Banishment

We banished mistress to my finca for a few days.

Just master and I on our own, in peace and tranquility, wandering around the marina and socialising, as I always do.

Here I am on the alert.



And having a lie down after all my efforts.



Next up I really think it is time I kick-started mistress into action on my movie project.

I think I will start by sending her off to get a nice picture of a cruise ship. Yes, that will be good. Although knowing Misery it may take some time.

Do not hold your breath.

Where to sleep?

A dog likes to sleep.

A dog likes to change where a dog likes to sleep.

A dog likes to get his head in a comfortable position, especially tucked underneath something.

A dog likes to lie in doorways.

What a dog does not like is someone, aka Misery Mistress, pointing a camera in his face every time he tries to find a new peaceful position.

Just because you have finally bought some new batteries and a new charger for the camera does not mean you should keep sticking it in my face.

So go away mistress and let sleeping Pippa lie.

Escape!

The other day, master and I went out for our early morning walk as usual. Master put my lead on and we skipped down the stairs and out of the block.

But as we walked out of the door, I noticed my lead was not on my collar properly. So off I shot, as fast as I could. Up the street I ran on cat safari.

"Pippa," called master quietly, "Pippa." But I ignored him.

Sadly there weren't any cats under the cars which would have been even more fun, as we could have played a fine game of chase.

So at the top of the street I shot into the catyard, I mean courtyard where the cats like to hang out. Round and round I prowled but could I find a single cat? No. Nor could I find a way out. And there was master standing in the archway waiting for me, so I slunk miserably back to be leaded up.



Meanwhile, Misery Mistress, had heard master calling for me so she had got up quickly (which she never does) and pulled on some clothes and run out to help master look for me. But she didn't find either of us, so she had a nice walk by herself round the block at 6am.

When she got back to the flat, we still hadn't returned, so she came back out to look for us again. Master and I were sauntering back down Main Street. How we laughed when we realised she had got up, and had been wandering around looking for us.

Anyway top tip to pups: always check to see if they have put the lead on properly so you don't miss the opportunity to escape.

Mistress wants to add a top tip for humans about checking the lead is on correctly but I don't think we will bother with that one.

It was breakfast time on our return, so after scoffing my biscuits I decided to supervise master making the toast.



And moved in for a closer supervision.



He dropped some butter on the floor. "Leave, Pippa." Er, no master. I don't think so at all. So I helpfully licked it up. After all, misery never gets round to washing the floors so I was doing everyone a favour.



I kept moving round master's chair, as he didn't seem to notice me.



Then I sat down looking so good and innocent and irresistible.



Master refused to give me any toast though. So I jumped on my sofa and sulked at everyone for the rest of the morning.

Biting feet

I have been a quiet Pippadog.

I had a poorly tum for part of last week. Master thinks I picked something up sneakily when we went for a walk in the dark but I'm not telling.

Anyways, I have been pizzaless and toastless as a result so I thought I would eat my feet instead to see if there were any yummies stuck to them.

Misery mistress was very surprised to see my teethies as normally they are never displayed like this, she only sees them when I am smiling.



One day Misery, if you get on the wrong side of me, you may be toast, so to speak, and I will eat you with my pointed teethies.

And here I am licking my feet.



And doing doga.



Anyway after she had taken my pictures she went out for a walk. But she had been so busy taking photos of my sharp tussies that it was dark when she was coming back.

So here is the one and only photo she took on her walk. Looking down onto Gibraltar and out into the Bahia de Algeciras.



And here am I going to sleep. Much prettier than her silly photos.

What's in a name?

Some time ago (ie nearly a year ago) one of my beautiful girlfriends - Guinness - from the Stoutino Inn and Foster Kennel, interviewed me.

I thought it would be helpful to reproduce this particular question (and answer) because I have made lots of new dogpals since then.

Lots of you will not have had chance to read back and some of you probably still think I am a girl because of my silly name. I am not of course, as you can see if you look rather too closely at some of my more immodest photos.

