Boyfromoz

New House Photo's

2011-09-11T04:10:00.001-07:00

She asked for it........

2011-05-28T22:08:00.000-07:00

Elder daughter at her reception with her very proud Daddy.

A Kookaburra in the hand, is ...........

2010-10-03T02:07:00.000-07:00

.... worth
......one on the shoulder!

Sent Backpacking!

2010-07-26T15:29:00.001-07:00

Simone, Tess and younger daughter were exported about an hour ago, bound first for a stopover in Seoul, then on to London and Europe for the next three months.

Eyes Front!

2010-05-16T18:16:00.000-07:00

Team photo taken 10am Saturday 15 May. By 4 pm all had gone to their new homes except one who remains behind with us. The fern in the foreground is asparagus which they loved to chew, so their new owners may have wondered if all puppies' wee smells like that!

Breakfast anyone?

2010-05-10T22:01:00.000-07:00

In a league of our own!

2010-05-08T01:45:00.000-07:00

Last night, both sons, elder daughter and Kiwi Jiff, her fiancee, as well as yours truly went to the inaugural match to be played at Melbourne's newest sporting venue AAMI Park (opposite the Tennis Centre and close by to the MCG). It was a rugby league Test match between Oz and the Kiwis with the former winning in the pouring rain 12-8. That Melbourne is the sporting capital of the world is undeniable. As a Pom, I readily admit that Aussie Rules is the most exciting, most skillful and, more often than not, most physical ball sport in the world.

A Blog all to herself.......nearly

2010-04-01T03:33:00.000-07:00

Elder daughter has hounded me for months to publish a blog just about her - she's clearly sick to death of all my references to her sister! So, the opportunity arose this evening when her fella Kiwi Jiff proposed marriage and she accepted, rather too readily if you ask me! Jiff, poor chap, is obviously not quite all there but, hey, she'll be off our hands!

Matron and I are simply delighted and look forward, at last, to becoming grandparents all in due course!

Raining Cats & Dogs

2010-03-21T16:45:00.001-07:00

Elder daughter and her fella Jiff (really Jeff but being a Kiwi he has trouble in pronouncing his name correctly, actually he has trouble in pronouncing anything correctly) took Matron and I to see Cats on Saturday evening.

We got back just after midnight and two hours later younger daughter (who, as midwife, had fallen asleep on the couch) was woken by Gemma also on the couch. Not only was Gemma on the couch but so was pup number one! By 5 pm Sunday afternoon she had had 10 (of which one was stillborn and another delivered at the front door).

So, we have 5 boys and four girls.

Anyone in Oz want one, or two or three?

No, I'm not going in there yet!

2010-03-15T19:18:00.001-07:00

Gemma is due to give birth next weekend; so, the other day we brought in her whelping box, got it all nice and comfortable for her and then invited her to re-acquaint herself with it.

Well, she absolutely refused to go anywhere near it, sulked and lay down, squashed between our couch and coffee table, and paid not the slightest bit of attention to our cheerful encouragement.

I have no idea where she gets this attitude from but it's not from me - I'm put in my box regularly and never dare put my foot down!

Bloggo's Bogged it Blog!

2009-12-24T19:38:00.000-08:00

Nick "Bloggo" Blogg, younger daughter's fella, decided to go surfin' just two days before Christmas. Big mistake! Whacked by his own board (which, by the way, suffered multiple injuries as well - luckily younger daughter's Xmas present to him was a new board), Bloggo ended up in our local casualty department whose Xmas present for him was 8 stitches, antibiotics tablets and a stern talking to about absolutely no alcohol for the next week or so! Who's a pretty boy now? For those with a delicate disposition, I suggest you don't enlarge the pic!

......and this is for all you Poms

2009-11-20T15:25:00.001-08:00

....who will miss the sun for the next few months!

Allow me to introduce ..............

2009-08-30T20:25:00.001-07:00

Bootsand friends

'ere are you listening to me?

2009-08-17T01:11:00.000-07:00

Gemma's pups are now 9 days old and have more than doubled their birth weight of approx 500 gms.

