Greece



The S's had another holiday without Fozzie this year. I didn't care at all though because I had my own, much better holiday.......at Ringo's house! It was such a good holiday I didn't want to go home at the end. I had to eventually as the S's were getting lonely without me. Anyway more about that later. First I have to show you where the S's went.

Good to see there are some dogs in Greece



A Greek Feline

 Greece is a place with a lot of boats and food. All the photos I have seen of Greece have got food in them. That is fine, I am a big fan of food, but also there are some photos with CATS in them. Why anyone would go on holiday to the same place that CATS like to go on holiday, well I really don't know. Anyway the S's went off to Greece all grumpy and came back in a good mood. They said that Greece is relaxing - all that eating probably makes you relaxed; I know when I have finished a bone I always have to have a big sleep.

A lazy Greek Feline

If you interested to know, then there are several types of Fozzie sleep. There is 'collapsed in a heap sleep' like after walks and bones.

I don't mind sharing my chair with Syd

There is 'watchful waiting' when you have your head on your paws but really you are concentrating hard and listening for cats and postmen.  And also there is 'obstacle course style' which is where you stretch out as long as you can be, either in the hallway or in front of the door so that if you do nod off, no one can get past without you noticing.



This is Doga (it is yoga for dogs)



There is no chair or sofa that I am not allowed to sit on



Greek food and of course wine

Anyway back to Greece - here is some food and here is the S's enjoying themselves.



As you can see, in Greece the S's met those VIPs again, sorry no, I mean OAPs.  The OAPs were going on another boat leaving from Athens.  They seem to do a lot of that. Apparently old people get a special pass so they can go on as many buses or cruise ships as they like. Unlike dogs who are not allowed on buses or ferries here in Sydney; unless their owners are disabled. I think the S's definitely meet that criteria. I did once get in a bus but he man said I had to get out. And I have been on a travelator which is a moving sort of a floor that won't let you go backwards, I did not like it at all. Nor did I like going in a lift; humans really do weird stuff don't  they!?





So here are the S's on their dog free holiday with the cats and the old people. Looks rubbish to me.

The other thing they do in Greece (after eating)  is dancing. Syd LOVES dancing. But he is not allowed to do it because of his knees. I don't really understand dancing, I would rather chase felines to get my exercise but anyway that's just me. Here is Syd thinking about doing dancing.

Will my knees hurt if I do dancing?

Farmacy

One reason why we have been so busy this year is because of this. I was very confused about this to be honest.  I thought a Farmacy was where you had a lot of animals like non-fake sheep and hens, and when Syd said we were getting a Farmacy I was very excited. I thought he was going to be a Farmer and I was planning on being one of those dogs that chases, no, rounds up, sheep. But no, it seems that is a Farm and a Farmacy are not the same. A Farmacy is much less interesting for dogs, but that is what we have.

Here is Syd in his Farmer's outfit. He puts this on and people have to listen to his advice (apart from Sarah). He has worked very hard in this white jacket. We have never seen him work this hard. Every Saturday he had to go there and organize all the medicines and toilet paper. Once I went to help but I got fed up after about 10 minutes and went to sleep under the counter. Sarah has helped a bit by making a cake. Why that was helpful I am not sure. But I did help to eat it.

Country Business

Well at Christmas and afterwards we went to the country a lot. We go all the time now for the weekends. This is our routine. We go in the car and I sleep until we are nearly there but I always wake up at the end of our road when we are 3.5 km from our house and I go 'on duty'. When you are 'on duty' you switch your eyes onto 'beady' (not beardy, though Syd and I are both quite beardy) mode and you do a low sort of noise in your throat, and you stare very hard out of the windows. You are looking for creatures. If you see a creature then the noise in your throat goes very loud and high and squealy and your legs go a bit like Scooby Doo's legs when he has seen a ghost and he is running on the spot, and you do this until you can't see the creature any more, because it ran away or Syd drove past it.

 These are the creatures I mean. There are Roos, there are Echidnas and there are WOMBATS who only come at night so I don't have a photo of them.

 They all live near our house and they go in MY garden when I am not there. That makes me so mad, hence the squealing and beadiness. Once the S's let you out of the car, whilst they are unpacking you run round as fast as you can and you sniff very hard where all the creatures have been and you bark a lot, just to let them know that you are back and that it is NOT ALLOWED for them to come in your garden. It is not really very restful for me in the country actually. As well as being on duty, I have to bark at Tractor, swim for sticks and also have a lot of baths. I have reported previously on how I am not at all keen on baths, but no one seems to have been paying attention.

We have 24 ducks living on our pond now. I have counted them. When I am not barking at wombats, or Tractor, I am barking at ducks. It is a full time job. The neighbours have also got creatures. Look at this. One day I stared all day at this and it never moved. You know why? It's a 'fake sheep'. Seriously. Those neighbours also have none-fake hens. I stare at them too. Sarah says we are getting our own non-fake hens and I am quite excited about that, though I am playing it cool because if the S's think I am too excited at the prospect of eating hens, no sorry I meant to say; eating eggs, they may change their minds.

