Dougal’s still here

It's been a pretty good holiday week all in all. Santa came along and we're still helping to eat up all the turkey. We had so little of it on the day that little Daisy was worried that it might still fly away, but we've put that to rights now. The only place that bird's flying now is right into my tummy! Yum, yum...

One slight blot on the horizon is Dougal – the westie from Wooler. He's still here, and it must be getting on for a week now. I still growl at him a bit but everyone else seems to like him. Grubby little rascal that he is. You'll never believe it, but we went off for a walk after Christmas day and he couldn't get through any of the fences we came to, or get over any obstacle in his way. At all. It was two steps forward, then back to pick him up, then off again...all day long. Me? I'd have left him at the first fence, but Skye wasn't having any of that and so we all waited. I think she quite likes him – just as long as he leaves the cat alone, otherwise his little honeymoon will definitely be over

Work is still going on full steam ahead, but I could always do with more – we've managed to recover the four lambs that went into the wrong field and we're feeding the cattle every morning...lots and lots. They eat even more than Daisy and Dougal – "the Westie twins", and they're both good eaters.

Oh well, I think I'll get a letter written and send it into Wooler – "come and get your dog...or else" should do the trick. Yes, that's definitely the way forward.

Take care

Stop Press

Westie Alert. Hoogah, hoogah!! I've just seen Dougal from Wooler coming in – WITH HIS BED...that doesn't look good, as it looks as though the little rascal is here for a few days. Oh nooo, nooo, nooo. He must have heard Santa's on his way and doesn't want to miss out. I'm just going to growl at him. Yes, I think that's best...you know I hate other dogs and I don't want him coming over every week.

Oh well, let's just hope we don't get another one after this. With a bit of luck I'll get out to work once the presents have been opened...

Take care

Merry Christmas

We're getting excited now. Really excited. Santa's on his way. Joy, joy, joy. I can count very well and have been keeping Skye and Daisy up-to-date as the days have been passing. We've been crossing the days off our bonio calendar and now we know that Santa is coming tonight. Definitely. Think of it – coming all the way to our kennel with some presents. I hope Skye and Daisy have been good enough. Daisy is wondering if we can get another bonio calendar for January as Skye has been eating all the bonios each day, but I don't think she'll be able to (mind you she is a terrier, so if anyone can she can).

Anyway, I don't mind a day off - and with some presents to open. We've had a few really boring days recently – boring, boring, boring...no sheep work to do and too much mud in the cattle yard for me to splash about in, so I've been babysitting Daisy and Skye. And boy o boy, they sleep a lot those two. But that's dogs for you.

Merry Christmas to everyone – from me, Skye and Daisy...and all the sheep and cows. I'm off to sleep – I don't want Santa to see me still awake

Take care

Frost settles in

Well, we've had a busy weekend here. It's been very frosty and cold all the time, which suits me just fine. I can warm up really well just by running around but best of all the mud is all frozen so I stay lovely and clean. Joy, joy, joy...As for lardy old Skye and Daisy, they prefer to stay indoors while Daisy puts on a fashion parade for Skye parading up and down in one of her new coats. I think Skye has put one onto her Christmas list!

The sheep are all eating up the hay now so we're busy feeding them a bit more regularly which is good fun – I make sure they don't get caught up under the loader by rounding them up into a heap while we unwrap the bales. It's not that easy as they're always keen to get to a fresh bale of hay, but I take it very seriously so none of them get past me – not even last years pets.

We're getting used to our new bedroom in the hall. It's very toasty, and it sometimes means if I keep my head down, I can sneak into the lambing chair in the kitchen which has it's own radiator AND is very comfy (although I haven't yet worked out how to make it go backwards which looks even more comfy).

Beds on the move

It's all change here over the last few days. We've been moved out of the laundry room and been put in the hall...there was some muttering about being too muddy to lie snoozing with all the clean things (but surely they didn't mean me, and Skye's never ever grubby so it's a bit of a mystery really). On the plus side, the hall has a huge radiator which keeps us nice and toasty, but (and it's a big but) we've still only got one decent bed since Skye chewed up our really comfy beds, so we get a bit cramped up sometimes. Are you listening Santa?

The really big problem I've got though is the weather – cold and wet – which is stopping me getting much sheep work done. It's soooo frustrating because my list of sheep jobs is definitely not getting any shorter.

Anyway, Daisy (isn't she gorgeous) has been getting Skye all worked up about Santa. Daisy was convinced that the geese that fly overhead in the evenings were Santa's reindeer, and poor old Skye thought he was on his way but she still hasn't sent off her list yet, the lazy brute, so we nearly had tears. I reckon if Daisy keeps that up mind you, there will be tears all right, but coming from a certain white terrier...

Oh well, here's hoping for dry and sunny tomorrow (are you listening, Mr Weather-forecaster?)

Take care

Mud...’snow’ joke

12 December

I must remember to be more careful what I wish for. The snow certainly disappeared – by yesterday it had completely gone...along with my feet which just sunk straight into the mud when I skipped out in the morning. Yuck, yuck, yuck...how's a girl supposed to keep working when it's as boggy as this. We've decided not to send any lambs away this week, and I have to say I'm glad not to be chasing them about in this mud.

