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Romeo

Romeo came to stay with us this past Friday.  We were hoping that he would make a new companion for Muppy, but there's no doggy chemistry, so he'll move on to a permanent home soon.  We are currently fostering him as part of the Queensland Greyhound Adoption Programme (GAP), with the option to keep him if he and Muppy hit it off.  Usually GAP deals with retired racing greyhounds, however Romeo is a bit of a special case.  He has never raced, and was given to a large University's veterinary school hospital, as a teaching dog.  Because of their fast metabolism and recovery rates, greyhounds are used as blood donors.  They are also used as teaching dogs in the course of their stay - desexing, teeth cleaning, microchipping, administering drips etc.  Their stay at the clinic is only about 6 months.  He has a gorgeous, sweet nature and is one of the laziest dogs I've ever met.  He sleeps on our couch all day.  Rising periodically to empty his great-big-bladder, and do a great-big-poo, or sprint madly about the garden for 30 seconds before colapsing in a heap, rising to drink about 12 litres of water, then flopping down on the couch for a few more hours kip.  Such is his day.

This is he, enjoying himself on our couch.  This is one of the rare moments when his both on the couch and  awake.


I had to censor the photo in order to preserve his dignity.  Especially since he's giving us all a special little smile.

posted by: blytheswideshut at October 30, 2005 15:28 | link | comments (4) |

Received!

Sara over at Sara Skates was my Back Tack II partner.  My Back Tack-ee - the one that I Back Tacked for.  Does this make sense?  I made stuff for her and sent it in a big box, and she got it last week. There.  That's how it worked.

Now that it's been received I can post some pics of what I made and sent.


This is the complete package - bag, pouch, kit and other miscellaneous goodies.  I sort of got a little carried away by the end of it, and the package ended up being 2kg - in fact it was heavier, but I took a few lollies out and got it down to 2kg.


I was really happy with the way these stitch markers turned out.  I don't really like the rings I had to attach them to, they're a little fussy for me, but the beads and shrinky dink ice skates turned out great.  Sara is quite an accomplished ice skater, so I sort of worked this into a couple of the things I did for her.

Yay for backtack!   Because the next backtack isn't until April 06, and it's pretty much all pre-registered with people who didn't get into Back Tack II, I have been seriously thinking of starting a "I didn't get into Back Tack, but I want to participate in a giant swap." one, I was thinking I'd call it "Second String", as I imagine it would be made up of people who really wanted to participate in Back Tack but couldn't get in.  I was thinking about having it start on New Year's day, and finish up on the last day of February, with the unveiling in the first week of March.  I wonder if the back tack girls would mention it on their site, maybe give me a few tips too...

Anyway, it's been raining here on and off for a few days, and the boys are going a bit stir crazy with being kept inside.  I haven't posted yet about our "Greyhound Adoption" process.  I'll just say for now that Charlene Banner came to stay on Monday, and went home on Tuesday.  She did not take to muppy at all, and in the 24 hrs she was here she developed quite a distaste for poor little muppy.  Fortunately there is another available grey, called Romeo who will be coming for a trial on Friday - let's all hope he can make it through the weekend.

posted by: blytheswideshut at October 26, 2005 09:53 | link | comments (3) |

karyn needs...

to be saved...

to help understand which service best fits your needs...

Googling "Karyn needs" supplies these as the first two results.  All of the rest are about that Karyn who got everybody on the internet to giver her a dollar so she could pay off her $20K credit card bill.

posted by: blytheswideshut at October 19, 2005 09:37 | link | comments (1) |

rakish charm.

JO - if you just happen to be reading this ... don't go any further - there's a spoiler following.

I finished the doxie stuffie for Jo over at misocrafty, Vito Jnr II as he's known around here is a bit...haphazard? unstructured? (in the tailored sense), rumpled?  I don't know exctly, only that he's not perfect. His 'shaping' darts aren't quite aligned. His legs are a little, shall we say, uneven.  I think he looks charming, in a rustic sort of way.  He is my first attempt at a proper three dimensional stuffie.  I've only ever made the "sew two flat pieces together" type things before, so this was a bit of a learning curve.  I'm not 100% happy with one thing - and it is driving me nuts!  His jawline is a little "bloated".  Apart from that he's very doxie like, but his lower jawline just isn't right.

I've considered making a new one, but he is charming and I think he should go off to his intended home as he is.  He has a certain rakish charm that is undeniable.

I'll post him tomorrow morning.

posted by: blytheswideshut at October 19, 2005 09:28 | link | comments (2) |

Saturday

I found out on Wednesday that Tracy's pregnant.  I'm happy for her, but a little envious.  Her initial announcement tugged at my heart-strings, but it was only for a split second.  I'm already planning all sorts of sewn goodness to give her.  How long until you find out whether it's a boy or girl? c'mon Trace I need to know....

