Yippee! The rumours were true.

So it was Auntie Karen and Uncle Dave who turned up on Thursday. I was sooooh pleased to see them. We all had a really nice few days together and I must admit to two-timing my dad a bit in favour of Uncle Dave.

They helped us with a couple of our on going projects while they were here with Uncle Dave assisting dad and I in putting up the new panels behind the pool. They look very smart.

Meanwhile the two girls took on the task of cutting out the new summer pool cover to shape, and a very good job they made of it. Then we all joined in to install it with the guys sorting out the roller and Auntie Karen in the pool aligning the cover.

I had some lovely walks with them both and only disgraced myself on the last day when I decided to go walkabout for a while during my morning walk. It was only for about 15 minutes and I did return to Uncle Dave eventually, so I don't really understand why everyone got so upset!

All this being sociable is all right but fair wears you out and we have got some more guests arriving in a fortnight.

I need to be at my best for them so am off to get some well-earned beauty sleep.

Building my harem

Unlike you Western World humans who are apparently limited (at least morally) to one significant relationship at a time, us dogs (and seemingly Premier League footballers too) can have as many as we like.

To this end I have been steadily building my harem of female "friends" since I was quite young. Lilly from Antugnac was my first and is still my favourite. Then there is Fanny, the border collie, who I met up in the vines. Today I added a new conquest to my harem.

She is Tosca, a 4 month old labrador/border collie cross, who came to visit us today. Apparently she is borrowing my sleeping/transport cage as I no longer have need of it. Now I can hear some of you shouting "Jailbait!" at the thought of me with one so young but I have no problem with it. I am also quite partial to the older woman - Lilly, for example, is older than me. In that vein I quite like what I have heard about Princess Jolly Dog but until I actually meet her I cannot truely assess whether she is harem material.

Chasing a 4 month old around the garden fair takes it out of you. I'm not as young as  I was so am off to have a recovery snooze.

Food parcel arrives and I learn about crepie

The other day the UPS van turned up with a large box from the UK which, when opened, was found to contain essential food supplies for my mum and dad like tea bags, marmite and bovril. Now when these care packages arrive it usually heralds the imminent arrival of some summer visitors so I started to get a bit excited and tried to guess who was likely to turn up. An additional item in the parcel was a small packet of special tablets for my nappy rash problem so that was a big clue. Having also heard their name mentioned recently, I am over the moon with excitement at the thought that it could be Auntie Karen and Uncle Dave as I have not seen them for nearly two years. Not long to wait, as apparently the "mystery guests" arrive on Thursday. Will report back soon on that.

Having now got rid of the horrible trees at the back of the pool dad has decided to tidy up that area and has set to work making the wall look good before putting up some fence panels. I am quite familiar with ordinary paint as I have stuck my nose in a few varieties and colours but this was no paint. Turns out it is a strange stuff that the French use for covering and outside or inside surfaces (if they ever bother!) called crepie. It's a thick, gloopy, sandy sort of stuff that dad has to trowel on and then texture with some special roller. Not only that but it does not either taste or smell nice. Still at least I know now!

I think it must be the crepie fumes or something but I feel the need for a lie down. Speak soon.

Trees, training, and a busy day

Well, it finally happened. On Friday the trees at the back of our swimming pool came down - all 20 of the 8/9 metre conifers. What a difference. I can now see any trespassing dogs within about half a kilometre, the pool is in full sunshine, and we can even see the Pyrenees in the distance. Some before and after pics to show you the difference.

I am currently in training for a top secret job that I will perform later this year. If fact, it is so top secret that even the people I am doing if for don't know about it. You may not be aware but grape rustling is the latest crime to hit this region. Only last year two large trailer loads of high quality grapes were pinched from under the vigneron's nose. So I have set myself up as the local anti rustling protection force and during the harvest I will be on duty to ensure that none of our lovely grapes go astray. Here you can see me outside my security office and keeping a lookout over the vines.
























The job is unpaid but I reward myself with more than the odd mouthful of grapes in the season.

Yesterday was a very social day with three outings to the shops, Uncle Trevor and Auntie Jane popping in during the day, and Uncle Stuart, Auntie Jo, and the Lecoches all round for dinner. Naturally I had to do the greeting and hosting duties so what with that and the daytime activity, I did not get any chance for a nap. Futhermore, this morning I was given my monthly tick and flea treatment which always makes me drowsy. As a result, I have spent much of the morning curled up on the sofa resting!

