ROSIE - DOG

My photo
Nr Chalais, France but often in Greece
Hello, I'm Rosie, a Greek dog rescued after being dumped from a car ! Follow my blog and I'll tell you about my life If you want to hear my story from the very beginning click on visit "About me (Rosie)" below and follow the link

More details of ME (Rosie)

Blog Archive

Sunday 29 December 2013

Another new friend..

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For the last couple of days the beach run-a-about has been more fun than normal as I made a new friend.  Whilst my housekeepers were chatting with her people we shared stories about our travels in Europe.


Like me "Fili" was a Greek stray, and found by these nice people from Slovakia in the rocks near the sea front in Filiatra as a pup a couple of years ago.  Hence her name. Since then she has travelled back and forth with them from Greece to Slovakia.......


We had great fun it running around the beach together exploring the beach huts left by some humans from the summer time.






Wednesday 25 December 2013

Christmas present....

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Yeah I got my present from Santa after all.  Mind you I was not allowed to open it until after we came back from the beach walk this morning, I couldn't wait. As soon as we got back home I was into it!


mmmmm a pair of shoes......
now as I have four feet do you think that's a bit mean?


Ah, sorted, they taste good guess there for eating rather than wearing then.


Hey up, I'm getting watched


Think I'll take this one downstairs and hide it before the Guv gets his hands on it, I can see he's watching through the window!





Tuesday 24 December 2013

No chimney.....

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And so to bed early, so Santa can come.
My stockings are hung ready awaiting the fun
Of Christmas morning and presents galore
and doggie choccy drops all over the floor!

I'm told Santa only visits good boys and girls
But I know he visits Greek doggies with curls.
So I'll leave him some biscuits and some of my meat,
I hope in return he will leave me a treat.

I'll know when he's coming, as Rex is on guard
He's the dog from next door that lives in the yard.
I told him this morning to let Santa park his sleigh
and don't bark too loudly to frighten him away

However I'm very worried about one thing, you see
The house that I live in has no real chimney
But Santa please visit, you do know the score
If there's no chimney to come down
Use the bloody door!









Early morning.....


The Guv, Misses and me were up good and early this morning for our walk on Velika beach.  A few years ago the beach front was lined by tall trees like the one I am looking at above, but now lots have been cut down by the locals looking for wood to burn to keep their homes warm in winter. Heating oil I am told by the Guv is now the same price as fuel for the "poppymobile".

The problem is this has now allowed the sea to wash the sand on to the farming fields and whilst it gives me lots of space to run about on it certainly is not doing the agriculture any good.  Unless you like sea salted potatoes that is!


I got really stumped by this one!

Sunday 22 December 2013

any umbrellas, any umbrellas to mend today...

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Well a bit of a surprise this morning for me as after my beach run-a-bout the Guv and the Misses went to Kalamata city for breakfast. Mind you I got what I normally get when they breakfast out , nothing!

Now I'm not sure if they are expecting rain in Kalamata, but as you can see the side street was full of umbrellas.  The Guv said it was Christmas decoration but I think they have had a visit from "Mary Poppins", or was that "Flanagan & Allen"?

The Umbrella song

Friday 20 December 2013

How many sleeps ?


Wednesday 18 December 2013

Things I want to teach you


Now I accept you humans teach us canines a lot of good things, but there are some things we canines can teach you also.  
I have listed them below for all my friends................


Never pass up an opportunity to go for a joy ride

Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy

When a loved one comes home, always run to greet them

When it's in your best interest, practice obedience

Let others know when they have invaded your territory

Take naps and stretch before rising

Run, romp and play daily

Eat with gusto and enthusiastically

Be loyal

Never pretend your something you're not

If what you want lies buried, dig for it

When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and 
nuzzle them gently.

Thrive on attention and let people hug you

Avoid biting when a simple growl will do

On hot days drink plenty of water and sit under a tree

When you're happy dance around and wag your entire body

No matter how often you are scolded, don't buy the guilt thing and
pout - run right back and make friends

Delight in the simple joy of a long walk..........










