Photo a Day Challenge - Day 122 Something You Wore Today

I went out for both my morning and evening walk today, and I wore my joggers... Here they are, with Jasmine at my feet!

Your Shoes (with cat)

Hoo roo for now...

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Photo a Day Challenge - Day 92 Colour

I Often get asked as to whats my favourite colour... And, it has nothing to do with my chosen working field, but as a greenkeeper and Turf Researcher, I would have to say of course it is green!

Why is that I hear you ask?? Well, to me, its such a pleasing colour, its not 'harsh' as some of the reds, oranges and yellows, its not as 'cold' as some of the blues around either. Yet green, seems relaxing, cool and simply pleasant... And, in this photo of the fierce and mean Jasmine, aren't you becoming relaxed seeing the green background of my lawn? I am...

Jasmine Back Lawn

Hoo roo for now...

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Photo a Day Challenge - Day 69 Loud

Ok, whilst this subject may not be loud, I suspect that some looking at it will scream LOUD!!

Spider

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Whilst today is my birthday, I was kept busy running to and fro to buntings, thanks to Miss Bronty on not one, but two accounts! The first was to replace the chords on the cafe blinds on the back patio. This was easily done, but when I got home and saw her sitting at the back door with her head through the screen, it was time to go back and get some new screen...

Oh Bronty...

Hoo roo for now...

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Photo a Day Challenge - Day 53 Your Shoes

This is a somewhat rare shot, not of my shoes, but of my cat Jasmine sitting at my feet!!! She normally doesn't want to be anywhere NEAR me (she was more of L's cat) unless she wants something, which is generally food!!!

Your Shoes (with cat)

Hoo roo for now...

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Photo a Day Challenge - Day 35 Stranger

This pic is of a friends puppy... He's only had her a couple of weeks, and she is only 3 months old. But her temperament is as though she's been mis-treated by the previous owner, poor girl... She really is a sweetie, and after some bribery and corruption from treats, she started to become friendly. BUT, when I took Miss Bronty over, she became REALLY friendly indeed! They played, ran, Bronty was slobbery like no tomorrow, and everyone wore some of it!!!

Sophie

So, whilst not really a stranger, to HER, I was the stranger...

Hoo roo for now...

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Photo a Day Challenge - Day 15 Happiness

I was pondering about this one, post a photo of me, happy, or of something I take pleasure from... OR, post a photo of someone who's obviously happy... But instead, I thought I would post a photo (or two) of some of the pets that are happy.

First up, we have poor old Macc... Here he is but a pup, but he looks happy!

Happy Macc

Next, is Bronty... She's always happy to see me when I get home from work, or if I've been out! It doesn't last long though, as when she comes in and onto her bed, she's happily sleeping!!

Bronty

Hoo roo for now...

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Painful Knee.... AND, an update...

Overnight, when visiting the bathroom, I got out of bed and as soon as I put weight on my right knee, I just about hit the roof in pain... I don't know what I've done to it, but my goodness its sore... Its still sore some 8 hours later! I've taken some pain killers and anti-inflammatory medications, but its only just touching it, so I think I might have to go visit the GP!

In other news, its also wet very wet here at the moment... Its also colder then it normally is! Oh well, at least the rain is watering everything... right?

I am looking forward to going on a Heritage Train trip on Saturday week. It is on the Kandos line, a line that is about to close, and it will be hauled by an old '44' class loco. There will be pics from the day that evening!

Bronty is growing, she's now well into the 20kg mark. She is great at Puppy Pre-Skool as well! She is a bit of a character, in that she has learnt how to avoid going outside at night! When she can be trusted to not pee in the house (she's almost there) then she can stay in, but for now, she go's outside for a couple of hours! I do take her out, walk up the back and when she 'ewe's' I commend her for whizzing, but sometimes she has little accidents near the back door (open) from time to time...

Bronty

Bronty

Hoo roo for now...

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Macc Update and my new 'toy'!

FIRSTLY, an update on Mr Macc... He's now, doing very well after a final clearance that all is good... If I say to him, 'c'mon in the car' well he jumps up off his bed and is all excited... IF, on the other hand, I say to him 'c'mon mate, time to go outside' then he hangs his head, and hobbles to the door... So, as he is milking it for sympathy, he's getting better!

Yesterday, I finally updated my body - my camera body! I had been looking around now for a long time, and after a lot of research (looking at Hong Kong prices as I am about to go overseas) they were not that much cheaper at all than local! Harvey Norman were having a sale of up to 20% off DSLR's, so after calling a mate, the deal was done!! I am now the proud owner of a brand spanking new Canon EOS 7D! Whilst similar to my old Canon EOS 400D, there is a LOT to learn with the new layout and so on. My first stop for a shoot, obviously, was out to the airport for a bit of spotting, but alas, these shots were not as good as I'd like... But the afternoon was more of a social gathering more than a shoot!!!