Skye is sulking – she's the only dog I know that waits out by the back door cleaning her feet before she comes in, so it looks like she's going to have her work cut out. She says she's officially on strike now and will only go out when she's popping for a wee. Oh, and when she wants to stare at the cows in the shed. She and Daisy have been worrying about whether Skye will get any food when she's on strike. I reckon she will, but if not it will definitely be the shortest strike on record. Daisy has been telling us all, very loudly, that she's definitely not on strike and will definitely be hungry at supper-time...so much for solidarity with poor old Skye!

Anyway, the good news is that Skye's supper did appear, so she's pleased, and to be honest, I'm not sure anyone has noticed she's striking yet

Take care

Snow

10 December

I got up this morning – a new day – all full of hope and joy. I love mornings. But not this morning. Oh no. This morning we've got snow – and wind. I hate snow... it stops me working the sheep, and Santa hasn't yet had chance to deliver the boots I have asked him for so it's cold feet for me today (I hope I've been good enough for him to remember me...not long now). Skye loves the snow though – just out long enough to have a bit of a roll and a game with Daisy, then straight back to bed as work is cancelled. Just her idea of bliss, finishing off her Christmas present list. Mind you the snow hasn't done Daisy any favours - she doesn't look quite so gleaming white when you see her against the snow – in fact she looks decidedly grubby.

Oh well, there's nothing I can do about the weather. We've run hay out to all the sheep and Flakey (the bull) so they look a lot happier and now we're back in with both fires on. I think I'm just going to have to take it easy for a while. Let's hope we've got plenty of biscuits in...and logs...

Take care

Trip to the market

It's been busy here – sorting through the sheep, again, so we could take them to the market and keeping all the cows fed and toasty in the sheds. I like being busy these days – takes my mind off the wind, which as you well know, I hate...

But today as a special treat, I got to ride down with the lambs to the market. How exciting was that?? Very exciting (I'll answer for you). On a scale of one to ten, it's about 100 of excitement. I didn't let anyone know that on the way there, just snoozing in the land rover, but I did get a bit carried away once we were there. There were thousands of sheep there, thousands. If only I'd been let out...Just a shame about the wind, but poor old Daisy is cursing the weather even more than Skye and me at the moment. She went off on a trip yesterday – a 'spa day' Mandy called it – all very excited in her new coat, while Skye and I just muddled about the sheep. Skye was a bit miffed as she reckons she'd like a bit of pampering and says she has already chosen the colour of her nail varnish. Anyway, what a sight Daisy was when she got back. Looking very pretty that's for sure, but talk about shorn! Hardly any coat left and this is the middle of winter. Once we'd stopped laughing we did feel a bit sorry for her because she just looks COLD. Poor little thing – she can't believe it! Oh well, looking on the bright side, I can see the heating coming on a bit more often!

Take care

Brrr...

5th December

[Sorry – technical problems with postings – thinking of sacking the IT team]

What a change we've had. Brrrr... we've got frost and chilly days all of a sudden. I quite like it, and have a good roll out in the frost every morning, which is MUCH better than having to have a bath and my feet stay nice and clean because the mud is all frozen which I like. Skye likes the log fires in the evening more than the cold starts – she's a bit like an old car in the morning and needs lots of coaxing to get going if it's chilly (she's muttering at me now.. She reckons she's much more like a Ferrari – not that she's ever seen one, but now she's looking at the Italy holidays in her brochures which is cheering her up). As for Daisy, she's never up in time to see the frost, but keeps going to bed saying she'll be up early to come out and play – but she's still a puppy really and never quite manages it.

I can tell Christmas is looming – they both went off shopping yesterday afternoon after we'd had a busy morning getting all our feeding done. I was abandoned with the dogs again – I wonder if I should be getting a better rate of pay when I have to baby sit Daisy? I wouldn't have minded a trip to the shops – I haven't managed to get Skye and Daisy much yet, and last year with the snow keeping us on farm I just gave them some nice sticks I found. Still, we enjoyed playing with them until Skye chewed them up!

Apart from that, everything seems under control (touch wood), which is just how I like it.

Take care

Tups and Town

It's been another good day today. We've been switching the tups' colours so I've been busy. Very busy in fact. I had to hold all the sheep in a corner while each tup was caught so I had my work cut out as they all kept wanting to escape. Some chance! I was zooming about and managed to keep them under control. No thanks to Skye though – she just kept running about which upset the sheep so in the end she had to wait on the bike. Maybe though, she's brighter than she looks... perhaps that was what she really wanted all along! By the time we got in for lunch, I was ready for a good rest I can tell you.

The Princess was back into her coat again today and got a trip into Berwick – very smart she looked. Skye was very jealous, but I was too tired to bother. When she came back she was telling Skye all about it – she'd been to the hairdresser and by the sound of it had been spoilt rotten, but was very disappointed not to be given a 'shampoo and set' as well. I offered to help and said I would mix up some concrete and set her in that if she liked ha, ha – just as well I'm a fast runner! Skye told her not to worry – she was bound to get her own trim before Christmas...hmmm, I'm sure I could help with that...

Let's hope tomorrow's as much fun.

Take care