Inchmarlo Retirement Village

New Carpet

humphreyskene — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 12:40:11 +0000

Well I’ve got a new carpet! The back staircase to my own room and bathroom which I have been using since I was knee high to two cans of dog food was covered in lino. I always found it difficult when I was very small but now that I am almost fully grown another difficulty has incurred. When I go down the staircase I have to go at an angle otherwise it is too steep and I feel I am going to trip but it is when I come up that I have the greatest difficulty. For some reason I stop half way up and then decide to make a “lunge” for the top of the stairs. Unfortunately my claws slip on the lino and I get into an absolute panic before I get to the top. Daddy says I’m simply frightened but I believe that I’m too sensitive and the noise of my claws skidding on the lino puts me off.

Nearly there!

Daddy and Mummy were very very kind and they arranged for carpet to be laid on the treads so that I now find it much easier to go up without slipping. Here’s a photograph of me on the staircase and you will see exactly why I’m much happier. In case you can’t tell I am smiling.

My new carpet

New Development at Inchmarlo

humphreyskene — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:45:48 +0000

On Sunday Daddy and Mummy went out to Inchmarlo and after they had lunch and spoke to a number of Home Owners we went a walk all the way round Westfield, I am told the weather could be described as cold and bracing and they were well wrapped up with coats and caps and here is me in the altogether striding manfully about the site with no welly boots or anything. But of course, it’s a dog’s life!

Daddy and I went up to the new development at East Park and we walked on to the site with Jack Crawford, Daddy and myself. Unfortunately it had been very wet and with these massive articulated vehicles on site scooping up the earth, the ground was absolutely soaking and while Daddy was walking about holding his trousers up so as not to get the mud on his trousers, I did not have wellington boots and was walking in two inches of mud – it’s a dog’s life!

Not Feeling too Well

humphreyskene — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:41:43 +0000

Not a good start to the morning, Daddy came down and into the kitchen, said hello to me and noticed that I hadn’t moved at all and then he noticed a pile of sick just outside my basket. He was very nice and consoled me and said how ill I must have been and hoped I was feeling better. When he walked across the kitchen he found that it wasn’t just sickness I had suffered from during the night because there was a pile of poo at the back door. He was not pleased but because I was clearly at deaths door – from the way I looked anyway – he really didn’t tell me off too much but had it all cleaned up and into the poo bags before Mummy came down.

Winter Sunshine at Inchmarlo

humphreyskene — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:39:00 +0000

When I came back to Aberdeen I of course was terribly keen to get back out to Inchmarlo to see all my friends since I hadn’t been out for two or so weeks. So Daddy took me out and I went in and had two lovely hours with my friends in the Red Drawing Room. Then we went a walk all around Inchmarlo. It was a very sunny day and it looked beautiful in the winter sunshine.

Inchmarlo House in the Winter Sun

Westfield and the Heronry

High Walk

Daddy had a meeting with Jack Crawford to look at additional car parking and signs at Queen Victoria Park so we went down the Little Walk and all the way round Queen Victoria Park with me leading the way and sniffing out where additional car parking might be provided.

Holiday in Edinburgh

humphreyskene — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:20:26 +0000

Well I’ve been away on holiday again back to Edinburgh. Pamela has had a new baby so Mummy went down and spent a week and a half with her , Daddy went down to London on business and also went to see the new baby, so I had a lovely time in Edinburgh with Jennifer, Graeme, Hamish and Cameron.

Relaxing on Holiday

I had lovely walks round a completely different area with all different smells and plenty of time to relax. Graeme told Daddy that whenever he went anywhere in the house I would follow him and sit beside him, which is quite true because I just like being with people.

There’s only one disappointment, the new baby is called Oscar and I had rather hoped that it would be called Humphrey after me.

Santa’s Helper

humphreyskene — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 15:12:46 +0000

Well, we have just passed another Christmas. Before that I was out at Inchmarlo helping Santa.

