The Rolling Stones & Barnaby

The Rolling Stones

Barnaby says:

 Helen insisted that I had to watch BBC2 tonight as they were showing the Glastonbury Festival and the Rolling Stones, who it seems are from the same generation as she is. 

She wanted me to recognise just how energetic her generation can be so that I don't get despondent about being a companion dog to an oldie. 

As Helen walks me for at least three miles a day,and spends much of the day filling up the holes I dig in the garden, how can I possibly worry about her being an oldie? I reckon she has as much energy as a youngster, and certainly as much as those "Stones"who were dancing across the telly screen with such amazing force.

A nice bowl of tea

A Nice Bowl of Tea sent to him by Bistro-tea who have created an innovative teapod

Barnaby enjoys a nice bowl of tea

Barnaby says:  "Well this little packet arrived in the post with my name on it, it was a single use, high-tech tea diffuser with a unique filtration system - in other words a "thing" that produced a really nice cup of tea. 

Well I should know, I am a dog who appreciates a nice bowl of tea. Helen  orders me a bowl of tea every time we visit a pub.  She has a glass of the red stuff and I have a nice cup of tea.
Am I not a very lucky dog to get tea samples arriving in the post for me too? It came from: www: bistro-tea.co.uk.

Winding Helen up

Winding Helen Up:

Barnaby says: " Helen has just marched me into the cottage, she was gritting her teeth as she unloaded me from the car and there were a few tears in her eyes.
Perhaps I shouldn't have done it, wound her up like I did, but it was such fun I just couldn't resist it.

Yes - we were at Up'N'Over, Upper Heyford, the fantastic club where I am being trained for my Kennel Club Bronze Certificate having graduated from the puppy class.

I do enjoy Up'N'Over as I get to meet some very interesting dogs and puppies there.  It also gives me a chance to wind Helen up.  It is such fun watching her get more and more frustrated until there comes a moment when she calls me a little B***** and threatens to give me away. (I think that is called the breaking point).

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Last week I was so good Helen was boasting about how good I was, I think my antics today have brought her down to size.
She kept saying "when he is at home he is sooooo good" as of course I am, but there aren't many fun-distractions at home (apart from the pesky cats) so it is easy to be good.

The nice gentleman Dave who began the club with his lovely wife Sue did tell Helen not to worry, that I would soon grow up, but of course she is worrying.  Do you know what she did as soon as we got home?  Poured herself a glass of the red stuff and it was only just past 12pm!
Poor woman, I guess she didn't deserve all that I did to her. I'll cool it next week."
Barnaby

The Morris Dancers

Dancing until it got too dark to see

Barnaby meets the Morris Dancers

Eynsham is famous for its Morris Dancers who frequently gather in the village square for a dance or two.  Sometimes other Morris sides are invited to join them which turns it into a really jolly event. The sides that got together this week included: Charlbury, Maison's Apron, Wolvercote Morris, Bampton and Eynsham.

Barnaby meets Eynsham Morris

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Bryan Ducworth.

kworth

Barnaby was thrilled to meet the Morris men, but really freaked out when he heard the drums. Indeed  he was so frightened he insisted I took him home immediately and then pulled me all the way back to the cottage at 70 miles an hour. Obviously he will get used to their music - he has to as it is very much part of village life and something that makes Eynsham so special.

Barnaby is getting into gardening with a vengance

Barnaby loves gardening

Barnaby in the garden

Barnaby says:
"There are times when my mistress Helen is a real spoil sport.  Today she got all twitchy about me coming into the cottage. Indeed she shut the kitchen door in my face when she saw me and as I am now far too big to get through the cat flap, here I am in the garden, shut out and unloved, while everyone else can go in and out when ever they want to.
As I replanted a couple of roses for her and pulled up several weeds she should be really thrilled that I am helping her - NOT SO!"

Any suggestions?

Any suggestions?

Barnaby enjoying the bluebells at Pinsley Wood.

Just a brief note because there is something I need help with.
Barnaby has developed a new trick and it is worrying me.
Strangely it is something he only does in the morning, and only when he and I are alone. 

 Every morning we enjoy a two mile circular walk that takes us through several fields and a green lane.  There is a certain point on the walk, after Barnaby has entered the green lane, that he walks behind me for a while, then suddenly accelerates his speed, rushes towards me at 70 miles an hour and jumps up with great force, placing paws on my shoulders with such strength I am almost pushed over.
He thinks this is great fun, and does it several times.

Remembering what the instructors at Up N Over told me about not letting him get the better of me, I use growly words spoken in a loud angry voice to reprimand him as they suggested, but he doesn't seem to take any notice. He simply takes a deep breath and then does it all over again and I swear he laughs as he does this.

Is it a game? Is he cross with me?  Why the same place every day? What should I do? Should I change the walk to avoid the area that seems to generate this action?
Any advice would be much appreciated.

Enstone walkies and lunch

Enstone walkies and lunch with auntie Kate, Carole and little Alfie.

Barnaby plays with litte Alfie the puppy and dear old Polly dogs in Kate's garden.

Barnaby says: "Gosh what a day.  I used up so much energy running round and round the fields with little Alfie that I was almost too exhausted to eat my dinner when we got home. Polly dogs joined in for a while, but because she is getting old now she does tend to curl up and sleep while we play.

