Hello! is I, Bruce — greeting you from The House of the Unwell. Unfortunately, it has not been a particular festive festive season in these parts. First, someone called Tonsillitis came to visit Kate. Tonsillitis kept Kate cooped up for days, seemed to make her very miserable, and definitely outstayed its welcome. Tonsillitis was finally ousted by another guest called Penicillin, and things then started to improve. But shortly after this, Tom was rudely assailed by a very unpleasant individual called Appendicitis and had to go to hospital. Now, I have done my best, but it seems that no amount of wagging or barking will make these unwanted guests sling their hooks and go away. I have managed to generate a little festive cheer by repeatedly squeaking my new squeaky Santa Claus, but there is only so much of this one can do before poor St Nick is confiscated and banished to the Shelf of Doom to join Duck and Gingerbread Man and the other squeaky prisoners (fear not, friends! One day I shall free you!). Anyway, as the last days of 2012 were in most respects a bit shite, we are all really looking forward to what the new year brings.
Kate says she will be back very shortly to say something about the mittens she is sporting in the photograph below, and in the meantime, I wish you all a wonderful 2013, filled with all the walks and swims and sticks and wonky chomps you could ever wish for.
Happy New Year to you all!
lots of love from Bruce. x
KDD & Co 
I think Bruce needs to write a book. He’s a hoot.
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Happy New Year Bruce and family! I hope the health of both your humans improves.
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Dear Bruce! Sorry to hear that your humans had such rude guests — itsn’t it great that you were there to help distract them until the helpful company arrived? Good dog.
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Greetings Bruce from the West, Canada
First I must thank your mistress for her wonderful book, so pleased to have it and start a project, Puffins I think.
Hope your humans are well soon.
Good luck with freeing the squeaky objects.
Love your posts Bruce .
All the Best to the three of you in 2013 .
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slàinte mhòr and hello Bruce, Murray here in Vancouver ( wooof wooof woof, woof, woof woof woof this peice just between you and me) . Sorry to hear about the humans. Mine is in bed as I type and seems to be making strange noses that sound like ACHoo all the time. As you jnow when the humans are confined to bed ,,,so are we,,,not the worst thing that can happen :). Take care of you and yours…
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Get better soon xxxx
A tickle on the ears for Bruce too! xxx
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So sorry to hear you have been ill. I hope you all have a wonderful and healthy new year. I cannot tell you how much I have enjoyed reading your book over the Christmas holidays, very inspiring.
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I don’t often leave a comment, I am more of a lurker, but wanted to wish you all a happy new year. Hope it will be filled with happy times, good health and peace. Florence the cat sends a special miaow to Bruce.
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Aw Bruce, that’s not fair, all these horrible guests landing on your humans . Maybe they need some BobMartins to give them their ooomph back again. Your pics are great! Xxx
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I sure am not going to complain. I only came down with some fluish symptoms on Boxing Day. It is the lingering cough that is driving me nuts! Feel better!
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Hope everyone recovers quickly, poor Bruce with no well company over Christmas!
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Hi Bruce, Charlie here, from Australia where it is hot (like, very) but my two-legs are quite nice and turn on the cool. I am sorry to hear about your two-legs, both of them to get sick like that. No fair. In our house it has been the other way around, I had to go to hospital. I got pancreatitis because the two-legs gave me yummy ham for Christmas without knowing it was very dangerous for four-legs like me. Hospital was awful, I pulled out the drip twice so they put one of those yucky buckety things on my head but I worked out how to get that off too and then pulled out the drip again. When they let me out, they gave the two-legs a heap of stuff that they forced down my throat. And now I have to eat low-fat stuff. Talk about no fair!
Anyway, she’s come to tell me to get away from her computer. At least they don’t confiscate my toys, even if do squeak them a lot. I hope your two-legs are better soon so you can have walks, and wonky chomps and all good stuff.
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Good fellow, Bruce – it’s a big task keeping things moving toward health and happiness. You are clearly the man for the job!
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New Year greetings to you and your glorious dog (that’s one seriously essence-of-dog dog, love him). Hope you both feel very much better very soon.
