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The Secret is Out...

Dogs are smart! Well ok, maybe not Ivy League type of smart but this article says we have a winning personality (I have this innate ability to only hear what I want to hear, selective hearing as some call it).

It cements what I have known all along, us dogs are the bees' knees (anybody knows where this expression comes from? Why are bees' knees worthy of this phrase?) and as suggested by the article, I am mighty good at following a pointed finger, there is usually food at the end of it!

When one has such a winning personality, everybody wants to be in your company and I have to wisely choose how to divide my time equally between all my humans. Some are a bit shy to show how much they really want to spend time with me, but I am *very* intuitive and shower them with licks and kisses. This ability to read humans forms part of my razor sharp mind - able to zone in on a problem and focus....Oooooohhhh...dragonfly in the garden!!!!

The Apprentice

Today was a busy day for me, dad was doing woodwork in the garden and mum was pottering around the garden. Obviously, as keeper of the garden, I had to supervise both of them. I am no expert in either of the fields which is why I thought it would be prudent to start as an apprentice (since there have been talk of me earning my keep).

Now who would you rather see? These two elderly men or me?

First up, woodwork. I think dad was trying to build a shelf of sorts and there was an awful lot of sawing. Something which I can't help with given my lack of opposable thumbs. Having four legs is great at times, but they do not lend themselves well to operating a saw.

Getting hold of the measuring tape for Dad

Trying to reach the toolbox

Inspecting quality of Dad's craftmanship

Being told that I am no longer welcome at this apprenticeship (damn my four legs!)

Next up, gardening. I thought this would be something I would be good at as I spend a lot of time in the garden making sure everything is in order. While mum was busy inspecting her passionfruit plant, I thought I would give some TLC to the lime tree in the garden. This tree I know very well as I sometime pick its fruits for a little refresher during those hot afternoons.

Well, Hello! Are your fruits ripe for picking today?

hmmm...quite a few seemed to have fallen in the pot...

This seems about right

Mum wasn't very happy about me picking the fruits for her, she must have been jealous of my ability of pick the juiciest of the fruits. But no worries, I know how some people must feel when a newcomer does a better job at something compared to them.

I thought I would give plumbing a shot. I was told that this is the one skill that will travel well. I mean until the influx of Polish workers, UK was suffering from a shortage of plumbers...and I've always enjoyed travelling. Though I don't actually have a builder's bum...

Is this where you think the problem is coming from?

Oooohhh....*sharp intake of breath*...this is going to cost you!

I see what the problem is, the joint-thingymajingy is loose. You will need a whatchamacalit to fix that.

Lucky for you, I am small enough to reach that...

I really thought I was making headway on that plumbing problem but my human got me out and covered that opening with a brick. Which means I can no longer get in there to work my magic. These humans keep talking about me earning my keep, but whenever I try to lend a helping hand around the garden, they stop me in my tracks. They don't seem to appreciate all that I do around the house...

Who Can Keep Up With My Ears?

Well, it is official...my ears are slightly wacky. My humans and I were getting used to having my slightly unconventional ears (which appear to have a mind of their own) and were resigned to my droopy left ear when out of the blue on Friday evening, my left ear started showing signs of life. It began ever so slightly, with it attempting to stand whilst out on my Friday evening walk. It came right down after dinner and none of us thought very much of it.

However, come the weekend, the ear was back in full force. It isn't very clear from the picture below and please excuse my unfocused eyes (I got woken up from my morning nap) but both my ears are now firmly up!

I seem a bit grumpy in this picture, but I assure you I am anything but!

One of my humans has even considered calling me Astro (after the satellite provider in Malaysia) as my twichy ears somewhat resembles a satellite dish).

This is me moments later attempting to lick the camera!

It is as easy as ABC

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