iMax

Summer has arrived at last and Max, the Girls and Us are thoroughly enjoying it, long may it last (well, until September at least please!!!). The heat has assisted the bananas, gingers and other tenders to shoot up and the garden is now looking really full and lovely and there are plenty of places for Max and the Girls to shade themselves from the heat of the sun.

Hot Dog

The heat also gives us the opportunity to bathe Max and then chuck him straight outside and he can do his 'Mad Max' impression and dry off at the same time. He hates having a bath, but he loves the conclusion when he can shake and dart around the garden while he dries off....the video below shows you exactly what I mean!!!!

"Mad Max"

As mentioned, the garden is filling out nicely and we will soon have a bumper crop of lilies and Agapanthus to enjoy the latter part of the Summer with. Alas, I lost my Dahlia collection over the winter and now only have one plant, although the Hubby has purchased a couple more, but to lose the entire collection except one plant was just a little annoying and just a little depressing! A trip to the National Dahlia Collection in Cornwall (next door to our fab God Children!) is called for methinks...roll on August *GRIN*

Not my collection, but as good as!!!

As ever, Max continues to "assist" us at the allotment and finds himself in the strangest of places and situations, not to mention trampling all over Annie's Leek seedlings on the plot next to ours, the little bugger!!!

Max......helping at the allotment!!

Finally, Dad No. 2 has treated the home to a lovely, gorgeous iMac computer *sigh* and has taken huge delight in preparing this current chapter on said machine, oh the JOY!! Hence, tacky as it is, I couldn't resist the name of iMax in honour, not only of our new toy, but also the main man in our house, the one, the only.....Maximillian Sydney Bruiser McEllis!

iMac/iMax

To All The Gay Boys & Girls

Have a FABULOUS Pride Everyone!

Growing Up...(and now with added video!)

It's hard to believe that Maximillian Sydney Bruiser McEllis is already 8 months old! Yes, Ladies and Gentlebents, Max is growing up fast and what a handsome little man he is....just like Dad No. 1!

Max, the day he arrived - all floppy eared and full of cheek (still is!!!)

When he first arrived he could fit in the nook of your elbow and weighed less than 2 kilograms and back then he could fit inside his bed perfectly - he's now a little big for it and has his own personal sofa! Of course, being Max he is still rather small (a Guinea Pig could take him out!) but Max's personality more than makes up for his lack of stature, he's full of fun and cheekiness.

If you come to my house Uncle Mark, I will sit on you!

Max is always happiest when he's being given attention (aren't we all?!) and just loves it when we have company and he can be adored. Unlike his Dads (this may come as a shock to some of you!), Max is a Ladies Man, especially Aunty Kay who he is completely and utterly in puppy love with....and rightly so, it was of course Kay who rescued Max and brought him to us so she should of course have pride of place in Max's heart.

Yes, he rolled in poo again!!!!!!

Max's circle of friends at the Park continues to grow and we now have to deal with him speeding off to his new best friends and completely and utterly ignoring us. He has no fear whatsoever and it does worry me that one day we will find his little body inside the jaws of a much bigger, unfriendly beast of a dog, especially as there are so many 'bull breeds' in Sarf London (innit!). However, we can't expect him to not have a run around the Park so it's a case of keeping our beady eyes open.

Er, Dad....can I have a word about this blog please?!

When he's at the Park he plays with just about any dog, but he has an 'eye' for big dogs, he's completely obsessed with them. Little dogs he will play with, big dogs he just can't leave alone...he rally does think he's a German Shepherd! He also loves it up the allotment, it's probably one of his favourite places as he can just run off and do his own thing while we potter around, following fox scents and having a dig....he's in dog heaven up there!

The allotment....and Max

As you may have noticed, it's been blooming hot recently and Max has on occasion found it just a little too warm and takes particular pleasure from going in the garden of an evening and letting Dad No. 1 'get him' with the hose. It's very funny, Max 'pretends' that he's trying to escape the water but in fact comes running back for more!

Style to the Max!

And so, I will leave you with the view from my pillow very early this morning....the little bugger!!!!!!

Max, at 6.45am on a Saturday morning!!!!!!

Ciao Bambinos!

It's been a couple of weeks since the last entry and things at "McEllis Manor" are pretty much back to normal since our trip to Italy. Maximilllian was ably looked after by Grandma Celia (sadly no pictures were taken!!!) and it would appear that he was spoilt rotten, as we suspected he would be. Huge thanks to Grandma Celia for stepping in and looking after our menagerie while we were away.

Daddy, is the footie on now?

Two days before we left for Italy Max had his boy bits removed and, mercifully (for Dad No. 2 who was worrying!), it was a quick, easy and a pretty painless procedure. Our huge thanks go to Aunty Kay, who picked Max up, took him to the vet in Catford (even Max has to slum it sometimes!) and then brought him home to his waiting Dads.

Daddy, I think I'm picking up Radio Moscow...

