When persistence pays off ....

I'm heading over to Puerto Banus for the mid-term break next week! I very nearly wasn't! Spanish laws concerning service dogs are strange to say the least! In fact, any dog seems very unwelcome in lots of places .... I got to go over to Spain three years ago .... but for the last two years it has been a total 'NO, NO' when the family asked the hotels they were booking with if they would allow a service dog ..... it meant missing out on all those yummy piglet ears!
and sitting by the pool watching the NSLM swim ....

and trying to explain to him that I really don't swim - unlike Maxdog!
Really, I rather just like lazing on a sunbed by the pool ....

and having a few prawns for lunch .....

and a bit of rabbit for dinner .........

and going shopping in the Old Town in Marbella with the NSLM!

and chilling in the afternoons ....

and having a family photo taken .... Max - we were so happy to find this photo as you said the other day how important it was to have a photo with your Mom, and in our case, we thought we should really have one of all of us togther and we didn't think we had one of us all together but guess what we found this evening .... all of us in Marbella in July 2007!

For the past few days I thought I was just going to be able to post these photos from my last trip to Spain three years ago and wish the gang 'Bon Voyage' but guess what .... the NSLM's Mom wouldn't take NO for an answer with the hotel this time ....

She emailed and emailed and explained all about Assistance Dogs for Autism and the work I do with the NSLM, she sent photos and our blog details, she contacted them on Facebook and got her friends on Facebook to do likewise ....

.... and the hotel came back today and said okay, I could come but I couldn't go into the restaurant!

SO, she emailed them back and said that wouldn't make any sense at all, that the NSLM would be more upset over the fact that I was being made stay in the bedroom while they went to eat!

SO, the hotel emailed back this evening and said YES, I was WELCOME everywhere in the hotel, the restaurant included!

SO, instead of PERROS NO! it's more a case of ASSISTANCE DOGS YES!

SO, you see sometimes persistence does pay off .....

- Clive

Note from Murray's Mom - Spain, unlike Ireland, has very different access laws in each region for service dogs. What is fine in Madrid, is not accepted in Malaga! So, legally the hotel were within their rights to refuse Clive and impose their own conditions, but like Clive said, we persisted .... and we got there. Thanks to the H10 Andalucia Plaza.

"If I said we were excited and delighted" .... Best in Show - Mango Minster 2010

If I said we were excited and delighted - that would be only half the story!

When the NSLM got up this morning and his Mom showed him Petey's photo .... the neighbours next door heard the scream of delight!

then we had the thrill of receiving all the certificates from the NLSM's Mom! Thank you so much Mango's Momma for getting them to us so quickly! Murray insisted we show them all - he's so happy with them!

Best in Show - Mango Minster 2010 - we are so honoured - thank you so much and thank you to Judge Asta - she had a hard job - the Winner's Circle contained so many worthy winners!

Best in Show - Reader's Choice - we were also delighted to win Reader's Choice and with so many votes. A huge thank you to all friends out there who voted for us and read our blog. We got great emails and messages of support as well. We were amazed when a fellow blogger came up to us at a football ceremony yesterday and told us how she had voted for us and follows us! She recognised me while I was having my photo taken with Murray and a well-known TV celeb here but she said meeting me was more exciting for her! Imagine that!

Ist Place - Hard Working Dog - thanks again to Judge Tula! We were delighted to win this Hard Working category - there were so many great Hard Working Dogs in the group!

Hard Working Dog - Reader's Choice - again we were honoured and humbled that so many friends voted for us. The NSLM loved watching the voting - our laptop keys are nearly worn away with the amount of times he checked in on Mango Minster over the past week!

Okay, we're back with Petey's great photo - Murray wants to show it again! I think he nearly thinks we were there last night collecting this ourselves! He's gone into school with the photo and certificates printed off to show all his friends. They're going to be very impressed with him in school today!
While we were waiting for the school bus this morning and Murray was overseeing the writing of this post - the postman arrived! A parcel for Murray and me! A present from Mango!

Congratulations Clive on winning Mango Minster and look what Mango sent us!

Do you like my MM baseball cap Clive? and look at the great card! Can you read it Clive? Murray was rushing off to go to school so we will post better photos of him with his MM baseball cap later! Thank you so much to Mango's Momma for sending Murray this great gift!


To mark our win - the NSLM and me wanted to do something special ... so we had an idea and this morning we have been on to the Guide Dog Training Centre and we are sponsoring a puppy in Max's honour. This puppy (one of the 'S') litter has only just come into the Training Centre - they are having their official photos taken today so it be next week before we can post a photo. But this puppy will be a puppy for Max's Mom to follow. She will get all the information and photos on him or her and will be able to follow the puppy's progress to when he/she leaves to go work as a guide dog / assistance dog! We haven't picked the exact pup yet - we want to wait until their photos are up on the Guide Dog website and then we'll let Murray chose one for Max's Mom!

