The Real Michael House

me, Velvet

2011-08-15T06:47:00.000-07:00

I am getting very big now. I still like to give Merlin a squash. He is a sweet little cuddly toy, I do not hurt him. He often comes in the front door to avoid me. Hahaha, but I get him in the end.

I know I don't really fit in this bed, but at least if I am in it, Ted or Merlin can't have it. I am bigger than in this photo now. Vanessa hopes I am full size, I hope I go on getting bigger, so that she cannot lift me up!

Cat On Boat Plays With Dolphins - Slothster

2011-07-09T15:19:00.000-07:00

Cat On Boat Plays With Dolphins - Slothster

amazing video, worht a look

humph

2011-03-13T16:12:00.000-07:00

I thinc it is abowt time i asserted mi rites to be skwoshed les. it is OK for a littorl wile, but then i get orl gloopee and kuvvered in Velvet spittorl. yuck. and her tethe hert. as yu kan see, we get on wel. butt ther ar limmits. and shee wil gett bigga and more hevi and I wil get mor skwoshed.

enuf is enuf. too skworshes a day, maximum. OK?
luv
Merlin

Velvet

2011-02-15T06:07:00.000-08:00

Hello. My name is Velvet. I have come from Many Tears rescue, I was staying with wonderful foster carers in Wales and now I live with Simon and Vanessa at Michael House. http://www.freewebs.com/manytearsrescue/ A wonderful organisation.

I am having lots of fun. Berri is great to play with, he is nice to me and we play and play. I am already in charge of him! Barney doesn't seem to want to play and the Vanessa and Simon uprights try to make me stop jumping at him and making him woof. The cats are fun. One of them hisses and spits at me and runs off, but the other one lets me squash him, I think he almost likes it. The uprights are a bit perturbed!
At first I could get out of the dog garden and run around in the main garden and even get out of that. The naughty Simon has now blocked it all up and I cannot get out any more. The cat flap is shrinking. Soon it will be too small for me. I will just push it off.

I am very good at night. I sleep in the soft crate thing, I do not make a fuss and I just ask to go out once a night. I had not weed or pood in the house for two days, but it did go a bit wrong this morning, I was playing with Berri and it was such fun and I forgot to go outside. I think the Vanessa one had got complacent as I had been so good. I think I know a lot of big words, as I am only three months old still. I am very clever.

I like the pots houseplants go in, especcially those wickery ones that people apparently give each other at Christmas with handles. The secret with them is to empty the plants and soil out over a large area of carpet first, then you can have a good chew on the wicker without eating too much soil.

I am looking forward to my first proper walk on Thursday. I am getting used to the lead, but sometimes try to pull Vanessa or Simon along. We practice in the garden. I am going to puppy classes in a few weeks, it is all booked. I can sometimes do 'stay' .

love
Velvet

I miss Sky too

2011-01-15T05:20:00.000-08:00

Sky was my friend and playmate. She chose me and welcomed me into the home, telling me who was in charge straight away. She was. I am sort of waiting for her, or for a new playmate, I feel a bit miserable, but I know that Sky has gone. Barney is OK, we get along, but he is not one for playing, he gets all confused and only plays for 2 seconds, then goes away.

A lovely walk along the beach woudl help. That is my favourite place.

Sky, now in the past tense

2011-01-12T16:37:00.000-08:00

I can't quite comprehend that it is only a week since we saw blood was coming from Sky's bandage and took her to the vet on the Wednesday. The splint had caused a sore and we were told the sore would not heal. It was a matter of days we were advised. And now it is already several days since she left us.

More blood leaked out immediately after the bandage was renewed, then it stopped and started. We had the bandage redone on the Friday, and were offered the option of having her put to sleep then. We had had a sleepless night the night before, but felt she was still enjoying life too much to leave it yet. She was still eating, clean in the house, interested in everything, even going out for short walks.

On the Friday, the day started well. After having the bandage redone, the bleeding was controlled for most of the day. We went to Stone Cottage, and Sky spent quite a lot of the day sitting in the back of the car, quite restful, and in the kitchen at Elizabeth's house.

After being in Stone Cottage for a while, the bleeding started showing again. This distressed Sky. She sat awkwardly on the journey home, she was not happy. She only ate a little food that night, one bit at a time, on the floor. Her tongue and nose were pale. She insisted on walking up the stairs alone, and dripped a lot of blood on the way. She was not enjoying life at this point.

