I was asked to be in a Pantomime this Christmas. It was Beauty and the Beast in Rugby at the Benn hall. “OH YES IT WAS!”
This is why I look a bit sad in these photos from the official photo shoot.
For Christmas I got an Elf hat, don’t I look cute?!!
On Christmas morning we went for a walk.
On Boxing day we went for another walk this time to a lovely beach. The water was very cold but I couldn’t resist running and biting the waves, it was great fun!
I’m hoping to put a film up of Jan and Mike singing Christmas songs. I’m not sure I like it when Jan sings, Mike’s OK though.
Hope you all had a Happy Christmas and I wish everyone a Happy New Year!
Big woofs Chico Chugg.
Thanks for sending me the photo Willow.
Well that’s the end of another busy World book week and I’m absolutely pooped! Mind you Jan and Mike look a bit tired too, now we’ve only got to film over this next weekend and then maybe we can have a rest, but knowing Jan and Mike it won’t be for long.
REMEMBER Keep reading and your writing will get better!
Big woofs
Chico Chugg.
Jan and Mike asked the children if they could come to rerecord their parts at Mike’s studio so the headmaster and teacher very kindly brought them.
Here they are doing a wonderful job at speaking the parts of Jimmy and Charlotte!
They even let me come and listen to what the’yd recorded. They were very good!!!
Jan let them come down to the boat and we all had birthday cake because it is my 8th birthday today!
They even gave me a birthday present!
Many thanks to the headmaster and teacher for bringing the children. It was lovely for Jan to meet them all again and I had a lovely birthday.
A few weeks ago
Jan and Mike went to a school to record some children who are going to be the stars of a radio series all about my books!
They did some auditions and found two wonderful children to play the parts of Jimmy and Charlotte. They were brilliant and sound just like I imagined the characters would. Well done both of you, stars in the making!!
Here are some photos.
Jan, Mike and Anita had a lovely evening in Birmingham at the Royal Television Society awards this week.
My TV series didn’t win but a really funny comedian, from the Midlands, called Frank Skinner received the Baird Medal and at the end of his speech mentioned the episode that had been shown, which was ‘Poo’.
He said how much he’d liked it and how funny it was.
Everyone was so excited that Jan even gave my double, who was there for the evening, to Frank.
Here are some photos.
Here is our nomination certificate. Everyone enjoyed watching a bit from the episode called ‘Poo”.
Jan and Frank Skinner. Can you see he’s got my double? I’m so glad Jan gave it to him, Frank looks like he’s great fun.
I wonder if I’ll ever get the chance to really meet him or speak with him? You never know one day I might.
Jan, Mike and Anita want to say a big thank you to everyone for a great night and a special thanks to Jayne Greene for organising such a wonderful evening!!
Big woofs, Chico.
In November Janet’s doing a book tour to celebrate our RTS nomination.
Here are some photos of the schools so far.
Many thanks to all the schools for their invites and warm welcomes, Jan and Mike are having a lovely time meeting lots of really wonderful children and staff.
Malcolm Arnold Prep School.
Kineton Primary School
Wooton Primary School
Some children from Wooton School have a pet pig called Boris and they sent me a photo. Isn’t he lovely.
Willows Primary School.
Helmdon Primary School, was a lovely little village school.
I love the big photo with all the children in it! I was just wondering what Mike was doing with another dog?! He told me her name was Lila and she belongs to the school, isn’t she lucky! She looks lovely and very happy, but I’m not surprised being around children all day must be great fun
Stockingford Primary.
Weddinton primary school.
For her final assembly of this book tour Jan and Mike were at Weddington Primary School. We would all like to say a big thank you to the staff, children and parents who were amazing! They made Jan and Mike feel very welcome and the children joined in brilliantly, even lots of the reception children!! Look at the lovely special signing table they made for Jan to sit at, it made her feel very special!! What a lovely final assembly to be finishing Jan’s book tour.
We went chugging for 2 weeks and almost got to a place called Rugley.
We had lots of misfortunes and adventures along the way.
At Watford locks we had to wait 3 hours for 12 boats to come up but we didn’t mind. The only problem was that by the time we started chugging it was pouring with rain and we got absolutely soaked!
The next morning, moored at the top of the Braunston locks, the engine wouldn’t start so Mike was going to phone the RCR but the phone was dead, then the generator, he was using to charge the phone, ran out of petrol. So it was a 30 minutes walk down the locks to the chandlers where they kindly let us use their phone. The RCR are special people who come and mend your boat if it breaks down. RCR stands for River Canal Rescue. A bit like people have the AA or RAC for their cars.
The RCR man was lovely and soon mended the boat and we were on our way down the locks and moored in Braunston.
