Sunday 30 November 2014

Ich bin ein Bedburger.....

Hello my friends....first I must start with an apology...I have not visited many of your blogs for the last week or so because I have been travelling and not able to take time to read and comment...sorry about that....the good news of course is that I am able to bring you a comprehensive report of my travels...hurrah!.....

....we asked the typist to consult the BT HQ diary and see what was coming up for the week...oh, apparently we are off to Germany!...

...the Colonel gave the Eurostar terminal at St Pancras Station a thorough inspection...it met with his approval....for our overseas readers I can tell you that the Eurostar is a big train which goes very fast under the sea all the way to Belgium and France....

...luggage and provisions all secured and we are ready to leave.....

...I have our tickets...I think its best I keep them and don't let ape-child @terriertypist lose them on the tracks or something....

....when we reached Brussels the Colonel was tasked with finding the Deutchse Bahn train to Cologne....that's it in the background...its shiny and super fast....

...we arrived at Koln HauptBahnHof. at dinner time.....that's Cologne Train Station in our language....

...we took a taxi to the town of Bedburg...and settled into our barracks as quickly as possible....I wonder where the typist will be sleeping....maybe the couch.....

....in the morning I made sure my fur was looking its best for our host, the very nice Miss Petra....

...whilst the Colonel conducted one of his wide-ranging inspections....

....we consulted over breakfast...(*delicious buffet)....

...and caught up with world events.....


....we took drill in the courtyard ....attenshun!.....comb that beard soldier!...

....and then we walked around Bedburg.....

...it is amply fortified...we were staying in the Old Quarter....the town has been here since 893!!

....the streets are tiny....and very quiet.....

....the Colonel made sure his quarters were fit for visitors....diplomacy is very important .....

....in the afternoon, the typist insisted I accompanied him on his run around the local lake and up the river....we got lost in the woods...it rained...oh dear.....thank dogness for Google Maps....

...we finally made it back as the lights faded ...to find that the hotel had started to decorate the courtyard for Christmas....

....brrrr....we needed to warm up.....thankyou Sir...*salutes*....

...BOL!...the Colonel and I are are caught on a conference call.....

...er...oh dear...the trail we had followed into the woods was the Werewolf Trail!!.....


YIKES!....we found this on the internetOne of the most bloodcurdling accounts of the capture and trial of a German werewolf, which was also published in England, occurred in 1589.  In Bedburg, not far from Cologne, a certain Peter Stubbes was charged with being a werewolf. It was claimed that for twenty-five years, when he changed into a wolf like beast, he had terrorized the neighbouring villages.  To avoid the fearful torture he would have to have undergone and which was customary in the Middle Ages, he admitted to being a werewolf and to killing and eating at least sixteen men women and children including his own son.    Found guilty on the 31 of October 1589, he was placed on the wheel and the flesh was pulled from his bones in ten places with red-hot pincers. His legs and arms were broken with a wooden club and when pronounced dead, his head was cut off and his body was burned to ashes. His daughter Neell and his mistress, Katherine Tropplin, being accused as his accomplices, got off with lighter sentences; they were burned at the stake, without having to suffer the preliminaries, which Stubbes had endured. 

....Vorsprung Durch Teknik as the Colonel likes to say....

....but these trips are never just fun...we had to work too...the Colonel and I inspected the simultaneous interpreting equipment.....*turns to English channel*....

....we were able to address our hosts and have them understand us...."Hallo wir sind Englisch Terrier und wir kommen in Frieden ...."....

...oh look, its Bedburg from the air.....our hotel was near the Church...it was the very nice Landhaus Danielshof if you ever find your self there...

....but after one final check on the decorations it was time for the Colonel and I to be on our way home...we had a fun-filled week and we believe we made some new friends...

...so, while the Colonel visited the famous cathedral in Cologne....

...the typist and I compared notes and checked tickets....

...and before long we were waving goodbye to Germany....aufweidersehn!....

...on the way home we passed through Aaachen and waved to our pal @schnuffie66....

....Miss Lola was very pleased to see us.....

....so we took her on a nice walk in the country to improve her mood......

