The night the fog rolled in.

I see on Facebook this evening everyone has marvellous photos of the fog as it launched itself on Melbourne.
My photos are a little more unusual.
For some reason, the moisture in the atmosphere created orb-like shapes and consequently it all looks a little Stephen King-ish.

We all agree the atmosphere is chilling...even Stuart who went for a walk as the fog descended was chilled on return to home with his human dad.

You cannot help but admire what nature dishes out sometimes, even in the coldest months. I love these times when sounds are muted thanks to the heavy laden air. The freeway sounds so far away and the birds still active so close.

As we did our lap of the block, Stuart was very observant of all that was happening (not a lot). He is beginning to be a lot more comfortable with cars and buses but still stops if there are people walking towards us. He will sometimes put on his 'Aren't I cute' pose so they will stop and chat to him. Other times he chooses to want to turn around from whence we came and tries to go back home, but, his mama is resolute and makes him walk the distance.

We have fewer sit-downs on the job now too as we walk and even though I am trying to instill a sense of 'heel dog' in him, he likes to think he is the leader in the game of who can get to wherever the fastest.

We are to be blessed with another dog of the same breed (Border Collie) in a few weeks time. She will be coming from as far away as Yarrawonga and she (as yet un-named) is a lilac and white coloured Border Collie as Stuart is a black and white.
We decided to welcome her into our home as a companion for Stuart and, if she is as well behaved as our little (read big, big, bigger every day) puppy is, we will be very fortunate indeed.
This little lady is one of 8 from the family we have wanted a puppy from for a long time now. As you may know, we lost a little puppy last year, and one of my colleagues connected me with the breeders of her family and promised us a pup from the first litter after we met them.
Her parents, Jazz and Joker are two gorgeous lilac and white BC's...and when I say lilac, I mean a purplish-brown colour.
We cannot wait for her arrival....she is already almost 2 weeks old and she'll be here in time for my 'better-half's' 60th. birthday!

And now for something completely different!

And there was much rejoicing........ (Monty Python)

 How to curl up in an outside kennel.

 Hark! I hear the door opening!

 Aren't I pretty!

And last but not least...this is my best side!

Not the best

Its one of those days today where I am not feeling my usual self.
I feel very tired...and I have a ginormous cold sore on my bottom lip that hurts not to mention the aches and pains associated with such viral inconveniences.
I suspect its all related to work and being so busy over what was supposed to have been a 'wind-down' Queen's Birthday weekend.
My other half went up to our country mansion for the long-weekend, whilst I travelled to and from work and not much else.
Stuart and Mez kept me company, so we fitted in some daily walks which were good for the mind and body.
As I sat down to type just now, Stuart was in the lounge, talking through one of his squeaky toys. He loves to make them squeak and he will sit there for ages with this high pitched voice appearing to emanate from him.
I digress though...as I was saying, there were sound effects from the lounge compliments of the Lord of the Manor and now its all just gone very quiet. That kind of quiet where you just know someone is up to mischief and doesn't want you to know about it.
I must go and investigate!

This is what I found. Our long walk post bath (in preparation for Puppy School this evening), must have tuckered him out.
Ahhh how good it must be to stop and sleep whenever you felt like it!

An unwell day

It's very quiet here for some reason. Stuart has had a sleep after a long walk and I invited him inside which he was more than happy to comply with. I have sat down here at the computer and its now gone very quiet out side the room. I wonder what mischieef he's up to!

The grumpy dog and other tales

It seems to be that my problems are resolved. Some one told me to make sure I sign out after each access to my blog and ensure the "Stay Signed In" button was not ticked.
I have done so and now have no issues with posting comments on others blogs.....'Its a miracle'!
Perhaps it was my not checking the box....or it was Google's erroneous ways that have been repaired. I neither know or care...all I know is that I can now post in other sites and I am one happy chappy again.