Me and Santa

One of the Home Owners volunteered to act as Santa Claus by handing out the presents to all the Residents in the Care Home and I was there in my capacity just to supervise that things went well.

Present Time !

When it was all finished I got a treat from the Head Chef to thank me for all my trouble. I went, as usual, into the Red Drawing Room with Karen and Jill and spoke to all my friends wishing them a Very Merry Christmas.

Christmas is Coming

humphreyskene — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 09:51:02 +0000

Christmas is clearly around the corner. Daddy bought a bronze statue of a bulldog which has been in the hallway for some years and at Christmas Mummy puts a Santa Clause hat on it. Last year I was so small I couldn’t get up to it but this year when she put the hat on naturally I had to go and investigate.

It's Christmas

This week I was left behind once again while the Home Owners at Inchmarlo had their Christmas Dinner and Mummy and Daddy went out and joined them. Here is a copy of the Menu, doesn’t it sound delicious?

Butternut Squash Soup with Exotic Spices, Apple & Cilantro Cream

Melon Pearls with Winter Berries

* * *

Traditional Roast Turkey & Trimmings

Fresh Tagliatelle with Stilton & Mushroom

* * *

Christmas Pudding with Brandy Sauce

Chocolate Tart

Thanks to the Staff

Enjoying the wonderful food

Christmas Dinner

While they were enjoying the food one of the Home Owners, Mr Q, organised for some members of The Banchory Singers to come in and entertain them.

Enjoying the Entertainment

The Banchory Singers

I absolutely love music and when Mummy and Daddy leave me on my own in the house they always leave the radio on in the kitchen so I lie in my basket snuggled up nice and warm and listen to the music on Radio 2. I heard the singers were very good and I would have loved to have heard them but oh dear me I was in the kitchen, not eating the Christmas dinner and listening only to the radio. It’s a dog’s life!

Mummy took home some of the turkey which I had with my meal the next day. It was very tasty.

Visit to Inchmarlo

humphreyskene — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 09:36:31 +0000

Daddy and I went out to Inchmarlo on Sunday 4 December and we walked all round the Estate and the gardens looked lovely.

Inchmarlo House

After we had lunch Daddy and I walked round Westfield and Queen Victoria Park again. I was exhausted and fell asleep in the car and snored all the way back to Aberdeen.Click to view slideshow.

Sad News

humphreyskene — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 12:43:28 +0000

Oh what a sad day! I’ve had bad news. My real mummy Beau and my real Daddy Warwick were expecting another litter of puppies. Mummy Beau was doing well and then we got the news that she had miscarried and all the puppies were dead. I can’t tell you what a shock I got when I heard this. I was so looking forward to having more brothers and sisters. I would have loved to have met them, sniffed them all over and licked them, but alas, it is not to be. Perhaps another time.

39th Food Tasting Dinner

humphreyskene — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 12:40:58 +0000

Well I’ve missed out again. Daddy, Mummy and a number of my friends from the Estate attended the 39^th Food Tasting Dinner at Inchmarlo to sample new recipes for inclusion in the menus for Residents in the Care Home, Home Owners eating in the Bar, family parties and food delivery to Home Owners. Everybody benefits – except me. They sampled:

Red Mullet Soup
Gary Rhodes

Country Ham Mousse
The Inn at Little Washington D.C.

Crab Cakes
David Burke, New York

Slow roast Pork with Kentish Apple Tart, Leeks and Cauliflower Cream
Gary Rhodes

Treacle Tart
Heston Blumenthal, London

My Grandmother’s Rhubarb Pizza
The Inn at Little Washington D.C.

All I got to eat was some of the Country Ham Mousse and the pork. I love ham and fish and I absolutely loved the Ham Mousse. I only got a small bit of the pork, which I must say was delicious – mixed up with my usual dried up Pedigree Chicken and Rice dog food. I would have loved to have tasted the rest but I was not given the opportunity. I’m afraid the story that “it’s a dog’s life” is true.