littledogsonlongleashes

9th February.

2012-02-10T10:35:00.004+11:00

Being a mostly industrious person, I started yesterday with a laundry load.

Then, I took Georgia out for her morning walk. We met the usual suspects at Mort Bay. Ted, already on his way home though it was only half six. Pearl, Darcy, Aggie. I noticed Georgia's back looked a little stiff so I was very glad she wasn't in the mood to play. She'd probably strained something from her mad game with Buddy the night before. She's not so young anymore, but I don't think she realises it yet.

When we got home, I hung out the laundry. The day had started a little wet, but the sky had turned a patchy blue and I was hopeful.

I made Georgia her breakfast but waited an hour before giving it to her.

I shook out the blankets and cushions, vacuumed the floor and rugs (yet again). Summer's almost over and our easy-care, short-haired dog is still shedding. Her fur is as confused as we humans are, by the weather this year.

I swept the yard and did some pruning. The constant rain has made the garden verdant and mushy. I'm a little over walking into sticky cobwebs and being slapped by wet branches and dangly jasmine tendrils every time I step into the yard.

By late morning, I decided I had to write something to remember the day by. I turned the computer on, it gave a little creaky groan, some green lights blinked a few times, then it died. I was a little perturbed by the timing.

At 11ish, Rachel turned up. I don't see much of her these days though we live in almost neighbouring suburbs. I used to see her at least 3 times a week at capoeira class. That was a lifetime ago, before 2 babies. A few days ago, she messaged me about catching up yesterday. She had no idea that it was a significant day though, curiously, she always seems to be there for me on days like that. We had a lovely Japanese lunch of teriyaki chicken and tempura vegetables washed down by miso soup. Then we went to a cafe down Darling Street for cake, coffee and a juice with the unfortunate name of crapple, which fortunately didn't taste like crap.

When I got home, I tried the computer again. It was still dead.

The Other Half came home and took Georgia in to work.

I watched a recorded movie called Shaolin and managed to fall asleep somewhere during one of the bloodbaths.

5 o'clock rolled round. I went to my 3rd capoeira class this week. My thigh muscles felt like sludge. I felt old and deliciously happy.

When I got home at 8ish, The Other Half was working on raising the computer from the dead. I was hopeful that I'd still be able to write something because the man knows how to fix everything. But by 10, he finally called it. Exact cause of death, still unknown.

I turned on his iPad, this iPad, and tried to connect to the blog. I got the message "Unable to connect. Server not responding."

I turned on my iPhone thinking I could manage a really, really short post on it despite my stubby fingers and long-sightedness. I got the message "Unable to connect. Server not responding."

I topped up the citronella oil in the aromatherapy burner, turned off the light, pulled up my blankie and went to sleep.

The 9th of February had, in the end, become just another day. My best guess is that someone up there was telling me it's time to move on. There are only 365 days in a year after all (366 this year), and if we keep remembering the bad sad days, soon we'll have no more happy ones left.

It'll take a few days to get a new computer up. Meanwhile, I'm typing this on The Other Half's iPad which strangely has no problem connecting me to anything today. I don't like the feel of it, it won't let me use pretty colours or adjust typefaces (or I have no idea how) and I have no access to my pictures. But at least, I finally get to say this.

Thank you Jordan. Love you.

11.25am. BREAKING NEWS!
After a wild goose chase and meetings with mysterious unnamed contacts, Nacho was finally returned to his family about 30 minutes ago and is apparently in good health. Click on their Facebook link in the last post if you want to see the sweetest, most awww-inspiring picture of the old fella.

February 10th is shaping up to be someone's Very Happy Day :)

P.P.S. at one-ish.
I'm sorry if I'm missing from your blog. Today, I seem only to be able to leave comments on those without word verification. I see the same word to verify on every blog - senita. Of course, it tells me I'm wrong when I type it.

So Jean, if you're reading this, I know Justus has been found! A good day, all in all.

Love, ingenuity and a lost dog.

2012-02-07T11:04:00.001+11:00

This morning, I found a post on my facebook wall about a dog named Nacho.

He's 10, diabetic, requires medication and a special diet, has a shaved left leg from a recent operation and has been missing since 27th January.

His home is in Sydenham, Sydney which may be a long, long way away from where you're reading this. But I do believe in 6 degrees of separation and who knows who you may know, even if you're across the big pond.

The owners, Nathalie and Shaun, have created a facebook page so that they can keep friends and helpful strangers updated on Nacho sightings and what's being done to find him.

Nacho was last seen on Saturday morning, 3 long days ago, at the corner of Victoria Road and Sydenham Road.

I've read the ordeal of their last 11 days and am amazed at how much is being done to find him. This couple aren't just sticking a few posters on some lamp posts. Nacho is obviously very much loved and sorely missed. His medical condition makes it imperative that he be found quickly.

If you're reading this, please consider sharing their facebook page or otherwise contacting anyone you might know who lives, works, walks or drives through this area. It might take a few minutes, but it'll mean the world to at least 2 people and 1 dog.

Importantly, add Nathalie and Shaun's numbers to your mobile phone contacts right now! so you can call them the instant you spot Nacho.

I think you must agree, it's high time for this old boy to go home.

***

And while we're on the subject -

* Some very sensible thoughts on how you can keep A NEW DOG from getting lost, from a lady who has a lot of experience in helping to find them :)

* And here is a site that has a lot of interesting information, ranging from lost dog behaviour to what you should do when you find a lost/straying dog.

The diagnosis.

2012-01-31T18:40:00.001+11:00

No dislocation. No sprain. And thankfully, not bloat.

Ms Pea had some rashes on her tail and that was what she was moaning about all night. I don't know whether to laugh or to cry. Laugh probably.

Her tail is still limp and hanging down. It's obviously sore and she's not using it. It's swollen near the base and there are some red bumps and lesions in the area with a bit of pus. It's called pyoderma or "pus in the skin". That sounds horrid but Georgia's looks to be just an extremely mild infection.

In fact, you can hardly see the bumps at all in this picture.

What a cry baby!

This picture below, from the Merck Veterinary Manual link above, is [incredibly] labelled as superficial pyoderma.

I hate to think of what deep pyoderma looks like. Here's a description though -

"The hallmarks of deep pyoderma in dogs are pain, crusting, odor, and exudation of blood and pus. Erythema, swelling, ulcerations, hemorrhagic crusts and bullae, hair loss, and draining tracts with serohemorrhagic or purulent exudate may also be seen."

Good god. I'm very glad that's not what Georgia has!

She's now on anti-inflammatories and antibiotics and has been snoring away all afternoon. I'll also be continuing with her medicated baths this week, with special attention to her tail. She's going to be one unhappy puppy.

While at the vet's...

"I've put on 3 kilos?!!"

"Please PLEASE don't make me go on another diet. I'm sick."

"See? I just lost 20 kilos by putting my paws on the floor."

Thank you to everyone who followed our little story last night as it unfolded. I was very glad for your company!

When your dog gets sick in the middle of the night [not sick enough for an emergency dash, but sick enough to keep you awake] and you have no medical degrees hanging on your wall, you start to google for possibilities and answers.

Here's a condition I found which exactly described the way Georgia's tail was looking. It's called many things including cold tail or limber tail, and might be of interest to those of you who live in Very Cold Places and whose dogs like to go swimming in icy ponds. [You know who you are!]

Interestingly, although it's supposed to be a fairly obscure condition, our vet knew what it was and brought it up himself when he saw Georgia's tail. He'd apparently come across some cases while he was working in the UK.

There you go. Live and learn.

I'm looking forward to a nice peaceful night tonight. I hope you and your pups have one too :) x

Strange night.

2012-01-31T04:53:00.001+11:00

It's just past 4 in the morning.

I've been up since one-ish. Georgia's been really restless.

After more than a week of grey skies and rain, it was suddenly very hot and muggy yesterday. We had to turn on the air conditioning to cool the house down and to keep the mosquitoes away. They're swarming despite the bug spray, mosquito coils and citronella we've been burning.

I think there's something wrong with Georgia. I thought it might be the air conditioning in the bedroom. She's not great with cold. She's been walking in and out of the bedroom, going down stairs and back up again. I checked out back, to see if maybe she had a bad tummy, but couldn't see or smell anything.

I decided she was just probably feeling the effects of yesterday's heat or not liking the air conditioning. Then, at 3 something, she started crying.

