1September 2006

The first day of Spring. Dave's walking around doing dishes and stuff without a shirt on. I'm not really into skin.

Anyway, you know what? I finally figured how to get up on the kitchen table. I've been working on it for a week or two now. Along with the bench, it's the cats' favourite place to go when I chase them into the kitchen. It all depends so far on there being a chair pulled out from the table and then it's two jumps and I'm home.

Well, I was until Dave saw me. There I was, picking my way delicately around the pottery and stuff on the table to get at the cat and you'd think there was some kind of crisis going on. He started dancing, I swear, and clapping his hands, and making funny noises. He knows I hate sudden loud noises, so I wonder why he still does it.

Miranda coughed a bit and her shoulders were shaking, but I couldn't see her face. The cat had jumped across to the window ledge, and that's a bit too narrow for me to manage just yet, so I went back to say hello to Dave instead and see whether he had a treat for me. Not every day a dog learns something new. But he picked me up and put his face right next to mine and went GRRRR. Next time, I'll wait until he's out of the room, and I'll have some time to explore the possibilities further.

He's not in the best of moods. He's late with his GST return and that always gets him a bit agitated. Not that it's so serious this time. With the new van being more than half used for professional purposes, the IRD will likely wind up owing us this month. I'll have to take him outside and show him the freesias.

3 September 2006 Father's Day

We went across to the Cascades in the Waitakere Ranges, and on to the Coast afterwards at Bethells Beach. We met Leigh, Miranda's midwifery student, and Brett there and I finally put a face to the dog I've been smelling on Leigh for weeks. This is my new mate, Freya:

photo by miranda woodward

And this is Leigh. It's really hard to convey what she smells like from just a picture.

photo by miranda woodward

I wasn't all that keen on the bush walk bit. Miranda said the Council had recently introduced some new birds into the area and all dogs had to be on a short leash. Now that would be ok in the ordinary way, but now Miranda has her new camera she's just as slow as Dave ever was and I HATE BEING LAST. Fortunately Brett took over and I was up the front with Freya most of the walk. A dog just has to admire some of those trees.

I noticed that Freya was stopping for a pee every few minutes, so I had a go too. That was fun.

Next we drove down to Bethell's Beach and had lunch at the cafe on the beach. The carparks were jammed, there were dozens and dozens of people. Talk about dogs. Just about everybody had a dog with them, and I tell you, some of those dogs were bloody grumpy. Some were great.

And there were people there who really didn't like dogs either, though why they'd be playing on the beach with a small ball if they didn't want dogs to join in, I just don't know.

But most of the people I met were great and most of the dogs were too. If I got grumped at I ran back to where Freya was. Fortunately I'm quick on my feet when I need to be. Much quicker than Dave, for example.

I like this next picture. When I saw it I got to wondering in what order I put my feet down when I ran, but my head started hurting so I stopped.

photo by miranda woodward

I still haven't got beaches figured. All that water, you'd figure there had to be some you could drink.

photo by miranda woodward

But no. I discovered you also have to keep an eye out behind you.

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