Day 1 pics

2009-08-10T02:35:00.000-07:00

We had just given Gemma a bubble bath and she then received "the treatment", a clip here and a snip there to ensure that she looked her best! I can't get over how docile she is - anyone can do anything to her and she doesn't complain. It's very spooky the way she knew instinctively to rip into and eat the sack/placenta for each pup and then to bite off the pup's umbilical cord.

Who taught her?

She's a super Mum and we're very proud of her!

Whelping for Joy and the cricket's gone OK!

2009-08-08T01:20:00.000-07:00

Gemma produced her first pup at 8.15 am this morning and her last at about 4 pm this afternoon. Of the eight puppies, two were stillborn and one, poor little thing, had a cleft palate and was euthanazed by the vet. Of the surviving five, she has three boys and two girls, all of whom are in good form as is Mum. We've 99% identified Dad who lives opposite and is a pure bred Kelpie. So, not only will the pups round up the sheep, they'll bring them back to you!

Doggone and done it!

2009-08-02T20:36:00.000-07:00

Younger daughter came round on Saturday, took one look at Gemma and exclaimed "She's HUGE!"

Yep, we are now expecting the patter of at least 28 tiny feet!

We had decided to arrange a marriage for her at about Xmas but the little slut has clearly had other ideas.

If we could just lay our hands on the little mongrel (Oh please God a Labrador or something a bit up market) who led her astray.

Mad panic, we've bought a HUGELY expensive whelping box and expect to be boiling water and bringing fresh towels in about a week!

Yes, a week! Vet was very nice about our inexcuseable ignorance - a bloke brought in his dog the other day, said he thought she wasn't very well whereupon a puppy dropped onto the floor!

All whelping tips greatfully received!

Does KP's ego really need massaging?

2009-07-14T15:23:00.000-07:00

Over here in Oz, rumour has it that Monty Panesar has been dropped for a second physiotherapist!

Time to take the gloves off

2009-07-13T20:10:00.000-07:00

O Joy, O Rapture unforeseen
Poms scraped a draw - God save the Queen!
But sad to tell, they're just not able
Nor fit to dine at the Oz top table!
Six Seventy Four & Nineteen wickets
Tells the tale - it's just the ticket!
So delude yourselves with visions of grandeur,
A hiding at Lords is what we'll hand yer!

An autumnal walk with the dog

2009-05-24T21:40:00.000-07:00

The autumn sun shone through our golden ash while out golden retriever swum in our dam.

A Marriage has been Arranged between ......

2009-04-02T14:29:00.000-07:00

Gemma

&

Bob

When: She's good & ready.

Where: At his place.

Reception: Due to his work commitments, there will be no Reception.

Presents: Harrods Dogalogue.

A Pre-Nuptial Agreement has been signed to cover custody of any progeny.

Well I'm Bloggered

2009-02-18T18:08:00.000-08:00

My statcounter tells me that some bright spark in California (where else?) arrived at this old Blog of mine after googling the phrase "their toenails black". Now why would someone google that, pray? Perhaps I'll now get another visit ..........better that than the religious crackpot who left a comment recently on MH's Blog.

Words fail me

2009-02-08T21:58:00.000-08:00

Good Golly!

2009-02-03T18:28:00.001-08:00

It's about time the BBC and other left wing, chardonnay drinking, tree hugging loonies got a life and realised that, despite their tediously moronic outlook on life, other more well adjusted people do say things in jest, without one iota of malice and, more often than not, with a degree of affection.

People of a certain age (ie me, rural villager and, clearly, the Thatcher lady) well remember the golliwog stickers which came with every jar of Robertson's jams etc. They were part & parcel of our wonderful pre-polically correct life and it never ever crossed our minds that the golliwogs were somehow racially discriminate in nature.

In our family we have christened Andrew Symonds 'Golly' for obvious reasons, not because we wish to villify him (despite his recent well publicised problems) but because we like him and when we like people we tend to give them nicknames.

We have to put up with similarly stupid good-for-nothing pc nazis here in OZ and it's time we told them to shut up.

If I've offended you, then bugger off too!