I found her at the top of the stairs.

Her tail was hanging down and looking really limp, almost between her legs. She let me palpate it. It's definitely sensitive around the base. I've run my hands all over her body, looked into her ears and spread her toes to check for ticks. In this heat, that's always a possibility. Maybe she ate something bad. She picked up some buns in the bushes at Elkington the day before yesterday. I hope it wasn't baited food.

All sorts of bad thoughts are going through my head at the moment.

I was sitting in the guest room with her when I started writing this, but I'm downstairs now because she's moving about again and occasionally whining.

It's almost 5 now. I've been googling pain at base of tail, limp tail, problems in the anal or rump area.

I can't wait for the vet to open at 8.

Why dogs love who they love.

2012-01-30T10:58:00.003+11:00

I don't know the answer. Do you?

On Saturday, Kristine posed an interesting question on her blog - if you could ask your dog just 1 thing and he was granted the power to reply, what would it be?

If you check my response in the comments section, and The Cushion's, I think it'll become obvious why Georgia's favourite human is him, and not me. [The question must have been top of his mind because he blurted it out almost immediately.]

So our dog doesn't love me as much as she does The Other Half. It's okay. No sympathy or denials required. I was going to count all the votes from the last post, biased or not ;) for fun.

But, my own observations are enough.

I've heard from girlfriends that their girldogs prefer their other halves too. They're all daddy's girls apparently. Could this be true? Is there some kind of scientific evidence of this phenomenon? Or are we just a bunch of ~~failed~~ disappointed dog owners clutching at straws?

Anyway, I'm hoping it's as simple as that. And not that Georgia's canine instincts tell her I'm A Really Bad Person.

The Other Half often tells Georgia, in that barf-worthy baby voice he reserves only for dogs, "You'll always be my girl, Jaw-Jah!"

To which I can only respond with a bright smile on my face, "It's okay, Georgia! You don't have to love me! You just have to love someone."

And I mean that, from the bottom of my [ever so slightly sad and bitter] heart.

Here are the promised pictures from Saturday's phở lunch, which The Cushion insists I include, no doubt as proof of his devotion.

"Are you sure you didn't hide any of my beef under the noodles?"

Of course [not to sound like a sour grape], there is some debate that dogs actually love at all. This might not be the most appropriate sentiment to include in a dogblog read mostly by doglovers but, as you can tell, I'm not at all an·thro·po·mor·phic an(t)-thrə-pə-ˈmȯr-fik

* Your dog does not love you and other cold-nosed truths.

And here's a somewhat related topic -

* Why people love dogs.

An excerpt :

"Over thousands of years of living with humans, dogs have become wily and transfixing sidekicks with the particularly appealing characteristic of being unable to speak. We are therefore free to fill in the blanks with what we need to hear. (What the dog may really be telling us, much of the time, is, "Feed me.")"

~~"Are you sure you didn't hide any of my beef under the noodles?"~~ "Are you going to feed me?"

"It's okay. You can let go now."

On yet another somewhat related topic, Pamela asked this question, also over the weekend - does loving dogs automatically qualify a person for sainthood? [She didn't use those exact words.]

She included a riveting video of Hitler and his [apparently beloved] dog, Blondi. I guess that sort of answers the question.

The follow-up to the post with no name.

2012-01-28T10:19:00.003+11:00

In case you're one of the 6, 999, 999, 975 humans who missed that post, here it is.

I've been thinking very hard the last few days about how to write this report. I want to present My Cushion and My Typist in a fair and unbiased way, so that no one will ever guess that my favourite human in all the world is My Cushion.

I've decided to just tell you what my humans do and let YOU vote on whether I'm right in thinking that My Cushion is really the most useful!

Here goes!

The Hardworking Provider vs The Home Cook.

My Cushion works hard 5 days a week to feed me. He brings home the bacon [or to be precise, the chicken breast fillets and wings, lamb neck bones and beef steaks] once a week. I eat quite a lot. He goes all the way to the city to get me my meat because fresh is best. [Otherwise we'd be going to Woollies up the road].

"Only the best for my Georgia," he always says.

My Typist is my cook.

She can be quite slow and it's always the same recipe.

My Typist is also my nutritionist. She keeps a close eye on my weight and makes sure my meals are lowfat, nutritious and well balanced. It's a real shame she can't be as disciplined with her own diet.

I went from this voluptuous figure...

...to this skeletal frame, thanks to My Typist.

Some days, I feel like Vicky Beckham.

The Obsessive Bather vs The Gentle Butt Squeezer.

I usually get bathed by My Typist. This is by default because she doesn't have to go to work like My Cushion and is also more finicky about cleanliness.

This week, I got 3 medicated baths because my skin has started to get itchy and lumpy again. Allergies are the bane of my life.

There are no words to describe how much I hate that blue leash.

My Cushion is the only one who dares to squeeze my butt.

Dr Dog taught him how to do this ~~dirty~~ important job. He does it ~~without~~ with hardly any complaint despite great personal risk [of being squirted on, which is what happened earlier this week].

Perhaps he needs to improve his technique.

The 7-Days A Week Walker vs The Occasional Carer.

My Cushion takes me out every morning. We leave at around 6 [depending on how long he sits on the potty]. He also takes me out most evenings [even after a day of hard yakka].

Sometimes, we walk to the fishmarket over the bridge. It's a very long walk.

We've never taken pictures there but we will one day, to show you.

Every Saturday, My Cushion takes me out for a phở lunch at our favourite Vietnamese cafe. It's like a father and daughter moment except that he's not my father and I'm not his daughter [being a dog]. He gets the noodles and soup, and I get the meat.

We also go to the pub off and on.

This is where we usually go for a pint of Guinness. It was Mr T's favourite pub.

Once, a human got thrown out for complaining about the dogs in there! It's da best pub eva!

Despite the welcome sign, dogs are not welcome at this pub below.

This may be considered deceptive advertising.

When does My Typist take me out? That is a good question and one that My Cushion likes to ask too.

My Typist is my carer. Whenever I feel crook, she's the one I look for because someone has to clean up the mess.

She's very conscientious about washing/mopping/hosing down/disinfecting the bedding/rugs/floors/yard when I have a bad tummy so that everything stays hygienically clean. She's especially useful when I get sick at night and will sleep on the couch by me all night if she has to, to make sure I'm okay. [And why not? It's not like she has to go to work in the morning.]

To be fair, My Typist does have flashes of brilliance like when she made me this E-collar out of some old plastic scrap. You can read about that traumatic experience here if you like.

The Cushion vs The Typist.

My Cushion is very good at being a cushion.

He doesn't fidget like Someone Else [whose name I shall not mention since I don't want to appear biased]. He will not move at all when I'm sleeping on him. Not to pick up the phone. Not when the doorbell rings. Not even when Someone Else yells for him to come rescue her from a cockroach or spider in the shower. He is 100% committed to the job which is very nice.

My Cushion never complains that I'm too heavy [I'm only 43+ kilos]. He doesn't whinge that I'm hurting his knees or that he can't breathe. Compare that to My Typist who often tells me, "You're not a chihuahua, you know, Georgia Little Pea!" - a remark I find quite offensive.

My Typist also fancies herself as my cushion. Sadly for her, I don't.

My Typist is my typist. She types with 6 fingers even though she has 10, ofte makes typo erros but is otherwise, quite dependabl;e.

***

That concludes my report on my humans and their many job responsibilities! I think you'll agree that it was written in a very non-judgemental way. It's important to me that I have not in any way compromised your opinions or turned you against The Typist.

That means it's time to vote! Who do YOU think has the more important job in our little home? It's okay to be honest and say it's My Cushion.

psst. Want to see something scary? CLICK HERE.

Update! 11.40am My Cushion picked up TWO typo errors so I had to re-publigh this post! My Typist can;t even do that right.

Apparently, we're the driest inhabited continent on earth.

2012-01-26T13:31:00.000+11:00

Who would have known?

Yesterday, My Typist found out that my friend Kol's mama got out of her sickbed to make Kol some peanut butter cookies because it was Peanut Butter Lovers Day.

My Typist ~~felt so guilty~~ was so inspired, she decided to make me a yummy peanut butter treat this morning!

It was delicious and I was really happy that she had gone to all that trouble!

