The Darkness is Coming

As Autumn continues to forge ahead, turning the once green and leafy landscape into a palette of ambers and golds, we begin to notice that the evenings are becoming darker, earlier. Although not much of an issue for us, it's definitely going to be an issue for the puppies when we take them out for a walk and we cannot see them, especially since both of them are black! So......we've bought them 'high vis' flashing collars.....

Move over Naomi Campbell, there's a new black Supermodel on the block!

I'm almost looking forward to watching two little red flashes darting about the park in the dark of night. It's certainly going to make the next few months of evening dog walking very interesting....if at all possible, there will be video!

Max is a Lumberjack and he's ok...!

Not only did M&M get new winter walk collars, Max also got a new 'every day' collar. He's never actually had one although he does have his 'best' collar which has his camouflage bandana on it that Aunty Kay bought him and only comes out on special occasions, when he needs to look particularly smart. 

Sod the collar Dad, is that food over there???

We're also very pleased with Millie's progress to date, not only with settling in, calming down and being (almost) normal, but she's also getting her coat back and the small patches of mange she had on her ears have completely gone...she is, in a word, gorgeous!

Millie - A Beauty

It's hard to believe that in a few weeks time they will both be ONE....yes, it's birthdays all round for the McEllis Puppies in November. As they're both rescues and we know nothing of their lives before us, the date is approximate but it will be the same for both of them, yet to be decided....

My teeth are bigger than your teeth, so NER!

Help the Ickle Homeless Puppies (Oh, and the Kittens I s'pose!)

I don't need to remind any of you that Maximillian Sydney Bruiser and Millicent Hermione Oprah were once homeless and in need of a loving, safe and stable home. Alas, the poor little buggers got us!

Can you believe no one wanted this cute ickle puppy?!?!?!

Well, our lovely (and rather gorgeous) friend Deborah Hermione (no relation to Millicent Hermione) is taking part in The Royal Parks Half Marathon 2010 raising funds for The Blue Cross (Boys, this also means she is fit innit!!!). Now I know M&M didn't come to us through The Blue Cross, however it is a very worthy pet charity.

Once a stray....Now a much loved member of the Family

Debs works in The Blue Cross communications team, where they get a constant flow of stories coming in to the office from their centres.  Last week they had a scared and hungry little terrier who was found giving birth under a car - she and her 6 puppies are now doing well at their Kimpton centre (No, we are not having anymore puppies!!!). The money will also go to help Evil Bird Murderers and Chicken Stalkers.....er, I mean cats and kittens!

The Hubby and Deborah Hermione

Any amount you choose to give will really help towards the following everyday Blue Cross costs:

• £25 will pay for the vaccinations kittens need to protect them from life-threatening diseases
• £100 will care for a cat at one of our adoption centres for a month
• £150 will buy a folding cage for use in animal ambulance
• £250 will cover basic veterinary health treatments for each horse that comes into one of our equine centres
• £447 will care for a dog during it’s stay in one of our adoption centres.

If you can, and believe me, I know times is 'ard, please support Debs and The Blue Cross by making a pledge through the secure online donation by clicking on the link below:

http://my.artezglobal.com/personalPage.aspx?SID=310025

M&M recreate Giant Haystacks and Big Daddy!

On behalf of Debs....Thank You

1,000

WOW people!!!!!


We've just reached 1,000 views on the blog, yes that's 1,000!!!!

Max says "Thank You"

I know we're not quite in the same league as those pesky chickens, but with your ongoing interest in the 'dog blog', we're getting there.

Millie says "Thank You"

Thanks Everyone!

River Deep, Mountain High

Max & Millie had their first holiday together from 11th to 18th September in Snowdonia National Park, North Wales and they LOVED it, they had an absolutely wonderful time!

The Puppies travel to North Wales

We hired a lovely big house in Beddgelert Village, deep in the National Park, surrounded by mountains, lakes, rivers and woodland - idyllic for us and a giant playground for the dogs....We were going to be joined by 'Nana Joyce' and Aunty Joanie, but unfortunately my lovely Mother-in-Law was taken ill just days before we were due to go and Joanie stayed to look after Penny, Joyce's dog, so in the end it was just us with Max & Millie. 

