Queen of the Night - more blooms...

Strange Goings On in the Garden

We had a very exciting night last week when a whole bunch of people turned up with food just after dark and then all lay down on blankets and watched a film projected on the house next door. D organised the whole set-up and it was great fun - I got to sniff so many feet and there were so many warm bodies to curl up to, I was spoiled for choice!!

Xmas Traditions

M found this photo and insisted that I put it on the blog - I tried to explain to her that the time had passed to post things from Christmas but she insisted. She thinks it is very meaningful that I wore that silly paper hat because it is something of a ritual in her family that EVERYONE MUST wear one during Christmas dinner. They come out of these things called crackers that made a big bang and a nasty smell. I would have preferred to chew one of the little plastic toys that was inside rather than being put in the hat - but as I said it is an important family tradition and I do look pretty cute.

My Summer by Steve Obama

Well it is apparent I have not been writing my blog – that is because I have been having such an exciting life – living not blogging!

However, because I have been getting such pressure from so many to update this page I realise it is time to share my summer adventures with you all. The posts that are to follow are more thematic than linear – partly because it was just too difficult to try and put everything backwards so it comes out forward for you readers – ah the mess we create when we fail to keep the blog updated…

Strange things in the garden 3 - Queen of the Night

We discovered this plant in a broken pot caught up in the middle of an overgrown succulent bush. It had a couple of 1-2m long gangling arms, and with a few lackluster browning leaves coming off. I admit I was surprised that M bothered to re-pot it. Then it kept falling over every time there was any wind because it had a heavy stake trying to do something to keep the limbs off the ground…

Anyway, (well you can see the pictures) imagine my surprise when these strange testicular flower bulbs started hanging off the leaves then – one night – I went outside to find the source of the most amazing scent wafting in from the back – and woaha this is what I found. M, G and D came out with cameras and torches and took pictures. Good thing too because it was all over the next day – the plant went back to being a strange messy gangly thing.

Strange things in the garden 2 – Dead Flesh Mushrooms

Now this scent was even more up my street but I wasn’t so sure about what I found when I went to dig these up. Another plant that just lasted a day – they came up out of the ground and the next they had withered, collapsed and almost dissolved and disappeared. These pictures by M were taken about half way through this process. It was clear the flies found the smell pretty exciting as well – they were buzzing around all that day!

Strange things in the Garden 1 – M’s sunflower

This plant isn’t so strange – it was M’s reaction that was strange. She got so excited about this flower. She even put this picture on her computer desktop – IT USED TO BE ME!!!!

My trip interstate for Christmas 3 – swimming

M and G have been trying to get me swimming but I am resistant – perhaps M it is because you threw me in a pool last Christmas ?????

Anyway, because we had a long drive to stay with M’s parents we stopped off half way on the coast and we visited a dog beach. As you can see I will go in the water to get my ball – but I just don’t see why anyone would want to just be in the water for the sake of it. I don’t want to ever have that feeling of paws flailing again!

My trip interstate for Christmas 2 – My Entourage

Vince Chase eat your heart out – the best thing about the family Christmas was the dog flap and my entourage. I must say I miss it still , it took me a while to get used to going for a walk with just M and G, let alone just one of them. Between M’s Mum, Dad, brother and M and G, I had a group to accompany me everywhere – it was great – my every need was catered to, my every whim indulged and the little morsels M’s mum would slip me were some of the best things I have ever tasted.

My trip interstate for Christmas 1 – the car trip

I have now been out of the state for the first time, well actually that’s not quite true I have been to the ACT before – but I suppose I have now been to another real state for the first time!!

M, G and I drove up to Brisbane to stay with family for Christmas. That is the longest drive we have ever done together, it was made a little more bearable by a free CD that M managed to score from Richard Glover by sending him an email making some outrageous claims. Somehow it all got a bit blown out of proportion and Richard had a show all about dogs and the things they like listening to – G even phoned in to keep on spreading these crazy allegations about me. Really I am only mentioning this because M and G keep talking about it.

Comments

Comment from M – the car trip

Here is the message I sent Richard Glover – I promise it is all true – as evidence see this picture of Steve BEFORE we put the CD on. You can see the one he posted of himself once we put the CD on.

Dear Richard,

I was wondering if you have ever made any voice recordings of any of your books - or in fact if there are any long recordings of you speaking.

The reason I am asking is that my boyfriend and I are about to drive up to Brisbane (from Sydney) with our puppy for Christmas with my parents.

Our puppy – Steve - is not always the most comfortable company in the car, he can make a constant horrible, piercing, whining sound that can make things quite unbearable.

BUT we have found there is one thing that will calm him down and keep him happy - the sound of your voice on the radio. At first we thought it was just any radio, and then that it was 702 talk radio, but now we realise it is Drive that gets the most miraculous results. Now there is only so many times we can listen over and over to podcasts of the show on our drive up so we have our fingers crossed that there is something recorded out there that will entertain us and keep the puppy happy.

Grateful listener

Comment from G – the car trip

I had to phone in – Richard kept saying Steve’s name and he was going crazy – he knew that voice he loved from the radio was talking about him!

Meet Rex

I also wanted to introduce everyone to my brother Rex. He is very noisy – if he wants more food you can hear him making these noises with his mouth from the other end of the house.

Postcard from France

M and G are feeling rather miffed because I have received two postcards from my beloved dogfather and they have .... NONE!

G promises to show me Mon Oncle on the DVD machine sometime soon so I can understand what the postcard is about - apparently Jaques Tati would have liked being a dogfather.