Here's the recipe with step-by-step instructions on how to make it, in case you want to try it too!

Ingredients

1 tsp peanut butter [crunchy or smooth]

1 bikkie [lowfat multigrain if you're on a diet like me]

Method

Spread peanut butter on bikkie.
Serve immediately.

"Can you just forget that I'm on a diet and make me another one?"

"Please? It's Stryliah Day!"

"Oh my goodness! Is that a Vegemite Special?"

Sometimes, My Typist is okay.

HaPpy * StryliAh * Day!

My Cushion took me out to see the Stryliah Day ferrython! He was a bit sad because he used to take Mr T there and they would sit on a picnic rug and have some wine and watch the boats and ferries go by.

We didn't see anything today because it started raining, so we came home. I think we're going to watch some telly now.

p.s. The driest UNinhabited continent on earth is Antarctica! For more interesting facts on Stryliah, CLICK HERE.

p.p.s. I don't know why but Kol's peanut butter treats look a lot better than mine. I do hope My Typist didn't just play a cruel trick on me.

The post with no title because My Typist has a headache and can't think of one.

2012-01-23T22:59:00.000+11:00

Everyone in our little home has a job [or 2 or 3] to do. There are [almost] no slackers here.

My primary job is to entertain my humans.

For example, a long time ago last year, one of my best party tricks was this. Some of you might remember it.

It always made my humans smile and they're very sad that I haven't done it since coming home from holidaycamp. What can I say? I must have grown up a lot there.

However, I do have a new party trick that I suddenly thought of just last week! Sorry, My Typist can't seem to embed the video here today [whatever that means]. So if you want to see it, you'll have to CLICK HERE.

This should amuse my humans for at least a month or until the neighbours complain.

Of course, I don't just entertain my humans. That would be selfish. Occasionally, I help entertain guests that drop by [not so many because my humans are ~~not too sociable~~ ~~shy~~ not too sociable].

This is Ms Im who came to visit last week.

"Thank you, Ms Im, for coming to visit My Typist and her stitched-up eye and for the lovely lemon tarts!"

And these are Ms Michelle and Ms Karla.

"Thank you, Ms Karla and Ms Michelle, for coming to visit My Typist and for the homemade soup too!"

I'm very good at entertaining, as you can see. I like this job. It's simple to do and it makes everyone happy.

FOOTNOTE: The human who kicked My Typist in the head didn't come visit but he ~~baked~~ made a vegan raw organic chocolate cake for her.

This is all that's left now.

Although that sounds awful, it was quite yummy. Truly. [At least that's what My Typist said because I'm not allowed chocolate.]

***

My 2nd important role in our little home is as a peacekeeper. How does this work?

Well, when disputes break out, I'm the only one either of my humans will talk to. I can't say I'm too comfortable being caught in the middle like that. I personally don't speak their language ~~too well~~ at all, so communication is patchy at best. But here's what I do to help de-fuse the situation.

I put on my sad face.

These are re-enactments because my humans haven't had a dispute in a long time, at least 2 weeks.

"I am very sad that you're both having a dispute. Please make up soon."

You can see this 1st picture was taken a long time ago when Mr T was still with us. But the expression is exactly what I would use.

Sometimes, my humans can be a bit stubborn. As you may or may not know, it takes a long time for anyone in this country to say "Sorry."

If that happens, I move to my Stage 2 expression. This is a bit more fierce and involves more eyeballing.

"Oi! I don't like this! Stop disputing and get my brekkie!"

Surprisingly, my very basic negotiation technique often works as my humans don't like to see me sad, worried or angry. This is called emotional blackmail. I suspect there is always some kind of emotional blackmail going on in peace negotiations.

***

My 3rd role in the house is especially important on cold days and every other day in-between. This is to sit or lie down on my humans and be their non-microwavable personal heat sac.

This role causes the most friction in our house as I can realistically only be a heat sac for one human at a time. Sometimes, this friction leads to a dispute, in which case I have to simultaneously perform my role as peacekeeper. [Very tricky.]

"Hurry up and sit down please. I am a very popular heat sac and haven't got all day."

"Is that good? I bet your thighs are warming up nicely."

"The stuff we dogs have to do to keep our homes happy and harmonious..."

***

Apart from the 3 abovementioned indispensible job functions, I now also go to work with My Cushion.

"Am I going in to the office today?"

"I know it's summer but you're a tad under-dressed for work, don't you think?"

It's only a part-time job, and I go in just once a week. I'm not too sure what my role there is yet as the office is still in some state of flux.

However, I believe it has something to do with walking around and letting people pat me and give me treats, thereby promoting a sense of peace and relaxation in an otherwise stressful environment.

Perhaps I'm supposed to be a therapy dog of some kind like my friends Bert and Blueberry and Bunny.

***

My goodness! This post has taken a long time to write! I didn't realise how many responsibilities I have in this family.

You may now be thinking [or not, as the case may be] - "Poor Georgia. She works so hard. I wonder if her humans are just as useful."

Well, of course they are! [This statement is entirely my own. It was completely unsolicited and no one has paid me to say it ~~yet~~.] And I shall tell you what their job functions are tomorrow [or maybe the day after the day after, depending on how busy My Typist is].

Until then x

P>S> I'm sorry for the lack of a title today. Obviously, someone in our family is not pulling her weight. There will no doubt be repercussions.

The answer.

2012-01-22T11:56:00.000+11:00

Only 10 intrepid souls tried to solve the puzzle last night. 4 of you got it right! Smarties!

2 woffled. Pity.

4 of you completely lost the plot and focussed on the pig. Haha.

A special thump on the back for Ms Chandra who obviously has a keen eye for wieners despite being vegetarian.

If you haven't yet checked out the puzzle, why not go back to the last post, before you scroll down for the answer?

No big deal if you don't, of course :)

So Georgia's done a Chaz. She's been building up to it all last year and now does it boy-style almost 100%. Should we be worried?

Apparently NO! [Even if it does make it harder for me now, to tick people off for calling her a handsome boy.]

Here's a really informative article by the ASPCA in case any of you have girls who pee like boys, or boys who pee like girls, and are confused or fretting.

An excerpt -
"Both male and female dogs usually lift a rear leg to urine mark. Females can also do a handstand to raise both rear legs!"

My goodness! I hope Georgia gets there. It'd be nice if someone in this family was able to do a successful handstand.

"Mmmm...me like."

"Can we get one?"

"What d'ya mean that's a boy toy?"

"Whoa!"

"How about THIS one then?"

My Typist gets her stitches removed, a pig and a puzzle.

2012-01-22T00:22:00.000+11:00

Yesterday morning, My Typist set off bright and early to get her stitches removed.

When she got to the hospital, she saw this pig.

She didn't notice it when she was there last Monday because her eye was covered with an ice pack.

Following the instructions, she rubbed its nose for good luck which is something she's been a bit short of so far this year.

Then, she saw all the other little animals under the pig!

My Typist is easily thrilled.

Here are some pictures which have nothing to do with the pig or My Typist's eye.

I hope you're not getting a cheap thrill out of this because it's serious stuff.

Do you notice anything different about me?

My Typis gets the day OF./

2012-01-17T12:24:00.000+11:00

dear evryboduy,
i am typing heres itas;s Georja. i hope you can read it ok,

M
i am at wiorK todah wth My Chsuion so My Tupist can havea mice wuiet day. she got kiked in the heaADr last night ayt exersize class! shw cant; see so goood, also she has a headachgue.

She;s having a bery exciting year so fAr!! isn't She a ~~YUcky~~ lucky thing.!

last weak. I smellt sumthing funny in her arm.. she didn;t even know it was there!!.

it' s A Mistri! she woul;d NEVAr have know it was ther If i hadn;t tol her.. i have a veru good nose becus i am a Pig Dog. i Hope she ~~apreshyat~~ a~~presiated~~ ~~apres~~ liked that.

i hope she has stuf to eAT im th housw tooday becos eef she goes out shewill Scare the childrne\.OK i ave to go back to wirk noe! the Bos is comign!

Here is my treet boxi for work.

it Has my naim on it so no onw wil stEEl it.

Friday the 13th.

2012-01-13T15:49:00.001+11:00

This morning, when the alarm clock went off at 5.30, My Cushion didn't wake up. Though the little radio was right next to his head and there was a lot of sad bad news on, he didn't wake up.