Max - we loved your photos of the Guide Dog pressies we sent over to you so much that you inspired us to sponsor a puppy for your Mom!

Finally, can we just say again how very honoured and yes, "excited and delighted" we all are here in Dublin to see me win Best in Show in Mango Minster 2010! Thank you again to Mango, his Momma, all the Judges and all our friends who voted for us!

- from a very appreciative and happy 'hard working' dog - Clive

Winner - Hard Working Dog Category and Readers Choice!

We were dancing around the house in excitment over Mango Minster! To win the Hard Working Dog Category and also Readers Choice! We just jumped up and down with excitment!



Murray gave me to biggest kiss for making him so proud! He's just learnt what the word 'proud' means so he was delighted to be able to tell me - "You've made me very PROUD Clive"! He's been telling me that all morning!

We didn't find out till late last night because we had gone to the cinema to see The Princess and the Frog. Murray had been checking in so often on the voting that we thought a little break away was a good idea - every time he saw a new vote for me got so excited that we were getting worried for the 'windows' in the house!



We loved The Princess and the Frog - but perhaps for one very special reason more than any other! The film begins with a shining star and the words 'when you wish upon a star' ...

The NSLM jumped up from his seat and pointed to the screen and shouted out - in a very loud and clear voice (which he can have when you least expect him to use) - "I wish for Max to get better" - of course, some wise guy in the audience (it was a packed cinema) shouted out in reply "Hey, whose Max" to which the NSLM stood up again and exclaimed to the whole audience - "He's my friend in South Africa and he's dying" - well, that kind of had an impact!

We got through the film with Murray totally enjoying it and his Mom feeling very emotional and then just at the very end of the film when the star is shining brightly in the sky again and the wishes of Prince Naveen and Princess Tiana are coming through - the NSLM stood up one last time and shouted out again "I wish Max to get better, Star" to which we got a round of applause for you Max. We left the cinema with his Mom in tears but I was very proud of my NSLM - we're using that word a lot today!
We know that the news on Max is really bad today - we know that he is not getting better - the NSLM does know that now but it doesn't stop him wishing upon a star for a miracle!

We hope that the time that Max has with his family is the best that he can have and that these last few days provide precious memories for them.

Finally, thank you again to Judge Tula and to all our fantastic friends around the world who voted for us in the Hard Working Dog category! You have really made the NSLM and me feel very honoured and the NSLM very very PROUD indeed of me.

We are thrilled to be included in such a fantastic line up for Best in Show! You can imagine the excitment here ....



We've just gone to watch the NLSM's sister play a football match in the rain ...

- Clive and the NSLM

Have passport, will travel .... see you in July .....

Yesterday the postman delivered a very special parcel .... it sat on the kitchen table until the NSLM came home from school. He opened it very carefully ...
I did my usual sniffing guessing game to see if I could tell where it came from ... from the USA I think Murray ... I wonder who it's from ....

Look what came out first!

A dolphin! Who do we know has dolphins swimming in the sea on the beach where they run every day ??

Who has sent you a toy one until you get to see their 'real' dolphins!

and then a YELLOW t-shirt ... what does it say on it , Murray?

The Salty Dog Cafe - where it that, Murray? Hilton Head Island .... who do we know there?

Okay, dolphins, the Salty Dog Cafe, Hilton Head .... yes, it's South Carolina!

Look at the great green Salty Dog bandana that I got too! I can't wait to wear it on St Patrick's Day!

Here's a little video of the NSLM and his excitment opening the parcel yesterday ...


and here's the NSLM looking at all the information about South Carolina and all the great postcards that he got to show him all the wonderful things he is going to be able to see in South Carolina!and the NSLM's sister was thrilled to get a pink t-shirt from the Salty Dog Cafe as well - a present just for her! Which really pleased her! Sometimes the NSLM and me seem to get all the pressies! Have you guessed who we are going to see on our holiday? Yes, Petey and his Mom! We can't believe we are going to be able to meet Petey and his Mom and not just in South Carolina because we are also going to New York. Petey will be able to show us his New York - how cool is that!Remember me and Petey swapped greetings in the sand last week!

We are so excited - we can hardly believe we are going to South Carolina and then New York - all of us - and that we will get to meet Petey and Jane.

Thank you so much Petey for the wonderful parcel - you have really got us in the holiday mood! All the postcards are on the wall in the NSLM's bedroom - and his dolphin is sleeping beside him along with Max's giraffe!

We're counting down the days .... see you in July!

