O Ye Of Little Faith

Matthew 8:26: And He said unto them, “Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 

Hi Everyone

Don't worry I have not turned to the bible in my old age, although given that we were in the middle of two storms, Austen and Boelo, on my birthday I had the chance to be God (instead of being a god - dog backwards!) and neither have I turned into Jules Winnfield from Pulp Fiction

'And I will execute great vengeance upon them with furious rebukes; and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall lay my vengeance upon them'

I've made it to FOURTEEN years of age and a lot of you dared to doubt that I'd make it - especially dad. It's been tough at times, especially during those baking hot days in the summer. 

Did you know that he and mum even booked a 19 day holiday to Sicily back in March assuming that I wouldn't be around when they went at the end of September! Luckily Max, Steph and Enzo agreed to look after me lol.

Anyway I'm sure that you want to hear about my birthday?

Before that I need to tell you what the Nature/Defra Labour Minister Jenny Riddell-Carpenter said about Black Labs and their owners at their party conference. Basically warm beer with a Labrador by your feet in a rural pub painted a far-right nostalgic vision of Britain. It caused a massive stir even to the extent that on one Sunday The Trowel and Hammer in Cotton (which is not that far away) offered every black lab owner a free pint, unfortunately we didn't get to go!  

While the cats away... here we we are on one of our walks

Mr Enz was still wearing his hood because he wouldn't leave his paw alone which was a f**kin nuisance when he kept on bumping into me

Back home and having a kip in the shed

Enz came to play and stay on my birthday which was a Saturday. BTW I didn't get any presents!

We went down to Shingle Street for a swim and a walk, luckily we were in between the two previously mentioned storms 

I was straight in - I've still got it you know

I even went in the sea

Back home and mum had baked me a Lemon Drizzle cake

We had to take it indoors as the wind kept on blowing the candles out

Ready to try it - I can tell you that it was lovely - thanks mum xx

The end of a perfect birthday laying in front of the log burner, although we all missed Luther today

Well that's your lot for now, my plan is to make it to Christmas if I can and in the meantime I might get another road trip - watch this space. I'll leave you with this:-

Job 33:4: 'The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the almighty gives me life.'

Lots of love from Rudie THE Dog xx

 

The Long Hot Summer Of 2026

 Hi everyone

The sunshine and hot temperatures have been continuing and it's been really hard work for me wrapped up in my black and grey coat! I've only been walking or swimming early in the mornings as I've been struggling in the heat.

Blimey dad's making Christmas trees from the pallets that the patio came on

Hydration however it comes is very welcome

Oops I dug it again! I just can't help myself lol

Early morning swim at the viewpoint

I've been out a lot on my own lately because...

Chief Sawpaw had to go back to the vets because his grass seed treatment got infected

Poor boy had to be knocked out and they cut a big slit in his paw to clear it up which then had to be sewn up. He's had to wear a hood for two weeks and is not allowed out either! 

Trademark Rudie pose

Chicken and chips for breakfast

Back in the can

As is Enzo who came round for some respite. He did well to get in there with his big hood on 

We had a couple of nights in Brightlingsea

Ferry cross to Mersey - no not the one that Gerry and the Pacemakers sang about, although I have been on that one

It was so hot on Mersey Island, I nearly needed a pacemaker to slow my heart rate down!

We had a couple of hours wandering around and I had a couple of swims to cool me down

Before we got the ferry back

Chilling on the deck

We had visitors, poor old Enz was stir crazy, he's not been allowed out for walks so Max & Steph brought him over to see the Solar Eclipse

A total eclipse of the tart lol

We got ice cream at Mistley on the way home

Here we go again - a trip up to Happisburgh (we're in Norfolk so it's pronounced Hayz-buh-ruh)

It's famous for its lighthouse

Dog beer - tastes more like dog's piss!

Beach picnic, yummy

Pork pie incoming - helluva catch

Am I a happy happy boy or a happy hazy buh?

What f**k is Captain Pugwash doing there? And where are Seaman Stains, Master Bates and Roger The Cabin Boy?

