​Well, Happy New Year!  We are all fervently praying that 2021 will be an improvement on 2020. 
I haven’t updated this for a while.  Sadly, with the lack of opposable thumbs, my typing is not very good, so a kind human in the Office types these out for me.  She has been really rather busy for the past 8 weeks or so, and I haven’t liked to bother her (here I am peering in her office to see if she’s free), but we felt that we should get something down before January was gone.

With the Lockdown that started just before Christmas, it meant that our Residents couldn’t go out to visit their families, and families couldn’t come in and join in the fun and games we usually have going on here.  However, Christmas Day was passed in merriment with plentiful food and some beverages that didn’t look like tea…..  We also had a lovely family come to us on Christmas morning and sing carols for the Residents from the garden.  Some of us braved the elements to listen and other from the safety and warmth of indoors.

I’m pleased to say I didn’t notice any lack in treats and titbits over the festive period; my friends in the kitchen and the various offices and bungalow I visit were all very generous.
With the restrictions on travel, I haven’t had as many trips to Richmond Park as I normally have.  Trudi says she’s grateful for that, as she’s not as limber as she was, and gets tired.  But I just know that those rabbits and foxes are up to no good with out me to keep them in order!
We’ve enjoyed meeting our friends in Chiswick House grounds – both human and four footed.  Although I nearly gave Sr Jennifer heart failure the other day, as I was accosted by a very cheeky fox across from Burlington Road, and in a moment of distraction I raced across the A316, without waiting for the green man to appear on the pelican crossing.   I was thoroughly told off – and I fear I deserved it.

​Elia is doing her usual winter trick of pretending to be very pious, and spending her time stretched out across the shelf in Chapel, which just happens to be above a radiator, or else snuggled in Trudi’s bed.  She says her eyes are closed in prayer….  she doesn’t fool me!

​We enjoyed the brief snow on Sunday.  The garden was looking very pretty – but brrrrrrr – it was so cold the following morning, we didn’t go for our early morning walk.  We felt it wouldn’t be fair on Sr Jennifer and Liz to drag them out in the freezing, icy conditions.
I hope you are keeping safe and staying indoors.  We all want to get back to normal as soon as we can.

Well, it’s been a long time, but finally I was able to lure Liz and Sr Jennifer away on holiday to Norfolk.  As you all know this lockdown business rather got in the way of our holiday earlier in the summer, and our last holiday seemed ages and ages ago.
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Despite dire weather predictions, we had an excellent time and our walks were mainly in the dry.  We were staying at Scratby, and we could walk to the beach every morning from out of our front door.  

​​We revisited some favourite haunts – Backton Woods, Holkham Hall, Winterton Dunes, and those lovely long, sandy Norfolk beaches.  Bartie got lost amongst the sheep – and it was hard to spot him in the middle of a flock - he got some sideways glances from the sheep themselves, but we managed to extricate him.
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We visited Felbrigg Hall, and the church in the village was dedicated to St Margaret of Antioch, so that was a nice surprise.  Not many churches around with that dedication.   

It was nice to come back to the cottage at the end of a tiring day and fall asleep on the sofa, one each for me and Trudi – don’t know where Sr J or Liz sat…
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Sr Jennifer and Liz made the most of the fresh fish on offer for their suppers, and we managed to get in a few treats of our own too.

Back at the Convent Elia was missing Liz but was being tended to by Sr Cynthia, equipped with a new packet of Dreamies, with essential tickling behind her ears carried out by Jane Trigle and Sr Jane Olive.

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Trudi and I (not to mention Sr Jennifer and Liz) are getting excited that after months and months, we will soon be able to go outside the Home and Chiswick House grounds for longer walks in the country.  It’s been 17 weeks since we locked down the Home, and now that rules are relaxing a bit and we are allowing some visitors into the home, and have been taking resident out for drives, we feel the time has come for us to go out too.
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Sadly Richmond Park is still closed to cars, and we would have to be kept on the lead, as now is the time that the fawns are arriving.  Not that I would be a nuisance – but the bucks and does don’t know that!

We have been very lucky though with the good weather, which has meant that we’ve been entertaining our residents in the garden with BBQs.  Also we’ve been celebrating a 100th birthday.  The cake was delicious!
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​The kitchen decorated the coleslaw to go with our burgers with a very pretty tomato rose, with cucumber stem.  Very artistic!

Well, it’s been quite a while since I’ve had time to put paw to paper. 

We’ve been on Lockdown at the Home since 23rd March, and my time has been spent trying to cheer up staff and residents of the Home, as best I can.

It’s all felt very strange.  No visitors at all – not our cheery bunch of volunteers, nor families and relatives, no entertainers or visiting animals, and everybody sitting 2 metres apart at meal times.  
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Visiting priests are not allowed, so on Sundays and over Easter we were tuned into
Fr Stephen Stavrou at St Michael and All Angels, Barnes livestreaming on Youtube.  Nasima and Liz managed to get the three big screens connected through laptops, and everyone sat, socially distant,  in different rooms and joined in the services and sang the hymns.  Residents have also been tuning in to other church services from St Michael and All Angels, Bedford Park, St Nicholas, Chiswick, St Mary’s, Bourne Street, Westminster Cathedral, London Oratory, to name but a few.  It’s been lovely virtually visiting other churches during this time.

