I DON'T carry logs and I DON'T retrieve balls ....

I want some of what Sebastian’s smoking .... it’s given him a new lease on life ... he was on the beach this morning AND in the waves .... not leaping through the waves like some other hound I know ... but he was IN the waves and moving with an ease I haven’t seen before!  Even Fergus came down for a closer look ..... he thought his eyes were deceiving him too .... none of us are used to seeing Sebastian on the sand and in the waves!  What a treat!!

Fetching Bella this morning!

One of Bella's feline companions

There was a veritable “puddle” of Labradors in the bay today ..... Chocolat, Bouncy Bella, Sebastian, Molly and Lilly .... 2 chocolate, 2 wheaten and 1 black .... they have an affinity with one another that goes beyond them just being “hounds” ..... Labradors are different ... and they know it ..... they sense a kindred spirit when they’re amongst their own kind.  Molly, the only black one, was racing up and down the grass like a demented dervish with Chocolat in hot pursuit .... only they understood what the chase was about

Carol and Sebastian on the beach!

Just had another thought about that “puddle” of Labradors this morning .. the combined age of the 4 younger ones doesn’t even add up to Sebastian’s grand old age!!   How cool is that ... both Molly and Lilly are 4 years old, Chocolat’s 2½ and Bella’s 2 ...... Sebastian’s a very well-preserved 14!!

Sebastian in the waves

.... even Fergus came to make sure it was Sebastian he'd seen!

My morning rambles are special ... and made even more special when I “bump” into my fellow ‘humans with hounds’.  Since the changeover to summer dog times I haven’t seen as many of them, as my rambles are having to happen slightly earlier in order to be off the beach by 9.  The past 2 days have been brilliant though ... I’ve caught up with so many of them .... much to Gareth’s dismay.  He’s been walking Bella with me and our rambles have been interrupted by very necessary chat sessions with my mates.  Gareth doesn’t enjoy walking at the best of times .... especially as it means he has to foresake his bed earlier than what he might otherwise ...... sorry Gareth ........ hmmmmm .... Tui moment!! 

He took the short route home with Bella, and the hound and I continued up to Ladies Bay and the rest of our ramble.  The only occupants of Ladies Bay this morning were the fishermen and the council clean-up crew .... no nudists .... the weather was a tad overcast for them.  I have a new mate in the clean-up crew .... Kana ..... he’s designated with keeping the Glen Dowie/St. Heliers area litter free .... and I often see him on my morning ramble ... so much so that he’s now decided I’m his new best mate!  He thinks my hound’s crazy ... can’t get over the size of logs she carries and how obsessed she is with her rugby balls!  That sentence got me thinking about Pete and Gav’s belief that hounds take after their humans .... I DON'T carry logs and I DON’T retrieve balls ... well ...... not the rugby kind

A "Puddle" of Labradors!

The view site has been marred by graffiti artists again ..... it’s such a popular spot for tourists so the Council are vigilant about removing the graffiti as quickly as possible .. but the lack of respect for this magnificent spot saddens me.  It’s truly beautiful ... the views over the islands and back to the city are beyond magnificent ..... the waves breaking on the rocks below .... the gulls soaring in
and out of the cliffs.  I’m so fortunate to be able to participate in this “view” of my world on such a regular basis .... would that those graffiti artists could understand and appreciate how special this spot is.

There were 6 or 7 Australian tourists there today and 2 of them were kicking the hound’s ball around .... she loves anyone who’ll kick her ball .... and, despite them being Australian, she was happy to love them too!  They have a Weimaraner who also loves rambles ... especially after his dinner.  Hounds aren’t allowed on their beaches AT ALL in Australia during summer time so it made me appreciate the time we are allowed on the beach here in NZ ... albeit on lead .... yeah right .... and at specific times of the day only!

No matter what aspect of life I’m looking at I will always find someone who's worse off than I am ... whose life is more regimented than mine ..... who’s unable to participate in and appreciate what I see every day.  It’s an eye opener ... it makes me value the precious time I get to spend in the great outdoors each and every day ..... it makes me value the friendships I have and the new ones I’m forming ...... I get to DO what I love .... and I LOVE that I do!

How much I see .... how far I reach .... how high I aim for  ....  all depend on me.