DON WE NOW OUR GAY APPAREL...

Merry Xmas!

Such a long time between posts but, as you know, I am totally dependent on ML (Mistress Lyn) to help me keep in touch. She has gone and got herself a radio show and decided to do her own blog, which of course leaves me out in the cold, as far as mass communication goes. She has also gone totally bonkers with the Xmas outfit this year and expects me to greet guests in a set of reindeer ears. Five minutes after this photo was taken I squirmed out of it and buried the atrocity (location is top secret). Honestly, do I look impressed? 

She's asked me to let you know that her program, Theme Park,  airs on BayFM (99.9) Tuesdays 2-4pm, Eastern Standard Time and it streams on http://www.bayfm.org .

If you must humour her, read her blog at http://themeparkradio.wordpress.com .

But enough about her, let's talk about me! Finally this week I got my Summer haircut and massage. Andrew came around while ML was out galivanting around somewhere. He felt sorrow for me and gave me the attention I have been so sorely lacking. After a very stylish doggy trim, we thoroughly discussed the type of massage that was suitable for a canine of my petite stature and maturity. Tossed up between Remedial and Bowen and decided that Remedial, with a bit of Aromotherapy thrown in, was the go. Check out the top photo of me and Andy on the back verandah. Now that's what I call a happy pup! 

Christmas is going to be a bit quiet. We lost a couple more ducks to the fox, so the duck pen is in a bit of a state. ML's daughter Zoe is in Paris for Xmas (its a hard life, but someone's got to do it!) and her son Jack is working in Sydney.  Our cleaner, Gordy, has gone to Port Douglas, with his partner Ross, for Xmas and New Year and John, our gardener, is also taking a week off. ML is going to be muchos busy running everthing on her own.

A group of ML's friends from Sydney are coming up for New Year so that should brighten up the scene a bit. And there are lots of guests staying on the property, all in a holiday mood. So as long as she doesn't try that cross-dressing palaver again, ML and I should have a very happy holiday season. Sending you all a big lick on the face, from your favourite mutt. Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la. 

And here is a link to fabulous video just to prove that there are many, many other dog blogs out there, Yay! Merry Xmas!!

Click here.

Dog Demands Digital Emancipation!

Howdy all,

Well its been a long time between posts and that's because I am totally dependent on ML (Mistress Lyn) to type up my dictation. Why oh why don't they make computers for dogs???? I'm sure I could get my head around it if only the keys were big enough for my otherwise dainty paws. And, excuse me, but what's the story with the mouse? 

Well, what's been happening, you may well ask. Nothing much in doggyland, unfortunately. But ML has been busier than a greyhound on Friday night. She is full of praise for the couple who run the Harvest restaurant at Newrybar, where she recently had lunch with the Bangalow Business Women's group. According to Christian, who owns the restaurant, the town is aiming to be  totally green. The Harvest owners grow a lot of their own vegetables on a farm nearby. They send all their scraps to the chickens on the farm who then pay them back with eggs and... (gulp) .... meat. ML was doing a story for the local radio station, BayFM, on locovores. That's people, and animals too, that only eat local produce. It's not as easy as it sounds apparently. We live in the sub-tropics, so we live in a great area for growing fruit and vegetables all year round. But if we were to make bread for instance, we would have to truck in flour from hundreds of kms away. ML got all enthusiastic about it for about five minutes and was making all my food from scratch. Naturally that didn't last very long but she is promising that she will get her act together on that and maybe cook on weekends and freeze ahead for the week. I'll believe it when I see it.

She also got to go to the opening of the new Dish restaurant which her friends Michael and Ross have taken over. It's a high end restaurant with fantastic menu, but I have to be tied up outside if she goes in for lunch (great friends you have Mistress Lyn!). But the good thing is that their doors slide open all the way, so I get a nice bowl of left-overs and it does feel as if I'm sitting there with them. 

ML's brother has been in hospital in Brisbane, about 2 hours drive north, so that's taken up a bit of her time. So I'll forgive her for ignoring me somewhat these last few weeks. She is promising to give me a wash, massage and haircut today, so I suppose I can't complain.

Beautiful weather here at the moment. You can really feel springtime coming on. Longer days and lots more frolicking and fun.. which reminds me: ML has said that once I'm finished with my beauty treatments, she will take me into Byron Bay for the Carnivale By the Sea. Yay. 

A sad little note too. Our friend Tracey lost her best friend Victoria a couple of weeks ago. According to Tracey she was the best little kittie in the whole wide world, but she was quite old for a cat (14) and it was just her time move on. Hope you're catching lots of mice up there in cat heaven Vic. I wish I'd asked you about the stupid computer mouse before you left us, though.

Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down

Saturday and its Farmers Market Day here in Bangalow. Well, for humans anyway - another case of discrimination against canines! I had to be tied up to a bench while Mistress Lyn went shopping. My pride wouldn't allow for this travesty to be photographed, so we have some photos of the Farmers Markets instead. ML ran into her friend Claire who is running a campaign against the use of plastic bags. She collects leftover material, donated by locals, and makes groovy shopping bags which she then gives away. Excellent! 

ML is feeling a bit hung-over today as she overdid it at the local watering hole last night. Her friends Slim and Dave were playing in a band there and by all accounts the place rocked. Slim plays bass and Dave the sax. And, again, I was left at home to look after myself!  Felix, the pesky Abyssinan cat, (and my rival for everyone's attention), insisted on sitting with me on the lounge while we watched the opening of the Olympics. I have to admit that it was pretty amazing even if I do have major reservations about supporting a country that (gulp) EATS DOGS!!!!

The weather is absolutely brilliant and even though its officially still winter, the spring blossoms have already started to emerge. ML is busy in the kitchen making cumquat liquor. Yummy.