​On Easter Monday I helped with the Egg Hunt, not that there were any for me.  Something about chocolate not being good for dogs. Pah! The Residents made some very sweet flannel Bunnies. 
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Still, I have been keeping up with the neighbours and visiting those in our St Francis bungalows.  I’m happy to report that dog treats have not been in short supply and my friends there spoil us.  Mrs Playfair has been practising her yoga in the warm evenings; I’ve been correcting her Downward Dog, and generally encouraging her.

Our walks have been somewhat restricted.  Richmond Park has been off the agenda, so we’ve made do with the Garden and Chiswick House grounds.  The good thing about Chiswick House is that we do get to meet some local friends, so that’s been nice.  Also it’s been lovely to see the ducklings and cootlings in the pond.  They are all looking very fluffy and cute.

VE Day was celebrated in true St Mary's style.  Jan led us in a singalong in the garden; we had tea and cake and generally enjoyed ourselves.  A slideshow below from VE Day and the pictures of the garden looking glorious.  Not to mention a very handsome, blonde fella.....  

Sr Jennifer decided that it was time for my annual bath – whether I needed it or not!  We have just had installed an outdoor grooming parlour for me, Trudi and visiting dogs, who get a bit muddy on walks. 

As we were going round the garden after lunch, Sr mentioned in passing it was ‘about time I had a wash’ .  I thought a quick dip under the fountain would suffice, but no, she got all serious, and Jane Wright (who I had thought of as a friend) got roped in to help out, and Lo! there I was under the shower being shampooed all over. 

Of course, eventually I realized what this was all about.  It was so Sr Jennifer could use her birthday present given to her by the staff – and large pink dog hairdryer…..  The shame!  How will I ever hold my head up again.

Here I am, after my ordeal, looking blond, fluffy and handsome again. 
For some reason – Trudi escaped her bath.  I’m looking into this…. 

As for Elia, I've never seen her being given a shower.  She tells me that is because cats are super clean anyway

Trudi and I were helping Sr Jennifer and Liz in the Garden today, together with some of our Residents.  Not a very sunny day, but it was good to get outside. 

Here we are in week two of Lockdown!  It's been very strange having no visitors.  Trudi and I are doing our best to keep our Residents and Sisters safe from the rather nasty virus doing the rounds.

We are patrolling the grounds regularly and checking in on our friends in the bungalows, to make sure they have everything they need.  If this also includes a small treat - so be it.  We know people love giving us treats, and who are we to disappoint them.

Sister Jennifer and Liz are taking us for walk in the grounds of Chiswick House.  There we often meet friends - at a safe 2 metres social distance apart - and swap news.  

Now that our friends Orlando, Amelia and Toby can no longer make their PAT visits with their human Pippa, we are trying to our best to fill this void, but I suspect that Orlando and Amelia are better behaved than we are.  Toby, of course is still learning, so is probably as boisterous as me.  

We are also missing our friend Red, who often comes to help out in the Office with his human Rachel.  We hope they are all keeping safe at home, and look forward to having a good run about when this is all over.

Trudi looking a bit serious here, but then as Elia was telling us, this is a serious business right now.  

We hope that all our readers are keeping well and safe.  

We are just back from a winter holiday in Dorset.  Trudi and I had a lovely time chasing around beaches and the local area.  It was our mission to get Sr Jennifer and Liz out into the fresh air as often as we could - and we did pretty well.

Here's a slideshow of some of our walks

As nice as the holidays are, it's always good to come home again, and catch up with our friends.  We've noticed that we don't get quite so many treats on holiday as we get back at St Mary's.  There are always people at the Home who we can guilt into giving us a bit of biscuit or a dog treat.  

Goodness, where has the Autumn gone?  It's been a whirlwind of activity - trips out, holidays, investigating the rabbits and deer in Richmond Park and keeping everyone here entertained. Not to mention we had our long awaited CQC Inspection - so I had to be on best behaviour for that!

We are now in December and we have lots of local schools and choirs coming into the Home to sing Christmas carols for us - which is wonderful.  Naturally, I'm a bit of a super-star myself.  All the children pat me as they file in and out of the Home.
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What's less enjoyable is the weather.  When it's been raining, being a natural blonde, I tend to get a bit muddy around the paws and tummy when I've been out for a walk.

How many adoring women does it take to get me clean...?

More than you might think!  

Now, where did I hide that mince pie...?

We had an unusual event last week – a Wedding in our chapel.  It’s not often we  get a wedding, the last one we had was for Jane Wright our Activities Coordinator.  Here I am, having just inspected the flowers, which I thought looked quite lovely.  I set them off nicely!

This week we have our Holiday at Home Week – 5 full days of activities, singing, dancing and games, culminating with St Margaret’s Day on Saturday 20th July – with mass at 11.00am and a BBQ in the garden afterwards.
 
I’ve got a busy week ahead of me – and of course I always superintend the teas and meals in the garden.  Trudie and I are essential when it comes to  clearing up left over food in the garden, making sure there is nothing left about to attract the foxes!
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I’ll post more pictures of the week’s activities as we go along.  Bye for now….