By 6 o'clock, My Cushion had still not moved. I thought to myself, "Oh oh, this is going to be a sad bad day."

Suddenly, My Typist jumped out of bed. "Let's go Georgia Little Pea!" she said. "Walk?"

We were out the door by 6.15! We went to Mort Bay, one of my favourite parks. A lot of my friends were there!

I hope you can see the pictures. They are even worse than usual because the sun was shining and it was very bright. Look at how orange I am!

I look just like one of the orange humans who walk around our streets every summer.

This pic from here.

Bwah-ha-HA!

Everyone went into the water except me.

I was having a pensive moment. Sometimes I get them.

Even Baxter, who hates water went into the water.

After a while, I thought I'd get a game going.

I went up to every dog, trying to get them to play.

I tried my best. Really I did.

But I don't think I'm a very good m.o.t.i.v.a.t.i.o.n.a.l coach.

So that was that. We all said goodbye and went home.

***

On the way home, I met Delle, one of my BGFs, and Kody on Darling Street. They snuck up from behind and scared My Typist who still doubts that I'm Such A Good Girl with other dogs.

It was nice to see them, even though we didn't get to play.

When I got home, because I hadn't gone swimming, I didn't get a bath! My Typist gave me a multigrain lowfat bikkie with a teaspoon of fat crunchy peanut butter, and a perfectly coddled egg with my brekkie. They were superb!

I hope you liked my walk today. I liked it a lot.

I know it's Friday the 13th and many of you might be scared and still hiding in bed. Please don't be scared! My day started out bad and sad, as you can see, but it got good! I know yours can be too if you try. That's all!

Love, Georgia x

***

Friday the 13th featured...

Larry!

Ted!

Ginger and Jazz!

Baxter!

Vegas!

With special cameo appearances from Kody and Delle!

"You're Such A Good Girl!" #4

2012-01-12T08:37:00.002+11:00

IMPORTANT PREAMBLE. This is something I've been practising since I got adopted. I'm getting better at it for sure. Unfortunately, neither of my humans have managed to take any pictures of my lessons-in-progress. My Typist has drawn a visual aid. This may or may not help, depending on how imaginative you are.

WARNING: Do NOT practise this on your own. You could get hurt.

LEGAL STUFF: No animals were harmed in the writing of this post.

+ + +

Everyone in my neighbourhood knows the c.a.t.s here are not to be messed with.

ME: "Please kittykat, can you move away so My Typist won't have a heart attack?"

C.A.T: "Buzz off, stupid dog."

Sometimes, our anxious humans talk about it in front of Bakers Delight and exchange horror stories while gobbling crusty cheesymite scrolls.

ME: "Oh hello kittykat. You're in the middle of the road and it's dark. Aren't you worried a car might come round the corner and hit you?"

C.A.T: "Buzz off, stupid dog."

I've always wanted to go up to the c.a.t.s to say hello. Why not? Some one has to start the process of dialogue. [That's what I think anyway.]

But, for some reason, my humans have always thought that was a bad idea, especially of course, The Typist. [My Cushion is much more tranquilo about these things.]

As a result of my inability to make first contact, the c.a.t.s on my street have become more and more brazen.

C.A.T: "Nyeh, nyeh...can't touch me."

ME: "Oh yeah?"

"RowWW!^+RR grrr RRR +ROWWR!+!^RR*Rrrr*!!!"
[Please click on the picture to make it BIG so you can see it properly. My Typist drew it specially.]

"Who's the pussy now?"

Last Saturday morning [after the 10 dogs had sniffed my butt] and right outside my own gate, guess what I saw?"Look, Typist!"

"A little kittykat, resting from the hot sun under our car."

"Look at me, Georgia! LOOK AT ME!" My Typist ~~frantically cried our~~ immediately said, as calmly as she could though her knuckles were turning white.

I mewled a little. Okay, maybe my lip might have twitched too. Then, because I'm A Good Girl, I quickly looked up at My Typist.

"Oh Georgia!" My Typist had to say for the 2nd time that day, "You're SUCH A Good Girl!"

And she gave me 2 big[gish] pieces of crunchy beef liver right there and then [like she always does these days, whenever I see a c.a.t].

Personally, I don't know why everyone has such problems with our neighbourhood c.a.t.s. I really like meeting them. And I think making peace is A Very Good Thing.

+ + +

A NOTE FROM THE PEACEMAKER'S TYPIST.
Just a few minutes ago, while I was preparing Georgia's brekkie in the kitchen downstairs, The Other Half called out from the potty upstairs [where he often reads the blog] -

"You must have had trouble putting on your T-Shirt this morning."

"HUH?" I called back [though there's a rule in this house that we don't talk to each other from too far away because he's a bit hard of hearing], "What do you mean?"

And he replied, "You got some really nice comments yesterday. Your head must be quite big by now."

There you are. Not only do I have some truly kind blogger friends, I also have a supportive Other Half who reads my blog and comments directly to me. [And may I add, he let me get away with not doing any house chores for the entire day just so I could take part in the Challenge. I must have read at least 50 blogs yesterday, my poor neck.]

Honestly, what more can a girl ask for?

Thank you everyone! and have a great day! You certainly made mine :) x

What a friend told me.

2012-01-10T17:01:00.000+11:00

I mentioned to a friend recently that I didn't think I would have time to do the Challenge this year.

This is [an edited version of] what she thought about my lack of community spirit -

"What do you mean you don't know if you'll have time for the Pet Blogger Challenge this year? If you're spending time on the potty, you probably have time to whip out a few answers to the Challenge questions."

So here I am, duly chastised, and back for Round #2!

I will, for the next few ~~minutes~~ hours, disregard the scummy toilet bowl that needs to be scrubbed, the dinner that needs to be cooked for hungry husband, and the laundry that's piled up on the bed waiting to be folded away.

It's your fault, Pamela, if I get a scold tonight.

Once again, I'll be taking the easy way out and following The Jarolim-Burkert Guideline.

1. Here's my post from last year.

2. What do you consider the most important goals you set out in last year’s post?
I've read last year's post twice over and I can't seem to find any goals! Should I worry?

3. Have you made progress toward those goals, or have your goals changed over the past year?
Please read answer above.

4. Has your opinion of blogging on a schedule or as the spirit moves you changed?
No, as you might have guessed from my very erratic blogging over the last few weeks. 3 posts in one night? Come on! No wonder no one's reading them.

Do you still worry about lost traffic, momentum, etc?
I lost about 5 months worth of traffic during my break last year [not to mention a few friends]. So I suspect it's not much use worrying about it. I've stopped looking at stats and followers. The figures are too humbling for my liking.

As for momentum, it goes up and down with me. Maybe it has to do with being post-menopausal, I don't know.

5. Are you generating income from your blog?
No.

Has this changed since last year?
No.

If you are generating income, how (e.g. sponsor ads, affiliate relationships, spokesperson opportunities)?
Can we talk about something other than money please? The Other Half might be reading this.

If not currently, do you hope to in the future — and how?
Dear God! Thank you so much for making me feel like a complete under-achiever.

"So if The Typist were to work harder and make money from my blog, does that mean I'll get more meat?"

6. Have your likes and dislikes about blogging changed since last year?
Yes.

What I like best about blogging now are the people I've met through it and, dare I say? - the friends I've made. Virtual relationships are surprisingly real.

As for the dislikes - I don't really find it so tribal anymore, mainly because I stopped visiting blogs that were unresponsive or didn't visit me back. Does that sound awful? Now I just have a few friends, and I love them to bits for taking the time to chat with me. In short, I blog as I live.

As for the free template that I disliked so much last year - I've found something even worse to dislike this year! The NEW dynamic view templates. Good grief. I worked so hard to put something together [however unprofessional it might be], why would I want a cookie-cutter look? Or let a reader mess with the way I want to present my blog? Duh.

7. Overall, are you pleased with the progress you made in 2011?
I'm not sure I made any progress, but I'm still here.

My proudest achievement of last year HAS to be getting my taciturn [Oops. Did I really say that?] reclusive brother to read this blog. Love ya bro! x

8. How do you see your blog changing/growing in 2012?
I think that it'll happen in some organic way. Go ahead, you're allowed to laugh.

The blog will go wherever my heart takes it. And of course, it'll depend on What Georgia Does. Some days, the stories will be about her. Some days, it'll be about eggs.

