Feeling Festive

Smells good, but they are so tall!

Ah Hah! I have spotted the one.

Dad attaching it to the roof of the car with bungies whatever they are. Amy said it looks like an Egyptian Sarcophagus. 

The Mooooooooooooooon. Owwwwwwwww Howwwwwwwwwwwl.

We picked up our Christmas Tree today!! it was cold but not raining so I got to get out the car and have a good sniff around. I didn't get a chance to last year it was all melted snow and slippery rain so I stayed in the car.

We picked a nice bushy one that didn't need to much trimmed of the top and watched it go through the net machine that Amy says looks like the sausage making machine her dad used to have in his Butchers shop.

We're going to make a space for it in the front room and let it rest for tonight, then decorate it tomorrow :) Exciting!!

An Update

Here I am! did you miss me?

Just a quick update really I feel bad for not being on here and blogging about our daily adventures I hope to do more so in 2012.

This week has been busy and exciting. Amy has started some new segments on her blog one of which is called Project Wednesday where she will blog and provide photos on her latest projects which can come under anything, photography, paper craft, knitting... Her first project is a knitted blanket for me and it's coming along nicely.
We spent quite a long time in the wool shop choosing chunky wool in various matching colours. The floor was nice and soft to lie on and the assistance were very helpful and kind.

We went into Costa for a Latte and a Chocolate Cooler with no cream and on the way out we met Radar a new puppy going of for his training tomorrow (Thursday 7/12/2011) and his walker was very nice and patted me on the head after Amy said she could. I wish Radar good luck with his training and I'm sure in a year or two he will make an excellent guide dog and someone very happy and boost their confidence like I do for Amy.

Weather stopped play today. Every Tuesday we like to do a country walk to the local Sainsbury's it only takes about half an hour to get there and I get to stretch my legs and work really hard, especially near the crossing on the main road. It decided to rain hard after Amy's Braille lesson this morning so we stayed in and listened to one of her new audio books. Tomorrow is Wednesday and that means we are going to collect the Christmas tree!!! it's my second Christmas here and I'm very excited. I already have lots of presents piled up in a corner that smell very good.

Last year we had a lot of bad weather, black ice and frost. It made it difficult for us both to get about safely, the local council even ran out of grit for the roads which stopped other people being able to get about. I hope we are prepared this year. Amy's dad has stocked up on salt so that's something!

Stay safe and Happy Holidays.

x

Bang, Crackle, Fizz, Pop

Free Run Day YAY! We haven't been out much this week. I'm still a bit poorly and if I'm still feeling iffy by Monday I'm going to see the vet - scary! My vet is nice so it's not that scary but I still don't like going. We go every month to get weighed anyway so I'm used to the place but no one likes being poorly do they?


We usually all pile into the car and drive to a park or the forest for a free run but today we stayed in town and walked to the golf course, along the same route we use to get to Sainsbury's so I know where I'm going. It was a lot of fun, the sun was bright and low in the sky, I played chase with a black lab and met a tiny cat on the way home. Amy had cats before she had me so she was stroking it for ages, I was getting bored. It's just a cat!


Lots of bangs and fizzes around the neighbourhood now. Not fond of loud or sudden noises. Amy never leaves me anyway but I'm sticking extra close tonight. We've been making cup cakes in the kitchen, just waiting for them to cool down and then Amy's going to ice them if she ever decides on a colour. Just eat them that's what I think.


Have a safe Guy Fawkes night and if you have pets make sure to close the curtains and put a radio on to drown out the noise. Keep us company, don't tell us off for being jumpy or nervous, you could get some of those plug in air fresheners that relax us too!

There's a worm at the bottom of the garden.. and his name is

Wiggly Woo.. well no actually we've named him Swimmy.

Amy's mum found him swimming in a bucket of rain water in the back garden yesterday and grabbed Amy who grabbed her camera and I followed her out, because I'd left Beary out in the rain last night and also because I'm nosey, hence the big nose. Amy calls me The Shnozmiester it's quite a mouthful!

