We missed out on an eye-candy overload!

“THIS moment is all there is.” 

~ Rumi

“He’s NOT fat.  The breeder said ‘true’ Labradors are built that way.”

A rather rotund Cosmo, Chocolat and Sam

He's a LARGE boy.

So said the owner of a rather large, rather rotund Golden Lab this morning.  What was scary about his size was that he was the same age as Sam the Man, a month younger in fact.  

He might have been the same age and the same colour but that was ALL they had in common.  

This chap was as roly-poly and round as Sam is lithe and lean.

What a contrast in Labs.

Carol couldn’t resist it.  She had to go and find out where he was from and WHY he was so round.  That was the answer she got.  This young hound weighs in at 50kgs, that’s over 12kgs heavier than the hound and a whole 20kgs heavier than Sam the Man!!

He might be loved but his weight is a death sentence.

It’s behaviour more than anything which determines a true Lab.  These guys are meant to be muscular and athletic with a strong nose and a gentle mouth.  They were bred for the water ... to haul nets, fetch ropes, to retrieve fish that escaped the nets ... as well as be a family dog.  They’re smart with a capital ‘S’.

They found a log ... that I had to carry

History proves their usefulness and versatility as they’ve easily shifted from fisherman’s companion to field retriever to show dog to modern working hound.  Is it any wonder that they’re one of the most popular hounds in the world. 

I think she wants it thrown .... but it's too big for me to throw!

Yes, they LOVE to eat but they’ve been bred for physically demanding jobs and they have the high energy that goes with that.  They NEED exercise ... lots of it .... as Carol and I well know.  Poor Cosmo NEEDS to lose weight if he’s to have any chance at a long active life.

... so Gareth threw it!

Carol was still muttering away about Cosmo’s weight as we headed back up the beach with hounds and balls and a log in tow.  

Fergus joined in the log chase and we heard all about HIS adventure this morning.

He was RESCUED by some DISHY fire-fighters!

Moira should have phoned us ... after she’d phoned the fire-fighters, of course. 

 We’d have been their in a heartbeat to ‘help’ if we’d known Fergus was in trouble. 

He’d got himself trapped in some scaffolding at the house next to Moira’s.  

The owners have builders in and Fergus ... typical terrier .... was ensuring that everything was in order.  

He’d gotten himself into a hole and couldn’t work out how to engage reverse gear.  

There was Moira clambering up and over scaffolding in an attempt to extract her hound

 .... all to no avail.  Poor Fergus.  

She had to call in the experts .... and we WEREN’T there to see them in action.  

She did wonder why I’m NEVER around when a camera’s needed.

The reflections were amazing yesterday too

FIVE fire-fighters turned up .... yep FIVE .... for one small terrier.  

Typical of New Zealand’s ‘all or nothing’ attitude.

It would have been eye-candy overload though!

Yesterday's skies were beautiful .... reflections, rainbows and NO rain!

Wet knickers AND bonfires!!

I was going to blog about Julia wetting her knickers at Waiatarua this morning but the fire that has gutted Pete and Carol’s Interior Furnishing business has quite pushed Julia’s wet knickers out of my mind.

I don’t usually spend Friday’s watching hunky fire-fighters quell massive fires inside my friends business premises .... but I did this morning.

One of the things that first struck us when we arrived in New Zealand was the rapid response of the Fire Department to any and all potential fires. Fire Engine sirens are a common sound in Auckland. We soon realised that the number of Fire Engines racing to a fire doesn’t always determine the size or scope of a fire. If anything, Auckland Fire Department has an over-kill attitude. I guess it’s necessary in a country where the majority of homes are built of timber.

Hosing the building down from above.

15 Fire Engines responded to the call-out at Carol and Pete’s this morning. It was a serious blaze and has gutted most of the top floor of their premises. It isn’t just the fire that’s caused devastation, the water used to put out the fire causes as much, if not more, damage than the fire.

It’s a depressing sight. Most of the windows on the top floor have been blown out, everything’s black and smoking ..... water dripping everywhere.

Couldn't resist the reflections in all the water run-off!

The speed with which the fire swept through the top floor was frightening. Staff members at the business next door said they heard an explosion as the windows blew out and then saw flames engulfing the top floor. That was about 9.45 this morning.  I got a call from Carol just after 11 to say the premises were on fire and she needed to get there. She was in NO fit state to drive by herself.

They're taking Pete into the building to retrieve his car keys and glasses and to have a look at the damage.

Getting to the premises was no easy task. The police had cordoned off all the roads from several blocks away and it took quite a bit of sweet-talking to get us through. Two police officers and one hunky fire-fighter later and we were inside the taped off area around the building and able to witness for ourselves the absolute and utter devastation the fire had caused.

It’s scary. The speed and ferocity with which it happened is frightening.

A more calming picture of the reflections at Waiatarua

The building and everything inside it is now the responsibility of the insurance company. Until such time as they’ve completed their investigation and assessed the value of the damage, Pete and Co aren’t allowed back in. Pete, brave man that he is .... or foolish as some might think .... braved the fire to retrieve the back-up tapes. 20 years of history in 2 small black boxes .... that’s just as scary as the fire ....  only the last week of data will be missing.

According to Pete, it’s business as usual on Monday. 

I love the way people respond during a crisis like this. Eden Coffee, the business next door to Pete, were amazing.  They made their premises and facilities available to all Pete’s staff ... and Carol and I ... and also provided coffee and scones. Their coffee is YUM .... and we should know ... we drink a LOT of coffee!!

I guess I can’t end this blog without clarifying my statement about Julia and her wet knickers. She’d never forgive me if I didn’t!!

I love to get photos of all the different hounds we meet when we ramble at the reserve, particularly if it’s a breed we don’t often see. We met an Airedale this morning called Miss Molly - she was gorgeous ... a strong solid dog and typical of the terrier nature in that rambles were on her terms, not her owners. 

Terriers doing it for themselves!

Both Julia and I were taking pics of her and then Julia turned her attention to her own hound who wanted his photo taken too.  Julia was kneeling down taking pics when my hound decided to join the party. She’s no lightweight and can be rather clumsy .... the hound that is, not Julia. 

A 40kg chocolate brown Labrador nuzzling your face unexpectedly when you’re kneeling down and unbalanced is a sure-fire way of landing on your bum in the VERY wet grass. 

That’s the short version of Julia and her wet knickers!

Sorry Julia!!

Pukeko Island was under siege again .... first there were 2, then another climbed on ...

.... and then another .... now there are 4

.... and so number 5 tries to join the crowd