Have you heard the story about the 4-egg omelette I made last weekend?

Or a gummy dark paste that we like to spread on our toast here in Stryliah.

Now called...

...WHAT!?

Full story here for concerned Australians. Thanks Mr Prab :)

Occasionally [because it's MY blog, damn it!], it'll be a whinge. [Heads up - A BIG one will be coming later this week that will require your insight.]

Here's why I'm woffling.

I can't really plan anything because Georgia has become Such A Good Girl [you may interpret this as Boring if you like]. If I only wrote about what she's up to these days, it would likely put you to sleep.

See what I mean?

I now understand why so many dogbloggers retire after the first year.

***

Well, that was a bit of a sudden ending. That's what comes from writing a post ~~at the last minute~~ when the spirit moves you.

I look forward to reading ~~all~~ as many as I can of YOUR Petblogger Challenge posts later today. I hope The Other Half realises this means I probably really won't have time to cook dinner or clean the bathrooms.

Anyone out there has any statistics on disgruntled blogger partners?

Thank you Amy and Edie

for putting this Challenge together again!

I'd also like to do something hokey here and thank Pamela for reminding me that there might be some responsibilities attached to being a member of the dogblog park. I hope she'll give me a B for effort :)

And of course, thank you to ALL of you who're reading this. Despite what I say about stats and numbers [and I know you know I lied about that], I'm grateful for your friendship and conversation.

With love and respect always, The Typist x

"You're Such A Good Girl!" #3

2012-01-09T13:28:00.000+11:00

If you've been reading my stories, you'll know I've never liked cars!

"I'm going to puke all over this hideous picnic rug if you don't stop this minute."

"Let me out!"
"LET! ME! OUT! I SAY!"

"W...w^w *!wh!a..a!..aaHh*!!..h..h...

......sniffle."

Well, look at me now!

Okay, so I can still be a little whingey. But never! NEVER! when it's just me and My Cushion in the dream machine.

"You're A Good, Good Girl, Jaw-jaw-jahhh..." he tells me, when we're alone together.

Haha. The man is so besotted.

p>s> Isn't it amazing?

I've learnt how to sit in a car without crying.

And My Cushion still hasn't learnt how to say my name right.

"You're Such A Good Girl!" #2

2012-01-08T09:20:00.003+11:00

Last year, 1 of my favourite foods was palm nuts. Us dogs are connoisseurs of palm nuts.

Lucky for me, there were always a few on the ground at Callan because The People In Charge Of These Things had helpfully planted a lot of these weeds in the park.

One day, me and my friends found a big pile! There was enough for everyone! Not to be greedy, I only ate 15.

"Palm nuts!"

"Mine!'

My Typist knows this because, a couple of hours later, I had a big chuck-up [both ends] and she counted. [Yuk.] I was sick as a dog.

My over-protective and sometimes hysterical humans thought I would die. And My Typist asked all of you for help.

"HELP!" she screamed the whole day. Remember?

A few days ago...

I was walking down the street with My Typist and guess what we saw?

"Palm nuts!"

My Typist panicked and got ready to pull me away and drag any nuts from out of my throat.

But she didn't have to.

Palm nuts are so yesterday. I went home and had my nutritious brekkie instead.

"You're Such A Good Girl, Georgia Little Pea!" my grateful Typist exclaimed, as we hurried down the street.

Like I need her to tell me that.

***

THAT post about palm nuts is one of the most consistently read on this blog. It seems a lot of people google "what dogs shouldn't eat" and "palm nuts"! I hope they found some helpful info there.

Once again, thank you to all of you who participated in that worldwide S.O.S. :)

"You're Such A Good Girl!" #1

2012-01-08T00:16:00.002+11:00

Last year, I went to HolidayCamp, not just once but twice. It was an interesting experience.

I had private quarters! I was a very lucky dog.

Before HolidayCamp, I sometimes got scared when there were too many dogs around me.

"Can we go home please?"

I didn't like it when littledogs yapped at me either.

"Are you talkin' to me littledog? You better not be talkin' to me."

But somehow, I've not been so scared since HolidayCamp!

Yesterday morning.

I was having a nice quiet walk with My Typist at Elkington...

...when suddenly! out of nowhere!

Can you see them? There were at least 10 dogs there on that tiny path! It was a bit of a squeeze.

"Are you sniffing my butt, littledogs? Cool."

My Typist was amazed at how calm I was. She was also very happy.

"Oh Georgia! " she said. "You're Such A Good Girl!"

***

Ms Pamela's Train Your Dog Challenge [happening this January] got me thinking about how much Georgia has changed over the last year.

Some changes I can attribute to her maturing. Others, to consistent training and discipline. One change is a little more mysterious. [Patience. You'll see what I mean as the week goes by.]

As for her social skills - she's always been a strange mix of party animal and insecure girl. Because we take her to many different parks, she meets new dogs all the time. She has many friends [big and little], and a few besties.

But she's always been uncomfortable in crowds, which is the reason why we rarely take her to markets and festivals, and why we've never been on a million paws walk :(

A lot of that insecurity seems to have dissipated in the last year. Hallelujah! The change was especially marked after her kenneling experience. It might have been a coincidence of timing. But we suspect that being in the constant company of so many other dogs may have de-sensitized her to crowds.

Does that sound plausible to you?

Whatever it is, we're pretty pleased with the outcome.

Some things I wish I could find on Bondi beach.

2012-01-04T13:46:00.002+11:00

I'm not a beach person. Never have been. But if I lived in Salvador, Bahia, I'd probably be on Praia do Porto da Barra a lot.

***

There were a few things I expected to be the highlights of our 4 short days in Salvador.

The UNESCO World Heritage listed historical quarter of Pelourinho was definitely on the list.

With its ankle-twisting cobblestone streets.

And candy-coloured buildings set on a hillside.

It was a typical Brazilian mix of the poor and mundane next to the magical and exquisite.

Despite bad press, we felt completely safe there, thanks no doubt to the omnipresent police trucks and fully-armed policemen.

High on my list of things to do in Salvador was to glut on their famous food until I passed out. Heavily African influenced, it's a daily reminder of a time when Bahia was the centre of the slave trade.

There were heart-attack inducing, gooey caramelised desserts.
Oily seafood moquecas that sat heavily in the stomach for hours after eating.

This pic and a recipe from here.

Crunchy piping hot acarajés, stuffed with dried shrimp and okra and all manner of other unknown things, deep fried in orange palm oil [dendê ], splattered with a good dollop of chilli sauce.

This pic from here because I forgot to take one.

This pic from here, for precisely the same reason as above. You'll also find some info and 2 recipes for acarajés at this blog, including a VEGAN one...check that out, Ms C :)

Every acarajé stall had its version of the smiling portly Bahaina.

This pic from here.

I could be wrong, but I suspect they don't really dress like this every day, just to walk to the shops.

Strangely enough, I didn't get to eat any feijoada in Salvador. But more on that another day.

Finally, of course, I was in Salvador to do capoeira!

After more than 3 weeks of travelling around Brazil and not seeing a single evidence of this martial art in its homeland, I was beginning to doubt that it really was as popular as I'd been told.

But I was sure I would see it in Bahia, because THIS was capoeira heartland.
This blurry sign [blur because of my lack of camera skills, not because it really was] is one that any capoeirista from anywhere in the world will recognise. I finally managed to do a class here.

And this is arguably the most famous face in capoeira.

This video is for those of you who've always wondered what capoeira is, but was too lazy to find out.

Of course, this is very stylized. We're a lot more sweaty when we train. And NO! [because I know you're going to ask] - I don't do any of those circus tricks because I'm too damn old.

***

With So Many Great Things To Do In Salvador, how did it turn out that the thing I most enjoyed there was the beach?

It's a puzzle even to me.

A few steps across the road from where we stayed.

An unpretentious scrap-sized strip of sand next to a busy road.

This pic from here.

Not iconic. Nowhere near as famous as Ipanaema or Bondi. Not even particularly pretty.

Yet - I'll go so far as to say this - the day that we spent there might be one of those flashes of my life that I get as I lie on my death bed.

Here are all the things I loved about Porto da Barra, and wish I could find on Bondi beach.

#1 Beach chairs and umbrellas for rent, no need to lug your own there unless you want to.

