Apparently I'm quite handsome

You know all that prancing around Championship shows that I've done all year? Well it seems to have paid off... Mum and Auntie Barbara took me to Crufts this weekend where thousands and thousands and thousands of people came to watch me strutt my stuff. I had strangers taking my photograph and telling me how handsome I was, and they let me kiss and cuddle them all day long...

Then some lady judge let me kiss her too, and she gave me a prize... Mum says I'm the bestest most handsomest dog in the whole wide world and that a third prize at Crufts is something to be very very very proud of.

I came home and dug out the apple tree pot again. Mum still says she loves me.

Never leave a Muppet unsupervised when there is no barking

Mum keeps shouting at me today. Apparently barking on a lazy Sunday isn't allowed.

So I stopped.

Mum, in her wisdom, decided that her shouting had worked.

Then she wandered through to have a wee in the bathroom so I wandered in to say hello.

And she saw my feet. They're a little bit muddy... and Mum shouted again.... she couldn't work out why, when I was unsupervised on the patio, where there is no mud, I had muddy feet.

Of course, Meg was sitting looking innocent in the dining room (albeit with that OH MY GOD YOU'RE DEAD look on her face at the same time) when Mum went to investigate.

It was only this morning that Mum was saying that the garden was going to need digging over soon, and I thought I'd help out.

I'm not sure why she didn't appreciate me trying to replant the patio apple tree nor why I'm now banned from going in the garden until I'm dry and only when I'm supervised.

These lazy Sundays should be banned.

Starting the year the way I mean to go on...

Yes Muppeteers it may be a while since I was preened, groomed, cleaned and strutting my stuff in the show ring but Mum took the opportunity last night to grab me at 9pm, force me under great duress into the bath (she said that drinking Cassie's wee is disgusting and makes my beard smell funny... or something close to that anyway) and then spend hours drying and grooming me whilst I chewed her fingers.

Then she banned me from mud. Spoilsport.

Anyway tonight Mum said it was Match Night at Ringcraft and we'd better get our act together for the stiff competition.

The lady judge was very nice to me and said lots of nice things about me so I wagged and wagged my tail at her and, quite frankly, strutted like only a Muppet can.

Yes, Ladies and Gentlemen, the Muppet is Mr January.... First in Yearling Class then Best in Match - I got two rosettes and a trophy for Mum to dust for a bit!

Mum says I'm forgiven for stealing the toilet roll and shredding it (it was Cassie anyway) and also for grabbing thecatwithnofurthing by her ears to make her play. And for stalking the SkInvader at every opportunity. And for playing so much with the furry doorstop thingy that his ear fell off and the stuffing stuff fell out. And for sneaking upstairs and eating the cats' dinner. And for barking at thin air in the garden. But not for wee drinking. Yet.

No Water Baby

It was snuck up on me. there we were, me and Cassie, at hydrotherapy for Cassie's usual session. Only something went wrong.

Alyson the lady who swims Cassie seemed to get confused and put a big yellow coat on me. Then she put another collar on me and another lead. Her and Mum went on about how much I love to try and get the toy Cassie has to swim after... and how much fun it would be if we could learn to swim together... and that the V.E.T had said it would be ok for me to learn.

But really, I think she thought Cassie had shrunk and grown long fur and she got us confused.

Mum laughed at lot at Alyson. I think she was laughing at Alyson anyway. She took these photographs and says sorry for the quality but it was very misty in the hot hydro room and she was laughing.

This is my "save me I'm drowwwwwwning............" look

Followed by the "oh my god you want me to do whaaaaaaaaaaaaaat!"

And the "Alysonnnnnnnn don't maaaaaaakeeeeeeeee meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee"

then show off Cassie had her turn and of course she could fetch in the pool, swim without a lead and a floaty coat and teased me with the toys. She is saying "ner ner ner ner ner" in this picture but Mum didn't hear her because I was too busy whinging that an injustice had been done.

Worryingly Mum said yes we'd both be back next week. Will anyone please adopt me? I'm the little one lying tiredly by the fire steaming a little and smelling a little damp.