Here is Guinness's question and my answer:


1. Darling Handsome Pippa, we have heard how you master & mistress found you and took you in, but how did you get your very interesting name?

Guinness, this one is just so embarrassing. Master and mistress could not decided what to call me. Because I am Spanish they thought about a Spanish name. But José or Pepe or Antonio just didn't really suit. Besides, the Spaniards that do give their dogs a name (apart from Perro = Dog) usually choose English names, like Jack and Lassie.

So then they thought along different lines. After all they had no idea what I was called before. Neither do I. Their other dogs at the time were called Paddy and Prince. So mistress thought about something beginning with P. Then she remembered the little polar bear she had seen in London when she was young.

He was tiny and white and furry and very cute. He was called Pippaluk (or Pipaluk) and his name meant "the little one" in Inuit. So mistress thought it was a good idea to call me that.

I wasn't little, although I suppose I must have been at some time, and I wasn't totally white (although I was more white than any other dog they have had), and she thought I was cute and furry and it was a unique name. She has a strange sense of humour. But then I ended up with it being shortened to Pippa and now everyone thinks I am a girl dog. Well, apart from my girlfriends hopefully.

One day she will find her souvenir book and scan in some pix of him. She has done a little search, apparently he died aged 22 in Poland. He had been moved from London when they closed the Mappin Terraces for bears. Mistress does not think moving bears around who should not be in captivity in the first place sounds very good so she does not want me to write any more about this. Or she will get on her soap box. This is not advisable.

................



So there you go. And to bring us rapidly up to date, some of my new pals, the Desert Pups, at Life Inside The Fence have given me the following awards: Gold Paw, Kick Ass Blogger, I am an Awesome Blogger Friend, Rusty's Best Bud Award, and Este Blog a acredita na proximidade.




Thank you very much pups. As usual there are rules which we have not followed, but the Desert Pups said we should throw a big party and invite them. Now that sounds like a good idea and I will bear that one in mind.

.................

Finally just a quick heads-up to remind people that Ben the Rotti has started his week of fund-raising for Nowzad. Head on over to his blog and join in the fun.

Piccies

It seems Misery is having a problem charging the batteries for her camera.

Actually it is probably my camera as most of the pictures taken are of me. Well, they should be of me, at any rate.

So I may have to delve into the past for piccies of me, as there are loads on the computer that she has never posted.

Anyway here are some that we have taken since the last post we made, before her batteries started dying. I'm not sure her batteries were ever charged but that is probably for another post.

Next to my chair with head on floor and paw carefully under the rail.


By my favourite chair with my left paw practising typing and piano in my sleep.


And here I am - hiding behind my sofa - with my other paw in the same position


ETA: We've written about it on the News but big condolences to Fleas Gang on Simon's departure for the bridge and to Deetz on Gizmo's departure. Our sympathy to you all at a very sad time.

Soup

Well, I suppose another post in less than a week is not too bad. In spite of Misery Mistress's latest obsession - soup.

She is making soup every day, which is time spent when she could be writing up MY blog. But on the other hand, I get soup with my biscuits, so it is not all bad.

So far I have had vichyssoise, orange and tomato, and today's will be garbanzo, fresh broad beans and fresh peas with kale.

Anyone who is remotely interested in her soup tales will have to look for them on her numerous blogs as I can't bothered to do the clicky linky things. Soup belongs in my dish and that is all I am interested in.

I have had my blog invaded with photos of flowers, boats, birds and even cats. I am definitely putting a firm PippaPaw down to pictures of soup, unless I am eating it of course.

Now, I would also like to point out that there were some rather clever comments on my last post.

George suggested I might be practising my piano notes with my left paw. I thought that was decidedly witty and very arty. Thank you George.

Col. sam asta-fari joe h. pinkerton peabody, esq said that I was posing for my next movie. Which reminds me, Misery needs to update the movie stuff now that we are swinging into autumn after our summer vacation. Although she is always on vacation.

