The best birthday present !

Anais had a beautiful 18th birthday.

Do you know what was her best present ? It was Ollie ! She had always dreamed of having a Papillon, but when Ollie came into our lives, we couldn't put him in a box until her birthday, so we put him in a box (but not for long, he didn't really want to stay) to celebrate her birthday.

I wanted to join in the fun :

And so Did Amelie and Matthew :

I would have loved to have this cake; it won second prize at the Royal Melbourne Show, but I think it should have won first prize !

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Dad says I'm going to need to have a lot of patience; but what is it ?

This book says that patience is "an ability or willingness to suppress restlessness or annoyance when confronted with delay."
That sounds a bit hard for me, but why do I need it ?
Well it turns out the printer rang today and said the binder used the wrong glue for our book "Paw Steps to Happiness" and the glue he is going to use takes 3 days to dry. I think my friends are going to need it too, but I'm sure they prefer having a book where the pages don't fall out !

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Be Kind to Animals Week is an initiative of Edgar's Mission, a farm sanctuary in Kilmore, Victoria which currently cares for over 200 rescued animals.

This week was launched to:
"Honour the animals of this world that have stood by us; who have been loyal, loving, and protective of their human friends.
Inspire people to create change to make this world a better place for animals
Educate and promote awareness of some of the issues faced by animals in our community
Encourage kindness to all animals - including humans and promote awareness of some of the issues faced by animals in our community."

What a great idea ! Unfortunately we only found about it today and it ends tomorrow, but we think every week should be like that.

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Patience is the best remedy for every trouble.
Titus Maccius Plautus

Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish.
John Quincy Adams

Blessed are all animals

On Sunday, there was a festival of St francis of Assisi, with a blessing of the pets at St Matthew's church and we went there and saw lots of other doggies; all the humans wanted to pat us !

It was wonderful; the humans sang some lovely songs and the doggies joined in; then the vicar blessed all the animals :

 Blessing of the pets

"Blessed are you, Lord God, maker of all living creatures. On the fifth and sixth days of creation, you called forth fish in the sea, birds to the air, and animals on the land. You inspired Francis of Assisi to call all animals his brothers and sisters. We ask you to bless these animals, and by the power of your love, enable them to live according to your plan. May we always praise you for all your beauty in creation. Blessed are you, Lord our God, in all your creatures. Amen."

A lady gave us a medallion and a card of St Francis that had been blessed during the ceremony.

The story of St Francis :

St Francis was a lover of animals; in his city of Gubbio in Italy, there was a ferocious wolf who terrorised everyone. He blessed him and he said "Brother Wolf, you do much harm in these parts...All these people accuse you and curse you... But brother wolf, I would like to make peace between you and the people". Then Francis led the wolf into the town and made a pact between the wolf and the people and also on behalf of the town dogs, that they would not bother the wolf again.  

Card of St Francis blessed by the vicar



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Mum is recovering well from her operation; thank you to all our friends who sent their wishes, she was very touched.
Dad worked from home to look after Mum, and he had a meeting with his colleagues which he joined by teleconference; meanwhile Ollie and I were fooling around a bit noisily in the same room, and Dad's colleagues heard us and laughed ! So we are honoured to have been able to participate in Dad's work and especially to have livened up this meeting  (it sounded a bit boring anyway...)



Dad, please take us to your work, we promise we'll be good !



For it is in giving that we receive.
St Francis of Assisi

Presenting the stars of our new book and the winner of our contest

Our new book "Paw Steps to Happiness" features many of our friends and we are very grateful for their contribution, so we told them we were offering them a copy of the book, if they could contribute to the postage cost.
I prepared the envelopes to send the books, thinking we would receive them this week, but the printer said they were waiting for the books to be bound and it would take another week - Oh, I'm so impatient !!!

I hope our friends won't be too disappointed, but I think we should put an end to the suspense and announce the winner of the contest.

To win the contest, you had to guess how many of our friends are in the book and the answer was 62.
Jemma the Chihuahua and Kathy guessed it right, so they win a copy of our book, congratulations !
If you don't know Jemma, go and say hello to her at http://jemmathechihuahua.blogspot.com/

And now here is a list of the stars of our book

We have included links to the blogs of those that have one; we invite you to get to know them better by visiting their blogs and saying hello.

• Belle
• Booker Man
• Boris, Missy and Tiger Lily
• Bunny and Lilac
• Carrleigh
• Chloe, Lady Bug and Beemer
• Charlie the cockatiel
• Cinnabar
• Cookie
• Cooper
• Corgi Country Crew (Buddy, Mist, OC, BG, Dott, Gimbi, Mercy and Pippin)
• Daisy and Harley
• Dory
• Honey
• Jazzi
• Julep and Derby
• Lily
• Little Princess Luna
• Lorenza
• Lullabel
• Maggie (Airedale)
• Maggie and Rosie (Westies)
• Maggie Mae
• Mango (the Maltese Kiddo), Chubs and Ximui
• Martha and Bailey
• Mayzie
• Mitzy
• Moiselle
• Nana and Uyanga
• Oskar
• Peggy
• Remington
• Santa, Minnie and Christmas
• Scampi
• Snoopy
• Tessa
• Toby
• Twinkie
• Vania
• Wyatt and Stanzie

(If your name is in this list and you haven't received an email from us about this thank you gift, it's probably because we haven't got your correct email address, so contact us at westiebella@gmail.com.)

