To Russia with love.

2 weeks ago, for no good reason, I took the preposterous step of not blogging for 10 days. Even for a blogger who aims for 3 posts a week, not blogging at all was a bit of a heart attack occasion.

I stopped reading other blogs. [Sorry.] I stopped checking for comments every other hour, on the bus, in bed and on the potty.  I stopped signing in to Blogger the 1st thing after waking up. After 2 days of withdrawal, my brain happily went blank.

What did I do to fill those 240 hours? Here is a shortlist.

I vacuumed, mopped, dusted, wiped every surface including walls slimed by dog drool, then vacuumed again until the poor machine died. Considering it's a good brand and just 2 years old, I'm a little miffed about that. It's been sent away to get fixed. I don't know when it'll be back but I hope it's soon because I'm over sweeping a whole house with a dustpan. Thank goodness there are no tradesmen scheduled to come over.

I tackled the garden, weeding and pruning just about 2/3s of it. The constant rain has made everything overly lush.

We severely pruned back our flowering plum tree that's been sick, straggly and falling down on 1 side. Maybe we should just have taken the whole thing down, but it's our lucky tree.
"You guys DO realise I'm here, right?"

On a stormy night almost 10 years ago, A Really Big Dead Gum Tree at the corner of our tiny backyard fell on the little plum tree and broke it in 1/2. Without that sacrifice, the fence we share with our side neighbour, and the back neighbour's then brand new wall, would have crumbled. How could we put a fearless little tree like that down?

So we've tied it back and now hope for the best. Maybe it'll get some good sleep over Winter and bounce back in Spring.

While out walking Georgia, The Other Half also spotted some plants that had been left by the roadside, including this monster staghorn. 

He's promised to hang it up on the back wall this weekend. Seeing as how it took 2 grown men [and 1 grown woman] to haul it back on a blanket, I see a sore back and neck coming.

I picked up some cheap autumn colour for pots that have been sitting idle on the balcony. Given my green thumbs, they should thrive.

till the end of the month.

at the very least.

With my new found freedom from blogging, I caught up on my pile of outdated Time magazines. Then I watched a lot of terrible, addictive TV including [in no particular order of preference] American Idol, Project Runway, Wife Swap, Amazing Race and [since I read about it on another dogblog], Dancemoms too.

Ooops. I do so hope you won't think less of me for admitting that, but I never said I was clever.

I also managed to train capoeira 5 times a week until my other [good] knee collapsed. Enough said.

In those 10 days, Georgia started her new diet based on your welcome and helpful thoughts, experiences and advice [thank you!] and all the reading I'd done.

Raw meals are now separated from cooked. 

"That looks mighty skimpy. You're not going all frugal on me, are you?"

Just 1 big bone, every other day, instead of 2 little ones every day. We've tossed the unsuitable bones out and are now experimenting with new ones like chicken carcasses and turkey. Anyone out there has any advice on roo bones?

"Me like!"

So far, so good.

Having read on some dogblog or other about the possible dangers of eating out of plastic [sigh], we've even swopped her 12 year old plastic bowl [handed down from Jordan] for a ceramic one [handed down from Tiger Lily who used to live a few doors away and who, as I recall, was found dead in her backyard by her owners, having choked on a bone].

Still on the food front, we discovered a fruit we'd never ever seen or heard of before!

It's called achachairú or achacha [Garcinia Humilis]. Since the silly people at Paddy's wouldn't let me try one, I thought I'd share the experience with you here.

CLICK HERE if you want to read about this Amazonian fruit and learn how to open it. The white flesh is soft and has a texture and taste similar to mangosteen, a little sweet, a little tart. [I'm hoping you know what a mangosteen is, otherwise this information will be as useful as a freezer in Nome.]

The only downside, it has large seeds. So with a hard skin outside and a big seed inside, this is NOT what you would call a value-for-money fruit. I also just read in Wikipedia that the skin is traditionally used in Bolivia as a hunger suppressant. I wish I'd known that before I threw the lot away! Next time. Maybe if I publish this post quickly enough, The Other Half will read it and pick some up for me from the weekend market.

 

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A few days ago, struggling to get back into blogging, I attempted to write a post. A few drafts later, I deleted the lot. Boring. Boring. Sad. Oh oh. Writers block. Truth be told, if it wasn't for some poor man found dead in our local park on Thursday, I doubt I'd be here today. [Last I heard, the police are still not sure if it was suicide or foul play.]