Cool Thoughts

2009-01-28T15:32:00.000-08:00

It's 10.30am as I write and already the temperature is 39C with a top predicted of 43C later today - that's 109F in the old lingo. It was 43C yesterday and another 43C forecast for tomorrow when Matron & I are going to the tennis - luckily our seats will be in the shade although they might well close the roof at the Rod Laver Arena. The photo was taken a few years ago at Byron Bay, NSW and features three of our brood all of whom would prefer to be back there today!

Hot Dog!

2009-01-13T13:21:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we got our first taste of Summer with the temperature reaching 37C at our place. Today will see a cool change early afternoon but promises to be as warm or even hotter before a southerly wind brings down the temperature by about 12C in as many minutes. Gemma seemed to appreciate the ice on her neck and in her water.

2009 here we go!

2008-12-31T16:37:00.000-08:00

Elder son with his big sister doing the 'Nutbush' while trying to ignore the fellow in drag on the left!

Meanwhile, Matron's got her man!

Happy New Year!

Give a dog a bone

2008-12-31T16:25:00.000-08:00

Gemma was in seventh heaven when presented with this enormous bone. Younger son has joined his younger sister as a waiter during the school holidays at one of our local winery restaurants. He brought back not one but two of these near carcases from work yesterday, so both Gemma and our other dog, Zac, enjoyed themselves as we departed for New Year festivities.

Leadfoot BigFoot

2008-12-16T17:52:00.000-08:00

For those few of you (if any) who visit this blog, here is a rather intimidating photo of BigFoot in full charioteer mode barreling down the middle of a road somewhere in Wiltshire, the actual location being withheld for the sake of public safety and calm. This road does possess two 'traffic calming' chicanes not that that is of any concern to BigFoot who has been known to force the local school bus to take sudden and evasive action. To give you an idea of the speed at which the chariot is driven, that excuse for a flag was once a nice 3ft sq square of blue cotton, now reduced to a shredded crepe-like tatter. Not long after this photo was taken, she was apprehended by the local constabulary for conduct endangering life in that she was seen, through a haze of blue smoke, perfecting donuts in front of the village post office. Her excuse? "I got my crutch jammed in the clutch"!
I'm rather proud of this photo as I had to set my camera as if photographing an Olympic 100 metre final.

Foxhunting alive & well in deepest Glos

2008-11-23T02:43:00.000-08:00

Our 90 yr old father (which art nearly in heaven) used to ride with the Beaufort Hunt, so I took him to the meet yesterday, a mile or so from Badminton. There were at least 150 on horseback (quite a few of them being children) and many more followers. I understand that numbers are on the increase given that they're supposedly not now meant to hunt foxes anymore. Well, the above photo was taken about 20 mins after they had started and about 45 secs after a fox had jumped down onto the road and run towards us, very closely followed by 2 or 3 hounds in full cry. Freddie and his followers crashed through a hedge on our left. We hoped that he got away. I'm glad to say that all the rest of the hounds plus all those on horseback had no idea where Freddie had gone and went past us. I have to say that the vast majority of the riders thanked us for stopping the car as they rode past. My father remarked that it was only the third time he'd ever seen a fox during a hunt.

I couldn't resist taking a photo of this Hooray Henry - what a poseur!

Poms 14 - Oz 28 .........Terrific!

2008-11-16T00:58:00.000-08:00

Here is a picture of domestic bliss - Bigfoot ironing my shirts. She was worried that Matron was looking over her shoulder and decided to dust down (literally) her iron which took her half an hour to find!
Unfortunately, not long after this photo was taken, the very scene that you see was transformed into something close to an enactment of the Somme. You see, I was in the enemy camp for the rugby match at Twickers. Yes, I know I'm a turncoat and, indeed, by half time I was seriously considering turning my coat inside out again given the hammering I was getting from Bigfoot. But I digress.
So, we retired to either end of the Sitting Room and called in BF's husband as referee. Needless to say he proved to be totally ineffectual and somewhat biased.
I was at a severe disadvantage given that BF had a distinct weight advantage in the scrums and, once she got going, was difficult to stop on the burst. On the other hand, I was very nimble albeit extremely unfit (as my coach, Matron has informed me on numerous occasions).
Well, close to half time, I had managed to make the most of a number of penalties conceded by BF (mostly for taking me out when I didn't have the ball, which was most of the time). On the stroke of half time, the ref at last looked up from the Telegraph and asserted his authority by sending off BF for stomping me in a maul. She was banished for ten minutes to the kitchen to make the tea.
But, blow me down, right after half time that little squirt of a ref sent me off for sledging!! All I said was "Who suffered their third worst defeat in One Day Cricket the other day?"
So, I had to go and wash up the tea stuff during which time BF managed to lurch drunkenly over for a try.
But her hysterical whinnying came to an abrupt halt when I dodged round the sofa, accidentally kicked her crutches from under her and scored in the corner right under the television for a memorable victory.
Does anyone know how to get rid of blood on the walls?