Monday 16 December 2013

A long trip

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An extra long trip out yesterday as the Guv took the Misses and me to Kalo Nero, first to the market then onto a ζαχαροπλαστειο (Greek cafe/cake shop) where they had coffee and cakes and I HAD NOTHING!

After that it was onto the beach at Kalo Nero for a good run around, well for me anyway as the Guv and Misses are too old for that!  


I been thinking though, when the Guv had the blue tin box on wheels he never took it on the sand because he said only the front wheels worked and it would sink in the sand and get stuck.....now he has this red tin box he says its OK because all the wheels work.  Now I have four legs that work and I don't sink in the sand, so how come the Guv and Misses who only have two legs don't sink and get stuck ?

Sunday 15 December 2013

Plenty of room to run....

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Another great morning for a beach walk, this time on the sands near Velika (I am so lucky to have so much choice) mind you the Guv would not let me go and visit the canines that live near the beach and all three were calling for me!






Tuesday 10 December 2013

Playing chase


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So today for my blog I thought I would share with you some more photos of my new friends at Analypsi beach. As you can see we had a great time running about and playing chase.


  




Friday 6 December 2013

New friends

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The beach walk the other morning was great fun. Instead of the normal beaches we go to at Risomylos, Velika or Petalidi the Guv went to Analypsi and I got to meet a whole new group of canine friends.

The young pup and I had a grand old time running about and rolling in the sand whilst his dad watched on.  The pups mother did not join in and stayed a distance away, perhaps next time she will come and play as well........






Thursday 5 December 2013

I'm back on line....



Well a whole three weeks without telephones or internet and finally a guy in a blue tin box on wheels comes and sorts it!  Well nearly sorts it as the current internet speed I have is about as fast as the Guv opening his wallet to pay for the Misses hair do's!

Now I was telling my friend Rex all about how the sky produced these flashes and bangs that caused all this problem.  "No need to tell me" he said, "You at least got to go inside and hide away from it all, I got left out in it!"

He's right, I'm lucky really as most of my Greek canine friends get left outside all the time no matter what the weather.  If they are lucky (huh) they get a metal barrel to sleep in!  Despite my country having very strict animal care laws (in fact stricter than even the UK), no one enforces them!

Anyway, as I said "I'm back" so over the next few days I'll tell you about a new group of friends I have made.........


Monday 18 November 2013

I'm gagged!


Well the Greek phone company (OTE) has silenced me!  Still no phones or internet after the big storms hit.......and the Guv says they told him they have no idea of when we will get back on line. bet they have not paid the parts supplier!

What's more in the internet cafe the Guv went to they seemed to think it odd I wanted to write my blog !   

Thursday 14 November 2013

Lightening strike.....

Not too pleased at the moment, no phone, no internet, some power cuts and this morning no water!
The Guv said its all because lightening struck our driveway gate, so no electric gate or portable telephone intercom in the house either!

That means I can't blog cos' the man in this here cafe thinks dogs should not have computers!!!!

Oh yes I forgot, there is water.....coming in the basement !!!!!

Sunday 10 November 2013

Spare a few seconds for us...



From my previous blogs on Remembrance Day you will know  just how helpful us canines could be to you humans on the battlefields, however did you know that  3/4 million dogs and cats were "put to sleep" because of war breaking out. The government said that animals would not be able to cope with the bombing and the gases and NO house pet was allowed into a shelter. Besides the threat of bombs and gases the public were told there would not be enough food for people, never mind animals.
The Guv had the radio on the other day and I heard some humans talking....
There was one lady who said her parents beloved labrador "Jimmy" was under the same threat but they refused point blank to have him put to sleep. They even sneaked him into the shelter and Jimmy lived through the war right through to this caller's 5th birthday. 
The next caller said she would never forget their dog, they did not have him put to sleep but he was not allowed in the shelter. When the first bombing began they had to leave him in the garden .... they never saw the dog again. 
The final calls I heard were from humans who said their dogs had a 6th sense.  Their dogs would run from the street or garden and take cover under a table or the stairs, these families knew planes were nearing, hence bombs were going to be dropped and that she believed if more dogs were allowed to live less people would have been killed. 
So during your minutes silence this morning, just take one or two seconds to remember my ancestors as well

Saturday 9 November 2013

I wear mine with pride also......