We rented our 2 chairs and an umbrella for just 8 reais [a little more than 4 AUD] for the whole day. Who knows? That might even have been the tourist price.

And when we were ready to leave, a foot wash to clean away the sand from between our toes.

Courtesy of the man we'd rented the chairs and umbrella from.

#2 Caipirinhas, made to order on the beach.

Consumed without fear of rowdiness and king hits ensuing. Everyone was as tranquilo at the end of the day as they were at the start, despite the presence of this and other cheap álcools around.

This was something that really amazed me, coming from a binge-drinking culture where things can turn ugly so very quickly.

#3 Acarajés, fresh prawns with wedges of lime, grilled cheese and meats on sticks, fresh caught lobsters, agua de coco, soft drinks, fruit - all sold where we were on the sand.

No need to trek to the shops for a bite. No fear of ever getting peckish or thirsty.

This video [and the picture below it] were shot on a beach in Sao Luis, Maranhao. It shows how the cheese [queijo coalho] is grilled - the charcoal burner there was a little more homespun than the ones at Porto da Barra!

I can't begin to tell you how delicious these sticks of grilled cheese are.

Check the link above for the recipe. If you're able to find this type of cheese or similar at your local deli, try it. I promise you won't regret it!

There weren't just food vendors on the beach. There were people selling everything a beach bum might need, from sunblocks to sarongs. It was great fun negotiating prices from the comfort of our beach chairs. And The Cushion madly bought a big blanket that we had to lug around in our backpacks for the rest of the trip.

#4 Dogs on the beach!
Some came with their owners.

Some obviously had none.

They may have been allowed there.

Or not. But nobody seemed to mind.

That day, at least, I didn't see anyone get upset, not even at the mangy ones, or try to shoo them away.

This one adopted us for the day.

There was enough beach for everyone to share.

#5 As the afternoon wore on, the recyclers arrived.

3 or 4 of them, cleaning up, and making a real or 2 at the same time.

Brazilians, we discovered along the way, are an ingenious lot and very good at turning nothing into something.

I bought a kite for my Sister 2 on the beach [in Sao Luis, which I unfortunately forgot to take a picture of]. It was nothing more than 2 pieces of polystyrene cut to shape and painted with some bright colours. But it flew really well! Poverty is a great mother of invention.

We stayed on the praia for as long as we could. Long enough to see the tide come up and try to wash our caipirinha cart away.
Long enough to see even the food sellers and other vendors call it a day.

Until finally, the sun went down and we had to go.

I've never, in my life, been so sad to leave a beach.

An Interesting Thought.
I'm glad I got to share our day at Praia do Porto da Barra with you. It's dubious I could have done the same if it had been Bondi. I might have been chased off the sand for sticking my camera in so many faces and bums. There are many laws that govern street photography here, especially at "sensitive" areas like beaches.

If you take pictures for fun, but have enough fancy lenses and equipment to be mistaken for a National Geographic professional, you may want to check out your rights to do street photography in NSW. Just CLICK HERE.

An excerpt from this site -

"Bondi Beach has practically become a photographer's no-go area. Things were already tense in 2003 when I took this shot of young girls mucking around in the sand. Nowadays I would not even dream walking along this beach with a camera…"

Since I don't want to get into trouble, I won't post the picture mentioned, here. To see it, please visit the site.

And then, that night.

A storm arrived, complete with cold howling winds and crashing waves. It didn't stop raining for the next 2 days that we were in Salvador.

***

For enquiring minds -

Ehhh Bahia!

Check out more of Bahia culture, food and music at this fun site!

Mama, what is capoeira?

It was horrible.

2012-01-01T01:55:00.000+11:00

I don't care if you think I'm a scaredy c.a.t.

I still don't like boom-booms.

And I'm NOT going out to toilet tonight, whatever you say.

***

Dear Ms Sue,

My Typist says your boom-boom got washed out by the rain. How lucky are you!

We thought we'd send you ours, but My Typist couldn't find any on the i.n.t.e.r.n.e.t. yet. She looked and looked and it's getting really late and she hasn't even had a bath yet. So we're going to have to send you last year's instead.

The People In Charge of These Things say the boom-boom is different every year. Between you and me, I don't think it really is. But what do I know? I'm just a pigdog.

Please don't turn it on too loud in case it scares Frankie and Beryl. We dogs have Very Sensitive Ears.

That's it then. I hope you like it. Good-night, Ms Sue! Love, Georgia x

p.s. Please give Frankie a big kissy-boo back!

p.p.s You can give Beryl one too though she's a girl.

Ha*pP*y New YeAr everyoNe!

A short note on sucky English and closets.

2011-12-31T23:46:00.002+11:00

Why oh why, am I writing about this right now?

Some days ago, I published a post with ~~possibly~~ the wrong choice of word in the title. I only realised it the day after. I decided to let it go.

Who was I kidding?

Here I am, 17 minutes away from being another year wrinklier, and all I can think of is - "I must change that title!"

It's tough being anal. Are you, by any chance, the same?

By the time you read this, the deed will have been done. Yay! I'm so happy! I think I might just push on and clean out more closets now. FaceBook, google reader and contact lists. Ready or not, here I come.

See you on the other side of midnight :) x

A last laugh for the year.

And pigs will fly.

I can already hear the sirens wailing.

Dear everyone,

2011-12-31T18:24:00.001+11:00

It's the last day of 2011. I hope it's been a good year for you.

It's been okay for me. Mr Thumper went away, which was bad. But then I got his bed, which was good. I got to go to holidaycamp too, not just once but twice!

Also, I got a job! I don't know why My Typist hasn't told you yet. Maybe she's been busy working haha.

I didn't have to apply or beg or anything like that. My Cushion's office moved to near where we live, and The Person In Charge Of These Things said I could go work there too!

I've been a few times already. Here are some pictures of me on my 1st day at the office.

I went to work in a ute. It was very high up but I wasn't scared.

I helped the humans move in. My job was to make sure no one would come steal anything.

9.30am

11.05am

2.10pm

4.15pm

I hope you don't think I was sleeping on the job but it was hard work being at the office all day.

6.30pm

No wonder My Cushion sometimes comes home in a bad mood.

One of the best things about my office is the view. It's a lot better than my backyard.

Outside, there's a nice deck for me to walk on, and to look at boats and ponder meaningful things.

"Hmmm. I wonder if anyone's breaking for lunch."

It's also good just to relax there.

Although today's the last day of the year, I had to go to work this morning.

There was a lot of stuff happening near the office because it's one of the places where humans come to watch Our Famous Fireworks go off at 9 and midnight.

Someone had put these things up at the end of the road.

My Typist doesn't like using them because one new year's eve night, A Drunk Man pulled the door open [even though she was hanging on to it tightly] and caught her with her [under]pants down.

With an awful experience like that burned into her brain, you'd think she'd know better than to show you this picture.

But she says she's never seen these open types before and just had to share. My Typist deserves no sympathy.

Although the weather wasn't so good this morning,

many humans were already at the park.I don't think I'm going to go see the fireworks tonight, like Mr Piglet and Mr Thumper did. My humans don't think I'm ready yet, though I'm not scared of loud noises anymore.

I'll probably have an early dinner, watch some telly, then go to bed and get an extra big cuddle at midnight [if anyone is still awake].

I hope your Last Day of The Year is s*pEcial like that too!

That's all for now. Much love, Georgia xox

And moving on.

2011-12-26T18:16:00.002+11:00

"Success!" to quote our favourite tour guide.

Both Christmas lunch salads were devoured with just a tiny bit left over that the hosts happily kept for themselves.

Here then, are the recipes, as promised. Perhaps you can make one for New Year's Eve!

Thai Green Mango Salad
500g green mango [peeled and grated. NOTE! these are Thai GREEN mangoes, not the usual eating types. You should be able to get them from an Asian/Thai grocer. I wish I had a picture of them, but I forgot to take any.]

1/4 cup shallots [raw, thinly sliced]
7 cloves garlic [raw, peeled and crushed]
1/4 cup basil leaves [preferably Thai basil, roughly chopped]
1/4 cup coriander leaves [roughly chopped]
2 tbsp peanuts [buy them raw, toast them in a pan, then roughly chop them in a food processor]

Put some oil in a pan and fry this lot together, in the order as listed:
1 extra shallot [sliced] and 1 extra clove of garlic [chopped]
200g minced pork or chicken
2 tbsp Thai/Vietnamese fish sauce
1 tsp sugar
Put aside.