Gnome alone away from home

2008-11-13T08:37:00.000-08:00

BigSis has tarted up my Blogsite and set up a Blog Roll for me which reminds me of a delicate situation that I was confronted with this morning.
You know how it is when staying with friends/relatives - you're not used to how things work and are keen to do the right thing particularly when it comes to bathrooms.
Let me, gentle reader, remind you that over recent days I have consumed a reasonable amount of airline fare which, at the best of times, is barely palatable, at others simply disgusting but at all times of dubious heritage (especially when concocted in Asia). This can and does lead to one's gastric juices becoming somewhat confused with the result that they crack the poos and refuse to work normally.
So, imagine my horror on discovering that, after answering the urgent call of nature, I was confronted by (and I know no other way to put this) skidmarks.
There, I've said it.
Well, I looked around for a bogbrush but to my dismay found nothing.............but wait, I spied a very peculiar implement lurking in a corner. Something I'd never seen before (but will again as I intend to present Matron with one - Bigsis says that I can get one in Waitrose tomorrow).
This thing consisted of quite a nice longish gaily coloured plastic handle with a claw on the end! I kid you not! I then discovered that you can push a sort of button and the claw becomes alive and becomes a grappling iron (or, more accurately, grappling plastic).
Being an extraordinarily logical person, I decided that the purpose of this implement was to unblock the dunny; but this wasn't my immediate problem.
As well as logical I am exceedingly bright (despite what Matron may think), so, using my well-honed improvisational skills, I selected a suitable wad of loopaper, took the plastigrapple (as the implement was now to be called) and in no time at all eliminated any signs of the aforesaid and offending skidmarks.
BigSis has subsequently explained to me the finer art of using the plastigrapple and I just hope that Oz Customs will allow it into the cxountry - is Australia ready for it, I ask myself.

Artists at work

2008-11-12T08:51:00.000-08:00

Having arrived on an A380 this morning what better than to visit Kemble airport this evening with Bigshot Sis for a spot of arty tarty artistry with somewhat smaller planes. The question we ask is for viewers to comment on which of these two photos is the better. She took one of them and I the other.

Tagged at last!

2008-11-04T18:16:00.000-08:00

Bigfoot (aka Rural Villager) has tagged me to mention six interesting things about me. Unfortunately, I don't have all day to write all about moi as, unlike Bigfoot, I'm extraordinarily interesting. Also, unlike her, I'm perfectly proportioned anatomically. Whoa there, don't lets get too big headed! So .........

When posing (as one does) for my christening photo with proud Bigfoot (as she was even then at the age of four) cradling me in her arms, I managed to wee all over her much to my delight & her lifetime chagrin! That probably explains her bullying me thereafter.
For eleven years during the eighties & nineties I indulged in amateur theatre ( I sensed that my public really needed me). Eleven traditional English pantos (I even sang a song a la Rex Harrison in a production of Robin Hood) and two musicals, 'Me & My Girl' and a starring role (albeit unduly minor) in '42nd Street'. I looked good in tights - and still do.
My 15 minutes of fame in February 1983 during the disasterous bushfires here in Victoria and South Australia. Somehow the BBC had broadcast my office phone number for worried relatives to ring for information on loved ones etc. I spent all day fielding frantic calls from the UK 'til I rang the ABC (equivalent of Auntie) and asked them to put the Beeb right. The ABC then interviewed me that evening on the radio about my unusual day.
Plucking up courage to skydive a couple of months ago - see earlier Blog.
Before leaving for Oz in 1979, I was a memeber of Epsom Hockey Club and partook in a world record beating game of continuous hockey - we started under car headlights and finished about 12 hrs later. Some unmentionable Dutch team then promptly beat our record - such is life.
I caught my one & only salmon at the age of about 12 on the Ballynahinch river in Ireland. This is the same river on which my grandfather died of a heart attack in 1952 having just landed a salmon while fishing with my father. Grandfather was carried up to the Ballynahinch Hotel and his salmon was enjoyed that night.