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Just minutes away from my home in Greece we have a wild, deserted beach which I am allowed to run on. The fields that adjoin the beach are often covered in wild red poppies, just as the fields of the Somme were all those years ago.......This weekend the Guv has asked me to be specially good and spend some quiet time whilst he thinks of just what these red poppies represent and mean to so many people.



1921: French Poppies Sold in America

In 1921 Madame Guérin made arrangements for the first nationwide distribution across America of poppies made in France by the American and French Childrens' League. The funds raised from this venture went directly to the League to help with rehabilitation and resettlement of the areas of France devastated by the First World War. Millions of these French-made artificial poppies were sold in America between 1920 and 1924.

5th July 1921: Canada adopts the Flower of Remembrance

Madame Anna Guérin travelled to Canada, where she met with representatives of the Great War Veterans Association of Canada. This organization later became the Royal Canadian Legion. The Great War Veterans Association adopted the poppy as its national flower of Remembrance on 5th July 1921.

11th November 1921: The First British Legion Poppy Day Appeal

Royal British Legion lapel poppy.
In 1921 Anna Guérin sent some French women to London to sell their artificial red poppies. This was the first introduction to the British people of Moina Michael's idea of the Memorial Poppy. Madame Guérin went in person to visit Field Marshal Earl Douglas Haig, founder and President of The British Legion. She persuaded him to adopt the Flanders Poppy as an emblem for The Legion. This was formalized in the autumn of 1921.
The first British Poppy Day Appeal was launched that year, in the run up to 11th November 1921. It was the third anniversary of the Armistice to end the Great War. Proceeds from the sale of artificial French-made poppies were given to ex-servicemen in need of welfare and financial support.
Since that time the red poppy has been sold each year by The British Legion(6) from mid October to to raise funds in support of the organization's charitable work.

11th November 1921: Armistice Day Remembrance in Australia



A resolution was passed in Australia that from 11th November 1921 the red Memorial Poppy was to be worn on Armistice Day in Australia.
The American and French Childrens' League sent a million artificial poppies to Australia for the 1921 Armistice Day commemoration. The Returned Soldiers and Sailors Imperial League sold poppies before 11th November. A poppy was sold for one shilling each. Of this, five pennies were donated to a French childrens' charity, six pennies were donated to the Returned Soldiers and Sailors Imperial League and one penny was received by the government.
Since that time red poppies have been worn on the anniversary of Armistice in Australia, officially named Remembrance Day since 1977. Poppy wreaths are also laid in Australia on the day of national commemoration called ANZAC DAY on 25th April. This is the day when the ANZAC Force landed on the beaches of the Gallipoli penninsular at the start of that campaign on 25th April 1915.

24th April 1922: The First Poppy Day in New Zealand

In September 1921 a representative from Madame Guérin visited the New Zealand veterans' association, called the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association (NZRSA) at that time. This organization had been established in 1916 by returning wounded veterans.
With the aim of distributing poppies in advance of the anniversary of Armistice Day on 11th November that year, the NZRSA placed an order for 350,000 small and 16,000 large French-made poppies from the French and American Childrens' League. Unfortunately the delivery of the poppies did not arrive in time to organize and publicize the first nationwide poppy campaign, the Association decided to hold the first Poppy Day on 24th April, the day before ANZAC Day, in the following year.
The first Poppy Day in New Zealand in 1922 raised funds of over £13,000. A proportion of this was sent to the French and American Childrens' League and the remainder was used by the Association for support and welfare of returned soldiers in New Zealand.

May 1922: French-made Poppies Sold in the United States

In 1922 the organization of the American and French Childrens' League was disbanded. Madam Guérin was still keen to raise funds for the French people who had suffered the destruction of their communities. She asked the American organization called Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) to help her with the distribution of her French-made poppies throughout the United States.
That year the VFW assisted with the sale of the poppies in America to help keep up the much needed funds for the battle-scarred areas of France. The poppies were sold before Memorial Day which was observed at that time on 30th May. This was the first time that a United States war veterans' organization took on the task of selling the red poppy as a symbol of Remembrance and as a means of fund raising. The VFW decided to adopt the poppy as its own official memorial flower.