We'll tell you more about the book next week, but for now here is a preview of some of the 80 pages :

If you want to order your copy now, you can buy it using Paypal :
(if you want to buy more than one copy, contact us at westiebella@gmail.com for special postage prices)

Including Postage To :

Australia $23.95 USA / Europe $27.95 Asia $25.95

Take care my friends and enjoy your life every day.

 

Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery and today is a gift, that's why we call it the present.
B.olatunji

Adopted and Adored dogs

We found these wonderful stamps issued by Australia Post :
Here's the story behind them (from Australia Post web site) :
"This special issue seeks to raise awareness of responsible dog ownership and support the dedicated work of organisations re-homing lost and abandoned dogs.
Australia has one of the highest levels of dog ownership worldwide, with an estimated 40 per cent of Australian households having at least one dog. This means that there are around 4 million dogs nationwide. But while Australia enjoys a high level of dog ownership, a high number of dogs are admitted into shelters. During 2008-09, the RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) alone recorded 69,383 admissions into its shelters across the country.
Each of the dogs featured in this stamp issue has been given a second chance. All five have spent time in a shelter before being adopted into adoring new families."
Well done Australia Post for telling everyone how wonderful it is to adopt a homeless doggy !

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I've put on my nurse's uniform because tomorrow my Mum is having an operation for her varicose veins; she'll only be there for the day, but I figured the humans at the hospital may need my help because I'm the one who knows best how to look after her :

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In our next post, we'll announce the winner of our book contest, tell you all about the book and who's in it, and how to get it - how exciting !

To love and to be loved is the greatest happiness of existence.
Sydney Smith

Happy Hats, a lovely present and visiting our cousins

On Wednesday we went to see Dad's aunty Mimi to introduce Ollie. This is Cookie, she is 6 months old :

Anais introduces Ollie to the lovely Snoopy :

Amelie cuddles Snoopy :

Snoopy likes to wear hats too :

We get on so well together; now Ollie loves to dress up as much as me, he is my co-star ! Let's try some hats !

Bella, you could go to a wedding with this hat, its so lovely.

I love Mum's Duck Harold, he's always cheerful.

He even lets me borrow his hat :

Our friend Cinnabar sent us a really nice soft toy dachshund because she knows Mum loves them - thank you so much Cinnabar !

I love to pat her :

I can put her on my head :

I love to pat her too, but Mum wants to have her now !

Cinnabar doesn't live far from us so we'll get together for a barbecue one day and have some yummy sausages !
Cinnabar likes getting wet, but then she dirties her Mum's house so she's going to get some boots like mine.
Tomorrow is the Australian Football grand final; Cinnabar's Mum's team "the cats" didn't make it and Cinnabar's team "the dogs" didn't make it either, it will be "the saints" versus "the pies" so we say "Go Saints !".

Look at Cinnabar, she is lovely with her golden hair, I think she looks like Goldilocks :

Aunty Mimi sent me a card, I am so happy, thank you !

Take care my friends and have a great week-end !

Be glad every morning that you've been given a brand new opportunitty to fulfill your hopes and dreams; be glad for all the seasons and the beauty they bring to your life.

Jon Peyton

It's raining dogs !

Let's sing along with Harold the duck !

" God bless Mother Nature, she's a dog lover too
She took off to heaven and she did what she had to do
She taught every angel to rearrange the sky
So that each and every human could find his perfect dog.
It's Raining dogs! Yeah!
It's Raining Dogs! Ollie luia! - It's Raining Dogs! Amen!
It's Raining Dogs! Ollie luia! - It's Raining Dogs! "

Featuring Ollie, Bella, Snoopy and Belle.
(idea by Matthew Inard, 11 years old !)
And in our "Pet Hits" series, there's also "Goats just want to have fun" by Everyday Ruralty

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When Dad said there was a package for us at the post office, we said "hurry up, go and get it !", and then when Dad came home we said "What is it ? Quick Dad, open it !" It was our GABE prize from Oskar, thank you so much Oskar, we love all your presents !

There are some really fun toys, a "mini Bella"and a polka dot collar that will go so well with all my polka dot fashion. There are are even some presents for my Mum, how thoughtful !

Even the box tastes nice !
Thank you heaps Oskar and Pam, we love you !

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No matter how little money and how few possessions you own, having a dog makes you rich.
Louis Sabin

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Our book is at the printer now, he says it will take a week, we can't wait !
We will announce the winner of our competition when we lauch the book, so stay tuned !

Here in Melbourne, we are on school holidays and enjoying time with our children and little dogs.

Dear friends, take care of your loved ones and find happiness.

Fantasic Fashion Friday presents more polka dots but also rhombus !

What's this parcel ?

It's me Ollie, presenting another Fantastic Fashion Friday !

And today, we have two special guests !

The one and only Sir Salty looking very distinguished with his scarf

And the wondeful Lorenza, isn't she pretty in all colours of the rainbow  ?

And now we have something a little bit different, rhombus !

We are both wearing .lovely gifts - My jumper was a gift from Derby and Juleps Mum Katie, I love it ! Dad's jumper was a father's day gift, I think it's good that we have matching outfits.

And Bella is also wearing a gift from Katie, isn't she lovely ?

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Presenting Pet Blogs United

http://www.petblogsunited.com/ is a place for all pet bloggers to meet up, make friends, and especially support each other. It was created by Oskar and his Mum, go have a look, say Hi and join up !

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Did you know ?
The tallest dog in the world is Giant George, a great dane from Arizona who stands at 1.092 metres tall.
The smallest dog in the world is Heaven Sent Brady, a Chihuahua from Florida who is 15.2 cm in length