Robin admires my art

Sorry for not attending to my blog... life has been hard

update....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jd9vR0UmBLk&feature=share&noredirect=1

Painting on the 'back seat'

To paint or design? That is the question. Well design gives me an income... painting does not. So I have been concentrating on my design. So much so that I decided to create my own website. I designed it and my wife constructed it. Robin and Georgina just gave me headaches... always wanting 'walkies' whilst we were attempting to construct some technical element of my site: radesigner.co.uk

Why is it our pets just want so much attention when we are too busy to give it? Robin keeps hiding his toys in waste baskets, under units and the like. Then he cries and cries for attention because he can't reach his toy. "Just let me work Robin" I say, but no, he DEMANDS attention. So no rest until I / We give it!

Georgina is growing fast and has melted into our household well, she is so loving and adopting her was a good choice. I still wish I could have at least one Cat in our household though... maybe one day!

Euro-English

The European Commission has just announced an agreement whereby English will be the official language of the European Union rather than German, which was the other possibility.

As part of the negotiations, the British Government c onceded that English spelling had some room for improvement and has accepted a 5- year phase-in plan that would become known as "Euro-English".

In the first year, "s" will replace the soft "c".. Sertainly, this will make the sivil servants jump with joy. The hard "c" will be dropped in favour of "k". This should klear up konfusion, and keyboards kan have one less letter.

There will be growing publik enthusiasm in the sekond year when the troublesome "ph" will be replaced with "f".. This will make words like fotograf 20% shorter.

In the 3rd year, publik akseptanse of the new spelling kan be expekted to reach the stage where more komplikated changes are possible.

Governments will enkourage the removal of double letters which have always ben a deterent to akurate speling.

Also, al wil agre that the horibl mes of the silent "e" in the languag is disgrasful and it should go away.

By the 4th yer people wil be reseptiv to steps such as replasing "th" with "z" and "w" with "v".

During ze fifz yer, ze unesesary "o" kan be dropd from vordskontaining "ou" and after ziz fifz yer, ve vil hav a reil sensi bl riten styl.

Zer vil be no mor trubl or difikultis and evrivun vil find it ezi TU understand ech oza. Ze drem of a united urop vil finali kum tru.

Und efter ze fifz yer, ve vil al be speking German like zey vunted in ze forst plas.

If zis mad you smil, pleas pas on to oza pepl.

Save a tree - decorate your dog!

Season's greetings from Robin and Georgina

'Abby - the cat that's just had the cream'

Well; the cat that's just had the cream... or content to watch her master work - a stone mason in the shadowy depths of a temple.

Now I can rest as I just gave this painting to my local vet - the kind and generous doctor who looked after our Lucy so tenderly. My wife insisted I complete the work on Abby and well, I couldn't argue with her so swiftly let my hands follow some unseen force to make Abby 'come to life'. She lives! Now she is content.

Some people should not be allowed near animals!

Read this article and understand why:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1305751/Cat-bin-woman-Mary-Bale-defends-named-shamed.html

...Our own little Georgina was 'dumped in a dustbin' and that was where she was discovered before we adopted her!

The distance one has to travel to get a good night's sleep

Well at least Robin and Georgina can't disturb my sleep up here!

Ouch, Ouch, Ouch! I wish I owned a Cat

Why do things happen in 3s?
So much has happened since I last made an entry to my blog... so I apologise now for being so absent minded and distracted.

Where do I start?... Ouch one... I think my last entry was back in March... well, here we go, whilst I still have a will to live.

Firstly, Robin develops a bladder problem... kidney stones and also pees everywhere!... no problem you may think; however, in the dark of one night I slip in one of his many puddles and fall against a kitchen unit top - ouch! Only cracked a rib and spend weeks in a lot of pain!

Ouch two... an old medical problem of mine has shown its head again... not to worry, it just means that I spend hours each day in further pain and hospital visits... problem been ongoing for over 10 years - but what the hell, pain and I are not strangers... we survive - eventually!

Ouch three... my wife has a heart attack and has to undergo a double by-pass operation (one month ago)... she is recovering slowly.

Robin still has his peeing problem (the Vet is treating him).
I still have my old problem... (related to my bowel) don't think the surgeon will ever solve it... but so what - not many people can say they have multiple exits for their bowel!!!

Georgina is still a beatiful 'girlie' dog... apart from peeing on the bed each day... so what has the past 5 months given us? mmmmmmmmmmm... hell; we overcome.

