Daylight saving--'Fall back and spring forward.'

I am glad daylight saving is ending tonight. I have been finding it increasingly difficult dragging myself out of bed at 5.20 in the morning. That extra hour will make all the difference---for a while. I am usually pretty good at getting up early. Hell—for a while there I was walking Perdy at some crazy hour each morning--- that lasted about three weeks, so maybe now I can do it again for a while. I know it benefits both of us.

There is of course a ‘down-side.’ It gets darker quicker and by the time the middle of winter arrives, some grey days mean that it’s dark at 5. It is even more dramatic in the far south--- but of course they get those wonderful long nights in the summer--- swings and round abouts.

I remember all the kafuffle when daylight savings was first mooted in the sixties. Do you remember that song by Sandy Edmonds—? ‘Hey Daylight savings time---’ unfortunately it didn’t work--- we didn’t get it. The arguments put forward were ridiculous--- ‘the cows wouldn’t adjust and plants wouldn’t grow---give me a break--- there are some dumb asses out there eh.

I do of course have sympathy for the mums trying to put their kids down (Oooo--- that sounds bad) for the night in the middle of summer, but overall I think most of us love the long evenings. What a contrast that must represent for those who never see their homes in the daylight, in the middle of winter (during the working week- that is).

I guess daylight savings is here to stay, but like all things seasonal, we have to make the best of it. Make the change a reason for a nice meal or a celebration. We need excuses for that.

Cheers!

Phill Goff Dropped in today---Onehunga Foreshore--part 4

Phill Goff was in my area today and he popped in to see me. We go back a long way (school ect), so it was great to see him. I must say he looked bloody relaxed--- I am sorry he didn't win, becuase he would have made a great PM but that's OK--- He is going to be rthe best local MP along with his obvious atributes in his 'shadow area' in Foreign Affairs. I think I need to say that he is no snake in the grass like his Australian counterpart.

Naturaly, I had to bring up the Onehunga Foreshore issue. Wow--- he was onto it---well informed and making enquiries. He was a step ahead of me for each of my concerns. he knew about the discharges and who to talk to. He is meeting with a reporter (Rhiannon Horrell) next Moday on the foreshore on the other side of the motorway. If anyone can get some traction and keep the wider picture re the environment in focus, it is Phill.
  Good on ya mate!

Poor Perdy

Perdy is feeling bad today. Actualy she has been doing this weird hacking coughing for the last day or so. She seemed to have heaps of energy and was eating well, so I decided to wait ofr a while. She has something similar last year and I took her the emergency vet. They didn't give a clear diagnosis and sent us away, but on the proviso that she didn't have any contact with other dogs. It could have been a mild Kennel Cough.
Well this time she is throwing up a frothy white fluid and then settling again. She has all the right injections so if it is KC it should be mild.
No--- I'm not waiting. She means so much to us and we hate to see her sad. It's off ot the vet at Animates at 3.30. I know some of you folow the blogs about Perdy, so don't worry (lke I am!) I owuld put her before my own comfort anytime.  For those of you who know me well, you know that to be a fact. Why am I doing this blog--- because its only abut 2 PM and I'm filling in time. I dopn't wnat to take her there yet---- I will reallly will portray and over anxious, over-the-top pet owner---- or should I say----Parent.  I shall let you know the verdict later.

UPDATE
I took Perdy to the vets at Animates in Mt Eden Rd. Perdy threw-up just as she got out of the car. I took her in and she would not cough. Luckilly the receptionsist had heard her on the phone when I rang. The lovely vet (actuallly all the staff there are reallly understanding--- I think they are as affected by the animals' distress as much as we are) examined Perdy  and found the usual fleas. We are going to experiment with a pill that allows Perdy to carry on swimming. Apparently constant swimming halves the effectiveness of the stuff you stick on the neck---so maybe she will have better treatment now.
Remember I said that Perdy threw-up by the car---- I mentioned that--- so what does she do--- the vet I mean? She accompanys me back to the car, gets down on her knees and starts poking around in the vomit. That's gotta be the definition for Vet of the month award! Not only does she reallly get stuck in--- she takes what could be a long worm to examine under the mocroscope. The verdict?---- it looked like vegetative matter, with little back- sloping hooks, that could easily cause discomfort to the throat. However  Perdy then started to cough again and the diagnosis is heasding back towards Kennel Cough.
We are treating her with some antibiotics and anti-inflmatory stuff. It will take a while for the cough to go away, but with the pill for the fleas,she will be able to swim again in a few days. I won't take her to see her mates down at the Onehunga Lagoon for a day or too, but she will get her leashed walks.
All up---- didn't cost that much and my little Perdy is insured anyway.
I am really happy with the way this company has handled Perdy and my otherr Pets. THEY CARE!  GO ANIMATES. I hope my lovely vet isnt embarrassed by my description, cause I think she is going to read this. She Rocks.

