Marshmallow fetishes ... and other such things!

I am as relevant as the moon .... and beyond.  We all are.

Even when I feel like I don’t belong or that I don’t fit the mould, I will always be relevant.  Even when I feel like I’m missing something of myself, I am ALL there.  It’s just a cycle I’m going through. I can never disappear. I can never become part of the ether because, just like that moon in my sky that sometimes seems to be missing a part of itself, I am whole and always will be.

The Pied Shag we happened upon at the reserve on Friday

I DO matter, we ALL matter.

Life matters.

I am as relevant in my hound’s world as she is in mine.  Without her I wouldn’t have walked the thousands of kilometres I have.  Without her I wouldn’t have found humour in the simplest of things. Without her I wouldn’t have had moments where I’ve laughed so much I’ve wanted to cry. She is my best friend and constant companion and I’d be lost without her.

What big shoes she fills.

I never expected when I moved to New Zealand that a four-legged chocolate brown hound would become such an integral part of my life .... but she has.

She’s the inspiration in front of my lens.  She’s the reason for our daily rambles.  She shares in my caffeine addiction and marshmallow fetish and would eat Dolly Mixtures all day if she could.  

Yes, I know they’re bad for a hound but have you ever tried telling her that?

She’s TOP dog in this household of humans and fur-balls and the feline fur-balls are happy to say that.  They MORE than tolerate her and to witness the manner in which both of them wind themselves around her legs gives new meaning to the word “love”.  These feline fur-balls love the hound in a way I’ve never witnessed before between cat and dog.

She’s opened up my world .... walks in the waves take on new meaning.  Through her, I’ve met a ‘PUDDLE’ of Labradors, each with their own distinctive personality. It’s not the correct collective noun for a Labrador but it’s just SO apt. 

Wherever there are Labradors and water, there is BOUND to be a puddle!

Each of the PUDDLE we’ve had the privilege of getting to know has their own distinctive personality. 

Sebastian - the gentleman and statesman of the Labrador Puddle.  I can still remember watching Carol walking patiently down the hill with him, at his pace,  for his daily constitutional to the beach.  I only knew him in the golden years of his life but in those few short years, he left his mark on me.  

Sam the Man - his little ‘brother’ is proving just as delightful but in such a different way. Social, engergetic and mischievous .... with a bit of a lingerie fetish .... he’s keeping Carol on the tips of her toes.

Indy - hoover deluxe. The Indiana Explorer of the Labrador Puddle who’s nose gets him into ALL sorts of trouble! He’s way too clever ... and he knows it!

Ebony - the submarine Labrador who loves chasing rugby balls and swimming ALMOST as much as my hound ... AND can carry MULTIPLE objects in her mouth!

Bessie - who always joins in the rugby ball races and log retrievals on the beach. She’ll ALWAYS bring the log back to you and drop it at your feet 'cause once more is NEVER enough!

Bella - the ADD hound of the Labrador Puddle. Bella does everything in double-quick time, even taking a wee! She’s small, agile and a bundle of pulsating energy .... sitting still ISN’T an option.

And let me not forget the Psuedo Labrador - Sha-dock.  He who wants to be a Labrador but wears the wrong coat.  We forgive you for that Shadow and love you just as you are.  You belong with our Labrador Puddle.

There’s still Barney and Pepsi ... and Lilly and Molly .... Murphy and Jet and Coco and Luca. So many Labradors .... so much diversity.

Each one as relevant as the moon.

"Candid camera" moments ...

Denise and Carol looking for the "pooping" pigeon!

A pigeon pooped on Carol’s head today .... a message from Sebastian perhaps.... because we weren’t sitting on HIS bench drinking our daily fix?  Hmmm .... Sebastian’s bench was occupied so we had to sit on the bench beneath the “Pigeon Roosting” tree.  Both Denise and I told Carol it’s good luck for a pigeon to poop on your head - especially when it’s full on like this one was .... she should take a Lotto ticket today!

See ... we're at the WRONG bench!!

Early  morning at Glover Park

It has been the most AWESOME of autumn mornings, a nip in the air but the sun’s shining brightly and so many folk were out enjoying a ramble along the boardwalk.  The hound has chased ball after ball after ball into the waves and is now fast asleep and snoring on her bed next to my desk ... I would say peace and quiet at last but it’s anything BUT peaceful!!

Having her coffee fix!

Abi knows I've got treats in my pocket too!

Our bay was anything but peaceful this last Sunday too, The Weetbix Kids Triathlon was taking place and our village was heaving with all the visitors and their vehicles. There’s not much parking in the village at the best of times so on days like Sunday, it’s best to avoid the village completely .... or be driven to some random act of road rage!!  

The wetland at the reserve

Julia and I decided to avoid the beach and explored a new reserve instead ... new to me, that is  - Waiatarua Wetland Reserve. It lies between Remuera and Mount Wellington and, apart from the ‘out-of’ bounds’ wetland area where the native birds are nesting, is a 20 hectare off-leash area for hounds.  It’s a dog-walker’s and bird-lover’s paradise!! I know ... I know .... generally dogs and

birds don’t mix as hounds, for some obscure reason, think those flying creatures need to be chased.