Randi pointed out that I was well on my way to becoming a doga guru with my clever pose. Thank you Randi - you were right too - I hadn't even realised that. I have done it again a few more times though to practise.

Huskee and Hershey asked if I wanted to share my pizza. No.

Oooooooonie said that my paw position is from all my work typing. Hmm, I would like to think it was, but I'm not so sure about that.

So here are today's pics. They look rather silly to me. I don't know why I have got my head on the chair rail, or even moreso, why I let Misery take a picture of me like that.

News

Misery Mistress has been taking more extended blogging holidays again.

But in the meantime lots of pups have been sending me awards, and because she hasn't posted anything up, I got them lots of times over so I am pleased about that.

So thank you to:

Charlie
Jazz and Dixie
Ben the Rotti
and
Helios
Guinness and Shiloh

Thanks everydog for those.





Anyway, Misery wants to write a little bit about DWB today so I suppose that is ok.

Just over a year ago, DWB News was started by Greg and Brooke, and I volunteered mistress to be a reporter as she has done that sort of thing in real life, and we became News Editor. This means I supervise and mistress writes and we busily look at other blogs to see what is going on.

Not just my best pals, we visit lots of dogs we don't know. We look for news, we look to see if they are still active, and we look to see if there is anything on the blogs that doesn't meet the ethos of Dogs with Blogs, ie offensive, or overtly commercial.

We enjoy doing this, it is always nice to read new blogs and sometimes make new friends too.

Some of you dogs out there have emailed us stories which you can do on the DWB News page sidebar, or some of you have left comments on my blog. We try to remember to acknowledge anyone who has sent us news when we write up the story. If we don't publish a story, we will try and let you know why, eg mistress has been on holiday, or the emails have played up, or whatever.

Mistress has written something about it on the Bone Zone here, but she thought it would be worth a mention here too. So, if you know about any news, please drop us a quick email to either DWB News here, or leave a comment on my blog. So many pups have joined DWB in the last year that we thought some may not be aware of the News and it is a good way to keep up to date with what is happening.

Anyway, this is my blog so here is a bit about me.

Pizza that I got for breakfast. Finally. Mistress stole my jalapeno chillies though. Something about maybe they might not be good for me. Hmmmmm.



And look at my stylish pose this morning. I rather like that front left paw. I can't remember why I put it like that though.



OK, hope you are all well.

Pippa the Snoozing Nooz Editor.

Some photos

Here I am looking after master's shoelace and his boot



Because misery has been so slow and useless at updating my blog I thought I would post up some piccies that I meant to post ages ago.

Here is the bird who sits on the streetlight over the road. He is a seagull, and he only has one foot.



The woman who lives in the house opposite to us (next to the one with the shutters) puts out fish for the seagulls.

Footless comes to stand on top of the lamp and squawks, demanding his food.



Then he twirls round in a circle waiting for his food to arrive.



And flies down.



Looking for his food.



And wondering where it is.



Sometimes the cats eat the fish. The woman opposite also puts out food for the feral cats. But we have seen Marmalade (real name Harvey) who is not feral, polishing off this food too. Greedy Marmalade. I am not sure if anybird or anycat gets to eat the food that is put out for them, but it is nice of her to do it.

Especially as it means there are always lots of cats in my street prowling for food.

Misery went for a walk the other day - without me - and took this interesting picture of an overgrown cemetery with two sunbathing cats. Well, I thought it was interesting because I would like to have gone with her and chased the cats off the tombstones.



She also met some birds, and being somewhat strange, chatted away to the parrot. Here is the parrot listening to misery.



And here is a caged bird, which we don't like to see, but we don't know why it was caged so maybe there was a good reason.



And mistress wants me to add thank you very much to everypup who wished them happy wedding anniversary. They had a very nice weekend doing nothing, but mistress never does anything anyway so I couldn't tell the difference.