I am thinking of starting my very own 365 days of photos site....posting a pic every day of the year...a pic about anything...just for that day....
What do you think Oh Avid Readers and Blog Watchers of my site?
Who knows...It might end up being a labour of love or a labour of forgetting. I could take photos at work (with consent of course), or of the outdoors, the weather, people in the street, the chewing gum my dog picked up as we went for a walk today dammit! Not fun wrestling THAT out of his mouth I can tell you! It can be a photo of anything random...Just as long as I take a photo on that day.
I think I will start on the 1st. July and take it from there. Mind, the days/ evenings/nights I am not home means I will have to multiple post occasionally so watch out folks.

The lad is getting bigger each week. I reckon he might be somewhere in the vicinity of 10 kilos now. He was 7.5 kgms when we went to the vets a couple of weeks ago and he would eat all day if I let him. Its a bit hard to know just how much to feed him as he's still having three meals a day, but he's pretty active and loves his walkies....we have a friendly dog in the square who sits and says hello telepathically as we walk past. There is a nasty grumpy dog who carries on as we walk past...I tell Stuart he is just jealous as we, (Stuart and I) suspect Grumpy Dog never goes for walkies! Every so often Stuart sits down as we walk as he gets a little tired and needs a rest. If someone else walks past he is scared...if a car goes past he is scared. If the birds fly past he is scared...I think I would rather he be scared right now though than him think he is big and brave and ready to take them all on. I have found though, walking him around the neighbourhood, people are very friendly and smile and acknowledge us as a couple. Today we walked past a man who resides behind us who was out clearing his front garden. Stuart being Stuart got frightened when he realised there was a strange man in his vision so he sat down on the job again. The gentleman was most apologetic and walked to his fence, laughing as he watched me drag this sitting dog past the front of his place. Perhaps I need to get a skateboard for such occasions and just wheel him along...
So, if you should see an oldish gal, wheeling a growing Border Collie on a skateboard past your house, take a moment to say hello as its more than likely Stuart and me!!!

Our puppy school started last week. Stuart is the youngest in the class of 6, and also the biggest. He is the noisiest of all and the most exuberant. I was most apprehensive when the Vet Nurse gave everyone a turn off the leash, especially when Mr. Exuberant had his go and thought he could go berserk.. She taught me though how to restrain him by sitting him on her lap and holding his 'shoulders'. She also implied that some people are mistaken when choosing their dogs, especially Border Collies if they expect their dogs to be well behaved and obedient. I know he tries to be a good boy, but he is still only a 13 week old pup and forgets very quickly. He is very well behaved though when going for walkies and we are trying very hard with our sit, stay and come commands. I know though, come Tuesday night again, the craziness will occur again with all those dogamones floating around and all we have taught him this week might just float out the window!
I will keep you posted as to the antics of my lovable crazy dog and his dotty owner as they eventuate. Have a great weekend and don't forget the birthday cake and tiara on Monday!

Oh My Goodness Me!

Ok folks. I am so confused right here....and right now.
Why is it please then when I go to make comments on sites that I have previously made comments on, I have to now sign in, then put in the secret password invisible to bots....then sign in again, then the password again...and on it goes...
And when it does come up in 'edit format', I am anonymous.

I am getting very frustrated...Bron, its happening with you and Lizzie, its happening with you also in your photographic blog.

Any clues on how to rectify this please???

A little girl with a bow in her hair

I recently came across an old school photo and it set me wondering about what has happened over the years to my former colleagues and playmates. Given the year was 1962, I cannot help but wonder how life has been for all these people and where they might be now.Many of the faces I still recognise and some names I do remember, but there are a few there who I haven't a clue as to who they might be.

Thats me, second row, second on the right, with a bow in my hair next to sexy legs!
Where are you David and Phillip (top row).

Where are you Pearl, Beverly, Christina, Anne, Barbara, Margaret, Yvonne, and Margaret?

Where are you Maria, Suzanne, Lorna, Kay and Gail?

Where are you Andrew, Neil, Robert, Graham and Andrew?