We knew this was our last night with her. I didn't want to sleep, I didn't want to miss any of the last hours with her, or the feel of her next to me on the bed. When we woke, she did a little, last howly howl.

In the morning we took her in to the vet for the last time. She struggled a little as she was put to sleep, and made a yelping noise, which will always haunt me and was awful. She looked straight at me, I hope she did not blame me for what was happening, and I can not now make it right with her. Although, who knows what communication can extend beyond death? The vet was lovely and the staff there are fantastic. It was one of the hardest moments of my life.

On that Saturday, 8th, I was very upset, as was Simon. I felt like a part of me was missing, but there was relief that we had spared Sky any suffering and done it at the right time. Berri saw the body and we feel he has adjusted well, but he misses her and having a play mate. Barney appears oblivious, but who knows how he feels? The cats are probably glad not to have anyone staring at them and jumping up at them all the time! Simon made a big hole in the garden and we buried Sky there, near to Shian.

On Sunday, we went out and it felt a lot better. We saw the starlings at Rough Tor, they were the best I have ever seen, and heard, and smelt! Wonderful sunset, still evening, then the birds started to stream through just after the sun went down.

Monday, not the extremes of anguish of Saturday, but a miserable, low rumble of sorrow all the time, tears and loss. Yesterday and today, I feel I am starting to get used to the change. I know I get over things quite fast, I tend to do a lot of grieving before the loss, it had made me cry to think of losing Sky for at least two years, I had often thought of it and what it would mean. I am sobbing as a write, but I think putting it all down is helpful to me as part of the process of recovery and recording details I may forget.

What a special girl. I'm sorry that I do not feel the same about Barney. But, in a way, I think it would be speciesist to feel alike for all animals. I do not have the same regard for every human I meet, so why for every animal? And, in a way I identify with Barney, the odd one, funny looking, never chosen for the team.

I miss needing a ball each time I go out, I miss giving Sky the medication she had every night for years, my routine is all messed up. I even miss looking after her when she was ill, carrying her up to bed, making sure she ate as much as she could, even if it was cat food in the last days. I miss her howly-howl, her noise, her playful, yet deadly serious and earnest attitude to life, her nuzzle, the lovely roundy top bit of her head and pointy stand up ears. The little plumpy bit each side of her mouth. I miss her rolling over for a tummy rub. I miss being proud of her, of how well she was for 15, and how amazed everyone was when i told them her age. I miss her visiting the ladies at the White House and disappearing for crumbs under the chairs and our singing in the car on the way there and back. I miss my close relationship with her, our bond, her trust.

It will be hard telling all the guests who have known her, I must alter the information in the booklet. I have spoken of it on Facebook, and got some lovely responses and warmth and know how much so many people loved her. She loved Dawn who adored her. I feel like we are waiting. For her to return? I love the image of the Rainbow bridge, where all our loved and departed companion animals are waiting for us when we die and then we all go leaping across together, reunited. I don't really believe the idea, but it is rather comforting and sweet nonetheless!

And, I know we will put ourselves through it all again. Not too soon, or we will just be trying to replace Sky and any animal will not be able to match up, which will be quite unfair.

I will pass back the responsibility for this blog to the animals once more now.

Sky

2011-01-04T14:49:00.000-08:00

I am going to write little snippets about Sky as the days pass, as I know I will forget what has happened and how things progressed. Sky is still with us, she is not as well as when she wrote that last post, but she is still very much interested in life and enjoying things.

I am learning about a new aspect of her. It is making me realise, that you only get to know all aspects of anyone if you see them from birth through to death, and that rarely happens with humans for obvious reasons. I missed the first seven years of Sky's life, but I am sure she was a lovely, fun and energetic youngster.

In her old age and illness, she is showing new parts of herself. She is telling me what to do, as she mentioned in the last post, when to turn round on walks, when she will eat, when not. She prefers food sprinkled over the floor, she does not now eat in the mornings, only at night, she prefers stolen food, cat food. So I set it up to seem stolen! But, having some cat food today, 'legally', Merlin tried to eat it. Sky was not eating it, but she attacked him, and he has a bite on his face. We must be very careful, and remember, it looks like a game, but it is not. We have steroids to give her, but have not yet started these, as she is still eating a fair amount. Also, Shian (golden retriever) died the day after starting on steroids, as did Sydney (tabby cat). I feel cautious about starting them.