Put some oil in a pan and fry these 2 ingredients together:
2 tbsp dried shrimp [from any Asian grocer]
2 bird's eye chillies [the small hot ones! sliced]
Put aside.

ASSEMBLY

Put the grated green mango into a big salad bowl. Add all the other ingredients, 1 at a time.
Top off with the herbs and peanuts.

Toss and mix well. Serve!

In the original recipe, this salad was made to be served with steamed rice. But it'll go down just as well at a barbie.

Please do not be put off by the ingredients list. They're pretty common and easy to get here in Sydney. [Not sure if that'll be the case if you're living in Nova Scotia.]

I learnt how to make this salad after having it a few years ago at a Centennial Park foods market. It was So Good, I had to google the recipe after I got home. There were loads on the internet! I printed one out, made adjustments based on what I'd eaten at the market and hey presto!

WARNING! Under no circumstances should you be kissing anyone after eating this. Not even if they have a whole mistletoe bush hanging over their heads. Of course, you can fry up the garlic and shallots, but why be a woose? They're phenomenal eaten raw! Gargle gargle.

***

Here's the other salad I made. The one I've never even eaten before.

I would say most people at Christmas lunch enjoyed it. Just this morning, the hostess called to ask for the sauce recipe, so I guess it's good enough to pass on.

As for me, I felt it missed something. I'm not too sure what yet and will ponder the matter further. Perhaps a trip to a Thai restaurant to eat the real thing might help.

Uncle STeve's Thai Carrot Salad
Reproduced here without permission because he's not answering his email, and with some variations [already].

4 medium carrots [grated into long strips]

1/2 bunch mint [roughly chopped. Since it's an Asian salad, I decided to use Vietnamese mint.]
1 bunch coriander [roughly chopped]
1 and a 1/2 cups peanuts [buy them raw, toast them in a pan, then roughly chop them in a food processor]
1+ cups shredded coconut [I suppose fresh would be best but I used the moist pre-shredded type, which I picked up at Woollies.]
1/4 cup sliced raisins
1 chillie [sliced, for garnishing]

1 generous handful of fresh bean sprouts

The dressing, which does NOT have to be pre-mixed:
Juice of 2 lemons
1/4+ cups of Thai sweet-chilli sauce
1 tbsp Asian hot chilli sauce

ASSEMBLY

Put the grated carrot into a big salad bowl. Add all the other ingredients,

1 at a time EXCEPT for the bean sprouts.

When it's just about time to serve, add the dressing. [You can adjust the balance of the lemon juice and chili sauces to your liking at this stage.] Toss and mix well.

Finally, add the bean sprouts. Give it a quick last toss and serve immediately.

NOTE! The world will not end if you add the bean sprouts before Aunty May turns up, but they will get soggy in the bowl and won't taste as nice.

***

I hope you enjoy making the salads. If you do make them, please drop us a line and tell us how they turn out. If you have any questions, please ask. I'm feeling in a helpful mood, no doubt because I've been imbibing in some red as I type this.

Bon Apetit! :)

[Sorry. I have no idea how to say that in Thai.]

And what about ME?

Some times, I think The Typist gets carried away and forgets whose blog this is.

Here's MY Christmas family lunch story.

This is cousin Ralph. He's my only rellie that turned up.

I don't know why he doesn't look like me. I guess he was not so lucky with the genes.

As usual, I brought my special Christmas lunch.

As usual, cousin Ralph didn't bring anything. So he ended up with 1/2 of mine.

My Cushion told The Typist off for giving 1/2 my lunch away. But it's okay. It was Christmas after all.

It would've been nice if cousin Ralph had said thank you though.

Don't you think?

Other than that, I had a good day!

I hope you did too!

Time to tiptoe quickly past the sleeping bloggers.

2011-12-26T14:52:00.001+11:00

I've been a bad girl, Santa. I've procrastinated doing something for 9 months. No wonder I didn't get any pressies. I want so badly to start the new year free of guilt cramps. I think today might be the day to come clean! Everyone's away, or fast asleep because they pigged out at Christmas lunch. Haha.

So shhh. Quietly and quickly now. Can we get started?

"Oh hey!"

"You're not talking about ME, are you?"

I'm sorry to say I've not been keeping up with all the awards that I've so generously been given over the past year. I would have said a quick thank you at the time, but I haven't done anything more.

I know you can't see this but I'm giving myself a good smack across the knuckles for being such a bad girl.

I've taken so long to get down to this, that one of the bloggers listed below appears to have stopped blogging. Sadly, Lavi will now forever believe that I was a total ingrate.

But in fact, I started a draft some months ago in June, just to keep track of the goodies.

Here they are - for what it's worth, in chronological order, and dating back to March...

+++

Thanks Lavi and Aschiuta!

This little beauty

I put here as a warning to all bloggers not to swoon over every award that's out there. Sometimes, it really is as suspicious as it looks.

Thanks Didi and Prince George!

Thanks Kristine and Shiva!

Thanks Mel, Daisy and Jasper!

Thanks Elizabeth, John Farleigh and Doo-weeee!

Thanks Lori, Freedom and Casper!

Thanks Lori and Our Best Friend!

My 7 links

Thanks Katie Sorene!

My 7 links

Now, this isn't even an award, as far I understand. It's just a way to re-introduce 7 of your favourite posts. I think it's a terrific idea! But having eaten way too much Christmas lunch myself, my brain won't allow me to proceed further with it.

Thanks Human and Flo!

Thanks Sue, Beryl and Frankie!

Liebster is new to me. It's an award for littleblogs like this one, so haha! it's something the biggies can't ever EVER hope to get! Indeed, I'm very happy to have less than ~~200~~ ~~100~~ 80 followers. I think there might even be time for a few more Liebsters in my future.

That's it then! I hope I didn't miss anyone!

Now, of course, I'm supposed to pass the awards on.

Here are some technical problems I'm encountering -

+ I don't have enough blogs on my google reader to pass on the required number of awards.

+ Some of the blogs I follow are no fun and have clearly specified No Awards, Thanks.

+ Most of the blogs I follow already have so many awards, what would they do with yet another?

+ Last but not least, I'm a lazy fart.

So I guess, perhaps disappointingly for some, the chain ends here.

{However -

If I'm wrong, and you're reading this and rather hoped you'd be getting one of those abovementioned awards [not the Memetastic I hope] - please do help yourself to it. You don't even have to say where you got it from. It'll be our little secret.}

*enJ*oy!

With love and respect always, The Typist xox

Yay! Done! I think I might get some shut-eye now.

Christmas eve night.

2011-12-24T22:09:00.000+11:00

In about 13 hours, we'll be leaving for Christmas day lunch with The Other Half's family. They live just under an hour away, next to a nice reserve.

When Jordan and Rufus were young, we used to walk off our Christmas lunch there. There were rocks to climb, a wide rambling dirt track to follow, pools to cool off in and water lizards to harass.

Christmas day is almost invariably hot and steamy here. I didn't think we'd get that this year. We've had no summer to speak of so far.

Then today, the sun came out. It was so suddenly hot, the vegies and herbs for my Christmas salads wilted in the 10 minutes it took to get them home from the market. They were in a cardboard box, tied to the back seat of the bike. My heart sank when I saw them.

I'm The Family's Christmas lunch salad lady. God knows why. I'm not even a salad fan.

Over the years, I've experimented with all kinds of salads and dips. We bring 2 or 3 different ones each year. I usually start panicking and googling for recipes at the start of December. In meager years, I top up our offerings with that old Aussie favourite - a can of beetroot.

I think The Family particularly enjoys my [extra creamy] potato salad, prosciutto, blue cheese, mesclun and pear salad, caesar's salad [from scratch including dressing] and Thai mango salad.

This year, I'm making 2 Thai salads. The always popular Thai mango salad, and a Thai carrot salad.

I've never made Thai carrot salad before. In fact, I've never even heard of or eaten it before, and have absolutely no idea what it should taste like.

But Uncle STeve, whose recipe it is, assures me it's a crowd pleaser and he's not usually wrong about food.

