2011..... the highs and lows ... so far

Well, 2011 has been a rollercoaster of a year so far...... and we're only a 3rd of the way through.
How can I sum up all that has happened so far ....??? I'll start with a 'high'.....

Way back in January, my Aunty Dawnie came for a short visit. AD is lovely and scratches my bum for me..... I love that. I repay such kindness with lots of sloppy kisses !
Next a 'low'. Mike passed away (see previous blog). Mummy was very very sad for days. I tried to cheer her up with kisses and cuddles, and I think it worked. I got to have a few 'sleep-overs' with AS & UD while Mummy helped Nannie Christine to sort some things out.
Then I started to hear rumblings of Daddy coming home...... What ? Really ?? Yippeeeee ! I haven't seen Daddy for ages and ages. Sometimes Mummy talks about him, and sits me in front of the laptop and tells me to talk to someone called "Skype"... I've got no idea what she's on about though, but I sit and look at the screen for a while to show willing. Now and again I think that I can almost hear Daddy's voice, far far away, very faintly... but he never comes through the door, so I normally head back to AS & UD's for a 'sympathy sausage'.

Then one day in early March (I know it was early March because the daffodils had starting springing up round my patrol area near the duck pond, and I watered them twice a day) Daddy walked through the door !
I was very very happy to see him and I thought my tail would fall off, I shook it that much ! I jumped all over him, sat on his lap for cuddles (wouldn't let Mummy anywhere near him... he's MY Daddy), gave him great big sloppy kisses, and wagged and wagged and wagged........then I went to AS & UD's for a 'celebratory sausage'.

Daddy didn't seem to be home for long, before he disappeared again. Mummy explained that he had to go to Wales to see him Mummy as she was poorly. After a couple of days, Mummy went to join him, and I had another sleep-over with AS &UD.
When they came home, Daddy was very sad and cried a lot. Mummy told me that my Nannie Meriel had passed away. I had stayed at Nannie M's house a few times when I first lived with Mummy & Daddy. Nannie M was a lovely lady, and was a total sucker for my very best 'meerkaat' (sit up and beg) impression ! She fed my loads of things, including a full Sunday dinner once ! I hadn't seen her for a long time, but I remember her fondly.
Poor Daddy. I tried to give him some extra 'loves'to show him how sorry I was for him. But he seemed very sad and far away for days, so I gave him some space and went to AS & UD's for some 'reflective/respectful sausages'.

Daddy has some extra time at home, and has been working in the garden while Mummy goes to work. I've helped as much as possible.... standing right behind him when he's painting the fence, watering the plants (and any paint brushes etc that he puts on the floor for more than 5 minutes). I've patrolled the 'boundaries' with more purpose... to show Daddy that I've got things under control while he's away.
My sentry duty, up and down the garden wall has been exemplary, and my circuits round the garden shed have ensured that no intruders have made it into the garden!
Daddy can be sure that Mummy, AS, and UD are all safe..... and so is my sausage stash ! Well, we all have our own priorities.

The weather is glorious today, so I'm sitting in the garden again, while Daddy paints the garden fence. He has made rumblings about giving me a bath, but I can only hope that he's far too busy and forgets all about it. I certainly won't be reminding him.
Right, enough of this blogging mularkey....time to check the boundaries again.