Mountain Dog

I went on a road trip at the weekend across the Blue Ridge mountains of Virginia to Charlottesville.  Anyone who has met me knows I'm not a fan of cars but I managed to keep the nervous dribble to manageable levels.   Luckily trips in the car mean something fun at the other end.  We stopped off at loads of places and went for a really long walk at a place called Big Meadows.  At 3500 feet it's officially the highest walk I've done.  The weather was perfect for me being 10oC cooler than in the city.  Being black isn't so great when the temperature rises above 20oC, so 21 and clear mountain air was absolutely perfect.  I was shattered by the time we got to the hotel, as you can see.  I learnt something new as well: I'm scared of elevators (lifts to you English folks).  It doesn't help one's self esteem when the hotel receptionist laughs at you being coaxed into a metal box suspended on wires.

I've officially found the quietest place in America: the university of Virginia campus before 9am on a Sunday.  Beautiful and desolate sums it up; not a patch on Cambridge but pretty and very white. 

Holidays, squatters and sad news

Yep I've been on my holidays again whilst my human went back to Blighty to check on our house and stock up on tea bags and chocolate.  I have noticed a distinct lack of custard creams in her suitcase this time but I'm not making a big deal of it as I'm on a diet.  At 9 years old I can't exactly claim the extra pounds are puppy fat, more like too many hot dogs and peanut butter covered biscuits - ahh the American dream.  I really have to start watching my weight as I don't get the exercise I used to do back home.  It's being on the lead all the time that does it.  Back home I used to run for miles, until my human was just a red faced dot in the distance.  Sometimes I'd run so far away I couldn't hear her bellowing at me to come back.  It's just not the same on a 10 foot lead.

My human came back with some sad news: Cindy, one of my doggie pals, has passed away.  She was only 8.  I think it was cancer or something like that.  Her last day was pretty special; playing ball with the little humans then quietly slipping away in her own bed.  Her house mate Bobby is now showing the new rescue 'sprolly' (Springer/Collie cross) the ropes.  Poor dog hasn't had the privileged upbringing I've had but he's got a really good home now and hopefully he'll come out of his shell a bit.  I'm looking forward to meeting him and his human: she makes the best liver cake ever.

As I said, I've been on holiday and had a great time.  Some of the Christmas crowd were back and it was a holiday this time, no puppy sitting.  I've had a wash and brush up and between you and me I'm looking pretty damn handsome.  I might need to start dying my fur soon as there is an awful lot of grey showing through - at what point do you go from distinguished to old?

Can you believe it, squatters have moved into our apartment whilst I was away?  A young feathered couple have made a nest in the air duct from the bathroom.  I haven't seen them yet but they don't half make a racquet at sunrise.  It's quite nice having a bit of company during the day.  I wonder if I'll be an honorary uncle when they have chicks?
  

Armchair sports fan

The incredible dog challenge was on TV this morning.  It's like the doggie olympics sponsored by a well known dog food company.  As expected the collies were top dogs on the agility course but the Labs triumphed in the diving.  Yeah, honestly doggie diving!  No, not with scuba gear, it's where a human throws your favourite toy into a pool and you run and dive in after it.   The dog with the furthest jump (measured to his nose) is the winner.  It was ace.  The top athletes were jumping over 20 feet. I tell you if I were 5 years younger, and not quite so scared of water, I'd have a go at it.  The Jack Russell hurdles was nothing short of hilarious and the agility of the flying disc competitors made my joins hurt just watching it.

Take a look at the diving dogs (Click here)  (you might want to skip the ads)

Roller derby

I was almost mown down yesterday by a woman on roller blades pushing a pram, closely followed by a man carrying shopping bags - also on roller blades.  It was like being in a tampax advert!

Snack attack

I've found a new human snack I like - raisins.  They're a bit like rabbit droppings but not as earthy and a lot sweeter.  My human prefers that I eat them instead of rabbit droppings so I guess it's a win win situation for me.

