Luxury getaways to the ocean's edge
I’ve seen how busy everyone is with the Shag It Cafe and Gift Shop, so I’ve decided to pitch in. Here I am prepping for a day in the kitchen. It might be making your next Soup and Sandwich! And remember – less than a week left to enter our contest to win a $50 gift card or one of our tee shirts or aprons.
I’m a mentor to many young four-leggeds. I just love the way they nip at your heals. Lately, I’ve loved playing with Bandit, a 6 week old Labrador pup. He owns Marissa, Heather’s daughter (Heather works at The Doctor’s House). It’s hard to believe this little one will be as big as me someday!
If you follow our blog you know how much I love swimming in the ocean by the cottages. Thankfully, when I’m out in the water, everything goes swimmingly (pardon my pun). But I recently had a few scary moments that make you appreciate safety! I’ll let Lisa recount what happened, below:
“So today had a “little” adventure! To say the least, Murphy (being the water dog that he is) decided to go swimming. He decided at some point he would try to retrieve a lobster pot (do you have any idea how heavy they are!).
On a more serious note we noticed he was swimming but staying in the same spot, we went to have a look as he was fatiguing. He had the rope wrapped around his neck. Lucky we saw him or he would have drowned!
The rescue was carried out by Jerry (who can’t swim!) and Mike Crane. The rope was unwrapped and Murphy swam safely to shore. Tired as ole heck but he was fine.”
Talk about being grateful! I’ll deliver Jerry his slippers for the rest of the week. Big thanks to Mike, too.
Lots to be excited about here at the cottages (upcoming on the blog, you’ll be reading about a new cottage, some workshops, some new shenanigans from Clifford). But what I’m most excited about? The fact that the weather is starting to turn and that summer is upon us. I can’t wait for all the hikes, all the boil-ups, all the marshmallow roasts. And, most importantly, all the dips in the ocean! And pets stay free for the rest of June, so that might mean a few extra playmates for me!
St. John’s or the Wonderful World of Whiteway – what would you say? Here I am at my lavatory in olde St. John’s, small and enclosed with no privacy – hardly dignified. And here I am in the open country, running, hunting, retrieving and having a ball, with the biggest ‘loo a four-legged could ask for. 
It’s usually great when The Berry or Jerry say, “do you want to go for a ride?”- it usually means we’re going to a new trail to explore. But when I see them packing a bag and talking about Costco, banks, meetings and the like, woe is me. I know I am on a trip to boredom.
Of course in town I live in perpetual hope, like a gambler at the Lotto machine, that we’ll go to Bowering or Pippy Park, around the pond, up Signal Hill or along the East Coast Trail. But that rarely happens, as they are always in such a hurry – so I patiently wait for the scent of the open road back home. Please hurry!
Well it is back to normal – if you remember, last week I graciously ceded my Tuesday blogging space to Jerry so he could share our win of the 2012 Canadian Blog Awards (not many non-humans are so celebrated – I am truly honoured!). And there’s been a bit of a ‘to-do’ with this new website design (make sure to update your ‘favourites’ if you’d saved our old blog address – this one is slightly different), including a contest to win a free stay at the cottages.
And now, without further ado, we return to your regularly scheduled Murphy blogging schedule ….
Well, the other night, my humans were acting decidedly inhuman – they thought I needed a bath. Jerry thought he’d entice me into the bathtub easily. I’m a good boy so I always obey, but I got in very reluctantly and the got right back out again very enthusiastically several times over.
So I had to hear Jerry to say “Good boy, Murphy” at least a 1000 times. Every time I pretended I was going to bolt, he would go into his chant. Music to my wet ears, you might say.
Don’t tell them, but it wasn’t too bad. I got massaged with Baby Shampoo (the kind that doesn’t sting the eyes), and I got the best petting by The Berry and Jerry I could ever hope for. I guess this bath stuff has its upside.
And look at me now – all clean, bright and shiny. Maybe I should trick my humans into taking me to see Devon tomorrow. I don’t want to waste these good looks!
I have no idea why, but Joe Friday somehow grew wings and is flying to Halifax for a vacation. Who needs a vacation from paradise??? Anyway, while he’s gone, his little devon rex cat, Molly, will be our houseguest.
I was a little nervous about seeing Miss Molly – I met her when I first came to Ocean Delight, and she didn’t seem to like me much. I guess to something her size I seem big and scary – when Jerry and The Berry brought her home she snarled, growled, and hissed like a demon fresh out of hell. Thankfully, to know me is to love me, and my nonchalant demeanor won her over – as you can see, we’ve even taken a few close naps together. I’m a lover, not a fighter!
I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship!
And speaking of another beautiful friendship, I love Jerry and I love his blog. If you do, too, this week is your last chance to vote for him for a TopBlog award. It’s easy to vote, no registration necessary – simply head over to this link and find his category on the bottom left, called Best Professional or Business Life Blog. I’d vote, but I think it’s only open to human citizens!
If you are one of my many diehard fans then surely you’ll remember my friendly rivalry with my niece, Mabel, a sweet (if not slightly overrated, in my opinion) pit bull who owns Jerry’s daughter, Adrienne. They live in Virginia, and (the slightly spoiled, if you ask me) Mabel gets to go on big hikes multiple times each week. Really, I just don’t know what’s wrong with a simple stick thrown into the ocean.
Anyway, imagine my surprise when one of the latest batches of Mabel pictures came in, and I had to do a double-take. No, I have not been engaging in international travel behind Jerry and The Berry’s back! But you can clearly see that Mabel is playing with my doppelganger. My theory: she is so enamoured with all the reports of my daring feats and beatific gentleness that she had to find out for herself if we Goldens are as great as everyone says we are!
And here’s your proof that that’s really not me – no way I would ever lose a water race!
But in the end, who am I kidding? That Mabel sure is one cute puppy, isn’t she?
(And please consider heading over to the TopBlog site to give me a vote in the Best Business or Professional Life category on the bottom left – I could be the only four-legged to win!)
Another great thing about my new life at the cottages: there’s no shortage of lady four-leggeds making visits! This weekend, Annie brought out her humans, Alan and Susan, for a romantic surprise weekend (I think Jerry plans on blogging about them!). The humans were nice, but it was their guardian I was more concerned with!
We played and swam and talked to each other every chance we got. And although she can run faster than me, she is no match for me in the water. I guess that’s because I get so much practice, what with Jerry and The Berry needing me to fetch things in the Atlantic each day. Anyway, you know the drill – I let her beat me a few times. That’s the only way to be a gentleman!
I think I’m a pretty humble guy, but I swear that Jerry is trying to give me a big head. How else do you explain all the times I’m laying next to him while he’s talking away on the phone with his daughters. I always overhear him telling them that I truly glow, that he never knew a dog like me existed, that I’m bright, intelligent, gentle, and reserved, that I am so obedient and kind and a true ambassador for Ocean Delight. Well to that I say, Jerry, flattery will get you everywhere!