All Posts Filed in ‘About Me’

Post

My April

May 18, 2015
Leave a reply

I definitely need a new Editor. This post is, ehm, 18 days late. *raises eyebrows* If you’ve seen the Steller story on My April you’ll already know that quite a lot was packed into last month. There was a trip to St Andrews on the hottest day of the year so far. There were train and bus and road trips down the coast for beach walks in East Lothian, including regular walks to Musselburgh, which is a fairly new haunt for us – chosen because it’s close to Edinburgh, and the beach is usually quiet in the evenings so it’s a lot less stressful than going to a city park. There was a new #DukeBox from Ruby & Duke filled with treats including Billy + Margot popcorn – yes, popcorn – which was a whole new experience for me.

And there was some more serious times in April. WagAware launched a fundraiser to raise money for Dachshund Rescue South Florida, who do the most incredible work rescuing dachshunds from shelters and giving them the treatment they need before finding new homes. For some of these dogs, DRSF is their only hope. 50% of the profits of every WagAware charm sold is donated to rescue dogs, and in April those profits were doing to DRSF. I now wear my “rescue bling” with pride. If you’re on Instagram, go check out the amazing work done by DRSF – and if you can, think about donating to help one (or more) of the dogs needing care.

Then, on April 22, dachshunds across Instagram wore green in remembrance of fellow lowriders who had recently passed OTRB. Wear Green Day was organised by Scrappy the Doxie and it was amazing, again, to see dachshunds come together to pay respects to Dexter, Ollie, Sukie, Penny, Peanut, Guinness, Simon and Ceedee. There’s an awful lot of love and respect and compassion shown by the dachshund community on Instagram.

So that was April. We’re now OVER half way through May and it’s…. cold. Hopefully by the end of this month I’ll have some warm sun-drenched days to share with you. Until then…

Advertisements
Post

My March

April 15, 2015
3 comments

Okay, my monthly galleries are creeping later and later into each month! (You can also see this one here on Steller.) But I have a good reason for posting this one very late. My Editor (that would be Mum) and I had chosen a cool new design for my blog. This was exciting. My Editor had given herself a week to redesign her own blog and mine, and then I’d start posting again. What could go wrong?

Alas, my Editor failed to realise one rather critical point. The cool new design we’d spent weeks contemplating doesn’t work here on WordPress.com. Friends, this is one of those moments where you hold your head in your paws, and wonder why you can’t get the editorial staff these days who know what they’re talking about. “So, what happens now?” I asked Mum once I’d lifted my head, wearily. “We had everything planned…”

“We start again,” Mum said. “And it will still be exciting. And it will still look cool.”

In the meantime, while my Editor is busy researching New Blog Version 2, I thought I’d share my March. March was a good month. Still freezing, still winter, but with more walks and a little more sunshine. And I received my first ever DukeBox in March from Ruby & Duke – more on which later as I’m delighted to say that I am now a Brand Ambassador. Receiving this news was a major paws-in-the-air moment! Look out for a feature here soon…

TWATH will be changing a little with the new look. I’m wondering about letting my Editor write the occasional post. What do you think? (Yes, even after the blog redesign FAILURE I’m willing to give her a second chance. I am a magnanimous hound!) How would you feel about me sharing my blog with *gasp* a human…?

Post

A Safe Place

March 19, 2015
2 comments

safe place

It struck me yesterday – or, if I’m being honest, it struck Mum – how important my ‘safe place’ has become on our walks. Back in the autumn of last year, when I wasn’t walking at all – at the beach, yes; with the Parents, yes; with my Uncle, yes; just never anywhere in town with Mum – Mum and I came up with a safe place that she would carry me to, and when she placed me down, I’d walk from there. This seemed a bit of a random idea, but it worked. Mum had realised that there was one spot where I always seemed to relax, albeit it just a little. With a fence on one side (enclosing private gardens) and with cars always parked on the other, this stretch of footpath always felt like a calm spot after all the noise and traffic that we had to navigate in order to get here.

At first, Mum carried me to this spot, and I always walked from here. Then, on a few occasions, we even ran here – I should point out, this spot isn’t that near to where we live – as, once running, I’d forget about the nerves. And then, earlier this year, I started walking. My confidence grew.

You might imagine that the story ends there and that from this point onwards things have been fine. Easy, even. But they haven’t. I still get anxious. I have anxious days. Anxious weeks. Some days, it is hard to get from where we live to here. I stop-start, stop-start. (Okay, part of this is about being a hound and stopping to sniff every – and I mean every – scent. But part of it is also about me digging my paws in and refusing to move, in fear.) Sometimes Mum has to pick me up as picking me up is better than letting me get so freaked out that I shut down. So she carries me for a bit, reassuring me all the time, and then we try again.

And every time we reach this place, things get better. Finding this safe place has been invaluable. And now, more often than not, I pause here and take a moment. Because learning to deal with anxiety, in whatever form it takes, is about small steps. And it’s about keeping on trying, knowing that one day it will indeed get better.

Post

My February

March 11, 2015
Leave a reply

So, you might well be saying, March 11 is a fine time to post a round-up of events in February. I know, this is late – although, in case you missed it, I did post My February on Steller (okay, Mum did, but let’s not quibble over the details). The thing is, Mum and I were planning on redesigning the blog and thought we might hold back on posting anything else until we did, only – wait for it, friends! – Mum likes the new design I’ve chosen so much, she’s wondering about using it on one of her blogs instead. This is what happens – you come up with a great design concept and your human nicks it!

So, ehm, watch this space. Its design may or may not be changing very soon….

As for February, well, it was a good month. The days stretched a little, which meant slightly longer walks, although still with frozen paws. We made trips to Cambo Estate in Fife and to the historic village of Culross, which is also in Fife. I had a few great beach walks with my Uncle Bracken, who was also made into felt by the very talented felt artist Alison Rumbles.  And early in the month, I was interviewed by Bow Wow Times for their Instagram Dog of the Week feature, which was unexpected and great fun. Already in March, the days are getting longer. I can smell spring on the way.

Post

My January

February 5, 2015
Leave a reply

A few days later than it should have been (it’s been “one of those weeks” Mum says) but I wanted to share my January here (you can also see more photos on the accompanying Steller story). It’s been a mixed month with far too many cold days for my liking, and too much rain, and sleet – think frozen paws and a wet belly – and with night time starting in the middle of the afternoon. January was one long snugglethon, basically – can you blame me? – with a few freezing cold walks thrown in. But already February is feeling better. Can you sense that too? It’s a little lighter, a little brighter. The days are stretching ever so slightly. The Parents are already planning a few trips where I can go exploring and have longer runs. So goodbye January and hello to the very, very first signs of spring.

Post

Did This Just Happen?

February 3, 2015
1 comment

bow wow times 2

Yes, friends, this happened. I was really surprised (okay, shocked) and honoured when Bow Wow Times got in touch to ask whether they could feature me as their Instagram Dog of the Week. Last week’s featured pup was none other than Riley from the very wonderful iChaity – Mum and I have been fans of Riley for a long time (Mum is smitten by him) (Ed: I am) – so I was like, really? Me? Are you sure? I’m just a gruff little pupster chap.

But it happened today and you can see the feature here. I’d like to thank Trixie for writing such a great post – I really enjoyed answering the questions. I am very touched to be included, and so happy that Bow Wow Times also illustrated the feature with some photos of me with my Uncle Bracken. That made my day.

So, a warm “whuuf” of thanks to Bow Wow Times for this fantastic feature. You can follow them on Instagram here for daily pupdates.