Woof it's been a long time!

me with my new toy from the Dogalogue

Amy and I completed out Go for 80 Challenge and we raised our goal of £80! during Guide Dogs Week in October. Thank you to everyone who came along and walked with us, or said Hello and donated to the great cause.

Sept - Oct we have been doing a new route and it's very fun! A new Sainsbury's was built just a little out of town. It takes about half an hour - forty-five minutes to walk there, we always go along the back of town out in the country rather than along the main roads. It's too noisy and neither of us like the noise or smell of traffic. The scenic route is much more fun and interesting, especially with all the gorgeous autumn coloured leaves.

We haven't done it on our own yet, just two or three times with Amy's mum to get used to the route but we'll be doing it on our on in no time. There's just one busy road we need to cross to actually get into Sainsbury's so I think that's really the only stressful part for us.

I ate something that didn't agree with me over the weekend on my free run day so I've been a bit poorly the last couple of days but I feel better today. I'm just on dry food and not as much as usual to get it out of my system. I had a little accident in Tesco's yesterday but the staff were very nice about it and helped and reassured Amy. I've never had an accident while working before but it crept up on me. Amy sat by me and stroked me and gave me hugs and never left my side. Amy's had more migraines this week so we haven't been out much, so probably the best time to be sick - if there is one, when you don't need to be out meeting people and stuff.

Last Tuesday Amy gave her first public speaking thing at a local group that meet in the Methodist Church. She talked about how her journey began and how I've changed her life for the better, how much more independent she is and why she'd wished she'd met me sooner. I got lots of attention and got to hang out with Ty who's a PAT dog that's Pet's As Therapy. He's a big Alsatian, taller than me but he's a softy. We were chatting under the table while Amy was giving her talk, we stopped when the tea and biscuits were coming out though!

It's getting really cold and wet here. We have a fibre optic small Christmas tree that Amy and her mum put up yesterday. Amy and I spent a couple of hours yesterday wrapping Christmas presents. I was very good at helping, and attacked the spare bits of paper so they wouldn't get away.

It will be my 2nd Christmas here and last year's was so much fun. I already have lots of presents with my name on under the tree. We will be getting a real one in Dec, smells so good. Amy found lots of great Christmas gift ideas in the Dogalogue and ordered them online. If you're stuck for idea's check it out! Plus it all helps towards Guide Dogs.

Next week I'm going on an adventure with Amy into Exeter to meet up with 3 of her friends for a little birthday shopping thing. I think I heard Amy and Liz talking about KFC I wonder if I'll like KFC and I also wonder if there will be any crumbs so that I could try it but usually I'm not aloud human food. The only human food I can have is cheese and that's when I need to have my worm tablet.

I think that's all for now. 
Woof and Licks 
x

Prewalk for Going for 80 Challenge

Yesterday Amy and I went around the park course we will be doing for our sponsored walk. To celebrate Guide Dogs Week. This year it's our 80th anniversay, well Amy and I aren't that old but Guide Dogs Charity has been creating amazing life changing partnerships for 80 years in the UK. A great feat. So we are doing our bit, like thousands of others up and down the country this October.


We made a short video of our trip so you can think of us while we are doing it. There's still time to donate straight to Guide Dogs via our JustGiving page.

Take care.
Licks and barks
X

Going for 80

This year marks 80 years of Guide Dogs and amazing, life changing partnerships. To help raise awareness and some money for Guide Dogs we are taking part in a 'Go for 80' challenge. 


We will be walking around The Manor Park in Dawlish, Devon for 80 minutes. 
On Monday 3rd October 2011 at 11am. If it's raining really bad we will postpone it till Friday 7th October 2011 and walk it regardless of rain and possibly in wellies!. To make the walk more my style, and if it's not raining, I will be wearing odd converse shoes. 


Our goal is to raise £80 by the end of Guide Dogs Week!


Feel free to come along, walk with us or just say Hello as we're passing and get rid of some of that loose chance while your at it. 


