject very close to my heart! Of course, different people have different opinions about slippers of course. For some people slippers are just to be used to walk out and get the paper in the morning, For others, like my Mum, they are something to keep feet warm, which should always be found in the place they were last left.
Now, I personally have a different opinion on slippers – they are for my exclusive use, wherever and whenever I want them. If I wish to take them into the yard and leave them there in the rain – why not? If I want to make a collection of them in my bed – seems like a good idea to me, as they make a nice soft pillow (or foot rest for my poor paws!) On the other hand if I want to use them for tug-of-war with my sister Wallis, I don’t think it really matters that we tear one in half – there is usually a plentiful supply at my house! …and I just don’t understand why Mum gets upset about wearing two that I am not currently using that don’t match – it’s not as if anyone sees her – except Dad, I guess (and he just laughs!)
Lots of licks, Winston (and Wallis!)
Oct 07
Hi everyone!
Paws for thought – as I write I am back in 2 socks (bootees for our hikes) again, as my toenails are lifting off again. They aren’t hurting too bad – but it doesn’t stop me from grrring at Mum when she changes my socks – just to let her know to be careful, you know!
This month saw us off on a road trip in Mum’s car to visit Grandma in MO. We didn’t actually get to see her really – but we did get to wave paws at her as she looked out from her hospital window. Dad told us she had a stroke and had to stay in hospital, which was odd to me as we get strokes from Mum and Dad all the time and we don’t have to stay in hospital! Maybe, whoever stroked Grandma was a bit heavy-handed?
Anyway, we heard today that she will be going home on Friday, so sounds like she is feeling lots better, which is great. They must give you lots of good food in hospital to make you better like piggies ears, and deer hooves!
Hope your Grandmas are all doing well!
Lots of licks, Winston (and Wallis!)
Sept 07
Hi everyone!
I am going to you about our trip to
We really enjoyed all the new smells and sights in the various campsites we visited.
There are lots of bunny rabbits in
Lots of licks, Winston (and Wallis!)
Aug 07
Hi everyone!
I wanted to tell you about our new friend Micki. She spent a few days visiting us last month – and I am glad she did, because it coincided with Mum & Dad not being around for a few days! Odd,that…..If Micki had not stopped by we might not have had any food, or loving or walks! As it was, she did lots of all of those for us, but best of all were the ‘puppy massages’ – heavenly! I told Mum all about them on her
return and keep trying to encourage her to do them too! Micki also did lots of ball throwing for Wallis, while she massaged me – so we were both very happy. But we did get very exuberant and give Mum & Dad a wild welcome home – we didn’t want them to think we hadn’t missed them!
Another exciting thing that happened this month was that we got to go swimming a few times! To me chasing a ball on land is very boring, and I let Wallis take care of amusing the humans with that silly occupation. But, in water – that is a different matter entirely! It’s wonderful to hop into that lovely cool water on a hot day and swim around without any pressure on one’s ‘poor paws’, and have your tail float along behind! I can swim a lot faster than Wallis too, so it’s easy for me to get to the ball first. If she does get to it first, I just hop on top of her and push her under the water – that usually gets the ball from her! Mum told me I have not been able to swim because of my bad paws, so I guess they are getting better, as I have been allowed to swim again.
Well, I must go – Mum & Dad are packing up the RV for another trip – yippee! I hope I get to ride shotgun – it’s the best view! I’ll let you know all about our trip when I write next month.
Lots of licks, Winston (and Wallis!)
Jul 07
Hi everyone!
Oh dear! More visits to the Vetinayreean! Apart from visiting Dr Mandy, for my toe checkups – which is Ok, sort of…except that they weigh you every time and they are really careful about checking you are not leaning on the wall to keep the scale a little lighter! (Which I need, as my exercise has been limited lately!)…..there have also been a couple of rushed visits for Wallis to see Dr Joyce. I was definitely in the ‘dog house’ over all of that, but it’s not my fault if the only way to shut her up when she keeps barking in my ear is to bite hers! The first time was the worst, as Mum and Dad spent extensive time cleaning blood off furniture, carpet, blinds, walls, mirrors and numerous other places – all the while complaining that our house looked like the ‘Psycho’ house – whatever that is! The 2nd time there was less blood spraying, but I was definitely in the ‘dog house’ big time – especially as Dad was out of town and Mum was trying to take good care of us and we got into trouble!
