My Gotcha Day!!

Officially, yesterday (27th June), was my "Gotcha Day" when my human mum and dad "got" me. I was just over 8 weeks old. My mum tells me she was in close contact with the nice man and lady who bred me, and lets just say - mum was a little "overexcited" to finally get her hands on me. Mum was concerned she was being a right royal pain in the you-know-where to my breeder - but the nice lady seemed not to mind!

So I had a bath (uch!) on the morning of the 27th June, had my last cuddles, and then was driven to a "pick-up point" so I could meet my new pawrents.

This is the first picture mum took of me - before we drove off from our first meeting. Notice how she was so excited that she could not even focus.

Stopping alongside the highway on the way home...... there were three stops in case I wanted to do wees.

This is me on that same day..... mum puttin' me in front of the Mac.......that's where the blogging idea first hit me!!

My first evening meal on the day I came home..... my appetite was never a problem!

My mum is SOOOO nuts that she even took a picture of my first Poop-a-doop in my new home! (rolling schnauzer eyes upwards......is nothing sacred!)

The very next day, uncie came over to let me meet Scarlet and Zoe. We have been best buds ever since!

I slept in funny positions.......

and was very little in my kitchen bed

Look how big my blue bed looks when I was so little!!

I can honestly say, that I was very lucky in scoring my pawrents and my house and lifestyle. But, let's be frank, THEY are the lucky ones getting ME!!

Photo Scavenger Hunt - June

My mum decided that she might participate in the fun event hosted by Postcards from the P.P. - the Monthly Photo Scavenger Hunt. She might as well seeing as she does not go off to a job everyday anymore   ;-)

Because this is MY blog - she is going to try and put me in as many of the pics as possible.... after all - I have fans to satisfy!!

So here goes (over to you mum!):

A Childhood Memory

A Farm Animal

A Wheel Trim

An Elephant

Architectural Detail

Cheese

Cutlery

Night

Something Beginning with "Z"

Something With Your Town's Name On It

The View Right Outside Your Door

Tree Branches

Here is a little bit of background for these photos:

CHILDHOOD MEMORY: I remember that my brother, sister and I didn't have many toys and beautiful things.... but we always had a few special things we cherished as children. I remember how excited I was to receive this special doll from my mother as a child of perhaps 5 or 6 years old. I took her everywhere and looked after her like she was my real baby. Her little shell brooch displays her name, "Bella". Extra special to me now as I no longer have my mother.

A FARM ANIMAL: Some sheep and lambs photographed in the Clare Valley, South Australia. This was taken on Rubie's first holiday away from home.

A WHEEL TRIM: Rubie standing by our car. My husband says it's not a "wheel trim" per se, because our car has alloy wheels - so forgive me.

AN ELEPHANT: My father doesn't like to go shopping, but occasionally he surprises. When I bought my second home in 1995, he gave me this elephant as a house warming gift. It still stands pride of place in my china cabinet, and always makes me smile.

ARCHITECTURAL DETAIL: I took this photo atop a tour bus in Paris, the day before we got married in London in 2002. Paris is just completely architectural detail at every turn, and this is the building of the National Academy of Music.

CHEESE: A selection of what was in the fridge on the day. Cheddar, Fetta, Haloumi and Ricotta. Haloumi is my favourite. Yes - we are cheese fans.

CUTLERY: This beautiful antique box of "trifle spoons" caught my eye in a bric-a-brac shop in a coastal tourist town of Robe, South Australia. This was one of the first holidays my husband and I had together. What was so interesting about these included their stunning design, and the fact that 5 were in mint condition, and one is well used - I figure it must have been used in the "sugar bowl". 

NIGHT: This was taken from our balcony while on holiday in Cairns, Northern Queensland. Cairns is a tropical town, and popular with visitors to The Great Barrier Reef. 

SOMETHING BEGINNING WITH A Z:  Zebras I photographed in Minarto - a wildlife park about 45 minutes out of the CBD of Adelaide.

SOMETHING WITH YOUR TOWN'S NAME ON IT: I picked up my friend from the airport a couple of weeks ago (she had been back to the UK visiting friends and family) - so this sign was handy for the hunt. The very next day all flights in and out of Adelaide were cancelled due to the Chilean volcano ash cloud moving over our town.

THE VIEW RIGHT OUTSIDE YOUR DOOR: We are lucky to look out over a ravine and hillside through our back doors, as well as a rather adorable mini schnauzer.

TREE BRANCHES: Fallen tree branches around our mud-brick cottage in Clare, South Australia. Rubie's first holiday with us earlier this month.

I think you will agree that my mum did good in her first scavenger hunt....and I count 6 out of 12 pics with ME in them!! So there is room for improvement too!!

See ya next time!!

Award Time!!

Have you heard??!...........have you?????

Apparently I'M INSPIRATIONAL !!

