Taciturnly » day out

We hit the show

elle — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 00:26:45 +0000

This is the second year we’ve taken the little one to the Royal Adelaide Show. Last year she was just two, she stayed in her pram as we walked around the busy parts, we spend most our time in the animal areas where she could walk around and squeal over the animals. This year, she walked most the time, even around the busy areas, she loved the animals, but all she could remind us was that she wanted to go on rides.

For a three year old who normally will not ride on horse rides in the shopping centre, we were hesitant to spend $5.00 on a ride. I asked her a few times if she was sure she wanted to go around and around on the horses, she eagerly replied. For the next two hours, all we heard was her telling us she wanted more rides. And she did. We said she could do three rides, she went on a train, and looked proud half way through. Then a plane ride, which went up over our heads, and she had a blast. She did so well on all three rides, you would not imagine it was the same girl who cried just last month on a horse-go-around.

A few years ago, when I went to the show with some friends, I got bored quickly. My friends didn’t do what I liked, I don’t do rides, I like animals, I like standing still and watching people. Going with a three year old? I got to do all that stuff with the little one, and that’s what she wanted to do. It was great fun.

By three pm, when the little one normally would have been napping we were deciding it was time to head home. We hung the boy’s jacket over the front of the pram and laid the pram down so she could rest. I love she’s still small enough to do that, and yet big enough to move the jacket out the way so she can peek out the front. We headed on by train, until we realised it would be an hour wait until the next one, so we went by bus. I cuddled up the little one and the boy folded up the pram and on we got. Then, of course the driver said we could have left the pram open. Whatever happened to the days you had to fold the pram to get on a bus. However, it was fun cuddling up with the little one. I remember one of the first times I stayed over when the little one stayed over, she was still getting fed by bottle just before bed time. I attempted to do it for the boy as he was getting something else ready, and she did not want me at all. Sucked as we normally got long well, but it was bedtime and she wanted daddy. On the bus, the boy said on a different chair as I took up the whole bus seat. The little one cuddled up to me, she didn’t look around for daddy, and was happy with her Elle. Of course this isn’t the first time I’ve cuddled with her when she’s sleepy, but it’s the first time I’ve thought about it. I love how far we’ve come, and can’t wait to keep building it.

Have I introduced him?

elle — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 14:33:05 +0000

I speak about him a lot but I thought I’d introduce him in a little more detail. I have a puppy named Paul Anka. He is a big part of my family, even though we’ve only had him for six months.

After we moved into a house with a backyard, all I could think was how much I missed having an animal around (I’ve always had a dog around while I was growing up). I also wanted a brand new puppy with my boyfriend, in “our” new house to start off our life.

We were going to see about a Cairn Terrier. However, in the back of my mind, I could not justify spending $800.00 just to have a pure breed puppy. I do not care if I have a pure breed, or a mix, or a dog with so many breeds I don’t know.

We signed our name up for some breeders, but most weren’t having any litters to mid year. In the mean time I started checking out Adopt A Pet. A fantastic site, which shows all the pets within the RSPCA from all states and shelters, with information, their behaviour report, etc.

At one stage I found one puppy, exclaimed about him, we couldn’t get there and the next time I checked he was going. Then one day, there were two puppies, one named Chocco and one named Samson. We headed up on a Saturday when we got there, I couldn’t remember what those two puppies looked like. I looked and looked for Chocco, I’m pretty sure he’d gone. Then, I saw Samson. We asked if we could play with him to see about adopting him.

We went into a caged area so we could get to know him before we decided to adopt him, he was not interested in us at all. All the puppies barking and people walking past was much more interesting. He was skinny and excitable, but calm and not too jumpy. We decided after about 30 minutes, that yeah, we’d definitely take him home.