Wallis was quite an entertainment in her ‘cone collar’! I tried to not laugh – and to get out of her way – as she barged into everything with it until it was bent and crumpled! It didn’t worry her a bit – and Mum cut it a little shorter so she STILL manage to play fetch the tennis ball in it!
Anyway, Mum has decided that we are both stir crazy and we are now back on our regular hike schedule (with my bootie on) so that we are worn out for most of the day! We went camping last week by a lake but we couldn’t go in the water with my bad paw, and Wallis’ stitched ear! But we did have a grand old time running around the empty campground once everyone left on Sunday and the Park Ranger had done his last visit! Would have liked to try the marshmallows Dad was toasting, but he said they wouldn’t help the weighing in at the vets! Too bad! Lots of licks, Winston (and Wallis!)
Jun 07
Hi everyone!
Oh dear! This month brought THREE visits to THAT place! This time I got to see a new Vetinayreean – Mandy. She was very nice – but she smelled of bunny rabbit! (I heard her tell Mum she had been chasing one around the room before we saw her and Mum told her that she should have let Wallis in: she would have caught that bunny for her in seconds!) These visits came about because my toe was hurting and I kept licking it – until Mum put cream on it and taped a sock over it! Then a nail on my other paw started to come off, so I had to lick that one too. Ended up with Dr Mandy taking a total of 10 nails off, doing lots of other unspeakable things to me (very frightening, as Mum and Wallis had left by then), having a genral ansthetik once, and finished up by bandaging my ‘poor paws’ up with orange, green and blue smiley tape (I would have drawn the line at the pink one she was planning to put on!). The good thing about all of this is that I am getting lots of sympathy at home and the drugs are great! Dr Mandy thinks I have an unpronounceable disease – but it just means Mum needs to spoil me like mad, give me lots of extra vitamins inside cheese or chicken treats and Frosty Paw ice cream each night (Well, that what I think Dr Mandy said!)
Walks are limited just now, so Miss W is getting very bored. Mum will play ball with her in the yard though, as I think that is quite boring and am content to let them do that while I check on the whereabouts of all past bone buryings and see that everything is still well hidden from prying eyes – and that pesky skwirral!
Fortunately Grandpa was here from
Lots of licks, Winston (and Wallis!)
Apr 07
Hi everyone!
Isn’t it great to see the warm sunshine? Wallis and I are enjoying spending some more time outside – especially chasing that squirrel who has come out again! Mum also keeps chasing a critter in the yard: we’ll be having a nice nap in her office while she works and then suddenly ‘tap, tap, tap tap, tap’ on the wall! She rushes outside
using some words I don’t think we are really supposed to hear and starts throwing stones up at our chimney! (I need to learn to do that with that squirrel!) She complains to Dad about a wudpeka, but I never see anything!
I have to admit that I had another one of those adventures that I don’t really like this month – to the place which smells funny and where they touch you in your most private parts! I really don‘t know what happened but all of a sudden it hurt so much to put one of my back paws on the floor – so I just hopped around on the other 3 legs and looked as sad as possible,hoping Mum would pull out the best peanut butter treats and Frosty Paws ice-cream (that didn’t work though!) Instead, I got put into the tub and my ‘paw paw’ – or is it ‘poor paw’? – got hosed with ice cold water! Brrrrr!!! It did stop hurting a bit, but I kept it up in the air anyway just in case. Mum didn’t like that at all, so next day I got tricked into being separated from Miss W. and taken off in the car to THAT place! This time I got to see Dr Joyce (that was my grandma’s name, so I thought she might be sort of OK). Well, she was very kind and gave me some loving and treated me gently – but all those photos they took of my legs!!! How embarrassing for a dog of my delicate nature!!!! Have to say the pain did stop after a while – must have been the honee-tasting stuff they squirted into my mouth!!! Mum says no walks or dot for a week – but I’m raring to go on this honee stuff!
Lots of licks, Winston (and Wallis!)
Mar 07
Hi everyone!