At least we have good weather... although one or the other half has to sleep on the couch as it is too hot in the bedroom over night... me, my wife and two dogs on the bed causes a great deal of extra heat.... wish I owned just a rabbit or even (dare I say) a cat? Excuse any spelling mistakes here... a little too tired to double-check.

p.s. as you can see, Georgina also has her share of problems.. a tongue that is ALWAYS hanging out AND only three teeth!

Oh yes!

TTTSORRY GEORGINA - I DON'T TTTHINK YOU HAVE GOT TTTHE HANG OF REALLY SCARRRY TTYET! MMMM.

Off the Radar

Sorry to all our followers.... I have been off the radar for some time. No real excuse - living life just got in the way. Things have been just mind-blowing-complex, of late. Not to worry, Georgina has integrated herself into our household way. So well in fact that I feel she must be a reincarnation of Lucy! She shows so many of Lucy's traits. You will notice that Georgina shows her tongue a lot... her adult teeth have not developed yet so her tongue keeps falling out! Quite cute really. She does look so silly though. Robin has taught her so many things - even where to sleep at night - on our bed! We are so pleased to have her with us... she is such a loving addition. Everything is still so new to her and she loves the great outdoors. Hope you enjoy the photos, I will post more soon.

Meet Georgina's sister

Georgina with her sister... who we are pleased to announce has also been adopted. I think her sister looks a lot like Robin, and so we think Georgina must be some kind of Miniature Pinscher+Jack Russell cross... somewhere in her genes. I am amazed at how different they both look compared to each other.

photo courtesy of Pojecto Animais de Barcelos

I have a new shadow and it has a tail!

I personally have never owned a puppy. Cristina has - Robin. I now realise that it means having a 'new shadow'. Georgina is right here by my side - on the chair next to my own... as I work. She follows me EVERYWHERE! Georgina arrived here very late at night, so any plans to walk Robin and her together, in order for them to 'get to know each other' by walking them on 'neutral territory' was not a great success. They had a couple of minutes together - outside (on their leads). It was cold and very wet also. Not good. Luckily, Robin was a gentlemen. Even being sedated, Georgina was excited to meet Robin. There was only one incident on their meeting that was 'tricky'. Georgina jumped onto Robin's chair (whilst he was in it) - he quickly snapped at her - she jumped into the air! Robin was rebuked by me and now they both know their place. Robin is the 'alpha male'... and Georgina knows that now. Taking them both for walks, Georgina always walks behind him and never in front... she stops behind him when he stops. All good we are sure... authority has been established. They are getting on fine now - to Robin, Georgina is a curiosity that he has to tolerate.... or get my rebuke... lovingly, of course.

On her first night here, I placed Georgina in her basket/bed in the lounge... and I slept on the couch the whole night so she would not feel alone... well I could not leave her on her own could I? I watched over her. Whenever she opened her eyes - she saw me, next to her, watching her and stroking her. Needless to say I only got one hour of sleep on that night - I awoke with her between my ankles under the cover! As Robin's place at night is on our bed and Georgina just wants to jump on it also - we feel that Robin will not allow such an intrusion into his territory. So we are training Georgina to sleep in her basket bed... but eventually her bed will be next to ours without any fears of her jumping onto our bed and getting a bad reaction from Robin.

The second night - well Cristina agreed to sleep on the couch (I had a good nights sleep)!
Now Georgina has 'bonded' with us both - she knows she is safe and also importantly - Robin also knows that he is not rejected or being ignored. He now gets extra treats and extra walks!

I keep making the mistake of calling Georgina 'Lucy'... then correcting myself. No doubt that is normal as you all know just how fond of Lucy I was (and still am). This little 'Georgina' has a wonderful personality... and is so bubbly and loving - she sticks like a shadow to me (and Cristina) wherever we go... she also likes the kitchen... no change there!

If I had to describe Georgina in a few words they would be: 'A dainty girlie dog with a loyal disposition and very very bouncy'... will no doubt 'run rings around Robin' and play with all his toys! AND SHE SEEMS TO SLEEP ALOT!

Georgina arrives

Georgina arrived late last night and she was very sleepy due to a mild sedative she was given to help her with the stress of a very long journey from the north of Portugal. She is settling in well and Robin doesn't know what to think of her yet. Early days of course and they have plenty of time to get to know each other.