Wednesday, May 28, 2008

My holiday weekend



I have been a busy Pippadog.

At the holiday weekend we went back to Spain. It is a holiday here in Gibraltar although not for the same reason as in America. It is the late Spring Bank Holiday and was originally linked with Whitsuntide. Whatever that is.

So off we went in my Landy.



When we got to the Guardia Civil customs post to go into Spain, master slowed down and mistress held out our passports.

They didn't look at our passports, but they obviously thought I was such an interesting dog that they wanted to have a poke around my Landy.

I should explain that cigarettes and spirits are much cheaper in Gibraltar than they are in Spain, but you can only take 200 cigarettes and one litre of spirits per person across the border (I think). Us dogs don't get an allowance. Anyway as master and mistress don't smoke and they drink beer and wine - which are cheaper in Spain - they never take anything across.

The Guardia Civil officers have stopped to sticky-beak through the windows before but we have never been pulled over and had to open the doors and things so I was very excited. Mistress wasn't. She was very nervous.

The nice man came over and asked if I bite. Of course I don't. So he stuck his hand through the window and ruffled my fur nicely. See, I knew it was all just a ploy to make friends with me. He looked on the floors at the front and then lifted the lid on master's little box between the seats, but there was nothing of interest in there.

He asked master to open the back door and show him what was inside. Meanwhile mistress was holding onto me and I was trying to do boundaround. He told master to open a box and asked what was inside. Master said "Una máquina para comer," in his basic Spanish. The officer looked a bit surprised as master had just told him it was a machine to eat. I was so laughing. I think master meant to say "Una máquina para preparar comida."



Then he asked to look in master's tool boxes. Master has lots of tools in case my Landy breaks down and we need to fix it. Well master would need to fix it while mistress and I supervised. He was impressed with master's tools and asked if he was a mechanic. Master said no, but he needed to be able to repair my Landy, and that actually he was a painter.

I have to say I think at this point that the officer decided master was a crazy Englishman who ate machines and had more tools than a mobile mechanic. So he told us we could go.

An hour later mistress stopped shaking. Master and I thought she was stupid, master because he wasn't carrying anything he shouldn't have been, and me because I know it was all an excuse to spend some time admiring ME, Pippadog.

Then a bit later on we stopped for a break. At a nice bar. Here is a pic of me and master.



One of just me.



And then we arrived home at our finca. And I went back to my favourite spot at the gate.



And I lay on my sofa too.



I have lots of other things to write about (yummy cheese toasties today for example) and some tags that I am sooooo late with. But mistress tells me I am almost out of space.

So I want to finish with this. I have something nice to say about mistress. Earlier this year when Tasha and Eva sent me some yummy treats for my Gotcha Day, they sent me a photo of each of them. And now mistress has scanned them in so that I can put them on my blog.

I would have put the pic of Tasha on my last post but I wrote it from Spain and I don't have a scanner there.

Here is Eva. In the last few days she has changed her behaviour, and you can read about it here on their blog - Tasha will be proud of you, Eva.



And here is lovely Tasha. Watching over all of us, especially Eva.

28 comments:

Ferndoggle said...

Looks like you had a great holiday Pippa! I can't wait to hear more about the cheese toast!

Those are great pictures of the girls.

Penny

JB's Big and Small Worlds said...

It sounds like a great vacation. And you got mistress to help you post too! My mom and daddy remembered going across the border at Gibraltar a year ago. My daddy thought it was so cool how the runway goes across the road. My daddy is a pilot, so he likes these plane things.
Great photos of both Tasha and Eva. Thanks for sharing them.
Hope you are getting lots of toast today, my friend.
Oh, one last thing....what is going on with your film? Have you stopped production? :^)
--JB

The Army of Four said...

Any excuse for a car ride sounds good to me! When I used to help Mom go to the US Cavalry Museum, I always got to visit with the gate guards at Ft. Riley. They gave the BEST ear scratchies! woooooo!
Luv,
Dave (Ammy's big brother. She said to tell you "Ha rooooo!")

Cassidy said...

Your poor mum. Mummy says she always feels guilty for no reason going through customs!

Nibbles
Cassidy x

Kathryn and Ari said...

Poor Mistress. I would have been nervous, too. And I can empathize with Master, too. When we were in Austria last year, I told the deskclerk at our hotel upon check-in that I "only travel with one handtowel." She was a little confused but patiently explained that I meant "suitcase."

Princess Eva and Brice said...

Darling Pippa,
We just realized that that picture of Tasha makes it look like she only has 3 legs. Silly Momma for sending a bad picture.

Please tell Mistress that you deserve extra cheese toasties because the officer recognized that you are the one and only Pippa.

Love,
Eva

Peanut said...