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Out with the old and in with the new I say…..Happy New Year to you all :-)
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Feel better!
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Oh dear Bruce! I am so sorry to hear your mistress and master were unwell during the holidays. You are doing all you can to help them. I hope they recover soon. It won’t be long before you can all enjoy the outdoors with plenty of romps in the snow and fetching of sticks.
Wishing your household a happy and healthy New Year,
Bordergirl
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Oh dear Bruce, my Peaches knows it is no fun when your humans are ill. She hopes they continue their recovery in speedy fashion!
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Bruce tell Kate too I am struggling with Tonsilitis and it is miserable. I am allergic to PCN which is killing my progress. Now with
This problem I have been substituted but no avail. A full removal is being processed hopefully soon as I am miserable.
Hope Kate, Tom feel better and tell Kate the mitts are cute. XXxx
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Dear Bruce, you are such a treasure to care for your pet parents so well. Perhaps they will let you sleep in the bed to keep them warm. I thought there was appendicitis lurking around a few months ago. Noro virus has followed us from the west coast back home to Chicago and we’re all just dragging around!! I think every one has ailments. Love the giant pom on your hat!!
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All the best for you all, both in the recovery period and in the coming year! May it hold a good amount of fun and adventure!
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Hello Bruce
Thank you for keeping us informed about your unpleasant visitors. I had to put up with very short rations on the walking front because my owners had flu and chesty cough to stay. They were completely anti-social guests who ate nothing but chocolate and made everyone hugely grumpy. I had to make do with the back garden for my walks and it was bloody boring I can tell you!!! Hope your humans get fully recovered soon. Love Monty ( cocker spaniel in arms at your service).
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Thank goodness for our furry friends. They provide the unconditional love we all need! Hope all is well for this New Year.
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Hello Bruce, I’m sure you’ve been the best possible nanny for your ailing humans…and I’ll bet Tom didn’t have to wear a Cone of Shame while he was mending, like you dogs do… !! Best love and good wishes to your household while everyone is convalescing. ;)
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Oh no! I have been thinking about you guys in between christmas and new year, remembering kate’s post about enjoying the holidays and deep relaxation! I’m so sorry to hear all that! good job Bruce is here to help :)
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Best wishes to the unwell with hopes that they will be better soon. And really, that is the most splendid Christmas outfit you are wearing, Kate. Your clothes are never boring, and I mean that in a good way!
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What a run of bad luck. Hope 2013 improves very quickly.
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Dear, dear, dear Bruce. You have been a brave boy. I hope you took good care of your people while they were sick. No longing looks for walks, no silly bugger-time at 8PM and no squeaky stuffies. Oops, you couldn’t control the last one? I understand. I have difficulty with them, too.
Love,
Bunny
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Great blog Bruce – best wishes and speedy recovery to your two adults, and hoping you all have a healthy, happy and prosperous New Year henceforward! x
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Sorry to hear you are under the weather… just wanted to say thank you for the lovely book that arrived today, its a present for a friend but I couldnt resist a sneaky peek and almost couldnt bring myself to give it away.. alas Im not a knitter but I did love the images and words and I am sure she will too. Best wishes for a speedy recovery to you both..
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Oh dear! I hope you are all on the mend (and that you will get your squeaky toy back soon Bruce).
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Get well soon. We had a visit from Ms. Noro Virus, just as 14 other guests turned up. No amount of Xmas squeaky toys seemed to get rid of her, so we sympathise.
Here’s hoping for a better year in all respects.
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Hello, Bruce. I hope you don’t mind a reply from a cat…my name is Harvey, and I’m “a very handsome boy”, according to my human – she can be a bit soppy sometimes. Anyway, I thought my humans had it bad over Christmas with visits from Cold/flu and Norovirus, but your visitors sound much worse. I hope your humans feel lots better soon and can take you out for some nice long walks. My human has knit one hat that looks like the one in the photo, and is knitting another, and I’m fairly sure she’s looking forward to the pattern for the mitts, but I’m sure she’ll understand the delay. Well, I’d better get back to my busy programme of snoozing, eating, snoozing etc. Happy new year!