The next morning Jan had a bad leg and couldn’t walk so Mike chugged the boat to Hillmorton. Phil from the marina kindly drove our car to meet us and then Mike and Jan dropped me off at the Kennels while they took Jan to A and E. I had a lovely night with all my friends but I was happy to see that Jan was on the mend when Mike came to pick me up the next day. She just had to rest and not pull the boat in with the rope.
Wow we’d only been away 3 days and so much had happened.
I helped Mike do lots of locks while Jan steered the boat. The weather was rather wet and very windy. In fact we came back early because someone told us a tree had blown down across the canal ahead of us in Rugley and boats couldn’t get through.
Most rainy days we stayed inside and made a fire, I love snuggly days.
In the evenings I was very tired after a long day chugging.
We met some lovely people along the way. Here’s a little boy who had one of my finger puppets.
Mike and Jan kept saying “You’re driving us crazy!” All I was doing was warning them when the water moved, which it does quite a lot on the boat when you speed up or slow down. Barking grabs everyone’s attention, so it was the only thing I could do. Look what they did! They put the canopy around the edge thinking it would stop me seeing the water, but as you can see, it didn’t!
I love chugging holidays because there’s so much to do and see, but do you know what, I’m ever so glad we’re home again now!
I wonder when we’ll go chugging again?
Big woofs until next time, Chico Chugg.
We’ve been in the dry dock!
Wah Wah needed her bottom blacking again so we went into the dry dock to do it.
Jan doesn’t like it in the dry dock but I love it. It’s so exciting, check out the photos to see why.
Chugging into the dry dock. Putting the planks in and covering with a cover to make a dam wall. I love it when the water is pumped out, look can you see it?
Can you see the water going down? Next we jet wash off all the old blacking…so we can grind off all the rust and then paint her. I had to keep watching the water pump to make sure it kept working.
Jan and Mike also touched up some of the blue paint. We had to walk carefully over the plank and bridge to get on and off the boat.
Then after a few days we were ready to come out. I tried to help take off the plastic cover and enjoyed barking at the water rushing back in when they took out the planks.
They wouldn’t let me on the boat as Mike chugged out, but I kept shouting loudly to tell him how to do it. I didn’t want Mike to scratch the new paint! He didn’t seem to appreciate my help though!
Coming back to our mooring. Doesn’t Wah Wah look shiny and bright?!
If you click here you can watch my Dry Dock episode on Wizz youtube channel for kids.
I hope you enjoy it.
We’ll be back in the dry dock in a couple of years, I can’t wait.
See you soon, big woofs, Chico Chugg.
Mike, Jan and me had a wonderful day at Kenilworth Books yesterday.
We met lots of lovely children and parents. Some grown up children came to see Jan too, she had taught them many years ago.
Many thanks to everyone who came to see us, friends, family, children from schools where Jan has done my assemblies and new faces, I had a lovely day.
Here’s the winner’s colouring picture from the competition. Well done it was lovely! Finger puppets are waiting for you at Kenilworth Books.
Thanks again Kenilworth Books for inviting us, see you all soon! Big woofs, Chico Chugg.
Wow hasn’t it been hot?
I’m outside most days lying in the shade of the trees as it’s too hot for me at the moment.
Anyway here are a few photos from the last 2 months. I haven’t done a lot but Jan, Mike and Anita had an exciting time at the Children’s Media Conference in a place called Sheffield.
Mike, Anita and Jan had some very exciting meetings with all sorts of people. Can you see they took my double because I wasn’t allowed to go.
We are now very excited about what the future will be with my TV series and books as everyone loved me, of course!!
A famous children’s author called Michael Rosen did a speech. Jan said it was very good.
They took my double to lots of things called seminars. I’m not sure what that means but my double seemed to be listening well.
At the end of the conference they were all tired but came home very happy and excited.
One evening while we were eating dinner outside, I spotted two of our cushions fly off into the canal. No one seemed to notice but me, so I barked and barked and everyone got cross with me until Jan suddenly spotted them floating off down the canal.
I wasn’t sure how we were going to get them back until Mike cleverly got his kayak out and went and retrieved them. Of course I had to help by barking instructions to him!
Phew it’s a good job I notice what’s going on!
AUTHOR DAY at KENILWORTH BOOKS.
Oh yes and one last thing, this Saturday, which is the 4th August, we are all going to be at Kenilworth Books with my stories. Come along and meet us for some fun: making badges, joining in with a colouring competition and listening to Jan reading from my books.
Click here for a link to Kenilworth Books website.
Hope you’re all enjoying the sunshine but remember to drink lots of water and keep in the shade!!
Big woofs, a very hot Chico Chugg.