I know Sky will not survive this, but she seems so well at times, that that becomes hard to believe. We sing together, she is clearly still enjoying life in the main, she is alert and interested. I so hope we will know the right time for her to depart. I cannot bear the thought of it, but want to do it right for her. The cancer has moved to her lungs, so walking far, up hills, is difficult now, but she takes rests and is determined to do as much as she can.

I want to write these notes, mainly for myself, but others may find it interesting, as it is remarkable how fast we adapt to new circumstances, and they become the norm. Towards the end of November, we had no inkling this was around the corner, now it is normal to praise her for eating a lump of catfood which we would have told her off for taking so recently!

In some ways I feel guilty that I feel so differently about different animals i have lived with. Yet, surely, it is more natural to feel closer to some than others, just as one does with humans. To see them as all the same would be to belittle the relationships we have with them. I feel so close to Sky, I did to Dum-Dum, the cat who died of FIV many years ago. Yet, Cimba, whom I lived with for 17years or so and Tibby, both left this world with me dry eyed. I loved them, but I did not have that closeness or rapport I have with Sky and I had with Dum-Dum.

Sky

2010-12-07T07:52:00.000-08:00

I am not very well. I had been getting a bit slow over a few days, and my back leg sometimes dangled. As I am 15, and have some arthritis, Vanessa and Simon thought it was just these factors and did not take too much notice. Then, just over a week ago, we had to go for a very early morning walk, as Vanessa and Simon were going out for the day. I caught my leg going over the stile in the dark, and it has been dangly and painful ever since. When we went to the vet the next day, she was concerned that it might be something 'nasty', ie a tumour. Vanessa was very upset, Simon too. I limped through with antibiotics and painkillers until Thursday, when I had an Xray as it had not improved. This confirmed a tumour, but, also that I had broken my leg where the tumour has weakened it. I had a splint fitted, as the leg will not heal properly.

I now have plenty of painkillers and am mostly comfortable. Apart from being three legged and not wanting to play rough and tumble games with Berri, I am pretty much as normal. I still play ball, I do not always like steps or stiles, but I still sing and say howly-howl. The splint helps a lot, I have not tried to get the bandage off, it is getting a bit dirty now.

I do not understand properly about dying or what will happen. I am just living in the here and now. The vet said it could be a 'month or a year', but that was before the Xray. After it, she said, more likely only Christmas. Vanessa was so sad for a day after this.

Vanessa is much less upset now, we are working together and I am so like my normal self! I tell her where I want to go, when I want to be helped with things, which direction to take on our walks and when to come home. Today we went a bit far, I must tell her sooner to turn round! It is lucky that she does not have guests at present and can give me lots of attention. We are just enjoying our time together, and I love Berri and annoying the cats.

letter sent to neighbour by Barney

2010-10-21T03:34:00.000-07:00

Michael House

21.10.10

Dear Mr Len,

Thank you for letting the Vanessa know that I had gone on my adventures yesterday. She would have panicked when she got in and found I was missing.

I was having a nice time, helping the builders next door. But, it was not much good really, as they did not give me anything to eat. My main interest is eating. Actually, really my only interest is eating.

I hope the Vanessa or the Simon leaves me outside and then leaves the gate open again, so that I can have a further adventure, but I bet they don’t.

Thank you.

Best wishes and woofs,

Barney

Mushrume soop, mi favorrit

2010-08-08T06:18:00.000-07:00

omm, nomm, nomm. veegan too. I lubs it.

I am a veegan-doggie-kat-koarler-rabbit thing, i like to slepe in the dog bed, and mayk the dogs slepe on the flor. the big blak thing is mi toi, yes.

hahaha

2010-06-27T12:47:00.001-07:00

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Om nom nom

2010-06-25T15:41:00.000-07:00

pears.