If you remember back a few entries, Max received a bath but alas Dad No. 2 was not around to record the event.....well, we now have pictures. When out walking, Max likes to find something smelly and rotting and then roll his little body all over it....like his Dad (No. 1), he's dirrrrrrty! 

When I get out of here, I swear you two are getting it!

So now Max is getting regular baths and he HATES it, he's not a happy little puppy at all, but serves him right for being a stinker and rolling around in unquestionable messes and such!

And for my next impression Daddy, I will be a drowned rat!

Max and Les Girls training goes from strength to strength and he's doing really, really well. He still has moments (yesterday immediately springs to mind!) when the 'red mist' descends and he gets so uber excited and just wants to play, play, play with them. However, he gets strict training (when he takes notice of us) and he's doing brilliantly. 

Harriet and Max 'ignoring' each other

Nigella really has taken a huge dislike to him and goes out of her way to seek Max out and goes up to him, spreads her wings out and lunges at him. This is good for Max as it reinforces the fact that the Girls are not to be messed with, they WILL bite back!!! 

Tallulah taunts Maximillian

Harriet also lets Max know that he's not the Boss of her by just ignoring him and practically walking right up to him but not acknowledging him. They own the garden, not Max - as it should be!

Max and the Girls

And with predictability we reach the World Cup....

Dad No. 1 has suddenly become an Oracle of all things footballian (is that a word?!) and so, with this new found 'talent' (I use the word loosely!), he now feels the need to watch the England games and give his critique on each match (yes, it IS as boring as it sounds!). To add insult to injury, Dad No.1 thought it would be nice to buy Max a new toy, but not just any dog toy, oh no, an ENGLAND football dog toy!!!!!!

Max playing with his new toy "Wayne Rooney"....I kid you not!!!

So, not only do we have a very small dog, we now have a very small 'chav' dog and I await the England Team dog coat.....thanks go to Dad No.1 for orchestrating this miraculous transformation!!!

Anyway.....

COME ON ENGLAND!

Contains Nuts (but not for long!)

Now that we are having better weather it has given us the opportunity to spend more time in the garden and up the allotment, although I always seem to find a reasonably good excuse not to go so any hard work on the plot is predominantly that of my Husband, not me, if the truth be told!

Max is always watching.....

Max is, as is a puppy's lot in life, full to the brim with seemingly endless amounts of energy and it doesn't matter the time of day or night, if you show him his tennis ball he WILL play and will long outlast you!

Play. With. Me. NOW. Daddy!

It's crazy the amount of money we have spent on toys/chews/bones, etc, etc but all he can think of is his tennis ball!!!! As well as the allotment, we're now spending much more time in the garden, pottering around and generally beautifying the borders.....and Max likes to "help"....!

Max "helping" to lay turf!

During the winter months the Girls get the run of the entire garden and generally decimate every plant they come into contact with, including the lawn. So, we decided to re-turf the back garden for the summer before the Girls are let out to free range again and Max thought it his right to get stuck in and 'help'. I think even he was happy to have some lawn under his paws as opposed to the 'mud' that was there for the past few months!

Daddy, this Paeony is simply divine!

As I type, Max and Dad No. 1 are busy in the back garden in the marvellous sunshine playing with his tennis ball while the Girls are all sun bathing in their run (apart from Tallulah who wants to be broody!!!). I think I say it every year, but this year I think the garden is going to look super when everything is in bloom!

Max needed to cool down!!!

A week tomorrow Max's Dads are off on holiday to Italy with Aunty Bella and Uncle Muffin for a week of sun and relaxation, so Max will be looked after by Granny Celia (Dad No. 2's Mum) who arrives on Thursday......the very same Thursday that sees Max taken to the vet by Aunty Kay so that his boy bits can be snipped off!

Does my nose look big in this?

Aunty Kay is the lady who brought Max into our lives (Thank you!!!) and used to work for Dad No. 1 at the Zoo. Kay now works for Lewisham Animal Welfare (I think I got that right) and visits Max on a regular basis to see how he's getting on. Only last night Kay and her man, Jim were here for dinner and Max is always very, VERY happy to see her, so much so that he turned into a wee fountain and soaked Kay's leg!!! (the embarrassment!!!)

Camouflage bandana courtesy of Aunty Kay!!!

Max now has a proper little group of friends up the park - Freddy, Buddy, Sol and Stella and they enjoy a good run about and a play when they see each other. Max is the youngest of the group but by the way he carries on you'd think he was the Boss of them....we're going to try "Terrier Racing" in the summer.....Max is like a flash of lightning so we have high hopes for victory...fingers crossed!

Dog and owner at one with each other...or....a rare moment of stillness for Max!!!

I'll try to cram in an update next weekend when Granny Celia is here.....

2010 Election Special

VOTE Max!

The ONLY candidate with the MAX Factor!

Max Meets Nana (and other adventures....)