BUT, this afternoon after getting back from the ARH, I fiddled around with the settings, got out my cleaning kit and gave my lenses a clean, and headed out into the garden to see what I could achieve! So this is my first (edited) shot from my new 7D...

Callistemon

Hoo roo for now...

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WW No. 50 - Macc in Critical Care

Whilst this is meant to be a WW, it will also have some words today! This past week, macc came down ill...

Macc @ Animal Referral Hospital

Macc @ Animal Referral Hospital

Macc @ Animal Referral Hospital

Macc @ Animal Referral Hospital

Macc @ Animal Referral Hospital

Last Thursday, I got a call from my lovely neighbours that Macc was crying in the backyard, so I left work and came home, collected him and took him to my local, wonderful, vet. He did a thorougher consultation, made a couple of phone calls, and referred me onto the Animal Referral Hospital. When I arrived, they took him immediately into the emergency room... The original theory was a clot in his leg, this was later not proved.

Well, he spent 5 days in the ICU, and was only allowed home conditionally, if I was here to make sure he was supervised. He was not to run, or get excited... His discharge notes included:

• Right Forelimb Lameness
• Cervical Hyperaesthesia
• Left hind lameness
• Severe Rhabdomyolysis
• Low Thyroid levels
• Query Leptospirosis and Toxoplasma

He is now on the mend, slowly, and is more than comfortable at home, either on my bed or on the spare bed...

Hoo roo for now...

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Bloody TOE!!!

I have been this last week, somewhat stationary.... You see, last week, during the wee hours of the morning, I needed to get a drink so I walked down the hallway to the kitchen. I 'normally' walk with my right hand running along the wall so as I know WHEN I get to where the little step is. This time though, I did not and I was very quickly woken up (in severe PAIN) with me kicking the step, whilst my toe dragged down the small step nearly ripping my nail off at the nail bed! Here's the hallway and then the step:

Hall to step

The Step

On Tuesday I had an appointment with the Podiatrist, as the GP could only do so much, and he had clipped it so as it wasn't pulling the nail if I was to wear socks or on the bedsheets at night. So the Podiatrist's first comment, said "man, that looks real angry, and obviously an infection had set in given the offensive smell"! Geez mate, thanks!!! So he cleaned it up, put a little tourniquet on my toe to stop the bleeding (yeah right) and gave me a local on the toe. A couple of minutes later after it started to work, he stared to poke around with most of the toe now numb! Out came the HUGE (well I thought so) clipper things and digging away to get to the root of the nail. WELL, I just about hit the roof, and when he clipped, blood was gushing everywhere, it even caught him unaware!!! Now I fairly OK with blood and guts and can watch surgery on RPA, but my GOD, I burped and next thing I knew I was projectile vomiting all over the floor just missing him! I don't know who was more shocked, me or him!! Procedure all done, I had to sit outside for a little bit whilst he cleaned up... Then he got his own back, by giving me the bill!!!

So with being somewhat unable to walk a great deal or drive as much as well, I have been sitting contemplating a lot of things to do with my future... I still don't know what I am going to do, but I am considering a lot of options...

So here it today, I can walk a little to a lot better, with a couple of stitches in my toe, and I had a look around the garden. There is a lot in flower at the moment, but the orange Clivia Spp are looking good, and I have my white/soft yellow budding up as well which I will get a photo of when it flowers.

Clivia Spp

And before I go, here is the little miss Jasmine, quite comfortable in the vege patch (which is getting ready to plant out):

Jasmine Vege Patch

Hoo roo for now...

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Who wants a Greyhound?

Remember how I said I did a clean up? Well here is a little bit of an update... My car IN the garage!

GV Garage, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Anyone want a DUMB Greyhound as a pet?? I mean, I love him and he's a great dog, but he is just so smart, he's dumb...I got a new lounge for outside and he thinks its great! So I put some things about the place to STOP him from sleeping on it...

Maccs Lounge Blockers, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

So when I got home from my BIL after dinner, Macc was nowhere to be seen... now this is a dead give away that he thinks he's in trouble, as he is usually jumping at the backdoor. So I went outside and I noticed that the tablecloth on the outdoor setting was astray... I touched the pillows think there's no way...

Macc trying not to give away his new sleeping spot, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

YES, he was sleeping ON the table!

Anyway, this morning I snuck out to the family room, and fair enough, he was back on the table... I got my camera, but in trying to get the flash up, it beeps and clicks, he heard me and jumped off quicker than I ever thought he could move. So he KNOWS he has done something wrong, right?

So I made a coffee whilst getting ready to come to work, and I snuck back down to the family room (camera already at the ready to go) and bugger me, he was BACK up on the table and when I opened the door to go out and get the pics, he just froze and didn't want to look at me!!!