Maybe mistress was hiding something they didn't find and she was afraid they would. Might want to look into it. Those are lovely pictures of tasha and eva.

Sophie Brador said...

Pippa, You always have great adventures. Has the marmalade cat been round to see you yet? I noticed you haven't been dreaming as much lately. Have you given up on your girlfriends?

Bisous,
SB

Lacy said...

w00f's pippa, u are a worldly dog..u and ur landy haff sooo many cool dogventures..we luv the picturs of Tasha and Eva...and glad u got where u wuz going wiffout to much trouble...heehee ear scratchies r good from any hoooman..

b safe,
~rocky~

BenTheRotti said...

Hi Pippa,

Mum is laughing at the image of the border control looking at your Dad like he is a mad englishman who eats machines.. maybe they thought all the tools were his cutlery?? LOL
Dad carries lots of tools around too, we agree, they are essential to mend the Landy!!
Sending you huge rotti hugs and love, i'm so sorry about Tasha, she was so gorgeous and will be missed very much :( It sounds like Eva is doing a great job of keeping Vicky and Dougs spirits up though.
You sound like you had a fantastic weekend, I should really post about mine but Mum is busy with "family matters" whatever that means!!
I'm off for a cheese toastie... you made me crave one!! hehehe

love, licks and tailwags,

Ben xxxx

Anonymous said...

I feel for you so much Pippa, my Ma and Pa are crazy too.

It is a cross we poor Dogs have to bear.

Crazy Master and Nervous Mistress, you are welcome to come and stay with me any time, although as I barked, my lot are just as bad!

love and many licks,
Marvin xxxxxx

Anonymous said...

oh I really like the photo of you and your Master.

Both of you are very handsome.

K C

Simba and Jazzi said...

I can't wait to hear about the cheese toasties. I'm glad you weren't arrested.

Simba xx

One of the pack said...

Pippa,

At least the human didn't say you were eating the machine! We prefer bags of rawhide to tools, but in a pinch, a tool will do.

Your traveling adventures sound pretty cool. We love car rides. It's nice to know that people everywhere recognize how handsome you are!

Can't wait to hear more.

Woooooo

Lola
www.forgetsitandstay.blogspot.com

-The Mullin Clan's Mommy- said...

Sounds like you had a grand holiday, Pippa! It must have been scary getting checked out before you could cross the border.

-Cosmos & Juneau-

Kapp pack said...

Glad to hear you made it across the border safely!

Woo woo, KA

Islay said...

Lovely photos, Pippa, and a jolly adventure! We don't get a holiday here until Queen's Birthday in June, then I will get more meals cooked for me and less kibble!

licks & slobbers
-Charlie

Randi said...

Hi Dear Darling Pippa - what a lovely post & pic of Tasha & Eva...that was a very special thing to do Pippa...& I'm very excited to hear all about your holiday...& of course the police people were admiring you...I'm suprised they didn't want pictures of you so they would remember you...sorry mistress was shaking...

Love & Licks,
Randi

Jackson's J1 and J2 said...

Did somedog mention cheese toasties? J x

One Little Birdie said...

Pippa darling, you look so very handsome on your holiday adventure. Our mom gets nervous for no reason too. Mistresses must be extra silly that way. I make sure I am around a lot to make her feel more secure and I give her loads of kisses when she gets all nervous.

You are very special, so of course those border guards had to give you extra special attention. I hope you get extra toasties. That sounds very yummy.

Lacy said...

w00f's Pippa, can doggies eat da fruit of a chico tree???

b safe,
~rocky~

JAZZ AND DIXIE said...

Hi Pippa,
Sounds like a good holiday except maybe for the border crossing, well for your mum anyway. Cheese toasties sound so good.I'll have to get our mum onto those!
The pictures of Tasha and Eve are beautiful and the first pictures of your handsome self are also great.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend
Lix
J&D

wally said...

Dear Pippa,

Older. And wiser, too.

wally

ps. My sissy wants me to tell you that these pictures prove that you are by far the handsomest. But she is a traitor.

Lola Smiles said...

Pippa dahling - I love that photo of you sitting in the landy. Something about that naughty smile..;)

luv ya,
Lola Smiles
xox

Chef said...

That looks like a wonderful vacation, Pippa. You are a beauty!
Border guards are so nosy, poking through our stuff like that. Just a little inconvenience that must be tolerated... don't let them bother you!

xox
Chef

Gus, Louie and Callie said...

We are so glad that you didn't have anything that would cause them to send you to jail!! It's ok though we would have sent you bail money...

Big Sloppy Kisses
Gus and Louie

Helios said...

Maybe your mistress was secretly hiding something somewhere, that's why she's so nervous. Did you notice any yummy bones missing recently?

Natasha Fernz said...

Hey Pippa...

Sounds like you had a great adventure...!

Hugs
Cleo