Hello,

Sorry I have not been writing. All is well. It was uncle Benjamin's (the dog before me) anniversary so Mummy was sad, and then we were busy....

My Auntie had an operation - that day wasn't a normal day at all - Auntie stayed home from work and took me out for a walk in the pouring rain and gail force winds, then she went off and left me on my own. Not a problem, I thought, Mummy will come home at lunchtime - but she didn't. Auntie Angie, our neighbour, looked in on me and gave me a cuddle mid-afternoon, then she took me round her house and I watched The Simpsons with her children - little Lauren was snuggled up to me so I tried to keep still and be gentle. But I wanted My People to come home and I wondered where they had got to.

When My People eventually came home, Auntie smelled all funny, of chemicals, and she had a patch on her eye - when she took it off her eye was all bloody and she was crying red tears. Apparently she had a squint correction done on her eye and now both of her eyes look in the same direction. I beat Mummy up for leaving me for so long but she promised me that I wouldn't get left alone on Friday and I didn't because they both stayed home from work.

The next day, Mummy and I had a nice walk and me and Auntie had lots of cuddles. We had thought we would be waiting in for the Washing Machine Repair Man and Mummy and I got up nice and early but then they called to say he wasn't coming so Mummy was cross. That made three weeks without that machine (good, I don't like it roaring) - luckily, Auntie Angie washes stuff for us round hers as I do like to make My People nice and muddy! Hehe. On our walk, we went to The Woods and looked at all the trees that had fallen down in the gales - when Auntie was being operated on, there were huge gales everywhere - apparently the electric kept dropping at the hospital and Mummy was worried.

Uncle Ricky came round that weekend to show off his new motorbike and to see how Auntie was - I like him, he gives really good rubs! Mummy and I saw Simone's Mum and her two Silly Little Dogs (Yorkies) and she and Mummy talked for a while. In the wood, poor Mummy got her trouser leg tangled in a broken tree she was climbing over and fell down so I helped her up - she has a lovely sore scraped bruisy leg now. Later, Auntie Geri knocked at the door and she had my girlfriend Melody with her so I shouted until Mummy let me out to speak to her while they chatted for ages.

Auntie went back to work on the monday, even though Mummy had told her not to. Mummy and I had a nice walk that day, even though it was FREEZING!!!! Mummy is teaching me to turn right when she asks me to and also she was really pleased with me because she has been teaching me to find her keys and then say 'woof', and we hadn't done it since last Wednesday but I remembered to say 'woof' when I found them and she cuddled me and patted me and praised me and it was lovely - well, German Shepherds are the most intelligent breed!

Mummy was throwing this big branch for me on our walk, and I was leaping across the ditches and down this big hill and it was fun, but tiring. When we got back, I had my dinner and watched her do her housework then Auntie came home early - she had been driven home by Phil from work because she was exhausted and her eye looked very sore. She apologised to Mummy for not listening to her and admitted that she should have taken today off and gone back to work tomorrow like Mummy said.

Mummy managed not to say "I told you so"....

Auntie went upstairs for a kip so when Mummy sat down I climbed on her lap for a kip and then she fell asleep and it was nice and cosy. Mummy woke up first and when Auntie came down, they sat and talked about their day and I climbed on Mummy again and snoozed - sometimes I would wake up and stare in her eyes and tell her I love her, then I snoozed again.

Then I had a fit that night and felt a bit grotty the next day....

I was very pleased when we met Mr C and Leo the Pointer. Mr C had said that he couldn't cope with Leo any more after he hopped over the fence and "had" two of the neighbours' chickens, but now he has decided to keep him and just stop Leo from eating the hens. Leo and I were playing but Mr C got a bit pulled about so we hadn't better play like that any more. Mummy was pleased with me for playing so nicely though because I can get growly with other dogs so she likes it when I am polite.

On Thursday, there was a smattering of snow so Mummy took the camera out to take pictures of me but I think posing is boring so I kept pulling a miserable face just as she got the shot set up. Tee hee.

Auntie stayed home from work last Friday, and she took me out and then we waited for the Washing Machine Man to come. The Man came (hooray!) and I was polite to him and laid down quietly so I got praised for being a good boy, but then Auntie went and ruined it for me when Mummy got home by telling her that I had muttered bad words at her that morning when she grabbed my collar and tried to stop me from glaring at Max and The Horrible Collie and Their Horrible Owner when we all know that I hate the dogs and Mummy hates the man ever since Max bullied me when I was a pup and That collie tried to have a go at me and my girlfriend and I swore at him and chased him off. Mummy said I should not growl at my people and I know that, I just get frustrated sometimes when they won't let me do what I want to do.

On Saturday, My People left me alone while they went to the pictures and saw Rocky Balboa and ate fajitas. I had two short walks when Mummy took the wanger and wanged my ball a long way. When I got tired I wrecked my ball and then took it to a ditch and drowned it (hehe) so Mummy called me a horrible dog.

Don't care....she doesn't mean it...

By the way, Auntie had to go back to The Hospital about her eye cos it swelled up all big and purply so Mummy insisted and made the appointment and everything. It turned out that one of the stitches was sitting above the surface of her eye and irritating her eyelid so she had that stitch removed and now she is much better and her eye is starting to look the proper colour agan. Nice Neil from work gave her a lift home after The Hospital and we are very grateful as we didn't want Auntie to travel home alone (Mummy was home with me) so thank you Neil.

Uncle Ricky came over on Sunday and The People had a very honest discussion about The Mother. Auntie Judy wants to move her back to this area and none of them want that because she does Bad Things and turns up at My People's workplaces and say Bad things too. Apparently she used to try to break into our house as well, and My People are worried that this would be hard for me to cope with - Uncle Benjamin used to live with The Mother when my People still looked after her, and once the family split up he would shout at her as he didn't want her anywhere near Our People.