Macc on table, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Damn CAUGHT, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

I am not looking at you, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

I like this one the most, it almost says "this is a comfy spot, care to join me???"

Comfy would you like to try, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

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A weekend catch-up

Man, have I been busy! Last week, really, was simply a bit of a blur... I thought I was going to get a new outdoor setting, but in the end (and thanks to the sales woman who wanted to force me into the sale) I have decided to leave it until the Boxing Day Sales instead!

But on Friday, I picked up Sam and William and we went looking at all sorts of 'stuff'! First stop was Harvey Norman to show them the outdoor lounge I was looking at, and then we went to another store for the runner up selection. It is clear that the Seychelles is the best!

After lunch we then headed up north to Dural, where I had visited an Advanced Tree Nursery the week before with 'The In-laws', as they are looking for a tree for the front yard. I now have a very clear decision as to a Christmas present for them, plus I will get some plants for home as well. Mainly a couple of Jacaranda's for the roadside. But, speaking of the front yard, here is how it is coming along. We are having L's birthday here on Friday, so I do want it to look good (and the back as well)!

Frontyard, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

In other news, my sister had surgery yesterday after dropping a knife into her left foot/ankle. At first, the doctors thought she may have severed a ligament or a tendon, so she underwent surgery to have a look. Fortunately for her, she had not and movement should return in her foot soon... Get well soon SIS!

And finally, here is Macc enjoying the front lawn... awwwww

Macc, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

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Back home, but sick as thanks to the Dust Storm...

On my final day/evening in Doha, when walking around, I was amazed at the amount of people sitting around, in parks, buildings trying to find some shade in the very late part of the daylight... But, I had NO idea what it was all about until I realised I was walking down the street that had all of the banks, and the people were waiting (even on a Friday) for them to open and withdraw their wages! It wasn't until around 6pm that people started moving, joining lines and scuffles were on!!!

Doha Waiting for Banks to open, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Doha Bank Waiting, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

I also got this shot of the two swords, I will have to do some research to learn exactly what they are about though!

Doha Al Samad, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

As well as being back, Sydney yesterday had a major dust storm... The only problem I had with it all was that the night before, we had a good old thunderstorm pass through, and I opened up my windows to enjoy the fresh air! 5.15am when I woke up, the morning sky was as red as anything I had ever seen... Then I realised, I had bedroom windows open, and after a couple of hours when getting ready for work, I started to wheeze pretty bad, and I new I would not be getting to work and hunted down an old Ventolin... By lunch, I was at the doctors surgery, on a nebuliser and being closely monitored, or off to emergency! I ended up AOK, and a quick trip to the chemist ($145 poorer) back home and sealed up the house!

And, here are the pets, I haven't posted about them in such a long while... Macc is his usual self sleepy head on his bed, whilst Jasmine, still with a little red tinge about her, taking comfort in the leather lounge!

Sleeping Macc, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

Sleeping Jasmine, originally uploaded by AussiePomm.

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Jack - the whippet who learned how to be a dog at last...

I found this story when I was last in London, and I bought the paper, London Evening Standard, home with me so as I could scan it and share it with you all...

It is a piece originally written by Brian Sewell about his little puppy, a Whippet, named Jack who had been so horridly ill-treated as a pup. Whilst this is a sad story, a very sad story, I also found it to be a lovely story where this puppy became a dog...

Jack - the whippet who learned how to be a dog at last

Brian Sewell 07.08.09

Jack, my little whippet bitch, is dead — words that embody an overwhelming weight of grief.

She was with me only for a short quinquennium, yet the gap she leaves is as large as any left by Mop and Nusch, Hecate and Schubert, Titian and a dozen others. She was a foundling: taken to the Mayhew Animal Home in a state of starvation so close to death that they thought she'd not survive, more than a month passed before she was released, still skeletal, still transparent, into my care.

An unresponsive fearful little creature into whose mind I could not penetrate, I named her Jack, thinking its short sharp clarity useful as a command for what should be a running dog. In affectionate fondling moments (of which there were many) I whispered “little one”, and to that too she eventually responded.

She was, I think, so damaged by experience that she had forgotten how to be a dog and did not run. Lord knows what cruelties she had endured in her first five years or so, and I am certain that she had never been part of any domestic society, human or canine. She did not respond to my other dogs. She was not house-trained. She could not master the mechanics of climbing stairs. She slept where she stood and would not spring onto my bed. She would not play with man or beast or toy. She did nothing that makes a companion of a dog.

Slowly, over the whole of the first year, she responded to the normalities of man-and-dog relationship — the hint of interest in my returning home, an increasing willingness to be touched and stroked, joining in the anticipation of a walk, dinner or a treat — and then, one day, I found her curled up on my bed, resting her head on the comfortable rump of Winck, who had always been motherly towards her.