Please donate at our sponsor page Thank You!!! 

four hour lunch

We've just got back home from a four hour lunch!. We didn't actually eat for four hours, but I would like to try it. 
Amy's grandparents invited us out to The Smugglers Inn (in between Dawlish and Teignmouth) because a family member was down, who only come down about once a year and we decided to have lunch out. 


Amy, her mum and I walked the 2 mile around trip, avoiding as much of the main road as possible because it's so noisy, not to mention smelly in the wrong way. It took us about half an hour to get there. It was very nice, the views are great and the sea was really noisy below us when we were walking along the coastal path bit. 


After they had eaten and Amy, her mum and I had walked back, we met up again at the grandparents house to talk more and heard a drum solo from one of Debbie's students in the school orchestra on her laptop. It was very good, Amy is also a drummer so I think she appreciated the 'fills' more. I just thought it sounded like a loud banging noise and I hid behind Amy's chair. 


The sun is still in the back garden and I am cooling down nicely, nearly time for tea. Wonder what we are doing tomorrow.


Exo

here comes the sun

It was our weekly shop day so that means a ride in the car. I don't mind going in the car but in can get a bit boring and dad is a bit heavy on the breaks. I travel in my own box so I don't go sliding from one side to the other. Amy got it from Pets @ Home after she qualified as a Guide Dog Owner. Here is me in my box, in the boot of the car.

My nose is still healing after a nasty bug bit me! but I still stick my nose in flower pots anyway. It's a good idea to have a 'dog box' in your boot and not let me sit in the front seat of your car. Should the airbag deploy in an emergency it could kill me!, like it would a small child and I could get crushed if I sit in the stair wells too. Although I am classed as a Large dog, I am not very big so I manage comfortably, lying down in a medium size, but it's always good to consult someone who works there, like Amy did. You can order online too!.

Here is Amy and I waiting for the parentals before we set off.

Tescos was pretty busy and lots of young kids noticed me but were a bit confused about why I was there. Two young boys in particular (brothers) were obviously pestering their tired mother and were getting a bit over excited and for five minutes told me to 'get out of the way dog, bad dog you're not aloud in here' but I ignored them because Amy pulled me in closer and played with my ears.
It takes us about an hour to go around and do our shopping, we always go with Amy's parents and her dad is a nightmare with a trolley as well as the car.

They had lots of Sunflowers and Amy loves them, so we bought two bunches because they were buy one, get one free. So she ended up with 6 big Sunflowers!!. When we got to the car we didn't know where to put them. In the end they fitted in the coffee cup gap in the seat tray. Ingenious.

S u n f l o w e r s in the car !!!

S u n f l o w e r s at home

Now it's dindins time. Yum

Exo

on a mission

Today we went to a local garden centre. our mission: to find some Bamboo for the front garden. I got bonked on the head with several green things!. 

 I'm already to go but Amy is still getting ready!! hurry up.

 Now Amy is ready and to prove it she's taking pictures!

 On our way to the car now. These steps are fun to go up but neither of us like going down them.

 We are here! I am pointing to some very good smelling soil bags.

We found some Bamboo!!! and some more smelly soil. We celebrated with ice cream :)

The fair has finally left us so it's nice and quiet again in the valley and I am much happier about it. The Lawn is dead and yellow and in serious need of some fresh grass seed!. We walked around the Lawn, which we haven't been able to do while the fair was here because Amy suffers from migraines and the past two weeks we haven't been out much. Poor Amy has had to stay in a dark room and she couldn't play with me for hours but I had her family to play with instead and my toys.

We are making up for it now I love walkies.

Now it's time to have a drink and then help Amy and her Mum set up the tables for the local Wednesday Lunches. If you are around town, why not drop in? It's for everyone!! Have an all day breakfast or a main course and pudding with a cuppa, all for a good cause. In the Dawlish Methodist Church Hall every Wednesday from 12pm-2pm, Good grub, good company. 

See ya 

Exo

GO WALKIES! For Guide Dogs.

Go Walkies! at Exeter Race Course in Devon. Or click here to find your local fun day walkies in your area of the UK here. Register for one locally, or create and invite to your own!!.

