Penny’s Birthday

I was NOT born on April Fool's Day like Rodney tells everyone. This is a photo of me on the first day I came to live with Rodney & his mother Beryl. It was Mothers Day in May 2000 and I was the present he bought. I was born in a big litter of brothers and sisters on the 7th March 2000 and Rodney came and picked me out when I was just 8 weeks old. Well I picked him really I was just so happy to see him - and knew straight away I liked him. He says I was very expensive I - and still am even though I don't eat much.   I was living back at home with my mother for a couple of years and still building the yacht every day - and she used to say that Penny would sit religiously watching and waiting for me to come home each day - and Penny would then spend hours playing and nestled up to me on the lounge each evening. Sadly Mum passed away from an embolism just the following January - and Penny & I were left to carry on together.   So when people ask - I always say that I 'inherited' her. We moved aboard the yacht even when it was still being built - and of course it then has been our home for about 7 years - and is her home and domain.   She has been with me almost every day of her life - and sleeps close beside and against me every night - and that is how it has been now for over 9 years. I know it must be a little odd to see such a giant man as me with such a tiny dog - but Penny has been the best little companion you could ever ask for.   Happy, smart, and extraordinarily patient and perfectly behaved.   She loves everyone she meets - and everyone loves her (and as I always say - 'how do you get that deal going').   Perhaps it is because she has always been with an adult and has learned the ways and grown to a gentler life - and not been a children's dog - that - while she loves children - she is soon seeking to be 'rescued' from them - and to happily sit on someone's knee instead. We have really been inseparable - and Penny goes just about everywhere I do.   Even today in wind and rain - she surprisingly was still, excitedly wanting to go with me out in the runabout and to shore to do some shopping.   She burrowed in under my poncho raincoat and never stuck her head out until we were at the dock.   And coming back out later - it was raining heavier and we both got pretty wet - but while pleased to be back to the shelter and warmth of her cushions - she was still the bold adventurer returning from a grand quest and as happy as could be. She is sitting now behind me in that familiar curled up pose - snuggled and asleep in the silver fox fur that was Mum's - which you see on the sofa below - every now and then lifting her deaf ears to see that I am still sitting here and not yet ready for bed.   I know Penny is 'just a dog' but surely throughout ALL our lives we unknowingly are searching for reasons to smile, the simple joys of our existence, the things that make us happy. And there is the simple fact of it Penny makes me smile.

In the Beginning

This is the story of a giant man and a tiny dog and how it all began - but there are over 3,000 web pages and 10,0000 images to complete the story - and you can see them all - (if you're totally insane and with nothing to do) - on our main website http://www.thedogpaddler.com/