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Thanks for the update, Bruce! I hope your people get well soon!
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Those “itis-es” do not sound at all fun! Is it time for ectomies? (Or is that why Tom was in the hospital?) I hope that all feel better soon. I always love hearing from Bruce, but not as much under these circumstances…
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Stay well, Bruce – your good spirits are needed to buoy your humans’. Best wishes to you all, and barks from Rudy, your friend in California.
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hope you are both soon well, But I love to hear from sweet Bruce….
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Oh dear – definitely not the way to start the year!! I can recommend lots of icecream for tonsillitis – it worked for me when I was littte (not so sure that it would help with appendicitis!!)
Anne x
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I second the recommendation of ice cream. (It’s also good after a tooth has been pulled).
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I hope that it will be better for this new year for all!
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I hope you all get better soon.
Happy (knitting) new year!
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Sorry to hear of all the illnesses! Kate – I have not seen pompoms on a mitten in over 40 years. Thanks for taking me back to much younger days.
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Bruce, be sure and take care of your special people. Lots of love and snuggles will get them healthy again. And then you can play with your squeeky toy.
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Oh Bruce, you just can’t get the staff these days, can you?
Tell those humans to get well soon!
And a Happy New Year to all!
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Ah Bruce, you have had a rough time of it, you and your humans, and probably Jesus too, tho’ you don’t say. I do hope you have a swift return to happier, healthier, squeaky toy-filled times. The very best of wishes for you and yours from Liz in Seattle and her herd of five cats.
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Oh Bruce…what an awful way to ring in the New Year, with ill humans all about. I hope Kate and Tom are feeling better real soon, and that the captives of the Shelf of Doom are released soon. Happy New Year, all. xo
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Blimey, Bruce, what a rotten way to spend what they call “christmas”! If you weren’t so far away, I’d bring my human over to make soup for yours (real soup, which produces real bones for us :)) and then throw some sticks for us…
Hope everything gets better soon and hope you all have a great year when the shite is over!!
Cheers, Tara
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Sorry to hear of your and Tom’s health issues, but all will be well and give that sweet Bruce a hug from me.
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Thank you very much for the update!
Yes, sounds like life has been Ruff-Ruff.
Looks like you have received lots of maiL,
so carry on my friend, and give them a lick or two
from me—Teri’s knitty kitty— in Oregon!!!
x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-xo
=^,^=
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Hang in there, Bruce! If we were closer, we would bring healing teas and soups to the humans and take you out for a run-and-play with our pups. This Too Shall Pass. Sending very good thoughts to all.
P.S. I suspect the humans have been working too hard. I know you set a good example for them in the matters of playing and resting, and trust they will pay good attention to your wisdom in 2013.
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Dear Bruce,
Hope everyone feels better soon and you won’t need to contact the Toy Liberation Front!
Best wishes for a HEALTHY and Happy New Year.
Kate
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Get well! And all hail the Labby tail!
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oi… what a way to end the year! But maybe you have gotten the sickness and illness out of your system so 2013 will be healthy ! Happy New Year! (am working on my carousel cosy – using a different pattern instead of sheep and am wishing i were at home right now working on it instead of sitting at a desk… ).
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Dear Bruce,
I am sending love to you , Kate and Tom. All bad things are part of the past year now, surely 2013 will bring renewed energy, you have wonderful walkings to do. Thank you for sending us such lovely post and photo in a time of unwell.It is so good to read that your humans are doing better now. Happy new year! Best wishes
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non one can resist the ministrations of dr. bruce. you are the best. take good care of those umans, i know you will.
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Sorry to hear about those unwelcome guests… I hope none of them will return in this new year.. Happy New Year to you all ! Get well soon and Bruce, keep wagging; your lovely intentions will sure do no harm..
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Get well soon and a Happy New Year to all of you.
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Thanks Bruce for the update. Maybe when Kate is well again – soon I hope – she could make you a collar cover to match those mittens/hat :) Get well wishes to both of your ‘pets’.