Exeter Race Course
Date: 24 Sept 2011
Address: Kennford, Exeter, Devon, EX6 7XS
Further details:
This fantastic go walkies is part of A Guide Dogs Fun Day, situated in the beautiful surroundings of Haldon Forest and surrounding countryside.
The Fun Day is open from 12pm so please come and join us. Whilst looking around our Guide Dog Stalls and watching our display teams why not make the most of the yummy refreshments and find out more about the vital work of Guide Dogs. Face paints and a bouncy castle will hopefully also be there on the day.
At 2pm there is a chance for your dogs to get involved and take part in our group go walkies! Please visit the go walkies stand between 12pm and 1.45pm to register you and your dogs. If you don’t have a dog then you can still take part in the fun! You will have a choice between a one mile walk and 2 miles. The route is flat and accessible to wheel chairs, pushchairs and excitable dogs!
We’re here to help you every step of the way. So, if you have any questions after registering for an event or about organising your own, please call our team on 0845 600 6787.

Unfortunately I have calendar clash and won't be able to attend this particular event but I hope to be free to do it next year and will show my support in other ways.
I hope all who do the walk have a fantastic day and I want to here about lots of tail wagging :).

Ohh new toy!.

Firstly, welcome to my blog. My owners blog is here.
Here, I hope to keep track of all my adventures and any up and coming interesting news about Guide Dogs in general.

My name is Elma, but everyone calls me Ellie. I am three years old and I work as a Guide Dog. I am a long haired Golden Retriever but Amy says I'm not a real retriever because sometimes I forget to bring a toy back. I really love my job - I'm good at it too. Several of my siblings have qualified too, this is great news! because the numbers of partnerships are increasing in recent years. We need to make sure there is a match for everyone who needs one: also Guide Dogs are not and never will be means tested so don't be put of thinking you aren't eligible. Find out more information about UK Guide Dogs here.

I have been with my current owner, Amy for just over a year now. She is my second match and I am her first Guide Dog. My first match wasn't really anything. I stayed with an elderly lady for three days, but I didn't really fit into life, she had been a long term cane user and was used to it. She also used a large shopping bag on wheels that bumped into me, I didn't like it. I was soon back in the local office and thankful! because then I went to meet Amy, and she is the best. I met her for the first time on the 18th May 2010, which is also my Birthday :). I went to her house with my guardian Mike and we sat in her back garden, with her family, and played. Then we went for a walk so Amy could see how great I am at guiding her around things and finding curbs for her. I was a bit sad when Mike put me back in the car, because I wanted to stay and play some more, but then I was back again the next day and I've lived with Amy and her family ever since.

I had already been trained and qualified, now it was Amy's turn. Amy had to trust me and let me work and learn the routes she takes to get to the shops or to the park and back. For the first week we worked in a training area near the office, away from where Amy lived so the trust would build up. Amy not knowing where she was would have to trust me and she did. The second week we were closer to Amy's home and we did a route she used daily. In the third week we went further afield to towns and cities she would get to by bus or by train and learn some easy routes. In the fourth week we did bus and train journeys. Amy and I aren't keen on buses, people are always distracting me and playing with me without asking Amy first, also people stand on my tail a lot and it hurts. Trains are more fun because I have more room to stretch out. I also get to sit by the window. Amy has a disabled persons railcard that lets her have 1/3 of and also anyone traveling with her, so lately Amy, her mum and I have been jumping on and off the train for days out. Last week we went to Exeter and went into lots of computer shops, and on the way home we stopped in Costa Coffee and it smells so good there.

Amy qualified from home. You can go to local centres where you're in a group setting, so the dogs and owners can bond and make friendships, but it's just as common do it on your own from home.

After Amy qualified, Mike came back once a month, then every 3 months, then 6 months. Till he made his final visit after a year. Now I am under a new Guide Dog person for the local area but she hasn't come to see us yet.

I am still working hard at helping Amy and we are exploring more and more places.

Stay tuned..
Love and licks
E