If I knew how to, I'd like to tag Millenium Housewife (in the nicest possible way) as I find her Blog to be wonderfully well written and extremely amusing. As for the other five, if you're reading this, count yourself in!

.....and to think I'm leaving this!

2008-11-02T13:19:00.000-08:00

...............for those iceobars (or whatever) that Big Sister takes such perverse delight in.

It's the time of year for .................

2008-10-15T19:35:00.000-07:00

.............snakes.

This one gave us just a frisson of nerves beside our pool on holiday the other week. Luckily it's a harmless tree snake who, with its mate, seemed to live inside a rock wall beside the swimming pool. One member of our family was not seen anywhere near the pool after this sighting. Let's just say that, if we were to have been bitten, medical help would not have been close by!!

Elder daughter saw the back end of a snake disappearing in one of our garden beds last weekend - judging by the description either a tiger or brown snake - both of which are extrememly venomous.

Only a woman ................

2008-10-08T22:44:00.000-07:00

Now what's she thinking?

"I haven't brought enough with me to last the holiday, so I'm just going to have to go shopping"

"Thank goodness I listened to Dad and brought enough clothes with me - choices choices!"

Only God and younger daughter know.

Adrenelin Rush

2008-09-28T20:34:00.000-07:00

2.5 miles above Byron Bay two weeks ago, six of us jumped at 14,000 ft and have the T shirts to prove it!

Home Grown Silver (Ho Hum Team GB)

2008-08-21T22:42:00.000-07:00

This pic was taken last summer at our local sailing club when we held the Asia Pacific Tornado Titles won by this Oz boat which, as world champions, went on to win silver at Beijing the other day. Tell me, why is it that you Poms have to combine with those mortal enemies the Scots and Welsh (with the Northern Irish thrown in for luck) for the Olympics as Great Britain? Is that the only way you can gather more medals than Oz? What other sports do you call yourselves GB? Sour grapes you may say - sure is but thought I'd stir you up and cause you to pause momentarily from your chest beating!!
Pip Pip !!

Standard Boundary Fence

2008-08-17T00:31:00.000-07:00

Younger son now has braces and was not happy to be called "metal mouth", "train tracks" or "brace face". We therefore had to think of another suitable description - hence he is now referred to as "SBF" as, In Oz, a Standard Boundary Fence consists of hinge lock (also known as ring lock) topped by 2 strands of wire, more often than not of the barbed variety. No doubt Rural Villager will know precisely what I'm describing and can answer allcomers questions from those not quite so agricultural.

Hang 'em High

2008-08-12T19:52:00.000-07:00

Rural Villager's Sussex hang gliders reminded me of this pic I took at Byron Bay in 2005 of younger daughter & Blogg boyfriend. They're still hanging out together.

For Strawberry Jam Anne

2008-08-06T15:32:00.000-07:00

More local wildlife - I expect you saw these rainbow lorikeets in Adelaide. Anyway, these are Victorian ones and very common and chatty they are too! In which case they could be called Victorian Beckhams, I suppose. To answer your question, since 1979 and, although I miss my UK family, I wouldn't live in the UK for quids (other than for the West Country and its pubs!)

How much can a Koala bear?

2008-08-05T22:12:00.000-07:00

We spotted this chap the other day just outside our kitchen window.

The Last One

2008-08-04T23:55:00.000-07:00

It probably looks pretty ordinary to you lot in the UK but this is our very last jar of Chivers Redcurrant Jelly which we found the other day hiding in the dusty depths of our pantry. As redcurrant jelly enthusiasts (for that read tragics), Chivers is the only make to have. We do possess about 20 jars of the Crosse & Blackwell variety (we have to stock up as & when they appear on our local supermarket shelves) and even a couple of French jars, but NOTHING beats dear old Chivers. We'll keep this one as a momento of times past and, in any case, its Use By date was September 2006!

