First Word -

VENTING!!!
Goodness gracious me Foundy what's bugging you today? Murders happen non-stop, can't vent all the time, you'll run out of tears.

Good news from my Cardiologist today, gave me the all clear and doesn't want to see me again until June next year.

Now concentrating on my walking so I can keep my date with a wonderful lady

Vonny and Sturgis where are you,your input is needed.

WHAT

What were you a cop or something ? -

The Justice let him off - he will kill again, I just feel it.

ANYWAYS - YAY!!!!!! Excellent news really awesome Dutchy ...

LOLS - I don't recall how many coffees you owe me now and in any event, we have to visit you first, D and I...

Yes, they can take time out but not a lot

CARDIOLOGIST

Great news - no more Cardiologist for a year - you must be punching the air with elation!

Glad your walking progress is good too - be wonderful to be able to fly off to see your son - not long until Christmas now.

Date with a wonderful lady - are you taking Anna somewhere special? Lucky lady - I guess she deserves it after all the anxiety you put her through for several months of this year!

Poor Foundy - don't give way to bullying. Vent as much as you like - it's your thread! As for running out of tears - never: a kind-hearted person like you will always have tears to spare.

Sturgis - oh where have you vanished to now? And Spades. Must be something about the S name that does it! Get well soon - don't let ill health get the better of you - you can beat it.

COFFEE

You guessed wrong vonny. I always make coffee for Anna at home don't have to take her out for that.

My special date is Foundy once I can walk and drive my car again. It's a long standing commitment and I intend to honour it!

I would include you too if you lived here vonny!

Took Anna out for dinner last night, celebrating the Cardiologist's verdict and had a drink as well.

Morning Foundy.

MORNING !

Yeah pftttttttttttttttttttttttt, Von's right beside being a beautiful witch, it's my thread so PFTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

You'll make it for that Coffee Dutchy..... When the sun is beautiful and shining bright here.

Von how are you, everything easing itself ? When are you getting a little Rawaiii

Yes, tears are there to be had if you have a heart, not going to be upset that I have one.

If you could travel anywhere, anywhere in the World where would you go? All of you.

Hi Sturgis.

AARDVARKS

With too much time on my hands and a view of nothing but traffic rolling along the avenue outside, I began thinking about aardvarks and how little we truly know about them.

Needless to say, I am now researching them once more, as I sort of recall having done this years back before I got into teaching...no, I am not strange!

Time flys or flies or maybe it flees? Either way, it's September and the leaves are shaking on the trees. A couple look weary as summer draws to a close and even the morning birds have begun their journey to warmer climates for the cold spell which soon will arrive. It's normal and I know it's the way it has been for eons (maybe longer) and that there isn't anything terrible about it. Fact is, these changes in weather, flora and fauna, suns angle, and so on and so forth are part of what makes things exciting. Sometimes it just catches me off guard or makes me wonder how the time went so fast. Seems like just yesterday I was looking at the first snowfall. Hmm...wait a little while and there'll be another. Just hope there isn't another of those pesky hurricanes.

Back to all of it. As mentioned earlier, there was possibility of a digging. The medical term is debridement. Me personally, I believe the name could be changed to medieval torture (probably where they got it from). Procedure itself isn't bad, feels weird, not much else. I won't go into more details, said too much already for the squeamish among us to read (which is why I won't re-read it myself).

Returned home late yesterday and still adjusting. Tired mostly...and still awake at ridiculous hours (it's about 2:30 in the morning here). And only down to 79 degrees, thought it felt warm. Some friends came by, brought food and made sure everything was set. Sweethearts the lot of them, and I am truly blessed and grateful to have them as part of my life.

While in the hosp. I was able to read a2k stuff, just couldn't figure the safety of logging on from this daft, yet dandy gadget called a 'smart' phone. It's a fun item, kept me occupied at least between internetting and phone calling. Since I only got it a few weeks ago, much of it is still a mystery to me. Then again, most mechanical things are a mystery to me. At least these days the urget to take them apart to see how they work (and never knowing how to reassemble), has left me. I just accept that they work.

Still have a stack of unopened mail (mostly solicitations and unwanted stuff but need to weed through it. That will keep me out of trouble for tomorrow... which once again is now today.

When I started this post, there were plenty of things which I wanted to say to Foundy, Vonny, Dutchy and the amassed individuals who are gathered to find out what we're up to.