Let me explain. THREE (count em' 3) of my bestest mates (who also happen to be mini schnauzers) have passed on a Blogville award to me in the last week or so. Get ready - here it is:

Taaa Daaaa!!!!!!

These mates were YUKI the white mini schnauzer, then OSCAR, then SAWYER. Sawyer also awarded me the "Stylish Blogger Award" but I have already accepted that some months back. I need to get mum to put them up on my blog somewhere so you know which awards I already have!

So, back to this one. My mum wishes to tell everyone that it is a challenge to have a "pet blog" in Australia because it is quite rare to do that. Most people look at my mum real strange when she mentions it..... then pull a face, then say that she must have too much time on her hands!! My mum refuses to get into Facebook or Twitter so my blog is as far as she can stretch it. She does enjoy helping me with my posts....she is sort of the "director of operations" in a way. Therefore, if me, my blog or my director of operations are an inspiration to blogville, I say a big THANKYOU!! We try and keep it interesting and funny where we can.

I am supposed to now pick one of my posts which I consider inspirational..... and a further 10 inspirational posts from Blogville. I am going to bend the rules and give you 10 blogs rather than posts because we follow the blogs not the posts, after all.

I will link you to a great day I had at one of our beautiful beaches - I think the beach is my favourite outing! Click here.

As a very young pup - there are several blogs which stirred me in such a way that I just HAD to start my own blog....mainly because they were fellow mini schnauzers and their blogs were just crazy cute, funny, and inspirational. Excuse me if you already have this award...... but I wanted to give recognition where it was due:

1. The Daily Oskar. Oskar and his mom person Pam. Wow you guys totally rock - and Oskars' wicked sense of humour always hits the spot. He and his mom person also run "Pet Blogs United". 

2. Pup-alicious. My mum and I took an early shine to this (Aussie!) blog and totally loved that Sasha's mum even rescued a (part) mini schnauzer (Rupert) as well giving him a beautiful -last part- of his life. He is now playing over the rainbow bridge. Sasha and her mum don't blog very often anymore - I think her mum is waiting for a pay rise!

3. Schnauzer and Schnauzer. This is JD and Max's blog. What can we say - PAWESOME - that can sum it up. Like Sasha, there needs to be a pay rise appointed to the Female Human to entice more blogging activity.... but we will take what we can get! Truly inspirational stuff - and helped my mum formulate the  courage to go into the pet blogging world.

4. Santa, Minnie, Christmas and the girls. Not to mention Beckham and Bobby. A team of mini schnauzers which are truly wonderful to see. Santa has the best ears (more like a bunny) and what Diana can teach ...... tricks, flips, obedience and dancing etc - Wow! You have to see it to believe it.

5. Betsy-Boo from New York. Another inspiring blog which set me going. Betsy is as cute as a button and has Swedish parents (close to my ma as she has Swedish relies). Betsy has apartment living all sewn up, and she struts her stuff on the pavements of the Big Apple. Her blog helps us to see what a different world we all live in, with lots of description of their lifestyle and her rides in shopping trollies in some Pet-Friendly shops!!! (Unheard of here in Australia)

So they are the BIG 5 original inspiring blogs which took our breath away originally.

Thankyou ....... from my garden... and my rock.

The next 5 blogs are ones which have since tickled our fancy and we enjoy reading religiously. (PS: there are more.......obviously.....but we can only pick 5)

6. George the Lad. Who DOESN'T know George??! He is a Welsh Terrier with a wonderful sense of humour and GREAT peeps. My peeps love his peeps. My mum is GREEN with envy over the walks and scenery that George shows us. He makes her want to move to the UK. George also shows us that dogs ARE WELCOME in a lot of places and a lot of pubs...... unheard of here!

7. Downunder Daisy - 3 Scottish Terriers that are here in little ol' Aussie land. Daisy, Bella and Kendra write a great blog with help of HER. (Their camera shy mum person). They are too far away for me to visit just yet - but when we get the motorhome....

8. Living with 6 Hamsters (And 2 dogs). Tooki writes a wonderful blog, her intelligence and heart are inspirational. She battles a country which still has tradition and views that are sometimes very old fashioned and "anti-pet" and she faces the sadness of dog and cat homelessness - with animals having to scratch out an existence on the streets. Tooki had a mini schnauzer (Coco) and then took home a stray puppy (Wawa) and they are housemates now.

9. Gardening with Wyatt. Airedale Terriers Wyatt (and sister Stanzie) help their peeps in the family landscaping and gardening business. Wyatt, in particular, is an excellent helper. They are funny and cute - don't miss them.

10. Sarge Speaks Out.  My mate Sarge who lives in a cabin in the woods (no, really!) It seems to be the best place to live, just don't ask the chipmunks! Sarge is gorgeous and helpful and the Blogville chief of Pawlice. His dad taught him all about the law. Inspirational. 