This week so far has been quite quiet and my Mummy had an asthma attack at work today so I won't ask her to help me type any more (I'm dictating today!),

regards to all, Bruce xxx

All Is Well

Well, it was all a bit traumatic as Beck's oxygen sats stayed low for a while and she took a time to come right but she is home now safe and sound and looks like Dracula's daughter. Bruce coped very well - he went round Auntie Angie's in the evening and watched The Simpsons with her 4 and 2 year olds snuggled up with him He went absolutely spare when we got home, is enjoying us both being home today and so far, touch wood, hasn't fitted or exhibited any 'epilepsy' behaviour.

Bruce is now downstairs snoozing with his Auntie

he sends his love

Bruce's and Auntie's Mummy x

Fingers Crossed

Please keep Bruce and my daughter in your thoughts – ‘Auntie’ (daughter) is having and operation on her eye today and we are praying that she will be ok and that Bruce can cope with the necessary changes to his routine today and doesn’t fit.

Many thanks,

Bruce’s Mummy

Poorly Mummy

Hello again

I am afraid I can't write much because my Mummy is poorly and doesn't feel up to doing much typing for me. I have been mostly being good for the last few days. I haven't seen Belle and baby Dylan again yet as my Mummy's buses have been pretty good and we only see them when we leave late. I did see Leo the Pointer though. I have learned to be very patient with him even though he is worse than even I was at his age - he jumps up and paws me and climbs all over me and mostly I don't even mutter at him because i know that's just Leo and he doens't mean anything by it. anyway, his owner was very sad - he told Mummy that he is going to rehome Leo because he is 'too much' for him. Apparently, Leo got into his neighbour's garden and killed two chickens. He can leap the fence no trouble, and he is naughty when he is out and he pulls very hard on the lead and is too strong for his People. Mummy pointed Leo's Daddy to dogpages and suggested he contact Pointer Rescue. She said that she can't offer because she has enough to cope with with me (cheek!) and also because I wouldn't like it as I don't share (true) and to please let he rknow what happens.

That's a shame. I hope Oscar Pointer doesn't miss him to mcuh.

Mummy has felt horrible all weekend so Auntie walked me on Saturday and I behaved for her as she can be even stricter than Mummy. Yesterday, I was sulky because Auntie spent the night away so Mummy took me out for a bit of a walk, even though she didn't feel up to it, and today she went to work feeling rough and came home shattered but still gave me a decent walk so I gave her a big cuddle to say thank you and snoozed on her lap.

hoping you are all well,

regards,

Bruce xxx

Brucie Update and Baby Basset

Hello again,

I enjoyed Christmas Day – Uncle Ricky came over and he kept fussing me and he knows just how to rub my chest (and how hard) so that was lovely. Everybody had presents, including me – I got a string of sausages from Rick which I can’t eat because they are rubber, and jangly ball on a string from My People – Bruce like a ball on a string! I also got some yummy treats so I was a happy boy.

They had a boneless turkey joint for their Christmas Dinner. When Mummy got it out to make some coronation Turkey for Auntie, I had the leftovers away – almost half a joint! Mummy said it was just as well it was boneless…and that I was a very bad dog!!

Ricky came on a walk and threw my Frisbee a very long way for me to chase. I like it when I can’t see where it went and have to find it with my nose. Auntie has already started to teach me to go left and right and Mummy wants to teach them to me properly now (and Behind You which she says Uncle Benjamin knew but I’m not sure what that will involve).

Then it was all a blur for a few days and then it rained and rained. Mummy has a new thing on her Sims2 game where she says there are other dogs but I can’t smell ‘em so I’m not sure where they are….

I have seen quite a few of my friends over the past couple of weeks and I have mostly been being a very good boy – except when I see Max, who CAN walk past me…I still growl at him and I think that Mummy secretly doesn’t mind…

Today I saw my young friend Belle the Basset and you’ll never guess what, she now has a baby brother called Dylan the Basset and he looks exactly the same as her, just much smaller. They both kept sniffing my bun and my willy and I only muttered when I really had got tired of having cold noses up my backside so I was pretty good really.

Apparently, we have to have men come in to put radiators upstairs to bring our house up to standard. Mummy phoned the council and told them they can’t come in February when they want to, as she is not having them in the house with me without a People there so now she hopes they will come in April, which will be pretty rotten for her week off ‘relaxing’ but means that me and her can spend time, hopefully, on long walks and in the garden. We will have to wait and see what the contractors have to say about it, but Mummy says she is not letting them in no matter what they say.

Regards to all, Bruce xxx

Boys Will Be Boys

Hello

Sorry about the blip – Christmas just gets too much for me. We had Auntie Geri over and Auntie Angie and Uncle Ricky and Auntie Judy (and Uncle Tom Cobbley and all, Mummy says, but I don’t remember him coming) and there were flashing lights on the tree and excitement and special food and…I don’t remember having fits, I just remember wanting my Mummy a lot cos everything was hazy and peculiar, but Mummy says I fitted a lot. Then I couldn’t sleep and paced and paced for a whole night – the next day, when I felt better, me and Mummy had a long kip in the daytime.

Anyway, I am feeling much better now and have been being very silly and running up Angie’s stairs and getting in trouble for it – I am looking for Ashley her son cos I like to be down with the boyzzz…

I will tell you more another day, got to have my tablets now,

Regards,

Bruce xxx

Hello!

Hi everyone,

I am not writing much today because I am SULKING because my Mummy went back to work today and now my Auntie has naffed off babysitting, but I just wanted you all to know that I am feeling much better and I plan to tell you properly what I have been up to at the weekend,

regards,

Bruce xxx