Enstone is a magic place, it is known for its beautiful unspoiled rolling countryside, and its close proximity to an ancient Hoar Stone Burial Chamber that stands just outside the village near the village of Fulwell.  A blue plaque fixed to one of the cottages in Fulwell commemorates the life of the farm labourer and shepherd Mont Abbot whose life was written up by Sheila Stewart in her lyrical book Lifting the Latch, a social history that spans almost all of the 20th century.

Kate serves lunch in her lovely garden.

Old Mont always kept two sheep dogs, the training of the young one overlapping from the old, though he would never let the young one follow the experienced dog for too long in case they lost their initiative. His favourite dogs were old Ted and young Glen, who turned out to be a really topping dog.
I doubt there is a field in the Enstone area that Mont and his dog dogs did not work at some time or other."


The purpose of our visit to Enstone was for Barnabyy to meet up with Alfie and Polly dogs and to share lunch together at Kate's charming cottage.  As the weather decided to be kind to us we were all able to eat in the garden, and enjoy a lovely meal served with new Jersey Royal potatoes smothered in butter - delicious. Kate is a great cook.

We toasted the day with chilled Rose wine  - magic, though of course Barnaby is not allowed to drink wine. The dogs all enjoyed a big bowl of cold water instead.

One of the many beautiful meadows we walked before lunch.

Christmas Common walkies

Barnaby puts his paws under the table

Christmas Common Walkies - 3 miles 

Barnaby says: "When the weather forecasts suggests rain,winds and storms on the day we have decided on an adventure, Helen always chooses a walk through a woods as this provides protection from the elements to some degree.  Besides  she likes walking through woods.  

Christmas Common is a small hamlet near Watlington, Oxfordshire.  It is said to have got its name from the Christmas Day truce of 1643 between participants of the English Civil War.
She and Uncle John chose a walk that began at the pub The Fox and Hounds a Brakespear pub that allows dogs in the small bar area where they had lit the most glorious log fire, just the job given the weather that we had travelled through. 

There was just one slight problem, and something that the maps and guide books don't always warn you about. Cows! There they were in a field, half way along the path by the woods gazing at us in that kind of inquisitive way that cows do.  Because she has a "thing about cows" Helen freaked out, leaving Uncle John and me to hold them back while she galloped ahead.

Barnaby and Uncle John assessing the situation

  Gosh she is a wimp!
Because of the crackling wood-fire and the friendly welcome that we received on arrival, the pub turned out to be a really snug and comfortable place at the end of the walk.

The pub which has tables outside

Cows following!

Both Helen and Uncle John chose beef and horseradish baguettes for their lunch, while I ate my packed lunch that Helen had cooked for me (cottage pie and kibbles) which was served with a nice cup of tea. A perfect combination.   They drank Barakespear's Best Bitter and declared it very satisfying. What a lovely day we had despite the weather."

Barnaby has been promoted from Puppy Class!

Barnaby has been promoted from Puppy Class to Bronze!

Barnaby's friends in the Up N Over Puppy Class.

I guess I had better be honest and admit that it was probably Barnaby's physical size that finally prompted his tutors to allow him to leave the Puppy Class, despite not having mastered some of the basic behavioural patterns expected of him. Over the past few weeks he has watched his puppy friends moving on to the next class one by one to take their  Kennel Club Good Citizen Awards - Bronze, Silver and Gold.  He is now growing at such a rate that he has become far too large to play with some of the little ones, much as he would like to. So despite his exuberance it seems he is now on his way to obtaining some Kennel Club certificates.

The classes take place every Sunday morning on a disused airfield at the lovely little Oxfordshire village of Upper Heyford.  The Up N Over Club was founded in 2000 and has been going from strength to strength ever since.
As well as running basic classes there's also a fun agility course at the end of the day that all the dogs are allowed to take part in once they are old enough. (Barnaby will have to wait until September 29 the date of his first birthday).  When he does begin agility just watch this space because not only is he going to love it, he is going to be a real champion - of that I am sure!

Up N Over is a non profit making club, with any surplus funds going to Dog Rescue.  It's the club where my beloved Pythius-Peacocke trained.  He loved it, just as Barnaby loves it now.

Walkies by the River

Walkies by the River

Barnaby says:  "When Helen told me I was to lead a walk today, my first official engagement, I admit I did a double flip.  Well she might think I am old enough to take charge of a walkies, but I had my reservations. Even if I am growing up really quickly I am still a puppy, I don't have the experience she thinks I have.

Preparing to begin the walk

But off we went, arriving at Kennington at 9.30am as promised to meet the lovely group of enthusiasts who share a walk on a weekly basis.  I had been elected to lead the walk even though this was my first visit t Kennington.

All went quite well until I Helen let me off the lead. On seeing a group of ducks swimming on the river I simply leapt in (as one does) and attempted to catch one or two of the ducks. I didn't catch them of course it was fun! But people watching got very cross!  So did Helen.

Dear Sylvia Vetta a very talented writer who organises these events did accept that I am still a puppy and not totally responsible for what I do, but Helen remained cross, particularly when on puting me  on my lead and I pulled and pulled and pulled. She says her shoulders still hurt from all my pulling. She's convinced that her right arm is now at least 4 inches longer than the left one. What a fuss she makes when I up the pace and speed things up a little. 

The walk as such (Just a rather long mile and a bit) was indeed lovely as the sun came out quickly filling the scene with golden rays that filled the whole world before us with lush and beautiful scenery. The buttercups made their own statement the moment that the sun fell onto them adding a golden glow to the scene before us.  All very lovely.