Contractors! What a month it has been! First of all there is all the packing up and moving of boxes and furniture – all that makes be very wary – usually means a new home or that Mum and Dad are leaving me (for a while anyway). Then after that Mr Greg starts to come to our house. I really like Mr Greg – he always give us treats and spends time rubbing all the bits I like rubbed best, so I give him lots of kisses in return. Wallis likes him ‘cos he throws the ball for her (of course!) So Mr Greg is just fine – but all the others?????? Mr Paul seems to be a regular one, but he seems very shifty to me. I bark at him when I see him, so he knows this is my house and he has to behave here! Then there has been a whole stream of other ones with wood, and pipes and all kinds of bits and pieces! And then there is the noise!…..when a poopy works as hard as I do at guarding the house, chasing dot and taking care of Mum and Dad, he needs his rest in peace! How can I do that when there’s banging, and drilling and whining?
My Mum says I am far too nervous about it all and to relax because I will love the new room where we can lie on the new soft carpet and look out the patio door to keep an eye on that squirrel in our yard. Not to mention the new bathroom, which will be for Wallis and I to get our baths (I think Mum is going to be using the big new tub too – it looks very deep to me and a little scary, but she says she’ll help me to get in and out, so I’ll be OK). So I suppose it will all work out in the end, and peace will return to our world – hopefully in time for our annual visitors from
Lots of licks, Winston (and Wallis!)
Feb 07
Hi everyone!
What else can I write about this month except SNOW!!!!!!!
We LOVE it!!!!! First of all, there is that lovely cool sensation when light flakes of snow are falling on you while you run out into the yard for a pee. Next, there is the fun of chasing the tennis ball around the yard with Wallis when Mum or Dad throw it for us – it’s quite a challenge at times to beat Wallis to the right spot and then dig in the snow before she can get to it! Especially as she seems to have a much better sniffer than me – well, in the cold weather anyway! So if she gets it first I chase her and pull her ear, or corner her under the deck! But then I let her go so that she can do the hard work and take the ball back to Mum to throw again for us.
Finally, there is the fun of going snowshoeing with Mum and Dad. It’s great to follow the critter tracks to see who else has been out in the snow, to dive into big drifts and to jump into the air to catch snowballs (I’m really good at that!)
I do hear people complaining about all the snow – but the only downsides I see are:
1. It’s very hard to bury bones in the frozen ground
2. I get shouted at when I try to get a free ride on the back of Mum or Dad’s snowshoes.
3. It’s very irritating to get ice-balls between your toes and have to sit down on cold snow to try to pull them out. (Although better than wearing those
And the best thing OF ALL about snow? Coming inside afterwards to warm up and snuggling up by the fire…..mmmmmmmmmmm!
Love and snowballs, Winston (and Wallis!)
Jan 07
Hi everyone!
This month we got to go on vacation at one of our favorite places – Waggin’ Tails Doggie Day Care in Golden (www.waggintailsdoggiedaycare.com). It is a place which is exclusively for us – unfortunately they do not accept Mums and Dads, so our Mum and Dad have to go somewhere else instead – which is probably not as much fun, but we try to make it up to them when we get home again.
The best thing of all about going there is that we get play with lots of other doggies – of all shapes and sizes! Sometimes those little yappy ones really irritate me and I chase them, and some of the really big ones make me nervous – but I try to be brave.
This year Wallis got a real ‘bee in her bonnet’ about bossing me around. Sometimes she tries that at home, but she knows I am really in charge here (although sometimes, I have to admit Mum comes to my rescue!) but she was really full of it on this vacation, so Therese and her lovely staff had to protect me and Wallis got her own area to sleep in, and we took it in turns to play with the other doggies. Wallis can be very highly strung sometimes (she came from a difficult background, poor girl) and she gets easily wound up, so I try to be patient with her, but sometimes she just doesn’t listen!
Mum says one good thing she learned was how to chew a bone while she was there. She’s more reluctant to chew it now we’re home now though…I don’t know why – it couldn’t be that I stare at her and try to steal it at every opportunity could it????
The only bad thing about our trip was that Mum and Dad were delayed two whole days in coming to collect us and we were getting SO nervous that we would not be home in time for Santa to come with our presents. We had not told him we were going on vacation and he would not know to deliver to Waggin’ Tails instead! So nerve-racking! Phew – were we glad when Mum and Dad turned up at last!!!
There’s just space to wish you and yours a lickin’ good 2007!! Love, Winston (and Wallis!)
Dec 06
Hi everyone!
Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving? Wallis and I sure enjoyed all the extra lovely turkey we got in our breakfasts and supper each day!
We got to go on a looonnnngggg road trip this Thanksgiving – not in our beloved RV, but just in Dad’s car. (Mum’s car is in the shop after she was in an accident – she wasn’t hurt but I worried about her getting all shaken up.) We had to share the back seats with some suitcases and a cooler, so it was a little cramped. Wallis and I tried suggesting several times that we should ride in the front seats, but neither Mum nor Dad went along with that idea – sadly!
The good thing about our trip was that we got to see a bunch of our ‘rellies’ (Australian term Mum uses sometimes!) in Mizoree. Firstly, we stayed with Grandma. She’s always nice to us and lets us give her kisses and sleep on her sofa. Then we saw Auntie Becky and Uncle Jim, who shared some of their leftovers with us – what lovely people! Then we went on another road trip to Sayntlewis and we played in Auntie Jeanie’s yard. I did let her pet me just a little before I got too nervus and barked. Wallis and I ran around and around in her yard and then I did something really brave – I followed Wallis through her doggie door into her conservatory! Phew! It was nerve-racking, but it didn’t hurt me so we went in and out several more times, until we knocked the flap off (Aunt Jeanie had to repair it after we left – Mum was not impressed!) She must have very little dogs, ‘cos I had to crouch down low to get through. Then it was back to Grandma’s and more playing ball in her nearby park before we set off home again. I quite like road trips, I have decided, especially if there is tasty turkey at the end of them!
Mum says to wish you all a Merry Christmas – which I think is the time we get a ‘don’t pee on it’ tree and special treats wrapped up in paper underneath it!
Licks to you all, Winston
Nov 06
Hi everyone!
This month we got into a couple of new projects. The first one is a DIY
Project as Mum calls them (that’s ‘Do It Yourself’ from her English upbringing!). It was really quite a lot of fun: Mum puts thick paper all over the floor in the family room, climbs up a ladder with the new toy, then starts spraying water at the ceiling while I bark at her from down below. Finally she sprays the water right at me and I get to jump in the air and catch it while landing and running around in all the stuff on the paper which has come down from the ceiling – thus ending up a black and white dog instead of a black dog! I didn’t really mind ‘cos I looked just like Mum who was also covered in white stuff too! Wallis joined in with the game by also running around in all the white stuff and dropping her ball into the middle of it! As if Mum could throw a ball from up a ladder – I ask you! (although she did throw it each time she came down the ladder!). What messy fun we all had! Mum says we have a lot more ceilings to do, so I guess we’ll be playing this game again next month too!
Our other new project was when Dad bought Mum a new toy for us all to play with in the yard. It’s a bit noisy for my liking, but the game was fun – Mum blew all the leaves across the grass and we got to run around them all and jump into the piles she had made! I didn’t really like having that toy blow my fur around though, so I barked at it! Wallis joined in with the game by also running around in the leaves and dropping her ball into the middle of them! (Not much variety with what Wallis likes to do to amuse herself!) She’s a real sweetheart – but a bit of a dumb blonde too – but we all love her anyway!!
Licks to you all, Winston
Oct 06
Hi everyone!
This month I wanted to tell you about our sleeping arrangements!
Sleeping is something that Wallis and I like to do a lot – it comes a close 2nd to going out for a walk or to the park or playing ball or playing with ’dot’ (my laser pointer), but we do like to sleep – especially if we have nice dreams and wriggle about enjoying them, and can get snuggled up with pillows or Mum or Dad! We have lots of different sleeping arrangements, depending on the time of day and
who is at home….At night we sleep in our own beds in the kitchen, if it is too hot we lie on the cool kitchen tiles. We are not allowed past the baby gate at night, otherwise we would sleep in our other favorite places instead! When Dad gets up in the morning and goes to the gym (at an ‘ungodly hour’ as my Mum calls it!), he puts a special sheet on his bed and we are allowed to hop up and cuddle up with Mum. We have a preferred spot each, and I always bring a toy with me, but when I hear Mum stirring, I like to get right on top of her and ‘share air’ as she says! During the day, if Mum and Dad are out, Wallis and I laze around on the front room sofa, where Mum has a special cover on it for us. From there we can also look out the window and woof at dogs going by or that ****** squirrel who loves to run along the porch rail and torment us! If Mum is at home working, of course we have to be in her office with her, just in case she needs us for anything or decides on a 2nd walk for the day! In the evening, after dinner we like to snuggle on the sofa with Dad as he ‘drifts’ and watches some TV to relax. He makes some very odd loud noises sometimes – and I don‘t really know how he does that as he seems to be asleep…hmm, strange!