But here I am, back in the proverbial saddle. So, of course, I thought I'd have a look at the dreaded stats counter. To my surprise, the [very modest] numbers were still holding! despite my absence! How was this possible?

Well, here's my best guess.

Apparently! this blog is being read in Russia! In fact, twice as many Russians [apparently] read this blog than Australians. For shame! [Note to Self: Must write more stories about possums, Bondi and damper.]

I have no idea who in Russia might [apparently] be reading a silly dogblog. I can only hope it's not anything nefarious. I decided to click on an unfamiliar link this morning and, rather like falling into Alice's rabbit hole, found myself at...

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...oh my! a digital spyware site? I'm not sure it's Russian since it was in English but still.

My mind is boggling. I am equal parts confused, nervous and inquisitive.

Just to be on the safe side, I'd best state here that, despite being anonymous, I am truly who I say I am -

A plumpish, not particularly sociable, cream cake-loving, menopausal housewife who has a bad knee [now 2 bad knees], lives in a small crowded house with an overly-bathed, opinionated dog and a grumpy equally menopausal man [though he doesn't want to admit it] who snores.

I am not a sleeper. You understand?

Meanwhile, let me take this opportunity to say to anyone in Russia who might be reading this - 

Hi! Привет! I hope you're enjoying the stories. If you like, you can say hi! Привет! back! [In English, if you don't mind, because I don't really understand Cyrillic.]

Whatever you do, please please don't spam me, okay? I beg of you. Do it to one of the other big and important blogs on my side bar instead.

Thank you! Спасибо! Have a nice day! Хорошего Дня!

[I do so hope those phrases are right. If not, please write a stern note to Linguanaut.]

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P.S. I leave you with this spam that I just received -

"Very soon this web site will be famous among all blogging and site-building viewers, due to it's fastidious posts."

Why, thank you Anonymous. You must really be reading my posts.

Shots in the dark, a body in the park and the usual suspects.

My Cushion has been sick and The Typist has been taking me for my morning walks. I prefer walking with My Cushion but beggars can't be choosers.

This morning, we started off in the dark because The People In Charge Of These Things haven't turned the clock back yet.

I don't know whether they realise how creepy it is for us dogs to walk in the dark.

"Oh my god, Typist! Is that one of The Dog-Hunting C.a.t.s Of Balmain?"

"Could we please walk a little faster, please?"

Luckily, we managed to get safely to Mort Bay Park.

 I was very relieved.

My Typist took more shots in the dark. I hope you can see them okay. Even if they aren't very clear, [she says] they are quite a.t.m.o.s.p.h.e.r.i.c.

Baxter and Pearl were already at the little beach. They are such earlybirds.

You can see Pearl's butt here.

Baxter checked the water out for us.

 

Baxter has an extra-long leash. Can you see it?

There was too much rubbish in the water for a swim [though Pearl's human was very good and tried to clean it up for us].

Since no one wanted to get into the scummy water, we walked on some more.

 I jumped up this wall!

I gave My Typist such a fright, her hand shook while she was taking this picture.

Finally we got to The Bouncy Bridge!

This is one of my favourite places in Mort Bay Park. When the ferry goes by, the whole thing creaks and bounces! Some dogs are scared of it but I'm not.

I don't know why so many pictures in this post are blurry. My Typist insists this one's bad because the ferry was going by, and not because of her lack of skills.

I'd better not say anything since she'll be taking care of me while My Cushion is sick.  

Another reason I like The Bouncy Bridge is because fishermen leave yummy dried squid there.

Humans can be so generous.

Here's a video of me on The Bouncy Bridge. It's a bit long  [just over 3 minutes] because My Typist still hasn't figured out how to edit a movie on her new computer. [This is sure to make My Cushion cross when he reads this.]

Please watch it if you want to see me looking thoughtful or if you'd like to hear My Typist squeal.

After that, we went across the road to Ballast Point Park. If you've seen the video, you'll know where that is in relation to The Bouncy Bridge.

It was nice and quiet there.

Suddenly!

A PoliceHuman stopped us!

"You can't go any further. You'll have to turn around." she said. "There's an investigation going on up top."