What a busy time it has been in Puppington World!!!!

Max sticks his tongue out at Dad!

Max has been very busy; not only having adventures, but also “helping” Dad No. 1 in the garden (if you can call trampling over the trays of seedlings helping!!!) and making sure that when in the garden he’s on guard and the hens are being looked after (he lays in the sun and sleeps but he’s definitely guarding them in his mind!).

Max likes to think this is Chicken Guarding

The first adventure since the last chapter was Bath Time. Unfortunately Dad No. 2 was not around when this momentous occasion took place (probably a good thing!) and so no ‘action shots’ were taken, however Dad No. 1 assures me that all went relatively well…..Max got wet and Dad No. 1 got wetter! Max needed a doggy sausage roll afterwards to help him recover from the experience and Dad No. 1 probably needed a Gin & Tonic I should imagine!!!

Post bath time treat

Our little boy is growing up so quickly! He gets walks to the park/cemetery and the allotment and regularly stops, sniffs and has a little pee. However, he has now started cocking his leg. Personally, when you’re the canine version of a Guinea Pig I don’t really see the point, but he does it and does it well and it’s very cute…Daddy is so proud!!! He’s also losing his puppy teeth, not as quickly as he should do or we would like but they’re eventually coming out. Any ‘puppy fangs’ that are still in when he has “the chop” will be taken out at the same time – heaven help us when that happens!

Max perfects his "Death Stare"

The BIG adventure was Cheshire….oh what fun (and mischief!) Max had over the May Bank Holiday weekend with us and Nana Joyce, but not before we all spent 5 hours in the car trying to get there on Friday night, a horrendous journey I have to say! 

Max likes to travel in comfort

First and foremost, he met Miss Penelope Ellis (Penny), Nana Joyce’s gorgeous Jack Russell for whom I have always had a soft spot. Penny is 12 years old and not as sprightly as she once was instead preferring the sedate, quiet life and therefore, I think it came as a bit of a shock when this cheeky black and tan flash appeared and basically turned her world upside down for 3 days. Penny did, however get her own back by playing with Max’s favourite toy and giving him hell when he tried to get it back!

Penny & Max take a break

Whilst in Cheshire we took Stella (one of The Girls) to Sue Feild, a chicken breeder friend who we got Stella from as a fertile egg - you can read more about this story on Hens In The City. Being around a couple of hundred chickens was just too much for Max and he was uber excited to say the least. While we were all having a cup of tea Max wandered around the lounge and didn't notice the danger from behind the sofa and was set upon by a cat. The poor dog yelped and shot across the room, nearly taking Dad No. 2 and his cup of tea with him!

Sue's Gold Laced Orpington Bantams.....I want, I want, I want!!!

A short walk from Nana Joyce’s house is Tilstone Lock (where Nana Joyce was born) which you get to by a lovely walk down by the canal from Bunbury Lock…..Max LOVED it down there, he’s definitely in his element in the country (isn’t any dog?!).

Max & Penny play by the canal (Is that a smile on Max's face?!)

As well as meeting Nana Joyce, Max met Rhys, Dad No.1’s young nephew who couldn’t get over how small Max was and also Uncle Richard and Aunty Kate (the Buckley-Ellis’s). As usual, Max turned on the ‘puppy charm’ and everyone he met fell in love with him, but it was Max’s turn to be captivated when he met Kai, the Italian Spinone! It has to be said, when Max picks them, he picks them well. 

Max thinks he owns Tilstone Lock!

Kai is a gorgeous, huge, fluffy, rough haired, lolloping beauty of a dog who towers over Max - he couldn’t take his eyes off her and when he saw her down the canal on our walk, he shot off and gave her a marvellous greeting, it was very, very cute. Kai lives 2 doors down from Nana Joyce and back at the house Max tried to let himself in to Kai’s house so that he could see her! (Dad No. 2 is wondering how we can fit an Italian Spinone in our house and could it get in and out of the dog flap!).

Max poses for the camera

Max’s next big adventure will be the first week of June when Grandma Celia comes to look after him and the Girls while his Dads go to Italy on holiday with Aunty Bella and Uncle Muffin (who own Max’s friends - Finley the Scottish Terrier and Archie the West Highland Terrier). Max has already met Grandma Celia and she adores him, so I am pretty sure that Max is going to be spoilt rotten and will no doubt get away with murder – note to Grandma Celia……..Be Strict!!

Look Daddy, I can fly!

As previously mentioned, check out Hens In The City to see how the flock are getting on (Dad No. 2 should really think about charging Dad No. 1 for all this advertising – has Max ever been featured in Hens In The City???? Methinks not!).

A gratuitous Big Cock shot!

I hope you’re all enjoying the blog and please keep checking for updates between now and June…..

I am Max, hear me roar

In other news, Dad No. 2 has just bought a Dyson Vacuum Cleaner and is very excited……how sad is that?!?!?!