Comments please!

2008-07-17T15:37:00.000-07:00

Younger daughter has just had her hair re-styled - was very long, rather unkempt but kept bunched up on the top in an artistic mess (see my earlier Blogg Blog). Now it's much shorter with a fringe. Cyberspace comments please from all of you who don't know her from Eve.

Blogg Blog

2008-07-16T22:59:00.000-07:00

At younger daughter's request, here's a photo of her and her fella whose surname is Blogg.

Talking of feet ............

2008-07-10T19:59:00.000-07:00

as my sister, Rural Villager, has just reminded me of her enormous clodhoppers - here's a photo of five feet at (yes) Byron Bay. For some reason my two daughters decided to paint their toenails black. Well, I couldn't be left out, now could I?

Also, what a feat for my dear Sis - two awards in one day - she always was a little on the greedy side (particularly potatoes, talking of toes). Congrats, Bigfoot, richly deserved and thanks for sharing the glory 'tho I most certainly don't deserve it other than as your long suffering Bro.

G'day!

Sunrise over the Pacific, Byron Bay, Oz

2008-07-06T23:08:00.000-07:00

Things I said to Her Indoors at the weekend

2008-07-06T18:12:00.000-07:00

I can't find my towel
In the laundry? But I've only used it for a week
Yes, dear
I'm not grumpy, I'm not that old and I haven't farted
Oops
Tea and toast?
Only a bit burnt- I've opened the window
I know it's cold
It's shut now, dear
I'll write the shopping list
Because I can't read your writing
You had the pen last night
Sudoko
No I didn't say that!
Wish I had
Nothing, dear
I'm off
I'm back
Bugger, I forgot it
No, of course I'll get it, bye
I'm back, the latte's on the bench
But the footy's on
OK, but the rugby's on this evening
Thanks
I said 'thanks'
No, I didn't mean it like that
We've seen this episode hundreds of times
I've seen this episode hundreds of times
Wake up
It's 7 o'clock, I thought you'd want to put on the potatoes
Yes, of course I can, it's just ......
No, I did tell you about the rugby
Half time, do you want me to mash them?
Mmmmm, that was delicious sweetheart, thanks
Jeeez, I'm tired, long day wasn't it?
No, I know, not as long as yours
My little nest of vipers
Nothing important, 'night dearest

Better Half Bet

2008-07-02T17:27:00.000-07:00

Every year at Byron bay on holiday I go for a reasonably lengthy walk before breakfast. Last year one of the brood bet Her Indoors $10 that she couldn't hack it with me on my walk to the end of Tallows Beach and back. As you can see, she won the bet. Cape Byron is Australia's most easterly point.

Byron Bay, Northern New South Wales, Oz

2008-06-30T21:17:00.000-07:00

Her Indoors, the brood (3 of whom are pictured here) and I will be spending 3 weeks' holidays here in September before I rug up and visit Rural Villager, husband and rescue dog in November. If you ask nicely, I'll post some more pics of this marvellous place.

Bottoms Up!

2008-06-29T20:55:00.000-07:00

I thought regular visitors to Rural Villager's blog would prefer a more flattering photo of her. It was the best I could do without the benefit of a wide-angle lens.

Home Alone Bears

2008-06-25T20:55:00.000-07:00

Her Indoors and I suspected that our resident bears were getting up to no good when left to their own devices. So, we set up a Bear Cam, went off to work and returned to find the following camera stills!

Bear Cam #1

2008-06-25T20:52:00.000-07:00

Beary Sleepy!

Bear Cam #2

2008-06-25T20:50:00.001-07:00

Bearly Awake?

Bear Cam #3

2008-06-25T20:44:00.000-07:00

Bear Hug!

Bear Cam #4

2008-06-25T20:38:00.000-07:00

Bearing Down!

Bear Cam #5

2008-06-25T20:35:00.000-07:00

Laid Bear!

Bear Cam #6

2008-06-25T20:29:00.000-07:00

Bearing Away!

Bear Cam #7

2008-06-25T20:24:00.000-07:00

Beareffed!