Starlings

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/8389344.stm I saw one in my garden today

Holiday at last

I was right and we've had a lovely time even if it was short. We went back to one of our favourite places. I think it was the first place the she boss took just her and me for a holiday. We had loooonnngg walks as Her Guest or should that be Hergest? Something to do with the queen anyway. If it's good enough for her, it's certainly good enough for me. I don't look as happy as I really was on the photo by the tent but we have to have one of that to prove things.
I tell you what, me and the she boss are either both getting older or not as fit as we were when we went there 2 years ago. I wasn't running up the hills like I used to. See on that photo? I'm lagging way behind the she boss even. Mind you, I am nearly old enough to get my pension now.

We saw loads of the woolly white silly sheep running around on the hills so I couldn't do loads of running. On one hill, we saw a dog having a ride on the back of some noisy motorbikey thing with 4 wheels and then saw him jump off down the hill and round all the sheep up. I was very impressed how quickly he did it. We had a bird's eye view from our hill. But not a skylark cos they all go just too high.
Talking of birds, we stopped for some lunch and could hear 2 birds making a right racket. We could see a hole in the tree and hear squeaks so guessed there were some babies. Eventually we saw mum and dad and they were some very handsome spotty woodpeckers. Once we knew who they were, we left them to get on with it before the babies strangled themselves squeaking.
We heard a cuckoo cuckooing too. Just when the she boss had been thinking there weren't any around this year. The thing is, when the babies are big enough to fly away from their pretend parents, do they have to find their own way to south countries for the winter or does someone take them?
Last night, there was another dog on our field and his he and she boss wouldn't let him in their flappy house with them so he was howling in the car. I felt very sad and upset for him as he was very unhappy. I did ask the she boss but she said 1 dog in a flappy house was enough for anyone.
In the night and today it rained loads so we went home. I would have helped the she boss take our wet tent down but she shut me in the car in the dry. She got very soggy.
I hope we manage more holidays soon

More on crows

They've gone at last thanks to the he and she boss who crept up behind him with a big sheet. They threw it over the fence into our neighbour's garden but she won't notice cos she never goes in it and the grass is taller than me over there. It will be nice to do what I like in my own garden again and to not feel as though we're in a horror movie.
I helped the she boss get some things down the ladder from the hole in our ceiling tonight too. It looks very much like flappy holiday stuff to me. Maybe this is what I've been waiting for for so long.

Bill

Well, considering the he and she boss don't seem to be going out to work these days, I'm not doing brilliantly for walks. I've been over the field alot with the she boss, mostly in the dark and not much more. Are they ashamed of me that we only go out at night? We went visiting to Nan and Grandad's in the dark too. That was a pretty good walk. I did take them for a really good walk today though. It was sunny, the birds were singing, the lambs were skipping. Shame about them really even if they are sweet cos when they're about, I'm not allowed to have a real good run around.
The big news though is that Bill is back in action. Remember him? I've shown you a picture before. He's not been serving up the drinks for a while but we went shopping today to buy something that made a lot of very smelly work for the she boss in the garden and now he's good again. The birds will be happy too as they like his water as well.

Toys & treats

The she boss took me shopping today and bought me some toys - a new rope thingy with a really good thick paper label on for me to eat and a funny twisty bally thing that I'm not sure about. It looks like it might be fun when I've eaten the labels.
She bought me some tasty nuts and things as well. What I don't understand is why she always puts them in those hanging up things in the garden that I can't reach and the birds go and eat them all. I end up with just the bits that get dropped on the grass

River walks

I took the he and she boss for a brilliant walk today. All over the hills and along a river for miles. The river had something to do with birds - pigeons or doves or something. Same difference. We didn't see any of those but we did see dippers and gangly herons. AND we saw Uncle Ted. Fancy bumping into him. I think we were all abit surprised. We managed to avoid seeing him again though. No exciting pictures I'm afraid though

2 things

1. Apparently I am now old fashioned and no one will be reading my blog any more. Try telling them that in Halifax! :-) I'm s'posed to tweet now. That sounds very undignified for me, THE MillieDog. Not that I have anything against birds especially tweeting ones. It's the big cackly cawry ones that just need to keep out of my garden http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_7685000/7685883.stm

2. Much better news is about Swindon giving up on those yellow boxes make everyone jolt their cars. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/driving/article4998031.ece The she boss usually isn't too bad cos she looks out for them but she did get caught out by one the other day and only saw it late. I'm glad I wasn't travelling in the boot. I'd have really got thrown around. I was sitting on the floor in the front. My favourite place cos I feel safe if anyone does stop quick, I get the occasional bit of attention from anyone driving or sitting in the front and the she boss talks to me if it's just me and her

Bird flu

You heard about this bird flu stuff? It seems humane beans are quite worried although my he and she boss don't seem to worry about too much. They think I don't listen when they've got the news on but I take it all in. Or what I understand anyway and I certainly understand all about birds cos I know it's not worth chasing them off the garden when they can all fly. Unfair advantage in the chase.
Anyway, what I was going to say is, I've got a theory. I reckon all us dogs and other four legged creatures have got nothing to worry about. I think it's got something to do with having 2 legs. I mean, so far, it's only birds and people that have got it isn't it and they don't seem to be worried about any other creatures. So perhaps that family in India or wherever who go round on all fours have got nothing to worry about either and the rest of them could learn something

Gardening

The squirrels that live at the back of the garden have been having a high old time while I've been away. I've been out there today and they've really been taking liberties. It seems that they've forgotten in the 3 days I've been away that it's MY garden and they're not allowed. I don't mind sharing with birds as long as they're not too big, but other furry things are another matter. So, I've been out there patrolling ALL day today, making sure they know who's boss. The friend Peter called and someone else I haven't met before but I only gave them a passing 'Hello' as I had more important things to do. I never quite manage to catch those squirlies but when I do, I'll give them what for. Just like that rat I caught in the garden once. He won't be trotting round my patch again. Maybe I should have got the bosses to leave it out as a warning to other furries but even I was disgusted. Yuk!