Now there's a happy boy

About to get an ice cream

Lovely ol' job

Happisburgh is also famous for its coastal erosion

It's gradually disappearing into the sea

How did that get there?!

Dads favourite beach art, the football season starts on Saturday and Ipswich are in the Premier League

On the way home we stopped at Wroxham and had a boat trip on the Norfolk Broads

And then went shopping at 'Roy's Of Wroxham' lol!

Talking of Captain Pugwash. While we were away Enz got some Paw Protectors so that he can go out for walks - they look more like waders though lol

Cor another road trip, this time in the car

We went up to Denshaw which is in Greater Manchester for a few days over the bank holiday weekend

Up the Junction, the pub just down the road from our house - I didn't really have a pint

We had company Mr Enz, Steph, Max and Sam came to stay for the weekend. Waitrose treats for us

Dad, Steph and Max did the Watergrove Parkrun on Saturday morning

It was Max's first Parkrun for about 8 years and also his birthday. What a treat for him, turns out it is the fourth most difficult Parkrun in the UK lol

Max Steph and Sam then went to Manchester to celebrate his birthday, dad went to a football game in Oldham, which left me, mum an' Enz at home for the afternoon. We went to Printers the other pub in the village on Saturday night when dad got back

The kids had a late night so mum and dad took us for a walk on Sunday morning

Then everyone except Steph went back to Manchester for dinner, drinks and football - Man Utd were playing Ipswich which was the main reason for our trip 'Up North'. We had a nice relaxing afternoon

Max, Steph and Enzo went home on Monday. Me mum and dad went for a walk along the Huddersfield Narrow Canal from Uppermill

Who needs 'Dog Ice Cream? I've never had it before, I bet it's pretty bland?

The tow path ends in Diggle at the mouth of the Standedge Tunnel. At three and a quarter miles long it's the longest, deepest and highest canal in the country and takes about three hours to go through

Like I said 'Who needs Dog Ice Cream?' I got some Grandpa Greenes's ice cream at the Waters Edge Cafe lol

I didn't get a swim but I did get a bit muddy

On Tuesday we had a walk around the Strinesdale Reservoir 

Reservoir Dog - I managed to get a swim

Before we headed home on Wednesday we had a walk from Marsden to the other end of The Standedge Tunnel

'Get down Shep'. Afterwards we backtracked along the canal to Lock gate 37E. It was featured on the children's programme Blue Peter when they renewed it

Ending our trip with an obligatory selfie  

One last trip in Ramavan before the weather changes

We went to Dunwich on mum's birthday for three nights at Cliff House

Dunwich Heath was still closed off after the recent fires, we weren't even allowed on the beach towards Sizewell

Luckily I could still go for a swim

We walked along the beach to the village

And went to the Ship for mum's birthday tea 

And walked back along the beach in the dark - it was only 8pm

Dining alfresco - Tuesday was a bit of a wash out, it rained all day until about 6pm so it was a bit boring

The road is shut from outside the campsite until February and they have 24 hour security outside, is there something sinister on the burnt out heath? Let's start a conspiracy theory!

The rain had all gone by Wednesday so we were able to get out again

Cor another ice cream

Uncle Stephen brought me a new floating lighthouse beach toy, someone said that it looked like a dildo! What's one of them?

I can confirm that it did float

Looks like a bit of an old church or stone wall on the beach

We went home via Aldeburgh on Thursday

I had a few leftover chips

A quick update on the Chief - he found a way to bend his hood back and lick his injured paw! He's now on antibiotics and has got a new reinforced hood, hopefully he'll soon be better poor ol' boy

So that's the summer officially over for me, no more trips planned that I know of and only the short days and long nights to look forward to - actually I can't wait for the log-burner to be lit.

I've been a very lucky boy to have gone on so many adventures throughout the summer.

It's my 14th birthday in six weeks time so hopefully I'll still be around to celebrate it with you!

Until then be good.

Lots of love from

Rudie THE Dog xx