- Clive and a very very happy NSLM!


ps - just a reminder that today is voting for the Hard Working Dog Category in Mango Minster! Lots of great dogs listed there including me!

This one is for you Max ....

The NSLM came home from school this afternoon and insisted we went up to the Church to light a candle for you, Max. We didn't know what else to do so we agreed and went up with him....

He took his Maxdog 'giraffe' that you sent over to him a few months ago ... he took a special photo of you that we had printed off and laminated this afternoon. We lit a candle and said a prayer and then ... Fr John happened to come into the church - well, I guess it's his work place!

I did growl at him for a minute or two (I know, totally wrong and in a place of worship) - however Fr John knows us well and came over to have a chat. He talked to the NSLM, looked at your photo Max, and the giraffe and then took two candles from the altar and blessed them. One for you, Max and one for us. We are sending the candle to you tomorrow with a little staute of St Francis of Assisi - the patron saint of animals.

We had gone down to our local convent to get a prayer card of St Francis but the nuns couldn't find any (and we did make them look!). Then as we were leaving the chapel there (yes, we thought another prayer wouldn't go amiss) we met the Chaplain from Murray's school. She is such lovely lady and takes Murray down to the Oratory in the school every morning before class begins. He likes the quiet and peace there instead of the school hall.

Murray told her all about you Max and showed your photo to her. She has gone home to get her statue of St Francis to give to Murray in school tomorrow. She wants you to have the statue because as she said herself - "I've got two dogs and I fully understand how Max's family must be feeling ... and there's no better man than St Francis at a time like this".

So, Max know that we are thinking of you .... we do go on about saints a lot I know but the NSLM has a great affinity with these things.

- Clive and the NSLM

- tomorrow we have some really exciting news to share .... we got the most special parcel in the post today and the contents are all to do with our summer holidays! If I said we were all going Stateside, yes me included, might you have an idea! We actually can't quite believe what our summer holds for us .... but more about that tomorrow! The NSLM's Mom still has to try and edit the videos she took of Murray opening the parcel this afternoon.

Until then .....

Clive on St Brigid's Day and more .....

Yesterday was February 1st - St Brigid's Day here in Ireland.

She's our female patron saint - but not as famous certainly as St Patrick! She was the daughter of an Irish chieftain and her personal achievements included the founding of a famous convent Cill Dara, which went on to become a renowned centre of learning. In many ways, she was a woman ahead of her time - devoting her life to founding convents all over Ireland, as well as a school of art - educating young women at at time when it was unheard of - circa 500 AD. Yes, indeed that's a long time ago! Today, she's not only claimed as the female patron saint of Ireland but also of babies, blacksmiths, boatmen, dairy workers, midwives, poets, nuns, travellers and more ...

She is probably most associated with her cross - the St Brigid's Cross! Legend has it she made the first cross from rushes to give to a Chieftain pagan on his deathbed, an act which helped him convert to Christianity. A St Brigid's Cross is believed to keep a home safe from danger - particularly fire. The cross is traditionally destroyed every year only to be remade on February 1st - St Brigid's feastday!

Yesterday, the NSLM and his sister made St Brigid crosses in school .... the NSLM was delighted to come home and show me the St Brigid Cross that he had made ...
You can see a St Brigid's Cross being made here on You Tube! After I had admired the Cross and given due consideration to his expertise in making one .... I got a treat!

But hey, I don't mind - whatever makes him happy! and just look at the bliss on his face when he realises I've jumped up and got the treat!

That's me and the NSLM and our celebration of St Brigid's Day!

and yes, in case you noticed - it's the Scottish Rugby jersey the NSLM is wearing - MURRAY - the main sponsor is a Scottish industrial holding group - not that the NSLM understands any of that - he just thinks the Scottish Rugby team are playing with his NAME on their jerseys!!

and finally and most importantly .... what can we say about the news about Maxdog ... the not-so-little man has held a very special place in his heart for Max since we got to know him many months ago .... we have explained very gently and carefully to him that Max is really not very well at the moment and in the NSLM's own inimitable style - he said to us - "I guess his batteries are running out" - yes, we guess they are but we wish so very much they weren't!

To Max and all his family - know that we haven't stopped thinking of you since we heard the news ....

Looking out for Gordon Ramsay in the Ritz Carlton in Powerscourt ....

We were out for a bit of a walk and the NSLM directed me towards one of his favourite places ... the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Powerscourt. The NSLM had an idea ... well it was lunch-time ...We popped downstairs to the Gordon Ramsay Restaurant to see what was on the lunch menu ... "well Murray what's on the menu today?" ... Keep reading it out to me .... Pigeon, duck .... Okay, Murray - let's go in .........