Odds and Sods and Mucky Dogs

Hello Everyone,

Welcome to a very sunny Monday afternoon.  I took advantage of the continuing good weather by cleaning the downstairs windows, they were absolutely filthy after the storm the other day.  Oh well, that will do for another year........maybe not that long but I try not to do them until they really need it, or I feel so ashamed of them that I have to do them...lol!

                                 

Jim managed to get home from work early yesterday so we took the dogs to Upton Park for a good run.  They were really well-behaved with Jake carrying a small branch around in his mouth (see photo above).  He looked so funny, goodness knows where he got the strength to carry it so far, and when he couldn`t carry it any further he stopped for a rest before resuming his task all over again.  Even when Jim took it off him and replaced it with a small, more managable one, he went back and found it...lol!  I was taking photos on the way round and I had just put the camera away as we were going back to the car when the dogs emerged from the trees having been in one of the small streams.  We couldn`t believe our eyes,  Marshal was soaking wet and as black as Jake. They two of them must have found the muddiest place in the whole of the park.  While this wasn`t a problem with Jake with his dense, oily Labrador coat, a German Shepherd is another kettle of fish entirely.  Marshal has a long, hair-like dry coat that isn`t meant for water or mud so we put both dogs on their leads, getting splattered with mud in the process and lead them back to the car in disgrace.

                                                     

By the time we arrived home the car was almost as filthy as the dogs so that was one more task for Jim after hosing down the dogs.  We decided that Marshal was going to need more than a quick hosedown so I filled a watering can with water and dog shampoo and we set about cleaning him up.  It took quite a while to get him looking reasonably clean but at least he looked respectable again and we could send him home looking handsome again.  Jake took all of 5 mins to clean up, in fact it was probably less as most of the dirt had dried and fallen off, he seems to have a self-cleaning coat, thank goodness.  Now of course we had to get changed out of our clothes which were now soaking wet and very dirty, courtesy of Marshal.

              

This afternoon I have Roman as Kerry is back at work after a fortnight off.  We haven`t seen them since last week and it was quite nice to have the break.  Much as we love our family, sometimes it`s nice for me and Jim to have some time of our own.  Anyway, now it`s back to chasing after the Little Man who, according to Kerry is still not walking more than a few steps but is climbing everywhere.  Hmmm...I`ll have to watch him even more than usual and Jim`s not here to help either has he`s deserted me and gone fishing for the day.

                                                   

Right, I must finish this entry quickly as Kerry will be here in about 20 mins or so.  Have a lovely day and Bye Bye for now. :o)