When is a speedboat NOT a speedboat!!

Yes!!  I KNOW you're beautiful!

So .... Summer is done and dusted for another year .... the nip in the air in the early mornings this past week was a reminder that cooler days are on their way. I do love the in-between seasons, Spring and Autumn .... they’re a smorgasbord of weather conditions .... but it’s seldom extreme and I like that.

Me and my buddy ... we do EVERYTHING together .. yeah right!

Apparently there’s a heavy low encompassing the whole of North Island today with strong winds and heavy rain being forecast overnight and tomorrow morning. I just hope it clears in time for the cricket .... we have tickets - courtesy of my oldest son - and we’re going to watch what will hopefully be SA whitewashing their Kiwi friends. Gareth’s a bit disappointed .... he’d hoped the Black Caps would win the match on Wednesday then Saturday’s match would be hotly contested ..... but that didn’t happen .... my Proteas were just too good.

They look like they're planning something .....

It was another dull overcast sky when we rambled this morning ... the sun hiding behind the clouds ... no sun rise visible .... no pink glow over my city .... not that we were rambling that early as on Fridays Julia doesn’t have to go to work. Indy and Julia had both missed their ramble yesterday ...... I love

The speedboat heading rapidly to the shore ...

how it’s become such a necessity in their lives ... an integral part of their day!


The tide was way out on St. Heliers Beach ... only starting to turn as we headed into the waves with the hounds. We couldn’t understand why a speedboat was heading to shore with no decrease

... and it still hasn't reduced speed ...

in speed .... he was coming in at the cliff end side of the beach which is incredibly shallow and more so at low tide.  Realisation hit home as the boat continued up the beach ...... ON WHEELS!!  When is a speed boat NOT a speedboat? 

Oh yeah .... so cool!

When it's a Sealegs Speedboat ... that's when!!  This clever speedboat has a retractable all-wheel driving system ... yep, with wheels ... and rolls right up out of the ocean to terrorise unsuspecting beach users.  I’ve seen it before on the road .... but I’ve never seen it exiting the waves and driving up the beach.
I think the occupants of the boat

were having a good laugh at the look on our faces .... it was such a cool thing to see!


Both hounds love it when the tide’s out .... Indy gets to explore all the nooks and crannies that are normally submerged at high tide and Chocolat gets to

unearth muddy smelly logs which she happily drags along the sand and smacks into our legs!


Carol and Pete have finally decided not to move house .... instead they’ve ordered a chair-lift for Sebastian.  It’s become a necessity now as both Carol and Sebastian are taking strain when coming down the stairs .... Sebastian, because he’s old but still thinks he’s young and can JUMP down the stairs ... and Carol, because her shoulders and back are taking strain from trying to HOLD Sebastian back from jumping!

The chair-lifts are manufactured in the UK so it’ll be another 3 weeks or so before it’s here ... and it’ll come with a platform for Sebastian to stand on. Good job .... it might have been difficult to teach Sebastian to sit in a chair ... especially at his age!

Only a dog-lover will understand why Carol and Pete have gone to this extreme ... Sebastian, at nearly 15, is a dearly loved member of their family and they want to make his remaining days as comfortable as possible. He loves his daily walks but getting him up and down the stairs is proving stressful ... and not just for Sebastian. 

I love these little guys ... they race up and down the beach all the time!

I can’t wait till the chair-lift gets here ... I’ll be right there with my camera to see how Sebastian adjusts to it.  I can just picture him zooting up and down the stairs on it ... watch this space ... it’s going to be a hoot!

Indy wants his treat ... the paw's up and the drools'dribbling down his jowls!

One of the gorgeous gardens I pass on my rambles.