Hope all are well...and yeah, where is Spades and others who dropped in here and then vanished. Has someone been eating the pie crumbs again? (stop looking at me so suspiciously, this isn't blueberry pie stuck in my beard, it's um, uh, um, I, uh...well trust me, it's not cousin Irene's blueberry pie).

So with that, I will be on my way for now, will view some other posts, respond on some (maybe) then try for some sleep.

Take care everyone and if you happen across an aardvark, give them some termites and let 'em know you think they're wonderful.

WELCOME

Good to see you back Sturgis. Your post about Aardvarks makes interesting reading. I can't add much to it, other than to say Aardvark is a Dutch word, meaning Earth or Ground Pig. they are natives of South Africa and obviously were given the name of Aardvark by the many Dutch Boer settlers in Africa over the last few hundred years.

Been a quiet day for me, sat in the beautiful sun on the patio most of the day and did my Lovatts crosswords. Home made meal again tonight after splashing out in a restaurant last night.

It is good to see you back Sturgis - quite worried about you for a while. I hope your health improves sufficiently for you to stay out of hospital from now on. That debridement sounds pretty horrific!

Your weather does keep pace with the weather here in England - same sort of seasonal changes taking place - but you get much higher temperatures than us on average.

Glad you are having fun with your SmartPhone. I have a BlackBerry, and it's great for receiving and sending e-mails and texts, and for logging onto A2K when I'm not on a PC.

Dutchy - glad you had a lovely evening out with Anna. I hope it won't be long until you're driving Foundy and D for that promised date - be great fun! Sounds as if it won't be long now.

Foundy - no Rawaii for us just yet - I may have to undergo another op, so must wait until I see my surgeon on 5th November, before I know what's happening. If and when we do get a pal for Megan, it may not be a youngster - thinking seriously about rehoming an old dog - so many are put into dog shelters when their owners die or go into care - can't bear the though of them being so lost and forlorn - perhaps we'll find one there!

CREATURES

Are amazing. so many I feel that we don't even know about... Flees though you sure the AARDVARKS should you locate one, don't carry fleas?



They are kinda un-usual...



I do not believe we have hurricanes here, do we Dutchy? You're older than me Tornadoes are they the same?

As for medieval torture - digging - you poor thing.. Off by memory you didn't want them "digging" but if it means they are getting rid of "gunk" well that's a better term I think, then so be it... Glad you are home Sturgis.

Have to ask what is the hospital food like over there?

You actually look quite "smashing" that's the word yes Von ? Though you fib because they took your beard off...



I did the same thing for D's Dad. Sent him home with a bev fridge cooler full of frozen meals I/we had cooked. He's been doing radiotherapy for 5 weeks straight bless him. It's nice when people are thoughtful, glad you have some great friends.

Dutchy I know has a sweet tooth, I don't , not sure about Von, but you can all share the blueberry pie...



Von another op maybe? No .......fingers crossed for you that you don't have to.... I like to think that if there is something wrong, that's it once it's over, horrible as you boys know, to go on and on... Healing wishes for 5th Nov.

Hey

RESCUE DOG - I know Rawaii was a pup but that was important at this point in time, with Ruby.. He wouldn't tolerate an older dog in the house and Kia, well bless, one day will need someone else to muck about with, and later, we too will then get a rescue dog for Rawaii..

Strays to me are also a rescue and I've done my fair share of that throughout my life. Maybe a little one like this Von..



Or even better, how wicked is this?



Still dreaming of that beautiful steak the other night hey Dutchy? Maybe it's spag bol tonight, I know you will be just as happy with that Or Pork Chops ... You're a pork chop (giggles) ... sometimes. Remember that saying as a kid?



I used to call it basketi

Twas just thinking of Bigsy, Von do you have any photos of your babies? Couldn't help myself this is a photo of Bigsy, gave me goose bumps when I down loaded it.. Not long before he passed, maybe I am a Witch, cause when I saw that I "knew" I wouldn't have him for long.

I am fine, just wanted to share... Spooky huh

Had a hard job remembering how to download photos from Photobucket - ages since I last went there! Anyway, here's Harvey - waiting for his beloved ball to be thrown. If there is a somewhere after death, then I hope there are plenty of tennis balls there - he got through an awful lot in his twelve years, bless him.