Blew Por

2010-04-28T13:10:00.000-07:00

i hav e verri seriowes kondishun, korld blew por. mi pors ar blew.

the vannesser hadd to paynt the flor in the yewtilitee rume. i stud in it, wen it wos not kwite dri. i put nise por printz on the woshing macheen.

the rume had to be paynted bocos ov me.

wen i wos nu heer, i weed on the flor. the tiles got orl disgusting and the vanesser tuke them up. then, ajes layter, she has finerly paynted it. it luks nise, blew, with littorl por prints in.

merlin, magic

no,no,no

2010-04-26T03:15:00.000-07:00

no, we did nott sit tugether in the sayme barsket. That is a phallasee.

ohh, bother.

ted, the grumpee wun

Fully recovered and no ill effects

2010-04-26T03:10:00.000-07:00

Berri is fully recovered and properly naughty again after his illness, and I did not have any ill effects from all that vegan yumminess! Simon has started to keep his food hidden from me again in the Landrover, bother. He does not always take me to work now, as it has got quite hot some days and would be too warm for me to be in the car.

We went to Crackington Haven the other day. It was very annoying, as the nasty Vanessa and Simon would not let us go on the beach. They said the signs said we could not from Easter. We could see a dog on the beach, it was not fair, and just some conspiracy by the uprights to keep us sand-free. It was nice on the cliffs, I posed for this photo above the beach and the uptites had a tasty coffee in the cafe.

Simon must have taken this one, it has a finger in the corner! Sky is being camera shy, a first for her.

love, Barney

Vegan food, and the containers it came in, om nom nom

2010-04-14T06:26:00.000-07:00

I had two tubes of vegan pate stuff called Tartex yesterday, and a pack of cheezly. The plastic containers were particularly yummy. Simon had got all relaxed as I have not stolen anything for a while. hahaha.

Poorly sick

2010-04-14T06:21:00.000-07:00

I am a bit poorly sick and sorry for myself. Vanessa and Simon think I must have eaten something bad, I like most things, so that is probably what happened. I hope I will be better soon, as I want some tasty toast, but even that makes me feel ill just now. I went to see the nasty vet, I will probably have to have this and that stuffed down my throat now.

Manifestos

2010-03-25T16:02:00.000-07:00

The animals who live at Michael House have been preparing their manifestos in readiness for the forthcoming elections.

Berri - Liberal Democrat, libertarian. This is the party for the happy-go-lucky dog. Free dog food at all times. Abolish veterinarians. Provide more rabbits for chasing. Bigger beaches, with better sandcastles to wee on. Electoral reform, pah, who cares about elections? Sand is what it is all about, sand.

Merlin. Monster Raving Looney partee. Tumbling where we go. Charjing abowt in eni direkshun with no particular plann, but desperate, desperate. Wot for? Not shure, but desperate nun the less. 'Lepe befor you look' is wot we stand for.

Barney - conservative. Keep beds in all rooms, at all times. Food available at all times, at low level, saves awkward climbing. Cat food, om nom nom. Maintain full rubbish bins and compost heaps, with interesting bits to snuffle at. Avoid change. Keep Landrover for me, avoid other humans apart from Simon sitting in it, eg Vanessa. Maintain the status quo.

Ted. Laybor, old stile. Re nationalize all wild kreetchers for me to katch, eg, myce. Mayk union membership kompulsery, my union is the Trade Eschews Demokracy Union, TED. Wot dus Eschews mean?

Sky. British Nationalist Party. All animals with foreign sounding names or short legs can get out of this country, eg. the chihuahua, Pekignese, sausage dog. All cats must be abolished, starting with non British cats, eg the Maine Coon and the Siamese. They have no place in a proper collie world and are pushing us out of our jobs managing the balls. A strong leader is needed, me, with the power to impose stringent laws. More balls are what this party calls for. More balls.

All wild creatures, robins, throstles, frogs and their spawn, sparrows, slugs waiting for the warmth and noms to be planted, Green Party. Nuff said.

Fun

2010-01-07T09:42:00.000-08:00

Today I had the best fun of my life. We went out in the car to somewhere called Bodmin Moor. The ground was all white and strange. When I walked my paws sank in, and I thought the world was collapsing. I just lay down until the ground stopped giving way and my tummy got cold, then tried again. But, it collapsed again and again, but only a little way (about 5 inches). Then I discovered it was fun to walk in and there was solid ground all the time underneath the white and cold stuff, which is called snow. Then I had a little run and rolled round in it and it was just brilliant. Berri ran and ran, he loved it straight away and knew all about it, and Sky just played ball and was a bit cross that it kept disappearing into the snow.

this is me on an altogether warmer day

nu yer

2010-01-01T03:45:00.000-08:00

iff it is so speshul, a nu yer, wotteva that iz, wi havent i got a selebrashun mele, sum luvlee fishee?