We made a special veggie patch also which I am not allowed in because I have been seen helping myself to carrots. Gardening is boring, I leave that to Sarah, but digging up food is the good and fun bit. Syd is also not allowed very much in the veggie patch ever since he pulled out the tomato plants as he thought they were weeds. I weed in there once when I was helping myself to a carrot. Yet one more thing on the 'not allowed' list. It is quite long that list.

Sometimes our friends come and stay. Here is Victoria my best

lady friend; when she came we went to the village show. It was very hot but they had cold beer (and water for dogs). They had none-fake sheep too. Look what this man was doing to this poor sheep. Actually it looked like torture but afterwards that sheep told me he was much cooler and happier. Sarah spent ages looking at home made jam (nothing is more boring than that) and was threatening to put her home made things in next year's show. I didn't say anything but I don't think she will be winning many prizes. See for yourself.

she should have stopped at the scarf

I will be regifting this back to Syd for his birthday

Hat. (Syd only wore it in the house, to be polite - then he gave it to ME even though I did not want it).
Jam. (I refused to have it on my toast).
Drink that makes you go silly. (not for dogs)
Carrots! (OK they tasted alright but seriously?)



Apparently this is a carrot




this looks homemade - I would not touch it.



Last Christmas and Ringo and me

So it really has been so long since I wrote that I have to start with LAST Christmas. That is not just a festive song, by Wham! that we have to listen to at this time of year, it is a real thing. So, last Christmas we had VIPs who visited us. They came on their boat. One of them wore socks and sandals AT THE SAME TIME ( I think I may have already mentioned that but it needs to be said again) and the other one really knew when a dog might like a treat. ('Often' is when a dog likes to have a treat.) She can come again, that lady.

OAP Transportation

A nice lady (and Sarah)

Another nice lady (and that silly old person)

A silly old person

Santa - his beard was longer than mine!

We did a lot of typical Australian Christmas things with the VIPs. Syd calls them the OAPs but I think he got that wrong.  We went to Bondi Beach. We ate prawns. We hid from Fireworks (that was just me). We chased rabbits (also just me). We played Christmas games, we ate lots and we did sightseeing. We dressed silly. Some people drank a lot of wine. Anyway it was quite good. But the best part was afterwards in January when Ringo came to stay with me!  Ringo is not one of the Beatles, he is a Hairedale, like me. Oh yes and he's my brother and he is heavy! Well he's heavier than me.  His family let him come for 2 weeks and we had so much fun. We did a lot of naughty things that I won't go into as we made a pact called 'what goes on tour stays on tour' which means you don't tell the S's what you were doing whilst they were out.

mine, no mine

head wrestling

We did a lot of fighting and swimming and sleeping and eating. I even let Ringo sit on my special big chair with me. He was a bit sad at first when his family left but then he realized how much fun it was going to be, and I explained the rules of our house which are that 1. You don't have to listen to Sarah and 2. You do sometimes have to listen to Syd but only when his voice is really getting cross, then Ringo settled in and made himself at home. If I am honest there was one thing I did not like about having a guest and that was sharing my bones. I am fine about sharing chairs, and toys, beds and rugs.....but bones are a different matter. I can't help it, if there are 2 bones I want them both, in case one is better than the other. I mean, how do you know you got the best one unless you take them both and try them first? Ringo is more 'laid back' than me about bones, which Sarah says is probably a good thing. You only have to say the 'b' word near me and I go all quivery in my tail. Anyway I loved having my brother to stay, we make a very handsome pair of chaps even though I say so myself.

Ringo is about to sneak off and I am doing my face on the side which they always like in a photo

A pile of Hairedales

I don't let just anyone sit on my special chair

my favourite man (not Santa)

Blog without a dog

A very handsome me

Don't panic, I am still here (the dog) but I have not been writing like I promised. It's been another whole year, we had a Christmas again (the S's got out that tree that you must not wee on) and this year has been sooooo busy that in the end I had to just give up my regular updates and I am going to do a 'review of the year' of 2012 for you now instead. Every time my paws felt like typing some news the S's were either; at work, 'too busy', gone out, or asleep. This meant no one could switch on Computer for me so I couldn't do my homework. Yes I can type, but Computer has a fiddly switch at the back that paws can't manage, so that was that. I did ask Santa for an iPad this year; well everyone else in this house has one. iPad's are surely designed with paws in mind, aren't they? 'i' have 'pads'  on my paws, don't I? Get it?! Oh I bet you have missed me!



Here is my paw and here is someone from England wearing socks and sandals AT THE SAME TIME! How funny!

Anyway, we have had Christmas and I have been in holiday mode,  but now it's back to work and so I am catching up on my homework and and am ready with a few stories. I will tell you what the S's have been up to (mostly boring) and what I have been doing (mostly 'not allowed' things) and who I have seen and where I have been. Are you sitting comfortably? Then I will begin....... Actually, it has been so long I had better remind you who we are. First in the pack and most important is Fozzie. I am quite a woolly sheep in this photo as it was winter (you can tell by the scarf).