Licks to you all, Winston
Sept 06
Hi everyone!
This month I thought I would write to you on the subject of baths.
This subject is close to the forefront of my mind right now, because Wallis and I seem to be getting so many of them! At this time of the year, we love to go on hikes which involves puddles, streams, canals, ponds or rivers. Our most favoritest game is for Mum or Dad
to throw a ball into the water and we jump in and chase it – sometimes I bring it back, but if I don’t feel like it, I’ll just swim after it, catch it and then drop it for Wallis to take back to Mum or Dad (all the fun and a lot less work)!
However, playing in water almost always seems to involve a bath when we get home. Mum shouts ‘feets’, which means ‘bath’ and we run upstairs to the bathroom and one of hops into the tub first. If Wallis is in first, I help out by licking the water coming out of the hose, before I lie down and rest until it is my turn. Sometimes, if we are only a little bit dirty we just get our ‘under-carriages’ washed, but sometimes it’s the whole thing – with smelly foam too! The bestest bit about having a bath is being toweled dry afterwards – I LOVE IT! – especially my head and ears and chest and tummy and rump! Wallis loves it too, and then rolls around on the towels on the floor – funny girl! She likes her rump toweled best – but she wriggles like crazy and Mum always laughs as she tries to dry her without her falling over with all the wiggling! Mad dog!!!!
Licks to you all, Winston
Aug 06
Hi everyone!
Gosh, this has been a busy month at our house!
More visitors – this time FOUR of them! At least they were all really good about understanding how they have to throw ball for Wallis and play ‘dot’ with me. Sadly, this group were not half as good about dropping food off their plates at dinner time as that little fellow who visits! You know – the one who calls Wallis ‘Warrus’!!!!
On top of that there has been an extra amount of hugging and kissing in our house this last week. No idea what these new words mean, but they have certainly caused a lot of telephone calls, laughter and excitement! In case you can help me out, the words seem to be ‘engayjmnt’, ‘maridge’, ‘wedin’, and ‘selabrashun’! There also seems to have been an extraordinary amount of cork popping – which is a little scary to me! Mum has been giving lots of hugs and pats to me and Wallis, telling us we are no longer ‘iligitimut’ – whatever that is! Sure hopes it means we get extra Frosty Paws from now on!
Another change in the house is that Mum says she is on a fitness program, so we get even longer and more frequent hikes! This is a change we like – even though we have to then sleep it off for the rest of the day!
Licks to you all, Winston
Jul 06
Hi everyone!
This month we had visitors from ‘
Licks to you all, Winston
Jun 06
Hi everyone!
It’s the RV season again – and we have been out for our first trip! This one was especially exciting as we were allowed to run around the area where we camped off leash! Mum was busy working on some papers, so she sat at the table during our journey and Wallis and I got to take turns at riding shotgun! That’s really fun!
Unfortunately, the week before our trip, I had to go and see Dr Paige. Mum told me to not be nervous, as it was just my annual checkup, but I am always suspicious when she gets just me in the car and Miss W. stays at home! As soon as Mum opens the car door, outside Dr Paige’s office, I take one sniff and know exactly where I am!
I try to be really brave, but my whole body starts shaking while we sit in the waiting room. Firstly, it is so embarrassing to have those young girls see me on the weighing platform! A dog’s weight should be his own private business!!!! Then when I have to go into the small room with Mum, I usually hide under the chair or under Mum’s arm. This time Dr Paige came and found me under the chair…she is very kind and talks to me nicely - but really!!!! – there are parts of a young dog’s body that do not need to be poked, prodded and squeezed in such a fashion!!!! Fortunately, Mum gives me lots of hugs and gets me through the ordeal – and she promised to not tell Wallis what a wimp I am during these visits!!!
Licks to you all, Winston
May 06
Hi everyone!
Oh dear – this moving house business is quite an adventure!