An investigation?

Being a sticky beak, My Typist had to ask what it was about. The PoliceHuman told her someone had found a body in the park.

I'm sorry I don't know what that means, but I think it may be A Very Bad Thing and something worse than a possum.

So we turned around and started walking back.

I thought my walk was over when! out of the corner of my eye! I spotted breakfast approaching!

There was not a moment to waste! I quickly went into my hunting mode. I knew I had to remain inconspicious so as not to scare the prey away. Luckily, there was a wall and some long grass handy.

Everything was going so well when suddenly!

3 littledogs came running up. They scared the prey away.
Then they jumped on me!

What is the world coming to? Don't littledogs understand anything at all about heirarchy and the food chain? I was very cross.

Larry may have escaped my jaws of death today but he'd better watch out.

Call me paranoid, but I think littledogs gang up on bigdogs like me all the time and, may I say, that is not nice.

The usual suspects - Darcy and Aggie.

"I got my eye on you, littledogs."

And Mozart.

Our activities must have aroused the suspicions of The PoliceHuman. She followed us out of the park.  

And put another barrier up, right near the entrance.

No one wanted to leave the scene of the crime.

So we had a big yak on the road right outside the park, and everyone got to eat treats.

When we got home, My Typist couldn't wait to tell My Cushion what a great and interesting walk I'd had! I think she gloated a little.

My Cushion was very jealous.

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A 10am update that supercedes the now deleted 3am update.

Let it be known, your honour, that somewhere in Sydney, Australia, a suburban housewife is very sleepy, crabby at Blogger and about to do dangerous bodily harm by plucking out her own hair.

I made a huge mistake in yesterday's important post with this caption -

2 daily meals of raw and cooked bones, offal and meat, kibble [currently Canidae], rice and greens.

Did you spot it?

I must have proof read it at least, oh, 5 times before publishing and yet I missed it.

Lucky for me, Jean [despite often being sleepless, having to wipe 12 muddy critter paws in the middle of the night] was sharp.

Last night at 3am, I hastily tumbled downstairs after seeing her comment picking out the mistake, to correct the post.

Why the haste?

It wasn;t just a typo eror, or even an silly grammatical one.

No, it was a mistake that should not have been made, in all places, on a post about what bones to give your dog. I HAD to immediately change it.

And all would have been well and I would be having a lovely crispy bacon and egg sangy for Sunday brekkie now instead of typing this - if it wasn't for the fact that Blogger wouldn't let me make the correction.

Every time I tried to re-publish the corrected post, the paragraphs would come out scrambled like eggs. Tossed about like a salad. Incomprehensible, in short.

I don't know what's going on with Blogger these days but I might just save that particular rant for another rainy day.

So I did the only thing I could. I wrote a new post correcting the mistake and published it at 3.30 am.

This morning, after I read my 3.30am post, I realised I should have made more of a hoo-ha over the mistake. Perhaps something like this -

2 daily meals of raw and cooked bones, offal and meat, kibble [currently Canidae], rice and greens.

Now you see what I mean!

That caption should have read -

2 daily meals of  raw bones, raw and cooked offal and meat, kibble [currently Canidae], rice and greens.

Because, of course, cooked bones are bad for dogs! [So please people, stop tossing them over your fence onto the road! and leaving them behind in the park after your picnic! No one will think you're being kind and generous to share your leftover cooked bones this way.]

Thank god, I say, THANK GOD! for Ms Jean, her sharp eye and her knowledge of such things!

I'm still distressed that Blogger won't let me change it on the original post. I hope that I'll be able to one day, as I'd hate someone trying to find the right bone for his/her dog to ever have to read that.

P>S> When I was at Something Wagging last night, I made a spur-of-the-moment decision to join the Saturday BlogHop in the hope of getting more input on the last post.

It was my 1st time ever and, I'm afraid, I might have messed up. So here I am, about to make yet another correction.

Thank you Life With Dogs, Two Little Cavaliers and Confessions of the Plume for hosting.

NOTE No need to make any comments on this post, unless you want to throw a dummy spit at Blogger.

Otherwise, please go back to the last post HERE. Any thoughts on the subject will be welcome :)

Thank you and have a great weekend!

With love and respect always, The Typist x

Deleting the 3.30am post NOW!