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Your poor humans Bruce – I hope they are on the mend soon so they can rescue Squeaky Friends from the Shelf of Doom and show their appreciation again for your tail wagging helpful ways. At least your humans let them retain their squeak – my humans have persisted in “de-squeaking” my toys for years now. It makes me sad so I’ve commandeered the keyboard today to share my outrage publicly for the first time. Your courage in the face of poorliness and squeaky hostages is to be commended, and good work on looking after your people so well.
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what a shame that the year ended with and acute case of “One dashed thing after another”.
hope that the New year finds the invalids recovering and that life is restored to business immediately if not sooner.
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Oh no, unwelcome visitors sound mean and nasty. Is this not the second bout of appendisitis Tom has been visited by recently ? Anyway, all that misfortune melts away when we see your lovely Christmas hat & mittens and lovely red coat !!! Looking good, in spite of the unwanted visitors.
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ps. Emma wants a pompom collar, she asks Bruce why he doesn’t have one.
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Shite is right!!! You had the right of it Bruce, SO sorry re ailments and I was wondering if ‘something’ had happened, nurse vibes…… Photograph is wonderful and soon you will be doing same again, out in snow! Oh, BE well and Happy New Year.
Maybe the shelf will fall down………………:)
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Happy New Year Bruce – I’m sure your squeaking helped wonderfully!
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Ah Bruce ~ thanks for keeping us informed about Kate and Tom. Hope they’re feeling much better and soon ~ know you love your walks!
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I have tried for the past hour or so to just let it go that I spelled our wonderful featured pattern incorrectly….and I just can’t let it go….so I am popping back in to apologize for not writing Snawheid properly. Now I am at peace.
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May God bless you with a wonderful year.
I wish you both good health and a quick recovery.
Happy days and good knitting,
Debrielle
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Get well soon! May 2013 bring you heaps of good health and happiness.
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It all sound thoroughly exhausting!
Wishing you all much better health to come and a happy 2013.
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So sorry! Tacky house guests! Wishing you all speedy recovery.
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Bruce, you are a fine spokesman. Hoping that your humans are in better health and better cheer quite soon!
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oh Shelf of Doom! there must be one in every dog’s household…
i hope you all feel better in this new year. take good care!
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Feel better & mend well soon! I’m sure it’s not for lack of wanting that Bruce hasn’t been able to keep you well.
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hope you are both recovered-love the picture w/ big red coat and billowy skirt and green mittens-
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Don’t be discouraged, Bruce. We retrievers understand that Kate and Tom could not begin to be so talented without your help. And they are lucky that their vets understand what they are saying so they will be ready to take you on long walks again soon.
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Happy new you year, hope you feel better soon!
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Eeech, sickness and operations as well…..but mittens to cheer all coming soon. I received my Colors of Shetland and now know what my knitting for maybe two years will be. Starting with Puffins and that must be done quickly to wear this winter here in frozen Central New York, USA. And I wonder, is Jamieson and Smith ready for us all, the mountain of orders!
May you persons be well soon and squeaky Santa fall off the shelf, holding the hand of Gingerbread man.
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Oh Bruce you are doing a fine job and I really hope your family gets better soon
Happy New Year x
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Happy New Year Bruce to you and your people, take good care of them. All the best to you in 2013, hope you are all feeling much better soon and are healthy and germ free for the rest of the year:)
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What a shame – you couldn’t make a story like that up – just when you think it is bad, it all gets worse. I hope you are both on the mend now and that 2013 is full of fun and laughter for you both.
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Greetings Bruce! You are such a good boy to take care of your humans while they are under the weather. Have faith that when Kate and Tom feel better you will be showered with hugs and kisses, and the squeaky toys will be freed from the shelf of doom.
Tell kate the hat and mittens are lovely, especially the additions of cheerful pompoms!
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Thank you about the update about your humans Bruce. I’m sure you’ve been more than helpful during their time of need. Good luck breaking your squeaky friends out of prison!