So there it is. Whew!!!  Sorry that it was so long.... a lot of reading for pups....

*********

I leave you with a picture of yet another torture device bought for me by my mum:

She calls it a raincoat.  :-(

She seems to think that the glitter around the edges are enough to make me LOVE it! Peeps!!!

ME....... on canvas!!! (cont. from March 2011)

Hi all!

Remember when my mum asked for your help in tryin' to decide which photograph she should put on a canvas for the wall??? Click on this POST if you want your memory refreshed.

Well, an exciting thing happened today.

"Scooter" our parcel postman (who I love) (and would love to go round deliverin' stuff with him in his van)  delivered this to us. Mum put it on the bed for opening.

Oh boy, I wonder what we got here?

WOOOOAAAHHH!! This is a VERY BIG pic of ME!! (My friends - you didn't get to vote on this one because it is the all time fav photo of mums that was always gonna be put on canvas) She's is lovin' herself over her "photographic genius" blah blah yawn! (rolling schnauzer eyes upwards)

 OOOO - and this is the one we have ALL been waiting for...... it is ME (again) and it is photo 8 in our poll of blogville pups, kitties and peeps. It drew the most attention and the most votes. And mum was brave enough NOT to get my saliva bubbles airbrushed out. She really likes them now (thankyou to JD, Max and their mum for pumping up her courage)

Yep - I definitely agree that I am dog-o-licious!!

Where we gonna put them I wonder??

 Mum quickly popped them up on the wall in the bedroom so we could all goo and gaa over them. She is still to work out where they will go permanently. 

Yep...... they are special alright!!

Aren't my pawrents lucky they have such a photogenic and glorious pup-a-lup!??!

Perimeter BREACH!!!

I'm a very ALERT mini schnauzer - nuthin' gets past me when it comes to my place and my yard. My alarm is VERY loud - mum calls it my "big girl voice" and I really go to town on anything that is "non- authorised" around me.

Take the following for example. I detect an intruder and his big white van on the top level of my property. Therefore, I go BALLISTIC with my "big girl voice" and get dad to check on what the heck is going on.

Now..... wouldn't you go BALLISTIC if you saw this out your Parents' bedroom window???? It was my duty! Ma said he even has a "plumbers crack".... whatever that is??!!

Hmmm - very suspicious indeed. My pa went out and conferred with the man in the bright top.

Ha - here he is going backwards and forwards to his van gettin' stuff, and then fiddling with our water meter in the bushes.

All this surveillance is good on the comfy mink blanket. Apparently the man is from the water company and they are switchin' over our meter - he called it "preventative maintenance". In that case, you are authorised by me, the mini schnauzer, to go about your business - but do it and GO!

Note I take my surveillance seriously - never taking my eyes off the intruder!  And not even givin' you guys a sweet smile for the blog. I was busy. Next time I promise.

Ohhh - before I forget - don't forget to check out the Third Annual Bandana Day over at The Portuguese Water Blog...... I'm there in my green. But I'm not from South Africa, I'm from South Australia (a small typo I'm sure).

Holling Days - The report....Part 3(final)

Hi everyone! Thankyou for all your kind and generous comments regarding my Holling Day - it's a lot of fun telling you and showing you what a great time we had.

This was the "sleepover night" Scarlet and Zoe had with us.... as you can see a day of "runnin' free" makes for a quiet evening for the peeps!

The next day, after more freedom antics, Scarlet, Zoe and Uncie went home as left us. I was feelin' sad and a little weary for a while.

The sadness didn't last long..... did I tell you that the owners of the B&B are so good to me, that they left me a pile of dry sticks on the verandah to choose from. Very kind don't ya think?!

I spy with my widdle eye, something that starts with S!!!!!!! And something that starts with B!!!! Can you guess?

Sausages!!!!

BBQ!!!!!!!

Wooo Hooooo!

See George (my lad)(I know you will approve)  I score the ends off all the sausages - but no onion! UUmmmm! Yummers!

After our sausage sizzle, the pawrents and I walked around the entire farm, and checked out all the nooks and crannies.

This part of the farm is heritage listed and the owners planted 25,000 trees on it after all animal farming had ended. Notice there is no lead attached to me, I was stayin' nicely with my peeps.

In the evening I stuffed myself between my peeps for comfort and warmth while watchin' TV.

Our last night was COLD and WET, we got lotsa rain.... oh well - we were warm and comfy, and the rain is good for the farmers.

The fog lifted, and the day started to fine up. After packing our stuffs back into the car, I was harnessed and placed back in the car too. I guess that means that we are not going to live here afterall. This is sad - but it looks like I'm coming back in the future!!

So everyone - get your peeps to book into a "pet friendly" Holling Day destination - that way you can get to go along and have a blast too!! Don't let them have all the fun  ;-)