Hello 2019!

Morning team! Did you know that I've been writing this blog for 2 years? Yes twenty four times I've had to sit down and tell himself what to write – yes, you at the back it does seem a lot doesn't it! It hardly seems a moment since I told him the last bit to write on Christmas Day. We were staying with the little people in Ireland for Christmas where not only was I looking after my "themselves" but also two little people, their bigger people AND my cousin Tess. And then when we got home we were visited by THREE MORE little people and their bigger people, so it's been a busy time. One of the good things for a Labrador (did I tell you I was a Labrador?) is that when little people are around you have to be on high alert for fudrop as gravity brings plenty of tasty morsels your way. It's very important to help clear up fudrop as it stops your people having to vacuum the kitchen floor and wash it where good juices have spilled from the roasting pan. If you don't know what I mean just try saying fudrop a few times and you will soon get it. So after 2 weeks of fudrop supplements he says I'll be on dry dog biscuits and water to settle my stomach. It doesn't need settling, I can eat ANYTHING!. He says that New Year for people is like New Year for dogs – a rest from the excesses of the last few weeks. Well if that's excess, bring it on is what I say!

Anyway back to Ireland: to get there I had to wake themselves up in the dark and then sleep in the car. Himself parked in a Poundland car-park for my breakfast for heavens sake! – I was so hungry that I forgot to discuss my preferred choice of dining establishments – ahh, then I understood – the car-park had a grass edge, just what a dog needs after her breakfast if you know what I mean. Well it all got a bit confused after that as himself drove the car into a big white metal box that roared and rocked for a few hours, and then there was more driving listening to the radio where people were talking strangely, yes they were. Anyway we eventually got to where we were going, and the best bit of going there is the lake down the lane. Himself says people go fly-fishing there: well I can tell you they don't after I've been playing jumping in off the fisherman's jetty at full speed!! The little people got given scooters for Christmas and I had to take himself off my lead (he calls it "my lead" but it's really to stop him wandering off) so that he could pull them up the hill. When they whizzed down the hill again and shouted to be pulled up he had some problem with his hearing ... I think it's age related.

So there we are: I had a great time with Fudrop, he had a great time with little people, and we are now both enjoying a virtual alka-seltzer as January beds in. See you next month!

Madai, your rovering reporter.

PS: use this link to my home page if you are so jaded after the holiday that you want to be revived by reading my 24 old blogs

PPS: a free Alka-Seltzer to the first reader to correctly guess where I am in the main picture. A dip in the Weaver if you get it wrong!