Grass

I walked on grass today for the first time in over two weeks.  Ah it was lovely, so soft and warm - well actually it was wet and muddy but it felt so good after weeks of snow and ice.

Here are a couple of then and now shots.

Where's the fence gone?

Hey look, they put the fence back....

Dig out + 7

It's been 7 days since the last snowflake fell and the dig out continues.  Diggers and lorries have been hard at work removing snow from the streets and most of the pavements are clear.  There's the odd householder who is too lazy to clear their sidewalk so I save my pee for outside their property.   It's a valuable service I provide, although I am in danger of serious dehydration on some routes.

Ice is the biggest problem now; not under foot as I use 4 paw drive when it gets slippy, it's the stuff that is falling from the roofs.  Some of the icicles are over 2 feet long: if one of those fell off it could skewer me like a suckling pig.

The salt is really starting to hurt my paws.  It gets between my toes and itches like mad, so then I start licking them and they get all red and sore.  My human has started washing them after my walk which at first was a bit odd but now I'm really enjoying a soak and foot massage after pounding the streets.

I'm very disappointed by the lack of snowmen, woman or children.  The only one I have seen is the one in the picture below.  Nobody seems to play out.  The only people I see are a handful of other dogs and their humans and even then it's only the hardy breeds like me that are out.  All the little yappie things must do their stuff indoors when it's cold or wet because you never see them out when the weather is bad.

Normality

Some semblance of normality is returning to my life.  My human is back at work meaning I can get on with my day in peace.... sleeeeeeep!  There is still loads of snow around although people are starting to dig out - I even saw a sidewalk this morning.  It's really dangerous getting around, most of the sidewalks still haven't be cleared so I have to walk in the road a lot.  There are huge piles of snow at junctions and most of the roads are still only single lane so I have to be really careful I don't get squished by some nutter in an SUV.  I  have to keep away from buildings as huge chunks of snow keep sliding off.  I tell you, if I'm in the path of a roof avalanche I'll look like the abominable snowdog.  Lorries loaded with snow have been passing my apartment all day.  I think they are taking it to Vancouver so the olympic athletes have something to ski on.

For the record: official snowfall for 'Snowmageddon' and 'Snowmageddon II' was 48 inches!  And there may be more on the way.... brilliant!

Snowmageddon II

Can you believe it, we've had another 14 inches of snow today - that's a total of 44 inches since Friday. It is now officially the snowiest winter in DC history. It's ace!!! I love it. I managed to get out this morning for a quickie but I've been confined to barracks for the rest of the day and I am sooooooooo bored. It should be great having my human here all day but she's working and doesn't want to play. She wouldn't take me out as the government were advising people to stay indoors as it was so dangerous. It cleared up a bit at 4 so we ventured out. I wish I could get off the lead and go for a proper run in the stuff. The square across the street from us reminds me of being at the seaside, the drifting snow looks like sand dunes, I begged to go for a run through it but she wouldn't let me off.

Still not sure what is going on with the videos so you'll have to make do with photos for now.

Video problems

There appear to be problems playing video's on my blog. It appears to be a problem with the provider who say they are working on the issue. Please try them later. Sorry.

Blizzard

It's a good job I'm a hardy dog and my human loves me enough to take me out in this. To be honest I didn't really enjoy this morning's walk but when nature calls one has to answer it. She's at home again today so no rest for me. Come to think of it it's about time she was at her computer working hard.

Snow joke

It's snowing again - yippeeeee!!!! We are supposed to get another 10 or so inches by tomorrow night. I hope they don't bring that blinking snow blower out again though. They woke me up this morning with their noise. Don't they realise I need my beauty sleep? Talking of which I haven't been able to get much these last few days as my human has been working at home. When she's at work I spend most of my day asleep on her bed. When she's working at home I have to check up on her every hour or so just to make sure she's working hard, earning money to keep me in the lifestyle I'm accustomed to. I can't have her slacking off.