1923: The American Legion Sells Poppies in the United States

In 1923 the American Legion sold poppies in the United States which were made by a French company.

Wednesday 6 November 2013

Boom-bang-a-bang


One of my real hates in life are fireworks, so much so here at Easter my people normally take me away for a few days as the locals tend to celebrate Easter not with what you would call fireworks, but with dynamite!

So I was pretty pleased not to be in the U.K. for the 5th November when the people there seem to have some strange human idea that fireworks are fun. Or so I thought.

No one told me GOD celebrates 5th November also !!!

Most of the night sky was lit up with God's fireworks, he did try to blow them out with his massive gusts of wind, and then decided to try and put them out with lashings of water but it took a long time......

I just hid for safety!



Tuesday 5 November 2013

Rain, rain, rain

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Well it has come at last "real rain". Through the night it rained,rained and rained so this morning things were pretty wet!

Now this means no walks in the olive groves for the Guv and me, mainly I think because he gets so muddy and told off by the Misses. Me....well after a "muddy walk" I keep out of the way because they will get me into the rain room again!




Wednesday 30 October 2013

Happy Halloween ????

click to enlarge (if you dare)

Well as  my mate Pal has not been here visiting for a while I just have to
 drag out the old photos again!  

H A P P Y     H A L LO W E E N

Tuesday 29 October 2013

We dig, dig, dig .....

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OK, so now back to my travels.  From Nafplion the Guv drove to Mycenae, now this place is pretty old (even older the than Guv!). You're going to have to click my photo to be able to see the place though.  I think by what I heard what stands now was built around 1350BC, but there have been finds by you humans who dig around these places dating back to 3500BC. and that's definitely older than the bones I find when I do a dig around the garden !

Monday 28 October 2013

Oxi Rosie........


Now you may have just read the Guv's posting on his Facebook page about OXI DAY here in Greece.  It is indeed a day of big celebrations and nearly every town has a big parade.....

It's certainly a Greek word I know all too well, in fact its one I wish the Guv had never learnt!  When I am in the poppymobile the Guv often shouts "Oxi Rosie!" when I am just starting to enjoy a good barking session; when I am having a good sniff at some messy thing on the ground the Guv shouts "Oxi Rosie" ; the call "Oxi Rosie" also goes out when I am having fun chasing after cats or the old ladies in the village when they are carrying walking sticks!

Still I do also get lots of "Kala, kala" from my people as well but its far less fun being good...........

Sunday 27 October 2013

The time's all wrong!


Woof, woof, woof, got the Guv up an hour earlier this morning, why you humans have to mess with the time beats me.
  Then he tells me off for doing so! 

Anyone would think I was a bloody "watch dog" !




Friday 25 October 2013

Is it that dangerous?

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On the drive from Tripoli to Argos I noticed this road side shrine with a small covered area at the side, ideal for a picnic stop the Misses said.  Mmmmm its needs to be ideal for a Rosie sniff around stop I thought!


Whilst my people eat their sandwiches and had a drink, loads and loads of other people in cars and trucks pulled up and went into the shrine to say a few prayers, then drove off again within minutes........now I thought to myself if the road ahead is that bad I think I might need travel sickness pills !








Thursday 24 October 2013

Nafplion again......

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Now I remember coming to this place before when my people met up with some friends who were on a cruise. There was a cruise liner in the harbour this time also, but no where near as big as the ship last year.


As my people and I walked the streets I met a few other canines and remained on my best behaviour as the Guv gets real grumpy if I bark at other dogs. Mind you I have to put up with him talking to other humans! 


I heard the Misses say this was one of her most favourite places in our part of Greece as there were lots of nice shops and terraces to have coffee on, but I noticed the Guv held on to the money !


Around the town there was a lot of "green space" which was ideal for me and loads of parking for the poppymobile, so much so even the Misses could have parked it!