I've already done most of the prep work today, and there are little cartons and plastic bags of bits and pieces in the fridge, waiting to be assembled just before lunch. Tomorrow morning, I'll get up bright and early to start slicing, chopping and grating the rest of the fresh [haha] herbs, fruit and vegies.

I hope Thai carrot salad goes with turkey and ham. I know they'll both be excellent with the cold prawns. If it doesn't go down well with La Familia, maybe I'll get a new job next year and become the ham lady. [That should be easy since we all know there's a lot of pig in my neighbourhood.]

I shall keep you posted, and will even share the recipe if you like [with Uncle STeve's permission, of course].

Here we go. Our 1st Christmas without Rufus.

It felt a little strange, having to prepare only 1 Christmas doggie lunch.

If cousin Ralph, The World's Grumpiest Jack Russell, turns up, Georgia will just have to share. Anyway, there's always plenty of leftover turkey and ham to add to the bowl.

So much for a jolly Christmas post.

I miss the old fella.

** *

Stuff in my neighbourhood that makes me t.r.e.p.i.d.a.t.i.o.u.s, and some pigs.

2011-12-20T12:16:00.002+11:00

The Typist tells me people are now laughing at me for being a silly cow.

I am NOT so really.

I was just being CAUTIOUS.

You have to understand, there are many strange and i.n.e.x.p.l.i.c.a.b.l.e. things in my neighbourhood.

Look at this!

What is a toaster doing on the sidewalk in the rain, I ask you? I'm sure you'll agree it's Very Odd, not to mention Downright Dangerous.

Someone clumsy [like My Typist] could get killed tripping over it. Then who'll poach my chicken breasts and feed me?

It makes me faint, just thinking about the possibility.

The humans in my neighbourhood can be scary too.

Do you see what I mean?

Maybe you can't tell just by looking at her, but she's big. Really BIG.

And she's always staring at me when I walk by her shop, like she thinks I'm going to run in and rob her or something. I really don't know what her problem is. It's not like she's the butcher, after all.

She makes me very nervous.

In that way, she's a lot like Dave.

"Hello Dave, nice day eh?"
Rowr-rowwwRr- RoWWRrR! Our fearsome dog-hunting cats of Balmain!

Just because I haven't mentioned them in a while doesn't mean they've moved away or gone to kitty heaven or anything good like that.

"Hello Lola. Oh sorry, am I in your way?"

"Sorry."

And of course, there are other scary things us ladies especially need to look out for.

Hector, for example.

Yesterday, I saw something really nice on Darling Street! It was smelly too!

The Pig Man was very kind and did a dance for us.

Someone in my neighbourhood is buying a lot of pig for Christmas!

Maybe it's us! I hope it's us! I love bacon!

But I don't think so though.

This morning, My Typist said I'm looking f.a.t. [again] and will need to eat less [again]. She took some pictures to show you.

Am I the only one here who thinks My Typist needs new glasses?

[And yes, as you can see from the 2nd picture, I had yet another bath today. No fair, Sage!]

* * *

I think I'm just going to hold my tongue here.

I may be silly, but I'm not stupid.

There goes your panama!

2011-12-19T09:28:00.000+11:00

And other terrible poems, featuring my friends...

Larry

Millie

Pearl

& me, Georgia Little Pea.

There goes your panama!

You knew we had a date!

You knew! but you were late.

So there goes your panama!

Nyah. Nyah. Nyah.

That will teach you, Sir
to make A Lady wait.

Pearl had a great fall.

2 weeks [or so] ago, you may recall...

Pearl was on the wall.

Pearl had a great fall.

It made her mama bawl.

Now look who's on the wall!

I hope we don't all fall!

Well, that was a close call!

The wall. The wall.
It's where us dogs all fall!

The Silly Cow.

What is this I see?

Staring back at me?

My hair is standing up.

I think it best we flee!

"It's just a silly cow!" My Typist said, "tee-hee-hee."

But she was wrong! as you can see.

The silly cow was me.

The recalcitrant reindeer.

2011-12-16T11:09:00.001+11:00

One day.

When The Typist least expects it?

I'm going to bite her.

***

****

This pic from here.

Update Saturday, 17th December from The Typist.

Anyone in need of a smile?>>>>> CLICK HERE :)

Thank you June, for sharing this little treasure!

For Vanessa, who dared me.

2011-12-13T09:54:00.003+11:00

I'd forgotten how quiet December can be in blogworld. At least for a littleblog like this. Last year, I spent the month spewing in secret. It was very liberating.

In dogblog park, everyone's getting into the Christmas spirit.

Everyone, that is, except me. The Grinch.
This pic from here.

But I'm determind to get with the programme.

After a little encouragement from my good friend Vanessa, here's my contribution to the holiday cheer.

So far, this is my favourite Christmas decoration in Sydney. It sits on the aquarium roof at Darling Harbour.

I pass it 3 times a week, on my way to capoeira class in the city. The 1st couple of times, I refused to believe my eyes. But I've come to the conclusion that it really is what it appears to be.

A very crabby Santa.

Sorry. I just had to say it.

How bizarre, you're thinking. But have a look at these other Chrissie decos that I found on the internet. I present only the animal ones, as befits a dogblog. Children should look away now.

These happy fellas from here.

This beauty from here.

These 2 from here.

To quote The Grinch - "What's that stench? It's fantastic."

This pic from here.

This year, hardly anyone on our street has bothered to put lights up. It could be the imminent collapse of the euro that's getting everyone so down. But I think it more likely to be the constant rain, wind and chill. We may dream of a white Christmas here in Sydney, but I don't think we really mean it.

The street party on Saturday night was even quieter than last year's. But at least it didn't get rained out like the doggies' Christmas picnic at Punch Park last weekend.

Georgia put in a late night appearance and had a great time with [the littledogs next door] Indie and Millie, and some salmon dip. Unfortunately, since no one had bothered to put lights up, it was too dark to take any pictures.

I didn't make it to the party myself, thanks to my 2nd bout of flu in 5 weeks.

Maybe we need someone inspiring like this to move into our street!

This and MORE cool decoration ideas from here.

Though I have to say, my heart is with Ditto, who managed to make a most memorable display with very little effort, time and money.

I really hope he's a sperm donor because we need more bright sparks like that around.

This pic from here.

Many years ago, I heard a story about a Christmas store display in Japan that purported to look like this.

This pic and other unusual Japanese Santas here.

O.M.G! I do love Japan!

As it turned out though, it was just another urban legend.

We Who Live DownUnder are not beyond some quirky Chrissie ideas ourselves.

Many involve Santa in various states of undress.

These 2 pics from here.

This pic from here.

Of course, we can be serious too. Check out these Australian takes on Christmas by some of our country's most celebrated artists.

Including this conversation starter by Archibald Prize winner, Adam Cullen.

I'm a little embarrassed to admit that, 2 weeks from Christmas, not an ornament is stirring in our little house.

I haven't put a tree up since Jordan and Rufus were with us. We used to do a yearly family picture in front of it. Sometimes, they got pressies. They always got an extra special Christmas lunch.

When Georgia arrived, she was so destructive, I didn't think it'd be a good idea to put up something flammable, full of breakable glass trinkets, garlands that could trip up paws, and soft stuffed rippable Santas.

Besides, what if she peed on the tree?

These days, I have no excuses not to put a tree up because she's become Such A Good Girl.

I'm just too lazy to do so.

Am I the only person who feels this way? It's very lonely being A Grinch at Christmas.

But enough of that!

Despite my distinct lack of seasonal cheer, I'm looking forward to a nice peaceful Christmas. And you know what?

I hope you have one too.
This pic from here.

Or, as The Grinch would say,

"Are you having a holly, jolly Christmas?"

p.s. Hey Ness! I dare you to leave a comment. Be polite please.

UPDATE a few hours later!
My friend Vanessa says she tried to post a comment but was unable to. Likely story, Ness!

However, 2 other people have since said they had problems as well. So maybe, just maybe, Vanessa is telling the truth [in which case I'm sure Santa will duly reward her with another Chanel scarf].

I love hearing from you, so please send an email if you have something you're dying to say and Blogger won't let you, okay?
This pic from here.

Yet Another Update 15th December!
For Sonia and other lovelies who mentioned poinsettias, here is our New South Wales native Christmas bush which makes a wonderful and lasting display.

This pic from here.

Apparently, there's also a Victorian Christmas bush - something I learnt only this morning :)

This pic from here.