Wallis and I have put up with boxes and packing materials everywhere for weeks, not to mention the frequent hoovering when we are trying to nap, all our toys being put away when we want to play with them, and now the chaos in our new home! There was no-where for us to run around inside for several days, with furniture all over the place
and boxes stacked in every room, while Mum and Dad worked out where to put everything! The good part of it all, was that we got lots of extra walks while buyers were looking at our house, extra treats when Mum cleared out our treat cupboard, and now we have a wonderful vantage viewing point in the front living room, where we can laze on the loveseat and watch the world go by – PLUS we have a great view at the back over our lovely new big yard to the Little Dry Creek Trail and greenbelt and we get to watch all the doggies go by on their walks! Apparently, barking at them as they pass by is forbidden in this new house – although we do try it on a little!
Another new rule at this house is that we are not allowed to pee on the nice green grass! Mum and Dad have a special area set aside for this, and we get a treat whenever we do our ‘business’ in that area. I cottoned on to that one pretty quick (I love the new peanut butter treats), but Wallis holds out until she is desperate, as she prefers the softer grass! She’ll learn!!!!!
Licks to you all, Winston
Apr 06
Hi everyone!
This month we had quite an adventure with Mum!
She told us we were going for a hike, as usual, so we hopped in the car, but she set off in a different direction to normal.
Eventually, we got to a place where lots of people were putting hoses into their cars – just like the hose Dad uses when he waters our yard. Mum got out and did the same thing, and then when she got into the car again, she drove into a strange garage! All of a sudden a huge thunderstorm started!!! The whole car was pelted with rain and
there was lots of thunder and loud humming. I tried to hide underneath Wallis – who didn’t care at all about it! (I can admit to you that she is much braver than me – but don’t tell her that I said it!) It was REALLY scary! We stayed in there for several minutes (it seemed like hours to me!). Mum kept telling me to be brave and that it was OK. Then it suddenly rained pink, blue and yellow rain all softly on us – followed by more thunder and heavy rain. Next Mum started to drive away from it all – and I was so happy – when suddenly a big wind came up and blew all over the car!!! (I don’t like wind because it blows my ears around so much). Eventually, Mum was able to drive us out of it all, and my heart beat went back to normal – phew!
I was glad to get out on our hike and run in the sunshine!!!! If you go ever have to go through this experience I hope you can be braver than me!
Licks to you all, Winston
Mar 06
Hi everyone!
My Mum read my Dad an article from the newspaper this month, and I heard her telling him that this sounded just like Wallis and I, so I listened carefully! Apparently it was an ‘open letter’ to dogs and cats (none of those allowed here!)
– The dishes with the paw print are yours and contain your food. The other dishes are mine and contain my food. Please note, placing a paw print in the middle of my plate and food does not stake a claim for it becoming your food and dish, nor do I find that aesthetically pleasing in the slightest.
- The stairway is not a racetrack. Beating me to the bottom is not the object. Tripping me doesn’t help because I fall faster than you can run. - I cannot buy anything bigger than a king-sized bed. I am very sorry about this. Do not think I will continue sleeping on the couch to ensure your comfort. Dogs and cats can actually curl up in a ball when they sleep. It is not necessary to sleep perpendicular to each other stretched out to the fullest extent possible. I also know that sticking tails straight out and having tongues hanging out the other end to maximize space is nothing but sarcasm.
- For the last time, there is not a secret exit from the bathroom. If by some miracle I beat you there and manage to get the door shut, it is not necessary to whine, claw, meow, try to turn the knob or get your paw under the edge and try to pull the door open. I must exit through the same door I entered. Also, I have been using the bathroom for years – canine or feline attendance is not mandatory.
Personally, I didn’t think it sounded like Wallis or I at all – but Mum laughed until she cried!
Licks to you all, Winston
Feb 06
Hi everyone!
