Manky old balls & climbing more hills

For those of you who follow our Blips regularly; you will know that our latest project is to 'climb Mount Everest'. Not literally!  My human is getting really fed up with this project now. It's actually really hard work planning my walks to go up at least one hill a day. Sometimes Ann just wants to have a nice little walk without exerting much effort! Anyway, we've been working really hard at our project and should reach the summit by the end of November which is way beyond target. Yay!!!

This afternoon we walked up Blackford Hill, yet again. And just look what I found....................... Another manky old tennis ball. Yay! It always amazes Ann how clever I am at finding manky old tennis balls. And also....................... do owners not teach their doggies to look after their toys?????

When I was a weeny, teeny, little puppy I actually lost quite a few balls, especially if I was playing at the beach. I used to go into the sea for a cool down and when I opened my mouth the ball just floated off into the distance and I didn't bother to retrieve it. I can remember quite a few times when Ann got really angry with me because I hadn't looked after my toys properly. But do you know what? I'm a collie and I'm pretty intelligent. It didn't take me long to realise that if I lost one of my balls that was 'game over' for the day. Ann only brought out one ball and if I lost it my fun ended immediately. Ann thinks a lot of owners come out with two or three balls and if the doggie drops it somewhere they just leave it and give them another one to play with.

Anyway their loss is my gain. I've got almost 40 manky old tennis balls that I've found. And that's not even counting the ones that I keep in the car and the ones that I've found in Cornwall and are in our St Ives home.

And guess what?....................... Ann has said I can keep them all. Yay!! Though I still think she might dispose of a few when she thinks I'm not looking. She's found me a big empty shoe box and has written on the side, 'manky old balls'. I've got 18 manky old balls in my shoe box. Sometime soon Ann is going to wash all my bedding and she says she'll wash my manky old balls at the same time.

Mmmmmm.................... the only problem is................. once all my 'manky old balls' have been washed, they will be clean and there isn't any room for them in my 'clean' toy basket.

…................I think Ann might have to find me another big shoe box!!!!