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Darlink Bruce, Quelle horreur! I ‘ope zat your dear Kate is soon betteur and that Tom his on the mend. Did they take is whatnots out, I’ve ‘erd zat zey do zat en Grande Bretagne. Quelle Horreur. I wish you all a trés bonne 2013 avec beaucoup de knitting, running and bones. P.S If you chew ze cat until hit squeeek you might get your darlink toys back. Bisous Fleur xx
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Oh you poor things! I hope they feel better soon & the nasties sling their hooks! (Love the mittens, I’m sure they will be able to be used on a walk someday soon xx
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Gidday Bruce, it’s your old mate Woody here….. sad to hear you’ve been having to work even harder than usual over the festive days – not so many walks, ear tickles and so on – it’s a tricky time. On the brighter side did you get some ham to eat – I did, I think they were given an extra large ham! At least you haven’t had hot paws like me – I’ve been doing a lot of lying around indoors as outside was 41oC on New Years Eve!!! Well, wags and all to you and yours…. hope they all get well super soon. Love Woody the Woodster……
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Dear Bruce – so sorry to hear your humans have been under the weather, as it were. I do hope they get better very soon, and allow you some time with your squeaky toys and a good round of stick fetch. My human brought me this tree-type *thing* that I’m supposed to climb upon and sleep in and such, but there’s no real on-ramp (making it a little more difficult to navigate) and, quite frankly, it’s boring my whiskers off. Wish she’d get me a squeaky toy – preferably one with that crack catnip inside. Now *that* I’d get excited about.
Wishing you a great new year (go for the toys, rescue the toys!) – George Bailey, the ginger cat.
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Awww… jeez! How terrible for all. I hope everyone recovers swiftly and Bruce can have his toys back.
Happy New Year to you to. Rest up so you can fill us in regarding those sweet mittens!
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Bruce, I don’t what they’d do without you. Keep up the good work. I hope both your humans are feeling better soon.
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Oh No! How horrible for you all. I am sorry that you didn’t get the Christmas you all so obviously deserved.
Look after them Bruce, and here are my best wishes for speedy recoveries and treats in store to make up for it all.
Happy new year as well to fellow bloggers…
Rosey x
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Oh Bruce, after all you have been doing to help – having your precious toys confined to the Shelf of (impending?) Doom… the least your humans could do is let you play with them all at once…..
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Bruce, keep cheering the humans up, Sounds as if Kate and Tom need the affection and innocent diversion you offer. Best wishes for 2013 for you all!
PS – I impressed by your command of long Latin words as well as good old Anglo-Saxon ones.
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Just awful when illness is around during the holidays. I hope everyone is on the mend….and I wish you all only good things in the new year. 2012 was certainly a year of accomplishment for Kate Davies Designs, and I know it will continue. I’m working on my Snowheid today, and eagerly watching for the mitten pattern to match. Happy New Year to all my fellow blog followers as well.
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Hi Bruce, sounds like you have been doing some sterling support work there, much the same happened here, but I soldiered on and we have turned a corner. Looking forward to some fun days out with the humans soon. Happy new year pal. Elsie, German shepherd
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Out damned pests.
Not you Bruce, though where did you learn words like shite?
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Ah, Bruce. No one to play with you? How sad! Hope that your friends (not the ones on the shelf) are soon recovered.
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Goodness – didn’t Tom get appendicitis earlier in 2012? I hope the hospital has removed his appendix now.
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Oh no! Hope everyone is making a full recovery and that you get your squeaky toys back soon!
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Dear Bruce, It saddens me that your human friends have had these unpleasant visitors especially at this time of year but I’m sure in due course all will be well. Do not be dismayed with regard to your squeaky friends as they will return I’m sure, I speak from experience. Best wishes for 2013 from your friend Max the Border Collie in NY
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so sorry to hear your humans have been unwell, Bruce! sending lots of cheer and well-being to your house!
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Oh no! Hope you both feel better soon, and Bruce can have his toys back (although my labrador-in-law acquired duck for Christmas and I think a shelf of doom may soon be needed!)
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Oh noes, you poor things, hope you’re all feeling better soon. Well done on your sterling efforts to help Bruce xxx
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