Handsome but hairy me

Me wondering where my dinner is

Me still wondering where my dinner is

Equal Second in the pack are the S's (Syd is a bit before Sarah; she is definitely 3rd in pack pecking order ok?)  Though she is in charge of rations, including peanut butter, B.O.N.E S ( we are only allowed ever to spell that word, not say it, in case someone gets too excited (not sure who?) and other treats, so I have to be a bit nice to her. I am not sure why she is in charge of such important stuff, I suppose Syd is too busy?

We say NO!

This is my Christmas appeal which I would like all humans (especially those whose name starts with an S) to pay heed to.
Dogs don't like to be dressed up just because you have gone all Christmassy and silly. It isn't funny, it isn't cute, it's just wrong.  How would you like it if you had to wear an Elf hat before you could get your breakfast? Or you were made to walk to work (the park) with tinsel stuck to you? Just because you think it's OK to go out in public wearing a Santa hat does NOT mean we want to join you. I mean really, you can tell by our faces that we aren't happy. Can't you?

We dogs are saying NO this year to Christmas dress ups. Got it?
Yours sincerely

 Fozzie Claws.

The Bear is back!

Hello Everyone

I am very sorry I have not written for sooo long, but here I am, just in time for the end of 2011. It has been a funny year. The months just kind of got away from me after the S's came back from their abandonment of me (I mean their 'holiday' that they went on for THREE WEEKS). Actually I had a great time without them it was pretty good. Lots of different girls came to stay with me and showed me a good time. Who needs the S's?

Here is photos of them, with their friends, having fun, bla bla whatever.

This is Syd DANCING!! I am glad I was not there to be honest, because as everyone knows, it's just too embarassing when your dad does a dance.......

Anyway back to me!! It's been so long since I have written and I have so much to tell I don't know where to start. We have finished putting our house back together.  That is good. No more strange men traipsing through the house making noise and dust and interfering with my weekday sleeps. Sarah said that making a new house was the most stressful thing she has ever done and so we won't be doing it again in a hurry. Noone asked me anyway, I didn't mind the old house. Anyway this one has a special dog door which is very handy when I spy Bodger on the back fence I can get outside really quick!

Sometimes I got in a mess when we did the house. I went where I was not supposed to. Here is me with a blue face after I went near some blue paint. Sarah said I looked like a cross between a yeti and a smurf. Rude.

Because our house was so messy, we have been a lot in the country - that is my best place. So much fun there! And so much space for playing football!

 The S's have been busy at work and are always making lists and organising things. Did you know it is nearly Christmas again? That came around quick didn't it? We have special visitors coming to see us this year - old people who like sherry. Anyway more of them later.

I think I will give you some highlights just to get you up to speed. I was TWO in August.  I was very hairy in August as well, looking at this photo! Anyway, I had a little party with my friends and I think you already saw some pictures that Gracie and Ruby put up of that.

I have been hanging out a lot with my brother Ringo since then. We have a weekly walk together it's the best fun. He tends to listen to his S more than I listen to mine - fancy us both having an S to boss us about!! I am supposed to be learning good behaviour from him. And I am teaching him how to roll on your back and bark at the same time after swimming! He is coming to stay with me for 2 weeks after Christmas - I can't wait!

We have had a few babies round to our place. All boys. And more are coming! I don't mind them but they do seem to need a lot of attention. And they wee all the time, even more than me! Babysitting means that babies come round and you sit around and look at them, you don't sit on them, and you don't take their toys either - that is NOT allowed.

What else? Oh yes I am particularly handsome now. I cannot leave the house without someone has to pat me or ask about me. Syd thinks I am so handsome he is trying to get me in an advert at his work! I am not sure they can afford me though. It is true, I have a certain way of looking at people that makes them want to rub my head. And I have been spending quite a lot of time just entertaining people by looking at them out of the car window. I provide that service for free and Syd says it really cheers up the people who are bored in the Sydney traffic when they see me looking at them.

In the country we had a lot of bad wind this winter - I don't mean me and Syd I mean the weather. The weather came and blew down a lot of trees so many that we had to have a very big fire with firemen to come and help us get rid of them. That was exciting.

Syd's news is that he has a new friend who he likes to spend all his time with. His name is Tractor. He is very noisy and I don't like him. Sometimes Sarah and me are allowed to go on Tractor but mostly it is Syd. Tractor gets special treatment like he has his own place to live and he gets washed and polished and Syd wears a special hat when he rides on him. Sometimes Syd spends all weekend going round in circles on Tractor - I think that's a bit silly but I don't say anything.

Sarah has a new hobby which I am not very keen on either. It is called baking. Because it is Christmas this means a lot of baking is happening. Sometimes there is a bad smell called burning and things don't look quite right, or they don't look like they did in the picture. Here is one example from this weekend. This is called 'mince pie'. I like mince and I like pie, but I won't be going near that.  I saw her making Syd take one of these things in the car to work with him. I bet he threw it out of the window !

Anyway that's just me getting back in touch with some of my news and I will be telling you some more of my tales soon. I hope everyone is well, and it's good to be back.

Love Fozzie (ps Don't try this at home - because it is NOT ALLOWED to put your paws up on the new benchtop).