A whole year has passed...........or have you ever seen a Labrador with chewing gum!?

Today is the anniversary of the day we bought Bella home. I was going to write some meaningful blog about the joys of having a dog. It was going to bring tears to your eyes. Bella has other ideas. I just caught her sneaking up the stairs. She bypassed the cats, the cat food, the cat litter and straight into moody teenagers room. He is out. I get her down the stairs to find she is eating something - she is chewing and chewing and chewing and chewing. I prise open her jaws - it looks like Blu Tack but smells of peppermint. Yes it is chewing gum! Its another first on the list of things she has eaten and I'm fairly sure it was wrapper and all!

Back to the anniversary. It some ways it seems to have flown by, and it other ways it feel like she has been a part of our lives forever. I can't remember what life was like without her. She is always pleased to see you, she is always in a good mood. She loves every meal that is put in front of her. She loves any meal that is NOT put in front of her! You never quite know what is going to happen next. I wouldn't be without her for the world, and I don't regret for one second getting her.

Here's to the second anniversary!

Just in case you were worried!

Labradors are well known for eating a wide variety of objects, and sometimes they cause problems when they get stuck. I was beginning to get worried about the absence of the sock that she ate on Sunday. I have been watching closely for signs of ill health - but there were none, and I am very pleased to report that it finally appeared today. I looked carefully to check I wasn't mistaken and was very surprised to find out it was a pair of ladies pants instead of a sock! Just waiting for the earphone bud to pop out now!

There's been a lot going on in my life............

I had thought I had given up this blog but Bella still gets up to so many antics that I have decided to resurrect it after yesterdays antics.

I was visiting a friend in Marlow and we went for a dog walk along the Thames tow path. It was very exciting for Bella who is not used to so many new things... lots of people, picnics, ducks, swans, cyclists,water..... the list goes on. Ah yes water! Labradors love water so it as no surpise when she jumped in, did a little dogggy paddle and jumped out shortly afterwards. It was so much fun she did it again.....and then once more. The only problem the third time was she jumped in just near a group of children canoeing. She hadn't seen this before and so she was off after them - a big yellow submarine! The Thames is quite wide you know but that didn't deter her! She was oblivious to our calls but just when I was thinking I was going to have to jump in after her, back she came. She must have swum the equivalent of a width of the Thames and best of all no one capsized! Of course as soon as she got out she shook the water all over me!

Her eating habits remain diverse and varied. Letters, cardboard, balloons (inflated) and last night her piece de resistance a whole sock. I am now on sock watch as I am rather worried that its not going to come out the other end. Its been 24 hours now but she seems to be fine. The good news is that it should be early easy to spot! The headphone earpiece may be slightly harder to detect!