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