“Valentine’s Day’???? Not sure what all the fuss is about myself!!!! I get plenty of loving all year round from Mum, Dad and my sister, Wallis! Will probably give the humans a few extra licks this month though! Anyway – guess I should tell you a bit about where we live….we have a very nice home, and Wallis and I have our own beds in the warmest corner of the kitchen. However, Wallis thinks her rightful sleeping place is in the spot in the bed where Dad sleeps! She
always sneaks in there when he goes off in the dark in the early hours of the morning to the gym. I, on the other hand prefer to snuggle up on top of Mum – but if she goes to the gym too (that’s the mornings when we hear a lot of groaning before she leaves!), then I get to spread out more. We usually stay there while they are gone and then drag ourselves out and look keen when they return! We have small yard, but there are plenty of spots where I have my ‘treasures’ buried away. Wallis gets a little to close to those sometimes, so I have to dig them up and move them! Usually, that’s when Mum insists of laughing at me, as she cleans chunks of mud off my nose!
As the Little Dry Creek Trail comes right by our house, Wallis and I have to constantly be vigilant, and chase off anyone who comes by, especially if they have a dog, ride a bike, wear a hat, run, look suspicious, don’t look suspicious………….and a number of other things!
Wallis and I also have our own bathroom, where we regularly have our ‘feets’ washed, and sometimes have to put up with the indignity of a full shampoo and shower! It’s a dog’s life in this house!!!!!
Well, that’s all for this month.
Licks to you all, Winston
Jan 06
Hi everyone!
First of all – Happy New Year! (Dad told me I had to not forget to say that to everyone!) I hope you all had a good Christmas? Wallis and I did! We got to visit our special friends in Glenwood Springs, which was a lot of fun in all the snow – although I wasn’t very brave when their Christmas tree fell down onto Mum and Dad’s bed in the middle of the night! Scary!!!! We were allowed to tear open lots of presents (some weren’t even ours!). Our favoritest gifts were the first ones we opened – Wallis got a whole bag of tennis balls (she is just nuts over those and keeps expecting me to know how to throw one for her! As if!). My first present was a pair of furry slippers – I really prefer the ones Mum has already worn, but she told me this way at least she’ll get two to wear even if they don’t match – then I can have the others! We also got lots of extra goodies to eat (Mum says I am now on something called a ‘diet’ – but that’s Ok with me because apparently both she and Dad are on it too, so it must be a good thing…although I still don’t understand why it takes Wallis so much longer to eat her dinner than me – Mum says we get the same amount but she eats slower…hmmmmm not quite sure I believe that – there’s something fishy going on there!) Anyway, I have to stop now as we are going to the park – yippeeee!!!!!!!
Licks to you all, Winston
PS Mum hopes you like the new format – she gets asked lots of real estate questions, so she hopes this will help keep everyone informed…don’t ask me any real estate questions though – I’m only an expert on bones!!
Dec 05
Hi everyone!
It’s getting to that strange time of the year when Mum moves the furniture around and puts a tree in our living room – one we are not allowed to pee on!!!!! She also hangs up these tempting long bags which gradually get fatter and fatter and smell more and more interesting by the day! We are repeatedly told to leave them alone, but I remember very well that we get to one day when she and Dad sit on the sofa in their pajamas and we get to rip open all the wrapped parcels under the tree, and then they get the long bags down and Wallis and I get one each. They are ALWAYS full of great toys and treats..but I really don’t know why we have to hang them up and wait for them – perhaps the treats have to ‘cook’ up there? Dad is always telling us we have to wait for things to ‘cook’ so maybe that is what it is????
We had a very interesting and (for me) frightening experience last month. Dad took us to the building that Mum calls ‘the office’. First of all we got to go into a little room with Dad, the doors closed on their own, and then it made ‘brrrring’ noises and felt like it was wiggling and I could hardly stand up! Suddenly the doors opened, we dashed out – and there was my Mum!!!! Dad had to do some paperwork and we had a bit of standing around with people patting us, and then Mum and Dad took us into a new room – there was a fat man in a red suit with a white beard and glasses! He was seated on a chair, doing nothing, and Mum and Dad told us to sit down beside him – Wallis was as fidgety as ever and did not want to sit (she never does!) and I was quite frightened of that odd man, and had to run away with my tails between my legs!!!! Finally, Mum and Dad sat down either side of the weird man with us, and just when I had got used to that, bright lights started flashing at us!!! What a traumatic experience!!!!! Mum and Dad laughed all the time, but I was glad to get out of that place alive!!! Dad mentioned something about looking forward to a thing called a ‘photo’….personally I think a big chewy bone sounds better!!
Mum says to be sure to wish you all a very happy Christmas from Miss Wallis and I (whatever that might mean)! More from me in 2006!