We brought Red Dog home and buried him yesterday.  Initially Pets In Peace had picked him up from the vet, and were going to cremate him and return his ashes, but on Friday I had a change of heart.  Scott wanted to see him one last time, so we went down there, and saw him.  He looked so peaceful, and perfect, just lying there.  In the car on the way home, I just couldn't bear the thought of him being cremated.  So they brought him home to us, and we buried him.  We both feel so much better now, knowing he's home.

Our appointment at the IVF clinic is on 24th Oct, I've been trying to get Scott to discuss and decide on what exactly we want to do and get out of the appointment, but he says he's too upset to discuss it.  I just want to make the appointment count, and be sure that we can move the whole process forward, instead of infernally treading water, and never appearing to move anywhere.

Aparently because we are going to be using donor sperm, we have to undergo all sorts of counselling and stuff, which I'm glad for - perhaps they will raise issues we haven't even thought of.

Tracy and I are going baby shopping today.

The concrete cutters and coming today to cut a hole in my house!  As part of the deck building project, we need to cut a door in our dining room so that we can have access to the deck.  I am dreading the mess and the noise.  And shit guys! It's 8am, and I just want to watch my girls and have a coffee at this time fo the morning.  Because our house is double brick, creating a hole in a wall is serious business.

Van received my swap - so I can finally post pictures.  I'm so pleased she received it, it was such a pleasure to collect all the fabrics and make all the little bits and pieces to send off to her. Here's a pic of the swap I sent.



I use too many commas.

posted by: blytheswideshut at October 15, 2005 08:00 | link | comments (3) |

I can believe you're gone Red.  All day I've been expecting to hear your tap tap tap as you walk down the hallway, a few times I swear I heard it, until I remembered.  It's lonely now in my study without you. I feel like I've lost my shadow.  Muppy doesn't know what to do without you.  He's lost, and nervous, and I know he's so desperately sad.  We all are.  I miss you so much, and I wish you could come home.

posted by: blytheswideshut at October 12, 2005 21:55 | link | comments (2) |

Vale Red Dog

posted by: blytheswideshut at October 12, 2005 10:19 | link | comments |

Back Tack II - Finished!

Bag, kit, goodies all assembled.  I found the pieces I was looking for, got all the bits together and I'm ready to post it.  The parcel weighs almost 2 kilos.  I hate to think what the postage is going to be.

I will post pics, but I have to take them first.  Camera batteries are flat, no pics until tomorrow morning I'm afraid.

I'm so excited.  I used to be the biggest procrastinator in the world - things done at the last minute, or later!  I even began the doxie stuffie for Jo at Misocrafty.  Next week I have to work on Sharon's apron.  I found this amazing "Hello Kitty" fabric, she's going to be so surprised when she sees it.

posted by: blytheswideshut at October 09, 2005 18:02 | link | comments |

four words that inspire fear...

"We're cleaning the house."

Uuuggghhhhh.  This anouncement was made via MSN.  Occasionally during the day, when I've got a second, Scott and I chat on MSN...it's easier that way, because when the kids interrupt and demand my attention I can just walk away, or let them "talk to Scott" by banging on the keyboard.

So anyway, my response was "I think I'll be sick.  Like in bed, dying.  In fact I'm pretty sure I can feel it now."

That was on Friday morning.

Today is Saturday.  I spend the day in bed.  Throat constricted, swallowing impossible, mouth itchy and blah, head and ears aching, body shakey and flu-y.  Uhhh, I cursed myself sick.

It was like 30C today.  Hot and blustery.  Scott fixed our airconditioner, which had been hobbling along, and now it blows! I mean that seriously.  I'm not really looking forward to summer.

I've been trying to finish my back-tack II project - but I've been thwarted by the un-availability of one tiny little piece of metal.  No-one has them/it in stock anywhere...and at this late stage of the game I don't have time to order one online.  What to do?  Should I send the kit with the piece missing and a little note?  Or should I order it online and sacrifice timliness for completeness?  I hate decisions like this.  But I'm loath to send it incomplete.  I've got one more shop I can try, so I'll take the bus into the city tomorrow and attempt to hunt it out.

posted by: blytheswideshut at October 08, 2005 20:41 | link | comments |

"I weep for the future"

I wept through an entire Oprah episode yesterday.  It was an Oprah special on "Children who Changed the World" or some such.  These days anything to do with children just gets me going, but this this one just plunged that "no baby for you" knife deep into my chest.  I can't even begin to go into the minutiae of the show, only that part of it dealt with adoption of Chinese children.  Every now and again, the pain and saddness of being childless (and possibly being this way forever) hits home, and the tears and emotion flow.

posted by: blytheswideshut at October 06, 2005 09:31 | link | comments (3) |

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