...there's no place quite like England....!
Clapton, Private First Class, BT HQ Battalion

Thursday 20 November 2014

Hey! Watcha doing? #wildposse

Hello my friends...I am bringing you news of a special offer for all my friends in the #BTPosse on Twitter...our very old friend Miss Karen (@wildpaw) from PawPrint Pets has kindly agreed to stop by Twitter on Tuesday 2nd December between 8pm and 9pm (UK time) to answer your questions about animal behavioural issues to help you to become  a better doggie or kitten....follow #wildposse

....maybe you chew your humans things a bit too much?....
....Miss Karen (who is @wildpaw n Twitter) is a very old friend of dear old Marley....he used to appear on her podcast as a guest barker from time to time...and she has always been a kind and helpful person to many of our friends...she has even worked with individual members of the posse over the years...

....barking issues?......#wildposse
 ....Miss Karen has worked with dogs and their people for over 20 years. She is a full member of the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors (APBC) and an Animal Behaviour and Training Council (ABTC) Clinical Animal Behaviourist and is qualified as an instructor (First grade, with Honours) with the British Institute of Professional Dog Trainers and a graduate member of the British Psychological Society (MBPsS). She writes on dog behaviour and training for Dogs Today, the UK’s leading ethical dog magazine, and has written two best-selling books on training and behaviour, published by Hamlyn. She is a guest blog writer for Dr Ian Dunbar’s revolutionary website, Dog Star Daily, and also lectures on behaviour practice, practical training and consultation for Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, U.K.


....brainy lady....#wildposse
...so, if you would like to pop along to our event then join us on Twitter between 8pm and 9pm UK time on 2 December. We will be using the hashtag #wildposse and Miss Karen will do her best to offer some advice for whatever is ailing you...

....separation anxiety?......#wildposse

....uh oh....bladder issues?...#wildposse
....unauthorised nibbling?...#wildposse

.......you can see a little bit more about PawPrint Pets here.......

Pawprintpets-V1 from Jon Buscall on Vimeo.

.....hope you can join us on 2 December....if you want to be sure we address your question then just DM me before the event and I will ask Miss Karen to do some homework....#wildposse

....I ar Marlee..an I haz aproov dis messij....#wildposse

p.s. remember that Miss Karen is doing this out of the goodness of her heart so no pushing, shoving, jostling or heckling from the back....arrive early for a good seat...there may be snacks...#wildposse...oh, and Miss Karen is also a karate instructor...you have been warned...

Clapton.....woof....BT HQ...

Sunday 16 November 2014

Military Mini-me...

Hello my friends....the other day Peter Tosh and I were at home minding our own business....when....*THUD*.....

...a parcel! Hmmm....I wonder what's inside.....its come all the way from Scotland from our very clever pal @jock_thedog who is the CED (Chief Executive Dog) of Tartan Terrors...

....Peter Tosh and I decided there was only one way to find out...

...I let Peter Tosh do the dangerous scissoring with his big safety paws...

...hmmm...just some terrier-orange packing paper visible on the initial inspection....

....seems to be a big Christmas cracker inside.....PUUUUULLLLLLLLL

....waaaaaaah! Look who it is....!! Do you recognise him?.......

...its a mini Colonel Rocky come to live at BT HQ....*whispers* we did not order the Colonel...we just saw him on Mr Jock's website and could not believe the likeness....

...I immediately took the Colonel to check up on his Twitter friends...i sent a message to @issiebissy so that Colonel Rocky would know that his mini-me had arrived safely at BT HQ...

....in the morning, the Colonel was immediately on duty....we did fox watch for an hour or two....

....he inspected my espresso for the typist....it passed....

.....we checked the bagel I had made for typist before his bike ride...it passed too....I think the Colonel liked the Nutella chocolate spread....

...Miss Lola was inconsolable at being relegated to Third Terrier....

....the Colonel was keen to see that typist was keeping healthy with all this cycling he is doing....vitamins and electrolytes all checked....

...and he was pleased to receive orders and reports from Dogs Trust......

...but , as ever, with the Colonel, he was keen for a mission...and so, after a full survey of local transport maps, he went off to assist the typist with picking up the new family car.....

....he arrived exactly two minutes before the train...a soldier is NEVER late....

...leaving just enough time to inspect local terriers....HUP, two, three, four...keep up at the back!

...he commandeered the pilot's seat nearest the exit and kept an eye on the carriage.....

...he had a vantage point from which to view the terrain.....

...Bookham: secured......

....hmmm...he was worried we might have been spotted.....so..

...he insisted on changing trains at Guilford to throw any enemy troops off their scent....

...and entered Hampshire under cover of morning fog...very cunning....

...and like every good commanding officer he made sure that supplies were reaching the front line....

....MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!....
...we are very excited to have the Colonel at BT HQ and say a big thank you to Mr Jock and his team at Tartan terrors...woof

Private Clapton....