Licks to you all, Winston
Nov 05
Hi everyone!
As Mum has already said, she and Dad went out of town for a few days at the beginning of the month, so Wallis and I got to go on vacation too!
We went to one of our favorite camps – Waggin’ Tails in Golden. Our Auntie Therese is the owner, and she always spoils us there. The best thing is that we get to play with other doggies ALL DAY!!! Of course, we are tired at night and sleep soundly, but we are up and ready for them all the next day. Mum calls in regularly to check we are behaving, and even if we aren’t the staff there are on our side and don’t tell Mum anyway! At the end of our stay we always get wonderful baths, and usually Auntie Sandi or Uncle Bill come and collect us and take us home, so we are already there when Mum and Dad get home. Although this time, Wallis got a little too excited and did a little pee in Uncle Bill’s car – so we don’t know if he will agree to pick us up again!
Dad tells me that I also have to tell you the tale of the new doggie we met out on a hike in Boulder County last week……he was wandering around on his own, and Mum usually tells me to ‘go say hello’ when we see any other dogs out on our walks. This time she didn’t tell me that, but I thought I’d be a friendly chap and go and say hello anyway…….somehow Mum didn’t like that and screamed at me to come back to her immediately (which I did…well, perhaps not immediately). I couldn’t really understand it at all……later she talked with Dad about it and the word ‘kyotee’ came up….still not sure why I couldn’t go and say hello to that doggie though………???
Licks to you all, Winston
Oct 05
Hi everyone!
As Mum has already mentioned it, I suppose I had better report on my
unscheduled visit to the vet in Spearfish,
Wallis and I also had lots of fun with Grandpa visiting from
Well, I have to get back to guarding the house and barking at people who run by on the Trail past our yard…..plus I have to go and check that Wallis has not been digging up any of my buried bones…there’s one she keeps getting really close to lately……hmmmm…I wonder where else I could bury it….?
Licks to you all, Winston
Sept 05
Hi everyone!
As so many people told my Mum that I was the best part of her newsletter, she is allowing me to write again this month!
Wallis and I have both been behaving very well, so this month we got taken on a trip in the RV. We LOVE to RV!!! – first of all I always get the best views, sitting on my Mum’s lap, riding shotgun (even though she tells me I am far too big for a lap-dog!). Next, Wallis and I always get lots of walks in places with new smells. Also, if we are really good lots of people come and talk to us and stroke us – Dad tells me I should not grrrrr at them at all, but I need to let them know that they’re on our territory only by special permission. I guess we’ll just have to agree to differ on that one.
We have also had fun this month helping Mum in the yard. She’s been doing some zero-scaping, and I’ve been helping by checking out regularly on her progress by lying down and testing the part she is working on, and Wallis helps by dropping her ball into whatever Mum is doing and getting Mum to take a break and throw ball for a while.
The only time I got into trouble this month was when I came in from burying in the yard, and plopped my nose onto the table and a huge piece of mud and grass flew off my nose and onto the Denver Post my Mum was reading!!! At least it missed her breakfast plate!!!
Licks to you all, Winston
August 05
Hi everyone! I finally get to be included in Judy’s Newsletter!Of course, I have to do all the writing on behalf of both Wallis and I, as she can’t write….come to that, she isn’t very wise either, but she certainly is pretty and she’s great at chasing ball!Anyway – here’s the introductions: I am Winston (after Winston Churchill – ‘bold, brave and strong’ – so really not a good name for me according to my Mum, who describes me as a ‘wimp’!), 3 year old, very handsome, very intelligent, black, flat-coat retriever cross red setter (Mum had a good time!). I have lived with my adoptive Mum and Dad (Judy and David) since I was eight weeks old. My passions are chasing ‘dot (laser pointer!) and getting spoiled by my Mum.My lady companion is Wallis (after Wallis Simpson, who was the American divorcee who made the King of England abdicate – boy, was that lady trouble – and so is this one!). Wallis is a 3 year old, small yellow lab, who came to live with us when she was 1 year old. She came with some ‘issues’, but has turned into a lovely member of the family (when she is not trying to boss me around!). Her passions are chasing a ball and bringing it back (that bit always seems much a chore to me that I leave it to her!) – and anything involving water!Well, that’s the intros – more from me next month!
Licks to you all, Winston