luv fromm a grumpee Ted

recovered

2009-12-27T08:56:00.001-08:00

I am fully recovered now, so much so that I am driving Simon and Vanessa bonkers with my wellness and interest in everything that just might be edible.

love

Barney

insident

2009-12-26T13:02:00.000-08:00

tuday i hadd a littel insident. i fel in the ponde. itt wos rayning eniway, so the Vanesser did not immediattlee realize wen shee sore me. butt wen i arsed (vannesser sniggered wen she sor i had ritten this, how rewd) tu go indors, the vanesser thort i wos inside the howse, as i meowed so lowed becoz i wos upsett. i was verri bedraggled and soggy, exsept mi hed, i kepped that owt ov the worter. itt wos verri kold in the ponde. the gests and everiwun mayd a grate bigg fuss ov mee. i may du it agen, just for the fuss. she did nott get a foto, that is gud, it wud hav bene humeowliating iff shee had, it wos not veri dignifide. i am not a veri dignifide boi, it is the tale problem agen.

butt, i am veri bewtifull.

happee kristmouse

2009-12-25T15:53:00.000-08:00

hahaha, bitt layt with thiss, onlee 8 minits left ov thiss kristmouse.

hope yu hadd funn. I didd nott. i slept wile itt wos sunnee and then went owt wen it rayned.

luv Ted - the prittee wun, not the bluree wun, hu, insidentally, put orl the fude evereewere

owtrajed ov trenno

2009-12-15T15:47:00.000-08:00

it is owtrajus that this nu kat kan just wonnder inn and gett orl the fud and wee on the flor and then get a kuddorl. and skie has a bash on her nowse and i DIDD NOTT DU itt.

here is wi it is orl rong:

I sit on Henree the huver

or the windowsill

Merlin sits in my bed. hee is not really yello, that is just the vannesser duing bad fotos.

he snuggorls up with the gests teddeee bere, in the rume no animorls ar allowd inn, I mite ad

OK, OK, acksherlli, we get on verri wel. this foto went yello and bleri, butt wee hav evern slept in the saym kat bed together. Wee both got up verri kwiklee wen the vanesser went to get her kamerer, we ar not reddi to go publik as frends yet.

he is veri messi at eting. apparentlee, it may bee becos his wiskers ar long and he dus not like the feling of them on the ej ov the bole, so tayks the fud owt.

Ted

Merlin

2009-12-02T13:17:00.000-08:00

hallow, mi naym is Merlin. i hav bene freesikled and kame tu liv at mikorl howse larst satterday, 28th nov. i like it heer. i like marmite, it is mi mate. i l;ike the uptite uprites, thay are funni, thay hav not gott yewsed to mi fude rekwirements yet. thay think i am funni luking, butt i thinc thay ar.

i am now corld merlin, as i am from Tintagel and i am a bit ov a wizard. i am verri soft and kuddlee

this woz a veegan sallerd dressing...

2009-11-03T15:41:00.000-08:00

hahahaha, and yew thort I didn't like eneething veegan. Gotcha.

2009-11-03T15:34:00.000-08:00

Nice bridge

Let's go, games to play

Cow

2009-11-03T15:28:00.000-08:00

This is a big white cow that was watching me, way back in the Spring, to make sure I did not chase her. I am not that stupid, she is bigger than me and I am more of a rabbit sort of chap myself.

love

Berri

This is me at my favourite place, on the beach at Trebarwith Strand.

hahahaha

2009-11-03T15:16:00.000-08:00

I did this, ages ago. I had all the contents of one of the guest refreshment trays all over the floor. I had the milk from some milk cartons, yummy, I tried coffee, yuck, that is only good for spreading over the carpet, and the tea, not worth bothering with, what do humans make such a fuss about it for? The hot chocolate was nice, I smeared that around on the rug as well, and had as much as I could before that interfering Vanessa found me, shouted at me and sent me back downstairs. love Barney

Today

2009-10-21T07:32:00.000-07:00

Today, I am mostly taken up with being brown and chocolatey.

love Barney

Obituary

2009-09-17T15:32:00.000-07:00

My best friend, Ebony, has died. She was at least 18 years old and was very well until only a few days ago, she had a good life.

Most cats just bash me on the nose, Ebony rolled around with me and played and we were such good friends. When I visited my real Mum, Elizabeth, she was always there, and I would have a little play with her, once I had eaten my treat and had a look in the bins of course. She came to Michael House for her holidays, I was always pleased to see her, and everyone except Ted loved her. Ted hated her, but she bossed him about, which was good for Ted.

