Good things about getting up at 6 am

...well, there is time to blog, there is a quiet house and time to write now we are a little organised.  Today,of course, there is the lunar eclipse, which is rather cool for a geek like me ;)

However, now - 0715; I can't see it, which is probably the answer to why the TV is filming it from Belfast.  I did briefly consider nipping up the hill to see if there was a better view, but with frozen roads and cars I decided that was not an option - especially in my PJs.

As I speak, the three dogs are playing happily with the toys.  Teasle is now playing with toys more than ever before.  She plays really nicely with Bramble and does set her straight, with just a nose and mouth around the paw.  In the evenings, Molly will grumble at her sometimes, especially if Bramble tries to get into bed with them. However, she mostly just gets out although they can now often be seen with the big girls in the bed and Bramble close by on the vet bed.  She also seems to be learning that evenings are calm times, not play times.  I let her in yesterday and the door was open to the front room. Bramble just set off to lie on the vet bed in the dining room where we normally sit with her and chewed gently on a toy.  However, she managed it into the bed with her mum one time.

Bramble is learning that cats are not for chasing or playing with.  On one sortie around the garden following Baggins she jumped over the leg stays under the garden table.  It was too quick for me to say 'Get over' but at least it is unlikely that we will have a problem with her jumping from the looks of things.

She now walks quite nicely on the lead and sits if not too excited.  She actually sat and waited by herself for her food, but that was a little too difficult this morning when she was hungry and I had to hold her.  Having said that, she is like her mum and not a greedy eater although she is desperate to eat Molly and Teasle's food.  Molly would grumble at her, which would teach her, but Molly's food disappears so quickly that there is no problem.  Teasle backs off and would let her eat it. I may well continue to feed them separately until she goes on to the same food.

The weather doesn't seem to daunt Bramble except in the evening when she is tired. However, we managed to reorganise the utility room last night, shutting Kiwi in her crate for the night, which she is used to; so that Molly and Teasle could stay in as it was already -5 degrees Celsius at 9 pm and we are a bit soft. They have been fine outside, with hot water bottles and heat pads but we decided it would be nice for them to remain a bit warmer.  Everyone was fine this morning.

Now on to another day, some work to do and 2 offspring home to entertain, or keep us entertained.  Happily, it means other folk to pop the pup outside although I do actually like to do it.  The highlight of the day will be the Christmas shop arriving then a family board game this evening.  Then, enough already please, bring on Christmas which should arrive with the final family members and Pom, Kiwi's sister.  It should be a fun and animal filled CHristmas.