Nicky, Riley & Boris's Blog (39)

‘Mrs O’Connor is using that dam hairdryer again’ said my mother as the black and white TV looked like a snow storm yet again. Mrs O’Connor had one of those dryers that involved her sitting with a cap over her hair with a tube attached to a machine and as she was our next door neighbor was routinely blamed every time the TV set had major interrupted service.  Grandpa called for a lemon tea and three lumps of sugar which I was too young to make but was…

I have been MIA for the last while because life has been very very busy here. The Irish Jewish community is very small but what it lacks in numbers it punches way above it's weight in actions and deeds. At it's height we had 5,000 members and now it's about 1500. We have had several Lord Mayors, Government Ministers, etc and have always figured highly in Irish public life.  Lots of the community over the years  left these shores like the rest of the Irish and can now be found in the USA,…

This morning I was working from home.  I often do this on a Friday, I use the time to catch up on emails and calls and it's relaxing to know that I don't have to drive anywhere. The weather here has been mild so I had the back door to the garden open for the boys to wonder in and out. So far so good.... Feral cats are the bane of my life and the elderly neighbour to my right has a shed up against our wall where she leaves food for them so they perch on top of the shed and look down at the…

Kvell in Yiddish means to boast in a proud way. I do it whenever one of my children accomplishes something that I think is particularly noteworthy.  Jessica, my eldest musician daughter wrote and performed her own song at a charity concert the other night.( I had to add it as a link to my blog as I couldn't embed the original recording ) …

I can't believe that Boris will be four months old this week, time literally flies by.  I just wanted to write down what life is like and how it has changed since we became a two doodle family.  Before Boris came home I couldn't quite get my head around loving a second dog as much as I love Riley so I just sat back and let it happen.  I took a wait and see approach.  I didn't know if I had picked the 'right' puppy from the litter and all my scientific thoughts on choosing went out the door…

Boris arrived home last Sunday and he is the sweetest little fellow.  I knew these potty training/crate training first few weeks were going to be a bit mad and I haven't been disappointed.  Potty training is going really well mainly due to mad dashes to the garden every hour and in the middle of the night in the freezing cold and rain where I put on my most enthusiastic voice and repeat 'get busy' until there is a result. Crate training is proving slightly harder as the first four nights…

I travelled yesterday with a friend, her DH and daughter to collect the puppies. We were so excited on the way it felt like we were heading to the maternity hospital.  We were both worried that we would get the 'right' puppies as the breeder sounds a little tired at this stage...12 puppies in the house would stretch anyone!  We didn't have to worry. I recognized both puppies, (there were four left) as I had taken lots of photo's and had committed to memory the bits that had been shaved in…

The answer is yes according to one of my good DK friends.  As some of you know I went through quite a traumatic couple of weeks when I attempted to adopt a Goldendoodle who was up for re-homing.  It didn't work out because the family were quite frankly nuts.   During a two week period I became close to the original breeder of that dog who was and still is very upset about the whole thing.  The breeder tried to get the family to return the dog to her and she even offered to pay me back if I…

Two days ago Riley and I were out walking. I let him off on a long line so he feels he is free and I can get him back if he gets distracted.  This did not stop him rolling in something disgusting which was black, gooey and smelly (though more like rotten grass than you know what).  It was on his shoulder and neck, before I knew it was on my hand too and there were flies buzzing like it was a rotting flesh (maybe it was???) As soon as I saw it we ran home as I swatted away the flies and as…

I was gently nudged by one of my DK friends to write some more musings and today as I watched Riley slosh around in a  muddy stream in the beautiful surroundings of Castletown House it proved the ideal time to let my thoughts drift to memories of childhood.  Castletown (link below)  boasts a large stately house where classical concerts are held on Sundays and hundreds of terrific acres of land which are totally unspoiled. It is the perfect place in which a dog can amble and play while…

I can't believe that Riley has reached his first birthday.  I decided to work from home today and we went for a lovely walk stopping by at the Butchers shop on the way home.  A large marrow bone was a gift from the 'nice man' and Riley got his first frisbee at the pet store.  He has enriched our lives so much. I remember this time last year being so excited and anxious as I prepared to make that journey by land and sea to Scotland to meet him and bring him home.  Each day seemed like a year…

Since my middle daughter is now working in Singapore and my sister is in Vancouver Skype has become very important to me and enables me to have long chats with both of them.   When Sophie is talking Riley goes crazy, he checks the computer and goes around the back of it to look for her as he knows her voice.  I don't think he can see her very clearly on the screen but he certainly knows her voice and it is so very cute to watch him cocking his head and listening intently while she tells him…

There are many times during my life when I say to myself, 'darn, I should have brought the camera' or video with me.  Those incidents which stand out as ones I would like to share but which I have to store in my memory.  Sometimes when one of these moments occurs I make a mental note to concentrate and make sure I keep it stored on the front of my memory shelf.

This is the only place that I could possible share yesterdays memory moment.  If you have any that you think of do share it…

I am constantly amazed at the intelligence of our pets.  My cat Banjo who lives with his dad opens the fridge when his food isn't to his liking, has opened a freezer and defrosted a huge amount of food and turns on the tap when he would rather have fresh water.  

It takes a while to learn the workings of the mind of our pets and Riley is no exception.  Here is a little example,  Those who know my past postings will know that Riley knows the command 'leave it' which means that if he…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBWgWzNH-qI

Bedtime is pretty routine in our household.  Riley goes out at around 11 pm and we all go to bed, he goes to his comfy one on the floor at the end of ours and we all go to sleep.  Usually I am woken around 7.30 with a lick or a tiny whine which means he wants to go out.  Last night was a little different.  At 5.30 am  Riley woke me, so I got up thinking he needed to go out and muttering to myself that I must lift his water earlier in the evening.  I usually follow him and he usually heads…

Every day I learn something new about Riley and today was no exception.  As I sat on the couch relaxing after Supper I decided I would like a Doodle cuddle.  Riley was lying on the floor and I invited him to come up onto the couch but he decided he preferred the floor.  So I pretended to cry.  I put my head in my hands and did a very good interpretation of a sobbing woman.  It only took seconds and he was up and on my lap, all 45l bs of him smothering me in licks and wrapping his paws around…

I decided a while ago to forgo the puppy classes and wait until Riey was five months old to take him to obedience training classes.  The best one I found after extensive research is a 40 minute drive from home and with a 9am start I though ok, no problem since we normally start the day at 7am.  Plenty of time to have a little food and the required 15 minute walk as instructed by the course leader. Today though Riley decided to sleep  in until 8am, first time ever and so I leapt up.   I made…