(9pm Sat NZ Time)   Perdy had her medication, but still throwing up. Poor little thing even goes outside when she starts that horrible coughing, then comes back in and tucks herself up with Rio. She keeps looking at me with those beautiful sad eyes, imploring me to make it all go away. We will give her the medication in the morning.

(7.30 Sunday morning )  Perdy got up many times in the night. I could hear her start coughing and then running out through the cat door-- Poor wee thing. We gave her her Medicarion this morning and she wanted to eat too. Her tail wags despite her discomfort. I don't think I will take her far and people look at me if as if I am an abuser when she coughs in public. Oh--- she's barking at the cat too, so maybe she's feeling a little better. I may take her out later, after I have cleaned all the yucky stuff off the car properly.
PS-- I DID NOT USE WORD TO DO THIS SO THERE ARE BOUND TO BE ERRORS--LOL We all know what my typing is like.


UPDATE-- WED 4TH APRIL--- SHE IS HARDLY COUGHING NOW AND IS BACK TO HER CRAZY SELF--- ME TOO!

Onehunga Foreshore (part 3) The Mysterious bowls (UPDATE)

Update at the bottom of blog!

OK--- I have calmed down a little. I read an article in the Central Leader, written by one of their promising reporters, Rhiannon Horrell. She wrote about how the Foreshore project is about to go ahead, after of course the obligatory 15 days to allow for anyone putting in submissions to object.

As far as I am concerned--- go ahead, but only after we are assured of quality water and thereby staying true to the Council’s 30 year plan around a healthy environment. Now, I shall tell you a ‘nice’ non-controversial story.

On the Friday night, before the ‘cancelled’ Onehunga Festival at the lagoon, something unusual occurred. Firstly I better give you some background. Many people walk their dogs, often forming groups, possibly because the time they come is convenient for their particular lifestyles. One group seems to walk the park around 3.30 each afternoon. It consists mostly of ladies approaching retirement or well into this ‘golden’ time. There are others, slightly or much younger who attach themselves because they know that their dogs are going to be well stimulated by the crazy antics of the younger dogs and more controlled model behaviours of the dogs who match their ‘parents’ in behaviour--- that is, they are wise.

This group is quite well known and many people visiting the park comment on this regular activity. The dogs draw attention, especially when they are in a more frolicking mood. Children point and adults smile--- possibly wondering if they too should get a dog for their kids.

Around the park there are two areas where the dogs are able to drink. On summer days this is particularly important, as some of the dogs tend to drink the salty and probably POLLUTED water from the lagoon. The ladies make sure that the hose that fills the green bowl is always maintained have even been known to fix it themselves when it is damaged. At the other end of the lagoon, by the car park there is another tap, which from time to time has been vandalized. There is usually a plastic bowl there too. The ladies make sure that it is always there. Ice cream containers are just fine. There is little point in leaving more expensive examples, because they regularly disappear or are broken--- I don’t know if it is kids using it to make sand castles or someone who hates dogs. I would not want kids to play in the sand given the less than pristine nature of the surrounds.

It is quite frustrating to walk our dogs and then have to go and find a new bowl when they keep disappearing. One of the nice ladies seems to have a supply of them in her car, and she brings her own bowl out each time, with water from home.

On the Friday night, before the festival, two expensive stainless steel bowls appeared by the car park, where the ladies (and friends) usually sit after their sojourn around the lagoon with their dogs. It is a pleasant time, when they (WE) chat before heading off home with our more relaxed (well not my Jack Russell) dogs. We were amazed--- did the Council leave these TWO bowls for the dogs? Was it some kind person who has watched us from the cars as we play with the dogs, throwing balls for them to fetch. It is quite a sight. Was it someone who had taken the other ones and somehow felt guilty?

I don’t know why, but the two bowls are still there, but now placed near the tap. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the bowls actually stay? It has been a week and I expect that I will be updating you soon that they have gone. Please let me be wrong. It has left a warm fuzzy feeling amongst the dog walkers. Wouldn’t it be wonderful for this act to be replicated in a wider sense? Let the water be clean and everyone continue to use this great space. If the bowls are still there this afternoon, I will take a picture.

They've gone--- the bowls lasted about 3 weeks. I am both surprised that they lasted that long and really pissed off at the low-life that would steal them--- probabaly selling them on Trade Me--- Maybe they eat out of them!