Still unsure if we want a youngster or an old-timer when we do get another dog. It will be a rescue - of that I'm 100% certain. Far too many dogs in dog shelters in England. And we are importing a lot of strays from places like Ireland and Romania - someone has to take them. We probably will get another dog, we've always had two at a time, but not hurrying. Too important a decision to rush it. Dogs seem to happen to us - Harvey was actually brought to our dog as a five-month old puppy, unwanted by his businessman owner, who'd found that buying an expensive pedigree pup wasn't as simple as he'd expected it to be! And Megan was roughly the same age when we adopted her - unwanted by a young married couple who'd paid a large amount for a smart pup as an accessory for their smart home - then a baby had come along and out went pup - to us, thank goodness. I'll upload a photo of Megs onto Photobucket soon, and post it here. She's a pretty dog in real life, but not photogenic, bless her.

Glad little Rawaii is proving to be such a lovely little chap - he looks very sweet and affectionate - puppies are such fun! How is Ruby now - has he started treatments? Poor Bigsy - bet you miss him every day. Strange photo - eerie.

Gosh, so cold here after such a long and hot summer. Still have work to do in the garden, but just too wet and horrible out there at the moment. Have to start thinking about getting my winter wardrobe out and swapping it for the lovely cool cottons and linens of summer - boots instead of sandals - parkas instead of shrugs - ugh!

Oops - I always get something wrong! Should have said 'Harvey was brought to our door'! not 'our dog'.

Na he was bought to your dog

Such a shiny coat, look in his eyes of love you are the boss, play with me, 12 is a great age, I get that they can live longer but if like Missy ? Why.. In a way I wish that she left us playing instead of walking like a little old lady who sometimes got confused but I'm not sorry either, she wasn't in pain at all and loved Mum to death... Love this photo thank you...

We did buy Rawaii but we did save him too, much like Bigsy. The area where we bought him from anyone would have paid for him. They also would have got shitty with him, abused him, chucked him out, something. He has attitude and has to go to Puppy School For the most part his listens but there is this, NO WAY, anger comes out lols. I've never had problems with Dogs. But then, I've been blessed as most of my life they have been cats and only 2 dogs and they have been awesome in training. Rawaii is learning slowly like I said for the most part, really good boy.. But can you imagine? A Vet deciding to cut a little fur from his eyes, (bless) and he goes ballistic has two nurses and the vet and he's trying to angrily bite all of them LOLS..

Ultimately he however, is really good, sits, goes to bed, lets me have a nap, tries to be potty trained, we will get there.

Ruby goes in to get the massive staples out tomorrow. Thanks for asking. I've paid for a holistic to guide me with food. I know that turmeric is good for cancer so is cauliflower so that is currently in his diet. He is doing really well took it hard with chemo for 3 days and now bouncing, loving, kissing, playing lovely oh just heard him barking

Hes a darling. Only same as Rawaii he can just lose it, but usually over a toy, food, or if you walk past as a little one and he's asleep.. Hence keeping them all separate.

Kia however, let Rawaii sleep with her

Bigsy... Not quite 2 months The photo of him in the woolly bush must post that too Von .. Bizarre as well. Fantastic shot, he posed over and over, he was playing and climbing until I got the camera. Animals, can be human. I am convinced.

Yes, spooky photo. Science will say because he was playing the camera caught the twirl . Witches like me will say, that is the description of going to the white light (rainbow bridge) only obviously for what ever reason I got another couple of months. Maybe a sign? Hazel ya done it again.

Ha. I do the same, one wardrobe winter, one summer. Well it's cold and raining here too after some beautiful sunny days of spring... Get's confusing in Adelaide Seriously.

Von thinking of 5th and sending vibes of na, ya be fine.

As for small, large? You will know.

Here's our Megan - sweetest nature I've ever come across in any dog (Harvey could be a brat when another dog challenged him. He was very much the alpha male, and as long as HE was in charge, all was well with the world. If not - mmm - well, the stranger would get a sharp nip to put him in his place!). Megs is good natured, but she's the greediest Labrador I've ever come across. The genetic allergy she was cursed with has meant most of her life on steroids, and they make her crave food - thank goodness for apples and carrots. At least she can gorge on them without too much harm. Pretty healthy for a Labrador Retriever otherwise. She's ten and a half now, and Labs usually have a fairly short lifespan - 9 to 11 is the norm. We've had one live to 17, but that was rare.

I've had pups from breeders - our first two were. Dogs just happen, I think, so if one came along, and it was just right - like your Rawaii - then I wouldn't say NEVER - who knows, life has a funny way of making things happen, whether you want it or not. I believe in fate - kismet - or whatever you want to call it.