It was the beginning of great change. She found her voice, a funny little smoker's bark, and joined the clamour at the door last thing at night when I let them into the garden to empty their bladders and see off marauding foxes. She responded to the bell and visitors. She discovered the delights of chocolate and nuts (neither of them good for dogs), of cheese and yoghurt, her demand for bananas quite insatiable. To my great pleasure she learned to break all the rules of etiquette, and nothing pleased me more than her standing with trembling forepaws on the table, shaking it, insistently demanding some titbit from my plate.

With those same paws she learned to pull the duvet from my shoulders in the middle of a winter's night, and it was then for me to learn that in bed no dog is more selfish than a whippet stretched full length with all four legs rigid in their push against my chest or back. When my bed was made she took to rolling on it, mad as a maenad, an ecstatic, stretching, wriggling wildness informing spine and limb, the back arching, head and neck thrashing from side to side, and then she'd haul the cover back and make a bird's nest of my pillows.

But still she did not run. Her chosen place was close at heel, and if occasionally she followed Nusch to the edge of the undergrowth, she was never out of sight and, overcome by caution, she'd suddenly scamper back. When Nusch and Winck raced for sticks or balls, Jack just stood still.

And then, one day in her third summer with me, she joined in, not racing them but asking for a stick of her own. I threw it and she ran — and ran, and ran — in ever-lengthening bounds and widening circles until out of breath. It was as though in discovering her ancient heritage and purpose as a running dog, some instinctive joy had been released and the game became our ritual.

But I feared for her fragility: when she stood against the light I could see the intricate structure of her frail and slender bones as clearly as in one of Leonardo's engineering studies, and I constantly imagined the calamity of collision with another dog. And then, last autumn, I had to fear no longer, for she simply would not run.

I became disconcertingly aware that Jack was slowing down, sleeping much more and needing to empty her bladder in the night. Her vet diagnosed problems with her heart and kidneys and opined that she had only months to go. In spite of pills administered in scrambled egg, her slow decline accelerated and evidence of cancer too became apparent.

I knew that soon the cancer would cause pain, knew what would have to be done to end it, but, remembering Nusch's scream as the needle went into her vein, I wanted to put Jack down myself and asked for lethal tablets. These do not exist, and if they do, they are not to be had by ordinary mortals.

I cannot understand why no lethal sedative is available to the loving master of a dying dog. I can think of no greater gesture of affection for any animal than to see that it has a comfortable death at the hands of those in whom it placed its trust.

I loved Jack, my little one. I wanted her to live with her small pleasures to the last moment free of pain, and then to let sleep in my arms gently turn to death. I wanted her death to be serene, without the alarm and commotion of strangers in the room, but it was not quite to be. Death came to her on my lap and in my arms, and free of pain I'm sure, but Jack was aware of strangers and disturbance, and our parting was not just for us, alone.

So the next time you see your puppy, your cat or your pets, look after them and treat them well... After all, they are Mans Best Friend!

Source: London Evening Standard Pg 12 7th August 2009 ------

Thank goodness... Summer is coming!

Thank goodness is all I can say!

You see, I have had enough of the cold weather, and I really love it when it is warm... Take the last couple of weeks for example. We had a warm event, high 20's and then all of a sudden, we hit 36 and it is still in spring! We packed away the heaters, turned down the spa and planted out the spring/summer flowers and veges. And then, within a day (or two) we were shivering in the cold and rain! What is going on with this weather?

And just yesterday, we got to 35 at home, and after getting home from work and cooking dinner, enjoyed the spa before settling down and relaxing for the evening.

After going to bed, and falling into a DEEP sleep, we were awoken to the sounds of yelling, screaming and the most awful crashing noise... Thinking that the kids across the road had hit one of our cars, we were both up and out of bed in record time to see the second youngest boy (approx 13-14) standing out on the road. What he is doing up at this time of night, let alone driving is beyond me to say the least! After L going out to see what was going on under the cover of no lights coming on (we have a sensor light up the side path, and this was switched off...), and I gazed from our dining room window for a better look, there was no damage, and return to slumber. Or so we thought. L took a lot longer than I to fall back off to sleep, but either way, we had a broken nights sleep and are paying for it now!

Macc & Jasmine both had there annual visit to see Uncle Allen, the vet. Jasmine was a little hard to convince she had to go, I spent nearly half an hour trying to catch her and squeeze her into the carry case. She eventually eluded me and took off through the window and out onto the roof. After about 20 mins, she seemed to have forgotten all about it, and under the guise of bribery and corruption (food treats) she came down and went easily into the carry case. Macc on the other hand, went easily and enjoyed the trip but when it came to having his shot, he winced and cried before he even had the injection! He is a big wimp and for a couple of hours after, cried like a baby when he moved, whilst Jasmine retreated into the second bedroom and stayed there until the following evening...