Here's hoping for a speedy recovery back to the cheeky Minx we all know and love!

The Mother in Law

Get Well Soon Gorgeous Lady!

When we arrived, the weather in Wales was lovely, sunny and warm and big fluffy clouds in the sky. We got there on the Saturday afternoon and on the Sunday it was absolutely scorchio, really hot and sunny and what Summer SHOULD feel like.  

Gorgeous & Gorgeous-er!

So, as it was warm and sunny, we thought we'd take the dogs to the beach. Of course, you all know Max has been to Cornwall but as far as we are aware Millie has never been to the seaside.....we took them to Borth-y-Gest near Porthmadog which has lovely sandy beaches and they both had a marvellous time playing in the sea and running around on the sand.

'The Kids' cool off

While on holiday, we saw a bit of a change in Millie, becoming more settled with us and towards us, feeling more comfortable in our company. It was good to see and more importantly to watch.....as you can see, when they want to play they really do go for it.....!

Yes, that IS Max in Millie's jaws!!!! 

They had so much fun, they were completely and utterly knackered every single night, which was a blessing considering what they're usually like at home. They must have walked miles on their little legs, but they were game for it, so we milked it for as much as we could get!

My Perfect Family at Aberglaslyn Bridge

There were a couple of things that we both REALLY wanted to do with the dogs while we were in North Wales. One was to take them up '3 Lake Walk' to the foot of Snowdon's summit and the other was to take them to Blackrock Sands, not far from Borth-y-Gest. 

Blackrock Sands

Blackrock Sands is a HUGE golden sandy beach where you can see Harlech Castle on the distant horizon and the mountains of Snowdonia behind you.

How big is that stick Max is dragging?!?!?!

Well, the beach trip was accomplished without too much fanfare and the dogs really enjoyed it - Millie was even let off the lead and she didn't run away!!!!

Millie off the lead

Three Lake Walk was not so straight forward to achieve. We tried it on the Wednesday of our holiday and the weather was a bit wet to say the least. It always seemed ok until we opened the car doors and then the rain descended in curtains. I do believe we experienced the Welsh Mountain Monsoon!!! There are no photographs of this attempt as the weather was too wet to get the camera out, never mind take pictures of us all looking like drowned rats - even Max stopped walking and started crying!

3 Lake Walk - Attempt No. 2 and Millie has had enough!

We tried again on the Friday and I am pleased to report that we did it.....yes, as you can see above we got wet again, however it wasn't until we were halfway back that the heavens opened and we experienced another deluge. The walk is about 3 miles each way and when the weather is pleasant it's a lovely walk, I recommend it to everyone.

We Did It ! ! ! !

So, apart from the obvious disappointment of not having Nana Joyce and Aunty Joanie with us, we had a lovely time in the mountains of Snowdonia.

Me and my Boy on the way to Snowdon - May we return again very soon!

Is THAT a Chihuahua???

As a regular visitor to the Marvellous Adventure of Max & Millie you will already be more than aware that we take the dogs for walks through Camberwell New Cemetery which is across the road from us and next to the allotment. On these walks it's pretty much the norm that we don't really bump into anyone and have the entire place to ourselves which is bliss. However......one evening last week we were walking through the Cemetery and there were a group of young people (how OLD do I sound?!?!) sitting down on the grass, probably planning their next robbery no doubt, and one of them asked us, "Is that a Chihuahua?" pointing (condescendingly) at Maximillian Sydney Bruiser McEllis!!!

Does I look like a Chihuahua to you?!

Well, you can imagine my horror as I responded with, "Does HE look like a Chihuahua to you? He's a miniature Rottweiller thank you very much!" and I then promptly flounced off....Max is not an 'It' or a 'That', he's a cute little dawg and it's more than obvious that he is in fact a Boy!!! I'm pretty sure I also heard a doggy-style snigger from Millie after this unwanted question of Max's lineage but perhaps that was my overly fertile imagination....

Me and my "Chihuahua"...

This week also saw another milestone for Millie - she now uses the dog flap automatically, with no help or guidance from us....*Go Millie, Go Millie*......