You do have to wonder don't you?

We all have stories to tell about our school days...the good times and the not so good times. The smell of school bags with warm sandwiches and brown apples. Bottles of milk left out on the front step of the school. Toffees we purchased from the milkbar across the road that had a ha'penny in the bottom. Shelter Sheds and play equipment....ahhh. Funny how I remember them well, yet if you asked me what I did yesterday, I'd have to stop and think!

What is it about mothers and babies and damn hard work?

Well our gorgeous recent addition to the family that is Jones went and did it last night....Two days shy of her due date and after 23 hours of 'laborious' labour Matt's Rai birthed a magnificent creation....named Madeleine Lolita Jones, just shy of midnight last night.

It has been a very hard road for Rai as she lost her Mom not too long ago but she has ventured on with Matt's, the immediate families and her Mom right behind her I am sure.

I look forward to meeting this little lady who, if she has any of her mum's characteristics, will be a delight to behold.

Maddy's dad, Matt (my nephew) has already proclaimed she has dimples...these I cannot wait to see.

Well done you three I say!

Stuart Week 3 at home

The look on his face says it all....Mama...you are a Luddite!
Its been a finicky few hours on here as I try out different bits and pieces on my blog site. Not sure if I like this style yet and I value any ones opinion. I am also trying to learn how to paste from Picasa successfully. My dear friend "E" showed me recently how to change my settings, but alas this computer has a mind of its own "Computer said NO" and I reverted back to the olden ways somehow so I have been trying to revert it back to the new way. Bit like trying to train Stuart to wait for his dinner!.....
I also had some difficulty with a lot of photos I had uploaded to Picasa but hopefully I have sorted that out now.
Time will tell in the not so distant future.
We are all abuzz here tonight...My nephews partner is in labour as we speak and has been since 1 am. I am waiting for that all important phone call to inform me I am a Great Aunt yet again! I just hope that this time, it all goes her way for a change as she has had a lot of sadness to cope with in recent times.
Shall keep you posted!

The new kid on the blog...

Well, I joined a new group yesterday and you can find my link to it on my left sidebar. The group is known as http://bestpostsoftheweek.blogspot.com/ This group promises to publish each week a collection of the best blogs for the week so it should make for good reading. I am already fascinated by some of the stories from all round the world and only hope that I can participate too from time to time on their site.
I've been online for a number of years but still find some methods of connection via computer a little confusing, so, if I have this incorrect please forgive me.

Otherwise, all is good in the world of baby border collies and the families they rule over.
Stuart has survived yet another week with this haphazard family and boy has he grown.
He received his second vaccination on Monday and was more interested in the treat the delightful vet nurse had in her hand than the actual injection, so I can safely presume that 'brave little man' is another title he can safely adopt.
Yesterday out the back I watched as he played with an empty soft drink bottle he was trying to round up. He had such a look of observance it astonished me. Like all puppies, he has moments of sheer silliness and it's then when he thinks he can nip at anything that comes within coo-ee of him (playfully of course). Its a bit of a battle to try and stop him from using his teeth as they are razor sharp. He has not hurt me yet, but he's nipped the father of the house a couple of times with resultant manly growls from the man and the clever little boy knows when to run and hide already!
I just love the yelps of delight though when I've been away from home and return to him. He loves me to rub his ears and under his chin like all good puppies do. He's not so sure about baths though...he will tolerate the shampoo bit and all that, but come the hairdryer and he becomes panic stricken. Even birds flying over can cause him to want to hide, not to mention helicopters and planes. It must be that acute hearing that dogs seem to have. Thank goodness there are no fireworks around right now!
We start Puppy School next Tuesday...that should be a riot. These 'classes' run for three weeks and are all about socialising with other pups of similar ages, learning basic commands...some of which he already does, and (hopefully) an insight into toilet training.
I shall keep you posted re the further adventures of Stuart as they evolve.
I hope you enjoy!