There were SO MANY dogs there too .... a real “hounds playground” .... I love it when the hounds get to socialise so freely.  Being a wetland there is a lot of water around, not just in the wetland

area ... there’s also a pond, a river and the hugest and deepest of puddles ... lots of them!  My hound was in her element!

Julia missed out on an absolute beauty of a “candid camera” moment. She’d gone to the Ablution Block and the hounds and I were waiting on the other side of the river.  Chocolat had jumped in the river to retrieve the ball and couldn’t get out ... the banks are quite steep.  I stepped down to grab her collar and pull her out - but my foot didn’t stop ... it just kept sinking deeper and deeper into the mud! 

In one of the puddles ....

Hound's paradise!

It didn’t take long for me to realise that Julia wasn’t going to come back anytime soon to help me .... if I didn’t CLIMB into the river I was going to FALL in the river!!  I threw the camera up on the bank ... manhandled the hound out of the river and then had to haul myself out ... AND retrieve the ball!!

Autumn leaves

By the time Julia returned, I’d managed to rub most of the mud off my legs ... it was right up to my bum .... just the remnants of the grass still clinging to them and water squirting out of my shoes.  I couldn’t stop laughing ... it was the funniest thing that’s happened to me in a while and there was NOBODY around to take a pic!!!

Lesson to self - ensure there’s a witness to every insane action you undertake.

Last night's sunset

A cute pup we met ... 

Add caption

The pond!

Lots of hounds to play with

Amazing to think this 20 hectare reserve is right in the middle of a busy built-up area.

What does it really mean to be kind?

I LOVE good news and especially when it concerns Auckland City Council and the DOG RANGERS!!  I received a letter in the post yesterday ..... it’s only taken them a month .... to say that after careful consideration they have decided to waive my fine!!  Justice prevails - I am jumping up and down with glee - no need to include a collection bowl on my daily rambles!!  Apparently that particular warden no longer works for Animal Control Services Limited.

To say I’m thrilled is putting it mildly .... if I could turn somersaults I would but I’d probably put my back out and that would bring an end to the hound’s and my rambles. I don’t think Julia and Carol would be very happy if I had to curtail them.

Early morning yesterday

Early morning sun turns the clouds pink

We’re all receiving letters from Auckland City Council about our submissions for the proposed changes to the Dog Laws. The hearings will only take place in 4 to 5 months time because of the vast number of submissions they’ve received .... over 10 000 of them. Not only are the Dog Control Laws changing but the Council, in it’s wisdom, is proposing to increase our annual Dog Registration Fees too ... substantially! Once again we’ve all been submitting objections to the proposed increases as registration fees are payable annually in July.

The long trench she dug in the sand yesterday

It’s quite something ...this activism ... it’s forced me to become a lot more familiar with Auckland City Council’s website than what I might otherwise have been.


My plea to the rain gods has obviously been heard. Whilst there are still lots of clouds around Mr. Sun has been making an appearance through them. Weatherwatch are forecasting grim weather for the

Suzanne and Bella sitting with Carol and Chocolat

weekend but a day or 2 of sunshine makes the world of difference to the hound and I.


Autumn is definitely upon us. I’ve had to unearth my Fagan gloves from the closet for these early mornings ... logs and balls and water make for wet and cold hands and I don’t like my appendages being cold ... thank goodness I only have fingers and toes to worry about!

Last night's gorgeous sunset

She found a very LARGE log this morning

The hound, on the other hand, couldn’t care less. The only time she ever shows disdain for the colder weather is when she’s washed down with the hosepipe at the end of our ramble. How can she possibly be bothered by the cold water in the hosepipe when she swims in the sea each and every day regardless of the weather!

.... and got that manic look in her eyes again!

Even Indy got splashed.

Indy’s a lot wiser - he doesn’t venture too far into the waves when it’s cold - he’d much rather check for left-overs in the sand.


It's been a sad week for Carol, not having Sebastian to walk down to the beach, but I think it's been helping walking down to the beach with my hound. Chocolat's doesn't really mind WHO walks her down to the beach as long as she gets

there! On a Monday to Thursday the hound's quite tired by the time we come back up to fetch Carol - she's had a work-out with Indy on the sand and in the waves. On Fridays though, Julia doesn't work, so we walk a little later. Carol had full-on Chocolat to deal with this morning ... extension leads aren't long enough when the waves are calling!

Seaweed got thrown everywhere!

Once again I've been blown away by the kindness and compassion of the people who inhabit this little world I live in. As Julia, Carol and I headed up to the boardwalk after my hound had finished fetching umpteen balls from the waves, we saw Morgan, one of the girls from the Village Co-op walking towards us with a tray of coffees. She'd seen us on the beach and knew we'd be heading up for our daily fix .. so had pre-empted us and bought coffee across .. no charge. 

Chocolat, Me, Carol, Indy, Julia and Morgan

She hadn't seen Carol since Sebastian's passing so it was hugs and tears all round. The gang at the Village Co-Op are such a special bunch ... they take random acts of kindness to a new level.

"Kindness is more than deeds.  It's an attitude, an expression, a look, a touch ... it's anything that lifts another person." C. Neil Strait 


Every act of kindness, no matter how small or seemingly inconsequential, has a ripple effect ... it touches other peoples lives, it puts my world to right and it leaves a smile in my heart.