Millie gets in a flap

The Girls (Poultry Stars of http://hensinthecity.blogspot.com) have been VERY lucky this week...in fact they escaped with their lives, literally! On Thursday evening my Husband called me at work and asked me, "What would be your worst nightmare?"....I was thinking along the lines of another perm would be quite bad or indeed wearing banana yellow corduroy trousers with red patent leather shoes in public again would be a rather hideous crime against fashion, but no, not THAT sort of nightmare (by the way, both examples given are fact not fiction, from the memory archives of Mr John McKenna!!!).

 Millie, Max and The Girls

When Dad 1 got home, there were no dogs in the house, so he checked their outside area and again, no dogs, BUT, the barrier to the garden had been opened and they had got in with the Hens!!! Dad 1 feared the absolute worst and ran to the garden and found 3 hens and Max all alive and well but no Millie or Tallulah. After a search of the garden, the missing culprits were found in the shed....they were both alive and unharmed (Tallulah can be quite formidable when the mood takes her!). So, Millie is fine with the Hens and there's nothing for us to worry about.......HOW lucky were we??? It could have been sooooooo bad!

 Miss Millicent Hermione Oprah McEllis

This only reinforces what we as their 'Dads' already know....that we have the best little dogs in the world, little diamonds who are a joy and a pleasure (except when they're really bloody annoying!!).

Max & Millie ROCK!

Keeping It SEASONal...

A couple of weeks in and Millie is doing well, very well....in fact so well that she went into season within a week of coming to live with us. When my Hubby told me I immediately thought it would be like a scene from a horror movie but it's been really easy, apart from whenever she sees a boy dog while out walking and then she goes nuts....she is, unfortunately, gagging for some boy action (resists the urge to type something unnecessarily naughty - this is, after all, a family blog!)

It's hard work being a bitch!

Max, having no nuts whatsoever is not bothered by this turn of events and continues to carry on in his own nutty way.....ok, no more talk of nuts! They have both settled down well together and I think until her season is over Millie is happy to let Max pull her about and basically trample all over her. Once she's out of it I think Maximillian is going to get a Millie-shaped shock!!!

A rare moment of calm in the McEllis household!!!!!!!!!!!

It hasn't all been plain-sailing...in fact some days I've been more than ready to call Aunty Kay and insist that she take these miniature monsters away immediately!!!! We came home a few days ago and found, upon investigation, what used to be one of their beds, shredded within an inch of it's life on the dining room floor.....the look on Max's face says it all......

She made me do it Daddy, honest she did....

Millie has also followed in Max's footsteps and decided that flip flops make a darn good dog chew and so, without a second thought, a pair of Dad No. 1's have been 'remodelled'. Thankfully, the furniture and chickens appear to remain unscathed by this wave of destruction, although it has to be said that I am holding my breath on that one.....watch this space methinks. 

Apocalypse Now!

Before Millie (seems like an Eon ago!) I used to take Max for a walk in the morning around the block before work, followed by a run about over the park when we got home. Now that we also have Millie things have changed a little and they get a big walk in the evenings which incorporates the Park, Cemetery and surrounding woodland, which they both really enjoy.

Reason enough to take the dogs for a walk....what a view!

This morning (August Bank Holiday Monday) we took the pups for a walk to Peckham Rye to see the Sunflower Border they've planted there, plus it gave Max & Millie some really good exercise. It's so lovely down there, it was a little fraught for me with Millie being in season and us trying to avoid every boy dog we could see - it was dripping with dogs down there!!! I'm not looking forward to taking both dogs on walks on my own while Dad No. 1 is in Italy later this month......Volunteer Dog Walkers, please contact me *urgently* via the usual means!!!

Millie & Me 

All this exercise walking the dogs is knackering let me tell you, I feel like I've run a marathon over the last couple of weeks, however, if you take on a dog/dogs, you have to walk it/them, innit.....and so we do and it's lovely, even in adverse weather conditions I enjoy it, especially as you can do some damn good bird watching over Camberwell Cemetery while you're in there...tons of Ringneck Parakeets and Green Woodpeckers by the bucketload and little unidentifiable Warbler thingys (Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers continue to elude me).....and all right next door to the allotment!