I will miss Ebony, she made a funny noise, because she was deaf. She looked after Elizabeth nicely when I no longer could.

love Barney

Veegan, what's that?

2009-09-07T15:49:00.000-07:00

Please can I be vegan, if it means more food? I could be vegan and an omnivore as well? I don't mind.

This is a silly photo of me, when I was very young, and didn't understand about sand.

wots this i heer?

2009-09-07T12:11:00.000-07:00

wot, me? Go veegen? no, no, no, i wil not.

Ted

Winnter

2009-09-05T03:13:00.000-07:00

it is now winnter. i no thiss and vannesser nos this, as i hav star Ted to slepe on her hed.

im inn trubbell, agen

2009-07-14T02:36:00.000-07:00

i korsed a grate kerfuffell bi gowing missing. agen. hahaha, now thay realli luv me and karnt stop kuddling me! i went owt for a littel wile on saterday nite, it started rayning, i fownd shelter. there was a littel dor into a big space, i went inn. it did not open owtword. i wos stukk. the peepel hu liv there did not see me the next day as i hid from them wen thay kame in the gararje. vanesser wos verri upset and luked for me orl arownd treknow, corling and making a twit ov herself. hahaha. then she fownd me. i wud not come owt at ferst, then, wen i did, i wos happi and et lots of fud.

Guest post by Ebony

2009-05-12T07:25:00.000-07:00

Hellow, i am ebonee. i am staying at mickorl howse for a bit wile mi uprite, elizzerbeth is on her hollidays. it is not nise heer.

i gett shutt in playses. thay downt let me owt in kase i get lost. i am 18. i am verri spritely. this is a term hewmans yews to diskribe peepel hu ar a bit owld but bizzi and rushing abowt. I am bissi and rushing abowt.

i am def. therfor i kannot heer mi own voyse, but apparentli (not shor how i no this, but i du) i make verri lowd waley noises, and the gests heer me, so now i am staying in the annex with simon and vannesser.

that silli ted, hu thincs he is so cleva and bashes up most kats, butt he is skeered ov me and hides unda the steers. hahaha. i like sky, and i think she likes me. she kepes luking at me. barnee and me ar best frends.

i am gowing home tommorrow. that wil be gud.

Frogs-in-waiting-to-be

2009-05-04T03:21:00.000-07:00

there were some tadpoles in the pond
who were it is said, really fond
of a smidgen of blogging
preparing for frogging
with a splish and a splash, 'we've been...'

hahaha, i et them before thay cud finnish the limmerikk.
ted

Vanessa added:

but the word they were seeking was

conned

the slugs and snails will be happy...

Tadpoles

2009-04-29T04:23:00.000-07:00

Vannesser, the uptite uprite, ses that the tadpoles in the pond mey rite a post. how silli is that? thay karnt rite, it wil be orl wet and slippi. she had betta get them tu du it sune, or thay wil be frogs and no way wud frogs be bloggers. Ted.

it werked, it werked!

2009-04-25T03:14:00.000-07:00

hahaha, i got the milc, cee the post beelow Barnees if yu du not no wot i am on abowt.

it wos serrendippitty. a cupporl of jehovers witnesses kame tu the dor and, wile vanesser wos telling them she wos not interrested in the biborl, i hadd the milc! thanc godd for jehovers witnesses.

luv ted the milcky boy.

eating

2009-04-25T02:50:00.000-07:00

Hello, at last I can have a go on here.

This is me relaxing in the garden the other day, we have had a lot of sunshine. I think I am a handsome chap, I am going a bit grey, but of course that is distinguished.

My main interest is eating. I have just had the last few pieces of chewing gum from the packet Vanessa had left by the computer to help her with losing weight. I did not chew them, they will dissolve in my tummy, I hope. They do something they call 'Barney proofing' in the utility room where we spend most of our time. This means putting anything which I might construe as edible very high up. She had forgotten about the gum, which was good.

I also like, cat food, bird food, vegetables, the bits ready for the compost, composts themselves, chocolate, and poo of a variety of origins.

Mostly I go to work with Simon. Today, Simon has gone to London to protest against animals being used in laboratories, so Vanessa and I are doing something called bonding, as we do not always like each other properly. We are only using a Pritt Stick, so that we can get apart again if necessary. I think it is working, we are getting on very well.