Glad Ruby is doing well - every day makes the treatment worthwhile. And every day is a blessing - I hope it continues to go well. Sounds as if he's glad to be alive, bless him.

Still waiting for Dutchy to post some photos of past dogs - love to see them. Do you remember when you said you wanted to liven this thread up and have pictures, music, jokes - anything we liked? Good idea - never any nasty people on this thread - no down-thumbing or snide remarks - makes a pleasant change!

It's raining cats and dogs No it is here .

The sun is shining on Megan and a light much like the one I showed here of Rawaii... Love seeing that.. Apples, carrots , awesome I've tried that too on Rawaii (got told off, as he vomited after 6 weeks of eating my good food I gave him peas and he well didn't like them) They said "puppy food until he is 6 months pfttttttttttt na, will do it then it's my decision.. .True Von there is a reason.. Rawaii also has all the colours of our babies.

Megs is just beautiful, you can see how much loved they both are yes, are.

Ruby, Given he went under the tree to die to find he was alive He just hasn't been happier seriously...

I remember Let's do it, should be fun, funny, "chat" should be still there always, always, but if we are down don't we need a lift?

Sturg's can you post pictures? if not you are funny anyway lols. Always smile reading your posts.

OH OH Bill will post cool photos

Dutchy can you do it? Yeah I know you will work it out.

Still we can chat and then we play, it should be both ...... I just did Von just did

Beautiful girl bless her Von.

WAIT Dutchy gave me a joke today and I cracked up laughing if not photos jokes sounds well .............................perfect

Very nice photos there ladies. Glad you got them up for viewing it gives the day a lift.
As to me posting a photo, I am probably intellectually challenged on this. Not a clue as to how to get the photo from the drawer to the computer to someplace on the internet to here or anywhere else. Yeah, I'm a technologically dense. Perhaps if someone can convert it to a chemical equation it'd help. Then too, my beloved Arthur D. Katz (that was the full name), wasn't too fond of attention. He'd give little bites if people he didn't know attempted to pick him up. Nothing serious, just warnings. 11+ years on and I still expect him to be jumping on me at the first sign of daylight (he insisted on getting breakfast before I did anything else).

Speaking of rain, it just downpoured out of nowhere for about 10 minutes then stopped. It was expected as the temperatures soared yesterday back into the 90s and with that simply fabulous humidity to make everything horrid. Supposed to cool quite a bit in the next few days, which'll be a relief. I Need summer to end (although I will miss the chirpings and the tree leaves rustling and the smells which are only in summer).

That's all for now, hope to return here later. Stay well, stay safe and stay happy.

PHOTOS

If you can work out how to scan photos to your computer (which I haven't done yet - haven't yet tried), then it's pretty easy to put them onto Photobucket, and then to A2K. Be good to see a photo of Arthur D. Katz! He sounds a great character! Not surprised you still think of him! Hard to forget when a pet is much loved.

TRYING

Morning all, enjoyed your yabber and photographs, this is a good little corner. Have tried to post some of my Samoyed photos, alas Photobucket is not putting anything on my clipboard to post?? Will try again today.

Foundy you're right we have no tornados or hurricanes here, occasionally a mini tornado like we had north of Adelaide last week. Our big winds are in the tropics of Australia where they have their annual "Cyclones". Remember Cyclone Tracy that destroyed Darwin in 1977?

Photo of Bigsy is certainly weird, I think you might have shaken the camera a little after a Chardonnay.

Off to the hairdresser this morning, need to have my locks trimmed, seen my barber only once this year!

Cheers to vonny and Sturgis, hope you're both well.

Arthur D. Katz - love it, D for "Doctor luv"? That I am sure even if he expected is meal before you, he gave

I just took photos of my, well photos that were old, then up-loaded the well, photos and went from there

How about a few stories about him? That will do me fine.

FINE weather, almost here, bring on spring.

Trying to work out how the heck 5 noisy minors can chase of a massive crow from our tree. Darn little creatures.. Had two parrots there today as well, beautiful colours. My morning coffee - bird watching.

DUTCHY- I know, I know you do different bird watching



Took Bigsy some time (Mr Bartholomew) is what D's Daughter named him somehow bigsy was the short version, anyways, to be able to sit in the lounge-room with the big kids... But he got there. Attention span, food , food, food Kia and Ruby with Bigs.

PFTTTTTTTTTTTTTT

You are very trying.. Shaken camera pftttttttttttttt, chardonnay pftttttttttttttt, You'll work out photobucker -------- (giggles)