Surprise early plongeur breaks record

So there we were sitting in what little sunshine there was this Easter and who should turn up but Uncle Martin (Hunt) and his son Matt who was visiting from the UK. Now Matt and I get on really well as he is a real dog person and it was great to catch up with him again. However, what I was not prepared for was when he suddenly announced that he would like a swim in the pool. We did all warn him that it was only 16.5 degrees C and that it had not been cleaned in the last few days but he was having none of it and was determined to go in. So the cover was rolled back, cossie and towel provided, and camera set up. Full marks to him - he just dived (or is that dove?) straight in!

Apologies to all of you regular Plongeurs who were keenly awaiting the announcement of the start of this years Premier Plongeur competition but I am afraid it has already been won and with a new record low water temperature of 16.5 degrees C. Never mind, there is always next year.

As usual, there was the presentation of the bottle of bubbly to the Premier Plongeur with the now customary cuddle from mum. Mind you, I am surprised she was able to this year as she has aggravated an old Achilles tendon injury and is hobbling around like Captain Pugwash.

Other than that, it has been a quiet and somewhat damp Easter with the high spot being the local boulangerie (baker) having their first go at hot cross buns. Apparently not a bad first effort but not a patch on the teacake version (no cross) that dad made the next day. Mind you, he did soak his raisins in cognac - I know 'cause I got one that fell on the floor!


Today we were going to go to the Vendages de Paque lunch at Antugnac but mum's ankle is too sore for that so we are all having a couch potato Easter Monday instead. Wake me up when it is Tuesday.

Splosh, and dad takes a tablet

Now it really is official! The pool is open so it must honestly be summer now. Not that anyone has been in it yet as it is only 14 degrees, but the call for Premier Plongeurs will be going out shortly for any foolhardy sods that want to take the plunge in those sort of temperatures. Mind you, there is a bottle of bubbly in it if they do.


Another sure sign is the arrival of lots of flowers. Not that you would have known last year as I had a tendancy to eat any as soon as they appeared, much to my mums annoyance. At least this year she's not following me around to check on what I am up to. Now I am a more mature, sensible sort of dog I don't do that kind of thing any more - well not often anyway (unless of course there is a sock or glove involved!).


Dad is currently like a man with two tails as, after a three week wait, his new iPad 2 has just turned up. Last week was spent tracking the UPS parcel as it wended its way from Shenzen in China to here via Hong Kong, Cologne, Paris and Montpellier. Now perhaps mum and I can get at the computer again as dad fondles his tablet. Personally I find my paws are a bit clumsy for smallish touch screens and I have been absolutely banned from getting my shiny wet nose any where near it. Guess I will have to stick to the iMac.

Enough of this journalism, I'm of to hack into a few celebs voice mails!

Speak to you all again soon, hopefully not from jail.

At last, the end of winter?

Please excuse the silly grin on my face but I do believe the signs are there that winter is drawing to a close and spring is in the air. I do hope so as I am much more of a sun dog than a "puddle pointer" (yes, that is an actual breed).

So what are these signs which give me such optimism? Well, for a start dad has gone on our daily promenades for several days now without a coat on - always a good omen. And then there is the flurry of activity on the gardening front. I am quite partial to this as it usually involves some hole digging at which I excel. The decks are being cleaned, the garden furniture is starting to appear, and loads of bloody flowerpots are being strategically placed, usually in my favourite sunbathing spots. And, of course, it has stopped raining and the sun has come out.

But more than all of the above, something happened today which convinced me of the seasonal change. I got my first tick of the year! Good job mum started me on the monthly drops this month, and I can now look forward to the daily "tick tock checks" as I like to call them. After each walk in the fields I come indoors, lay down on my back with my legs in the air, and am inspected. Not at all degrading and usually comes with a treat at the end of it so fine by me.

I suppose the next key sign to look out for is the formal reopening of my 42,000 litre drinking bowl, or pool as they like to call it. However, I don't think that will be for a few weeks yet as it normally happens around mid April. Then we all await, with much amusement, the first swimmer to venture in. This is an annual competition called Premier Plongeur for which mum and dad award a bottle of bubbly to the brave soul who dives in first, usually at a water temperature of around 18 degrees.

Rumours are starting to circulate that our neighbour has agreed to chop down the row of 8 metre high conifers at the back of our pool which should give me lots more sunny deck to stretch out on in the late summer afternoons.

So all in all things are starting to look hopeful for a bit of serious sunbathing and playing in the garden with my doggy mates. This usually comes with a bunch of humans all doing the bottle stuff thing but we dogs just have to put up with that.

All this talk of sunbathing and playing has suddenly made me feel quite tired so I'm of for a quick nap.