anyresemblance

Jail break

You'd think this puppy did nothing but sleep for all the cute snoozing puppy photos I have.  Oh no, it is only that the only time he is still enough for a photo is when he is asleep.  Right now he is snoozing under my desk.  Yes, that no puppies in my work area didn't last long.

This weekend also involves creating a fenced off area for the chickens as they are skulking in one set of shrubs in fear of being chased.

The youngest daughter is finding puppy wrangling exhausting.  She clearly did not realise how much work it is and is not coping with joy at the prospect.  I feel like I have to teach her to perform on command, as well.  Anyway, we seem to have mastered toilet training, sleeping without whining (in a crate in my bedroom) and the basics of sitting.  Chewing on unsuitable objects, not so much.  Jillian has come to my rescue as the small 500g hand weight makes a good exchange from the table leg.  Charlie seems to like shredding as well.

I went to buy a puppy playpen but the only ones in the pet shop were for outside and would not stand without tent pegs in the grass.  They sent me to the baby shop next door.  I stood at the door with Charlie in my arms and asked permission to come in.  The gushing of the shop assistants.  Every cute baby in the store was instantly abandoned.  I bought a great play pen and was mightily impressed at how well constructed it was and how easy it was to put together.  Hmm, turns out Charlie is still skinny enough to squeeze through the bars.  He loves it but the game of in and out is not quite what I had in mind.  I console myself that in a week he will be too fat to squeeze through.  In the meantime, he is under the desk.

 

Charlie is my darling

I am not sure my mother knew it was an old Scots song, but as a child she would sing to me:

Charlie is my darling

my darling, my darling

Charlie is my darling

The young chevalier

In our house, we now sing that to the puppy who has been called Charlie.  Why did no-one remind me that having a puppy is like having a new born? Sleepless nights, constant attention that they do not harm themselves, removing shoes (ok, babies are not quite so relentless with the shoe chewing). 

Not that he is not the most adorable, bundle of fur.  I have been too exhausted to do any fooling around on the internet which has proven to be a good thing.

Having not got to  bed till 3am on Friday and then being up at 6.30am for work, I spent Friday in a haze of tiredness.  Another sleepless night with a whining puppy had me carrying a migraine all Saturday but we seem a bit on track by today.  In between puppy wrangling and the haze of tiredness I did some driving practice with my girl, cooked lamb shanks (summer has gone again) and watched a modicum of tv while playing with soft ears.

My daughter is about to go to class so I am going in total and overall command of puppy while trying to work.  Eek

A gift of socks from on high

We are on puppy day minus 36 hours so things are very frantic.  The source of this puppy is Hay, NSW.  Yes, I had to look it up on the map too.  I love road trips and country NSW but 6 hours there and 6 hours back was not going to fit with current car state so I took advantage of the offer of transport.  The puppy is travelling with a truck driver who does the route regularly.  I like the idea of scores of puppies travelling the arterial highways with a dog loving truck drivers on their way to their new owners.  Anyway we have to rendezvous at a truck stop an hour from here early on Friday morning.  I rashly offered to transport 2 additional puppies to our city for collection by their owners.  I must have been overcome with the idea of three balls of fluff.  Eek.

Alongside all this puppy mania? My car was sick.  I tried several mechanics as I was trying to save money and not go to the Audi dealer but as everyone was still on holiday or booked up for weeks, I buckled and called Audi.  As it turned out there was a recall had been issued on the ignition coils (I know, I'll instantly forget that term too) and they did it for free (which does not answer the question as to whether they would have actively sought me out to give me this news).  All is not breezy on the car front though as I have to have a 180,000 km service which is pegged at over two grand.  Sheesh.  It's a good thing I love this car.  I am thinking with that many kilometres do I a) drive it into the ground or b) trade it in for something newer.  The thing is my car is special.  Special order colour, special upholstery.  Even at its advanced age, men gasp when they see it.  I am thinking option a.

The youngest daughter started college this week.  In our little territory, we have a public college system for years 11 and 12.  No uniform + boys + good academic results.  I am skipping with joy at the no school fee regime this year.    So far so good plus she walks there so I don't even have to do a school run.  There has been a marked shift in things in the last few weeks.  She is 16 now and hanging out with friends.  Of course, none of them can drive or drink so there is a lot of hanging around playgrounds and parks.  Just what I used to do.  I am quite sure there is some drinking going on but I only let rip when she came home smelling of cigarettes.   We're both coming to terms with this separation.  My lack of trust comes not from a fear she will push more boundaries than I did but that I can not believe that she is anywhere near as street smart as I was.  That's probably foolish on my part but it is hard to think your kids are better informed or wiser than you were.

My goal this winter is to learn to knit socks.  Suggestions for beginners please?