Oh, oh, gotta go. I think I see those disobedient ducks loitering near ML's swimming pool. Better go sort that out.

From Splendour to Carnivore

Well, Splendour in the Grass is over for another year. Mistress Lyn's son Jack and his friends all came up from Sydney for the event and by all accounts a good time was had by all. Their favourite act, by far, was Devo (Whip it, Whip it good!). That's Jack, his best friend Michael and me lounging around on the back verandah.

We waved all our guests off and then got ready for the incoming ones. And what do you know, another boxer dog is visiting. We seem to be having a run of boxers. What is it with these dogs? You would think with a name like 'boxer' that they would be up for a rumble, but they just slobber all over you. This one's named Cassie. A cute little number but a bit butch for me.

ML has decided that she isn't a vegetarian any more, and she's even eating chicken! Organic, free range chicken, sure, but chicken none the less. I hope that our ducks don't get wind of this or they may start getting paranoid. I'm a bit worried that she hasn't named the new arrivals. She says its because she can't tell yet whether they're boys or girls yet. Hmmm.

That ML is a very strange gal. There is a green frog living in her shower and she's taken to talking to it! Watch out kermit, ever heard of frogs legs?

Splendiferous!

Wow, what a busy week. I finally got up to visit the boxers that were staying on the property. Max and Molly are just two big sooks - certainly didn't live up to their breed's reputation. Mistress Lyn insisted on taking a photo of them for my blog, so here they are. By all accounts they, and their owners, had a great time while they were here for two weeks and we'll see them again next year.

The weather has been great and our gardener, John, is doing a fantastic job of pruning and mulching. That's John and I discussing all things organic. He doesn't seem to appreciate it

when I help with the digging, but otherwise he is a pretty good guy.

ML's son Jack is here for the rock festival 'Splendour in the Grass' (better known as 'Splinters in the Arse' by us locals). When I first got adopted into this family, Jack was only 11 and now he is 21! And we both look great for our age, if I do say so myself. Will post photos of Jack and his friends next time. 

One of the rock'n'rollers who are staying with us for the festival, drove her van into a field and got bogged. Lyn's friend Andy was called to the scene of the crime and soon had her out and on her way. Yes, she's a blonde. No other comment required.

Feeling a bit lazy today as the weather is soooooo good. Just snoozed on the back verandah all day and just might do the same tomorrow - its a tough life, but someone's got to do it.

Monday Monday, so good to me....

Sunday was a lazy one, as predicted. After the sun was out all day Saturday, Sunday turned out to be freezing. Mistress Lyn and I snuggled up in front of the television with a DVD of 'Lust and Caution'. Beautiful film by Ang Lee, but about five minutes from the end the DVD broke down and we have no idea how it ended! Book-keeper Victoria lent it to us, so we are going to have to get the low-down on the finale from her. So frustrating. I knew we should have watched 'Best in Show'.

Yeah, today I got to leave the property. I love going for trips in the car. ML and I went to the gym. Spirit is about a 10 minute drive away and they are very, very nice to us pups - even if we are expected to be tied up outside with a bowl of water. At least there are lots of gym junkies coming and going, so I get my fare share of pats. Here's a photo of the lovely Anthea giving me a massage after I went overboard with my downward dog position.

Then it was off to the local shops where we called in and said hello to everyone: Keith at the greengrocers, Ruth at the Country Women's Association store, Nicole at the Post Office, and Richard at the Newsagent. Ran into a very nice dog called Biko. Suggested that he might like to start his own blog and we could link to each other. Said the only links he was interested in were sausage links. Duh!

When we got home I had a bit of a chat to Vince and Olly, head of the duck community here on the farm. Lots of fuss about the fox that's been visiting and I've promised to circle the duck pen each night and let off a few warning barks, before I go to bed. Much as those ducks are a pain in the butt, us pets have got to stick together. That's the three of us having a sub-committee meeting on the back lawn. 

Lots of winter fruit and vegies are out. We chopped down some bananas yesterday and have some ripening on the back verandah. ML loves the silver beet and the cumquats, the custard apples and the passionfruit. Me?  I'm just happy munching on an old bone. 

Fanfare

Saturday and the sun came out in full force: do you think I got taken to the dog friendly beach? Or for a romp over the paddocks? Or into town for a bit of a shop and sniff? No way dear readers. I was left at home to get up to my own devices while Mistress Lyn hob-nobbed it down to Byron to meet up with old mate David Stratton. She even brought back this photo which she is insisting that I put on my blog page, just to rub it in. ML hasn't seen David in a few years, so by all accounts it was really pleasant, with coffee first at the Byronian Cafe and then up to the Beach Hotel restaurant for a fantastic 3 course meal with wines and an entertaining chat by David and Bruce Beresford (director of Breaker Morant, Driving Miss Daisy, etc. etc). about the books they had written and were spruiking at the festival. It was supposed to be sold out, but David was able to wrangle ML a ticket. Obviously not what you know, but who you know!

Then she rushes in, tells us all about the amazing food she just ate, feeds us all our (very ordinary) dinner and takes off again! This time its to see local gals Scarlett Affection do their farewell gig before they go off on tour. I have to admit those gals are pretty special, so can't complain. That's them in the other pic. I tell you, they can rub my tummy any time they like!

Bad news: there is a fox sneaking around the farm and we have lost our two laying ducks, Tina and Pru. We are on high alert, especially as we have babies to protect. Its guys like these that give us canines a bad name. 

Looks like a bit of a lazy day today, although the Bangalow Markets are on and the Writers Festival is all a go-go, so I wouldn't be surprised what ML gets up to. Personally, I'd be happy just reading the Sunday paper and getting a takeaway doggycinno.