It took us a while to decide whether we’d call him Samson, or Paul Anka, which we’d decided on before we even met him. Paul Anka (the dog) is a Gilmore Girl reference, that dog was quirky and was scared of peas and wouldn’t eat in front of people. We decided we would call him that, and when we can’t be bothered explaining the reference we just introduce him as “Paulie”. While my puppy isn’t that bad, he is a little quirky. As in, he won’t eat when he is scared, nervous or excited. Nor will he drink water when he is scared, nervous or excited, nor poo or wee. He doesn’t quite get that chewing on your hands is not licking, nor do people appreciate it. He’ll attempt to outstare you. You’ll wake up with him laying on your shoulders or head, or a paw on your forehead. And he will only be comfortable on a pillow/blanket, unless he is trying to get between the boy and myself and then he will sit anyway he can. He will eat post it notes and my left shoes.

He is classified as a “Terrier Cross”. He acts extremely like a Terrier, he is a high energy dog, who is intelligent, tenaciousness and has a fearless demeanor. (He pounces on the Border Collies at the Pooch Park.) He is a big dog in a little dog body. He can know beg, shake paws, high five, wave, sit, drop, roll over and stretch (when he wants to.)

I have a STRONG feeling Paul Anka is mainly a Jack Russel with a rough coat. I have had many people say he is one, without me mentioning it to them. To the left is NOT Paul Anka, but a pure breed Jack Russell Terrier Rough Coat. Below this paragraph, is my Paul Anka! Convinced? No? He is not quite as trimmed as many JRT Rough Coats are, but he is also nearly two now, so not really a puppy. I’m sure he has a bit of cross in him, but I’m sure he is also somewhat JRT. What ever he is, I love his is all mixed up. From a crazy background, of which we don’t know most the details. That kinda fits in with our blended family!

Anyway, thanks for meeting Paul Anka. He’d shake paws with you if you wanted. Don’t forget the Pedigree Adoption Drive!

Garden Gnome.

elle — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 11:52:03 +0000

We don’t own a house (yet) so we rent a nice little two bedroom place with a garden the right size for Paul Anka. I’d like a three bedroom, with less “garden” and more lawn, but the house is newly renovated, and the kitchen and bathroom are lovely. Neither the boy or I are gardeners, as in we pay someone to come mow our lawn.
On Saturday the boys’ folks came down and pruned a couple of the dying plants, we kinda got carried away and dug up one (or two..) of the more dead bushes. Of course we planned to re-plant new plants where we pulled up the old ones, but our owners are a little scary about their garden. As in when we had our inspection, she spend mere minutes in the house, and the rest outside.The whole garden needed pruning and weeding, and the ones we pulled up were dead. I’m still worried she’s gonna kick our butts when she sees them.
So today we’ve replaced one of them, weeded the area, and turned the dirt over. I think it looks fairly good. Especially when we can get it all like it.
We’re not good gardeners, so the fact this looks “OKAY” is great!! And, yes I’m very impressed with us.

Today, we also headed to McLaren Vale. Mainly because I deal with wine tours up there quite often for work. It’s hard when you’ve never been there and have no idea where you are sending people, so we headed up so I felt more confident for work. I loved the views, and the pretty cellar doors. We ended to Bracegirdles for breakfast, so yummmy. We ended up going to a few wineries, but I don’t drink wine. We just looked around the cellar doors and headed to Lloyd Brothers, which has Alpacas and Olives. Cute and Yummy. (Spent some money there.) And then onto Maxwells to try some of their Mead, and buy the book “Wine Dogs“. This is definitely my favourite purchase of the day. The boys’ mum had shown me this book on Saturday, it’s classic. A book full of amazing photos of dogs who live in wineries. Tells us their name, where they are from, naughtiest deed, favourite toy, obsession, etc. I actually met one of the dogs featured in the book at Maxwells, standing in the cellar door, sniffing the customers. It gives the wineries that have world known names, such a family feel. It’s amazing, such funny puppies. (It also cemented in my mind my dog is definitely a Jack Russell terrier cross, not just a terrier cross.)
Below are our purchases from McLaren Vale. Be jealous.

McLaren Vale