I am hoping that we will go for a walk later, as the sheep are in the fields and I can have a poo fest. I will also run, which makes Vanessa laugh, as I don't go very far, and mainly go up and down, and my ears flap.

I will do another post soon.

heer i am

2009-04-25T02:40:00.000-07:00

barnee is gowing to du a post.

iff i sit on the cheer in frunt ov the compewter, and then sit in frunt ov the screne, i wil be abel to drinc the milc owt ov vanessers sereorls, as she wil get kros with me and there wil be kaos wich i kan take advarntidge ov. orlso, barnee wil not be aborl to du his blogg.

hahahaha.

i reeli du thinc vanesser nedes to take mor fotows ov me. this is ov me larst yer, wen thay tuk me on holiday and didernt fede me.

ted

Barney

2009-04-23T15:16:00.001-07:00

This is me, enjoying a bit of sunshine. I will do a proper post soon, it will mostly be about food.

It will all be about food.

love

Barney

mor bi stewpid dogs

2009-04-23T15:01:00.000-07:00

i du not tayk eni notiss ov ski wen she steers at me. i sumtimes hissss at her if she is reely annoying, or smak her nose.

the Polly tunnel is a gud playse to eskape from silli dogs. but it is not so gud wen vannesser starts wortering the plarnts and has not sene me ther.

Ted, the long sufferring kat.

du i luk disdain full?

is it my turn yet, i don't really mind if not, but it would be nice...

2009-04-23T14:36:00.000-07:00

My favourite thing to do is to play ball. I do not mind if we are on a beautiful walk, or in the middle of a busy town, as long as we can play ball.

This is me doing a howly howl, as I am very proud to bring my ball back to get it thrown again. This sometimes seems like a silly activity to humans, but it is very important to me, nearly as important as eating. Well, not quite. We had walked up the hill to the side of the Port William pub at Trebarwith Strand, there are 200 steps. Since Vanessa has been diagnosed with Arthur itis, she was worried she might never get up there again, but it was easy. I have Arthur too, we both take glucosa something. Mean.

I also love people and meeting the lovely elderly folk I see when I go to the Home in Bodmin. I look for crumbs under their chairs. I am also the mascot of the art group in Tintagel. When we arrive, no-one says hello to Vanessa, they just talk to me. Mostly I get cake. I do not do any painting, that is not one of my talents.

I do not like that cat Ted, I try to get him to go away by staring at him.

I am quite assertive, but sometimes get a duff deal. Vanessa just walked past our beds and mine had a laundry basket in, and I was all curled around the edge. That is not right, is it?

This is the view over Trebarwith Strand, towards Tintagel from the top of the steps.

love

Sky

beche, pah

2009-04-20T11:03:00.000-07:00

wi wud eni wun wont to go tu the beche? onli for stewpid dogs. i hav bene woshing mi bottum. Ted.

Trebarwith Strand, by Berri-Biskit

2009-04-20T10:42:00.001-07:00

Trebarwith Strand is my favourite place in the whole world. it is brilliant, I have loads of fun there.

There are caves to explore

Gull Rock to admire

Sky loves it too, although she doesn't mind where we are, so long as there is a ball to play with

I can hurl myself around in the sand

Make friends

Look scrumptious

Look around

Look ridiculous.

What more could any dog want?

hello, hello, hello

2009-04-15T06:42:00.000-07:00

Hello, Berri-Biskit here. I have spent the morning eating a chew. It was meant to be for Sky, but she gets other special treats, she is going with Vanessa to the art exhibition this afternoon, so I thought it right that I had it. I growled if anyone tried to take it away. I never growl, but this was extra good, so had to be protected from theft.

No bone

2009-04-14T14:44:00.000-07:00

The others are chewing bones, well pretend bones, and I am not.. They won't let me have the bone. I had a nice play at Glebe Cliff earlier. I hate that cat, Ted. I stare at him to try to make him move. In the end, it works. Sometimes I have to stare for a long time. love Sky.

hellow

2009-04-11T03:49:00.000-07:00

This is the ferst post on this nu blog. as i am the expert at riting, i thowt it proppa that i du it. wel, the uthers had no choyse. i wil mainli bee telling yu how orful it is heer.

this is me praktising beeing kute. i am mostli evill.