Run, Forrest, Run......

I think, to close this chapter, what I'm trying to say is....I love my life, I LOVE it!!! In almost 8 years I've gone from single, to boyfriend, to engaged, to married and with 2 dogs, 4 chickens and 14 goldfish, an allotment, a lovely home, a great job, marvellous friends, a potty (but lovely) Mum and a truly, TRULY wonderful Husband who puts up with my trials and tribulations on a daily basis (who knew blogging could be so cathartic!!!!)

.......I might even say I like London one day, but let's take it one step at a time eh!!!

La vita è bella

Crazy in Love

Bloody hell people!!! 

Who's idea was it to take on not one rescue dog, but two...and one of them has some real issues?!?!?!?!?

I. Am. Exhausted.

Millicent Hermione Oprah's arrival has turned the tables in our home. Max hasn't really changed, he's just trying more and more to assert his 'authority' on Millie.......and failing. Millie just ignores him while he constantly tries to either 1. gnaw her legs off, or 2. push his bum in her face! Millie's arrival has also given us a crystal clarity insight into Max's state of mind.....he is CRAZY! Absolutely, completely and utterly bonkers! But without him I would not be, he's a little diamond and I love him dearly.

The shorter I am, the higher I will become

It's incredible to think that Millie, the little black dog we now have, is the same little dog that came to our house almost a week ago. With each day she becomes stronger and more of a dog rather than a quivering wreck who hides from everyone and everything. I know that Millie's journey is going to be a long one but the start of her new life with us has been gentle, comforting, and most importantly for her, safe.

Millie and her sad brown eyes

There have been a number of times this week when I have had to stop myself after thinking about the life she must have had before us. 24 hours of every day spent being absolutely petrified, hungry and in hiding can't have been easy on her and her state of mind and for that I will (and must) forgive her anything that she may do (apart from trying to kill Nigella!!!) until she reaches the point where she is 100% comfortable and happy with us. She and Max are a life commitment and I/we will do whatever it takes to give them the best possible life.

Millie and Max play in the garden

Yes, as briefly mentioned above, Dad No.1 introduced Millie to the Girls yesterday and she decided to try and take a chunk out of Nigella. At this point I have to congratulate Nigella on not only her flying skills but also her gymnastic ability. Having a dog chase you while 'The Dads' are screaming at the dog, Max thinks it's a game and wants to join in and at the same time trying to avoid both dogs and get to safety cannot have been easy!!! I am pleased to report that Nigella is absolutely fine.

**Disclaimer** No chickens were harmed during the making of this blog.

A safe and very much ALIVE Nigella!

Back to nutcase Maximillian Sydney Bruiser.......he's found a new game.....

He plays with his favourite tennis ball, getting one of his Dads to chuck it here, there and everywhere while he runs around like a headless chicken (sorry Nigella, no pun intended!). Anyway, he then decides after a while that it will be fun to drop the ball in the pond. Why is anyone's guess.....Max (and it is becoming clearer with each passing day) is just plain mad and so who are we to question when and why he decided that this would be a good game, as long as he is happy so are we......almost! 

A damp Maximillian

Max decided that he couldn't wait for Dad 1 or 2 to get the ball out of the pond for him, so......yes, you guessed it, he tried to get it out himself. He did not succeed. Max fell in the pond, not fully submerged but enough to give him a bit of a shock. I can assure you that "Eau de goldfish" is not a good smell on an already stinky little mutt!

Max giving his own personal input to the blog....

Earlier I mentioned Millie's positive growth and the one thing she's really happy about and really enjoys is "walkies". Upon arrival she wasn't great on the lead with a collar, however we bought her a nice new harness and whenever we get it out of the drawer she gets very excited, her little bum wiggles like mad and off we go. Having walked her I now know what it feels like for a sled to be pulled by huskies...she's a stout, strong lass is our Millie!

"Innocent Babes"......

For all the stress, lack of sleep, worry and concern, the dogs are doing well, in fact much better than I thought after only a week. Max is Max (and I hope he always will be!) and Millie has a very long way to go but the positive thing is that she has already begun her new life and what a positive, happy, safe, loving and fun life it will be for them both!