The other day, the lady on the radio was at the zoo, because they have opened a new enclosure for Lemurs. There was a man as well, but I don't like him.

She was trying to describe the lemurs for people listening to the radio, so she said "the lemurs have this incredible fur that can only be described as ... black and white".

I came home from Auntie Jackie's with strict instructions for cage rest. I hadn't bargained on that, as although cage rest means snuggly blankets and toys all to myself, it also meant that I wasn't allowed to sit in the window and watch people for weeks. I wasn't allowed to do anything. It was okay at first, but when I started to feel better, it got quite boring. Mum had two weeks with us, as she wasn't very well, she had a virus. She works with computers, and I think that's where she caught it from, because computers have viruses. It was nice having her at home, because it meant that I didn't have to stay in the cage, but I still wasn't allowed in the window.

Mum's great, she's very clever and a bit witchy, which comes in useful at times. Anyway, she found out about Crystals and thought they might be able to help me. There is a little black cyrstal called Black Tourmaline or Schorl, that helps people with problems with their bones and skeleton, so she thought it was worth a try. You needed 8 tourmaline crystals.

The first time she tried it, Dad was out, which was just as well, because he has a habit of interupting. She got me to lay on the bed and put the crystals around me. Bless her, she needed a bit of help, because she didn't really know what she was doing, so I lay on them to get a good zap of healing. They felt great, lovely and warm, like swimming but gentler. As my problems started with my nose and ended with my tail, I moved so that I had two crystals right at the tip of my nose. That felt really good, and Mum said afterwards that I vibrated all the way back to my shoulders. I felt so much better after that.

That got Mum started with crystals. I've been trying to teach her more about them - I've tried to teach Dad as well but I've given up because he doesn't really understand them. Which is silly, because Dad does reiki, which is healing with your hands, so if he can do it I don't really get why he doesn't believe a stone can do it.

Mum was amazed at the way in which I reacted to the crystals, so she's finding out more and doing a course (I don't think I'm allowed to go on the course with her, but I will try). Dad was a bit more sceptical until Deedee got hurt - Lulu-Belle Princess Spoilt Girl caught Dee's nose instead of a ball, big mistake! I could have told her not to do it! Mum used some crystals on Dee and she healed really quickly (not that Mum uses crystals instead of the vet, as we all like the vets and the nice lady there gives us sweets, so we see the vet as well). The only thing is that Dee is a healing junkie and now she muscles in on MY crystal sessions - she's very sneaky. But she doesn't realise how silly she looks, because her ears go up like radar!

We had our pictures taken last night - Mum, Dad, Wiz and I. Mum thought taking the whole family would be a little on the hectic side, and I think she was right, as there were far too many things that Dali could climb and/or knock over. Dad said the lady's camera was very expensive so it was probably the right move.

It was great fun, all we had to do was cuddle Mum in a big white room and if you barked it made lots of noise! Even Dad managed to get it right. We have to wait a while to see the pictures, and apparently Wiz and I are not allowed back to see them, which is a shame.

The lady who took the photographs had a very big lens, but she was very nice, and she said we were the best behaved dogs she'd ever taken. Of course! Why does she think we left Dali at home?!

Well, if anyone actually reads this, you might have been wondering where I've been... Truth is, I've not been a well puppy. Bit of a long story, and the journey for Mum and I is still ongoing, so I guess I'll do this in installments.

Well now, it all started four years ago when I had an operation - well, no one had actually told me NOT to chew big lumps off a toy, but in hindsight it wasn't the best decision I'd ever made. When the plastic started to move, it made me very poorly indeed and Mum had to take me to hospital. When I woke up, my legs weren't where I'd left them. I still had all four, but they just weren't in the right place.

Fast forward to the end of November just gone (2006) and Mum got fed up of me grumping at everyone, and she decided that I was in pain. She was right, I was... so Dad took me to see our chiropractor, Auntie Jackie. Auntie Jackie is a very good chiropractor because she gives you chicken, which is why Dad goes all the way back to Norfolk to see her. At first she said there was nothing wrong with me, but you know what, there she was with the chicken and I couldn't really hold it any more, and she caught me relaxing and she saw straight away that I was out.

I'd hidden it well - Auntie Jackie said she'd seen it before in horses but I am the first dog clever enough to use their muscles to compensate for bones being out. Trouble was, she pulled and poked and flicked and snapped for an hour and a half. If she thought I was sore before, she should have seen me afterwards!!!

There was quite a lot wrong with me: my nose was out, my head out and locked to the right, some vertebrae were twisted, one hip was forward and one back - its been a heck of a job to keep evrything straight, I can tell you!

I'm glad now that I let go - there is only so much you can take. But I made my Mum cry and I didn't mean to. She was very upset that she'd asked me to work when I was so twisted, and I tried to tell her that I worked for her, but she still felt guilty. Auntie Jackie said I was phenomenal, because she'd seen dogs with half as much wrong with them that wouldn't get up off the floor. I think Auntie Jackie is right, I am phenomenal!

Anyway, that's how it all started... episode two coming soon.

We went to the beach at Selsey the other weekend. For those of you who are geographically challenged, it is a small peninsular on the south coast, not far from Portsmouth. However, it seems that our navigator, Uncle Rob, IS geographically challenged and Selsey was slightly further away from Portsmouth than he anticipated. We ended up on a pebble beach looking at our destination in the distance.

We got there eventually, and DJ particularly thought it was worthwhile. Selsey Beach boasts the Channel's finest Sushi, and DJ and Lulu took full advantage of their Eat As Much As You Like menu. Mum wasn't so impressed. DJ thoughtfully took her a particularly fine specimen of large, grey, slimy fish, and she ran away screaming.

Google is a good thing, in that you can find any information (just about) that you want. Obviously being a ecologically aware kind of dog, I don't support massive companies and such, but the web-savvy in me says use it and then offset this by recycling something extra, or getting Dad to switch the lights off. We cannot reach the lights, but my brother Bryn can open the front door, which apparently is not desirable.

Anyway, I thought I would put "Matisse's Dog Blog" into Google and see if this blog came up. It did - but not without its surprises! It seems I am not the only Matisse that's blogging. Some guy is also posting poetry as Matisse's Dog, and would you believe, the third ranking site is a lady of questionable morals called Madam Matisse!

Heavens!!!!

Obviously I am the orginal and best, (thoughtfully translated by my Mum, naturally), don't be misled by imposters, particularly of that nature!!!!!!

We are going to a Halloween party tonight - Auntie Linda is behind it, so anything could happen. DJ didn't get a pumpkin costume in the end, he got a spider, complete with lime green legs. Mum has made us a pumkin lantern, and Dad will go as himself, so together we should look pretty scary.

It was Dad's birthday yesterday. He was very spoilt and got lots of presents and cards. His big present was a camera, which he actually got on Saturday, so was running around on Sunday practising with it.

I spent the whole day posing, and he eventually managed to take two decent pictures of me. I will keep working on him. It may not be so easy.