Be afraid...be very afraid

This is a warning for anyone who suffers from Arachnophobia like my pinky D. If you have a fear of big black hairy spiders, do not, I stress, do not proceed.


Ok, now that I have made myself clear I want to tell you a very very scary story. It also happens to be true. Are you sitting down?? I'll begin then shall I.


On Christmas Eve D was making her famous flourless chocolate cake which she makes every Christmas for her family. D's mum was visiting at the time and was sitting on a chair watching telly (this is the scary part) Out of the corner of D's eye she sees something moving.............................

It was the biggest, scariest, blackest FUNNEL WEB SPIDER in the history of Australia and it was walking across the living room towards my nonna. Now D is very arachnophobic and goes into instant panic. She acts quickly and throws a rug over it and then panics some more. What if it gets really really cranky and tries to attack.

Let me explain something about funnel webs just incase you weren't aware..... They're just one of the deadliest spiders on the planet.....ahhhhhhhhhh


D tells her mum to move it and quick!! D's mum doesn't move quick enough. You see she needs a walker to help her walk. D says, 'forget the walker, quick, move over to the otherside of the room'. My Nonna doesn't argue. D suggests she hides in the bathroom.


While all this was happening we were out on a walk with B. D's state of health was getting worse by the minute. She was beginning to feel very sick. Then she heard the gingling of our collars....."B, there's a huge funnel web in there...whaaa whaaa whaaa". She then runs and hides in the bathroom.


B took a glass and piece of cardboard, traps the funnel web and takes it across the street to Walter's house who is holidaying in England.


Now D is constantly on the lookout for more funnel webs. We've found 4 inside our house in 8 years so even though they are common, they tend to stay in the garden. Bites are dangerous and can cause serious illness or death. The venom appears to particularly affect primates (ie humans), whereas other mammals - such as cats and dogs - are relatively resistant.

I Noah had to stand on the glass to stop the spider from getting out........ok that part isn't true.

Now if you ever come to Australia for a holiday and you happen to be bitten by one of these deadly beasts, fear not as every hospital has antivenom plus they're only found around Sydney and the east coast including the Blue Mts.

Ok, you can go change your pants now.

tailwags

Noah x

Christmas Day with the Leuradales

G'day Maties

We hope your Christmas Day was just as great as ours. Check out some pics of our day.

Tess says I'll just take all of these:

Lucy deciding which piggie she should have:

Cranky pants Tess keeping her sisters away from her hord

Lucy says she'll just take this one:

Willow all tuckered out after a long day. She likes the pink piggie the best:

We'd just like to thank you for your friendship this past year. It's great to be part of such a wonderful community as DWB. May 2009 be a happy year for all of us.

tailwags

Noah Willow Tess & Lucy x

Our visitors and the fence is finally finished

G'day maties,

Yes it's true. At long last B has finally finished building the fence around our backyard. It's only taken 8 years lol. Here we are on day 1 enjoying our new found freedom.

We just love playing in our yard and it's great exercise. The extra kilos I need to lose are bound to fall off me now and that means I can go back to eating more so all in all it's a win win situation.

The best news is our friends Ellie & Baz arrived on Saturday night all the way from Melbourne. It took their pinkies 11 hours to drive up and boy were they glad to get here. Little Baz didn't piddle the whole way hee hee. Way to go Bazzy boy. We blokes have good bladders.

Yesterday we played in our yard for hours and hours. It was great fun. Ellie's pinkies gave us some great new rope toys. Lucy has already destroyed one ball. She just loves playing fetch. She brings the rope ball back everytime. The girl never tires.

We all get along really well together. I did have to tell Bazzy boy off a little because he got too close to me when I had a bone but he understood straight away. The pinkies are so happy there hasn't been any bloodshed..... I mean really, who do they think I am Kujo?? I'm nice!!! Here are some great pics taken on Sunday.

This is Uncle Tim with Baz & Willow:

Tess in full flight:

Tess and Baz getting aquainted:

Uncle Tim having a game with Lucy:

Ellie getting familiar with our yard:

Dales in the pond:

Auntie Jo relaxing with dales at her feet:

Lunchtime:

Monster from the Black Lagoon:

Well we're all off to Wentworth Fall Lake for a big walk now. Hope you're having a great weekend.

tailwags

Noah xx

Christmas cards, Visitors, awards and a tag

G'day maties
First of all I have some official business to post about. We were tagged by our Aussie friend Gizmo to say something nice about the last 10 people/dogs to leave a comment on my blog. So here goes. Starting with the very last person to leave a comment and working my way back we have...


Gus Louie & Callie: These guys are our very good buddies after all they are part Aussie lol. They are very good at rounding up sheep, something we would be very bad at.


Sally & Rufus: Rufus is an airedale like us and his sissie is a WFT. Of course they are very handsome pups.


Charlie: Our Aussie mate Charlie just had his 15th barkday. He is a real sweety and loves his food.


Penny & Parlance: Penny is a sweet pup from Melbourne Australia. Her mum has loads of good info on her blog. They recently rescued a little dog from being squashed on a busy road.


Scottie: Scottie has just become a daddy to 2 beautiful puppies. He is a great dad.


Thor: Our South American matie. We have to thank you Thor, you have given us so many awards over the past year. Your a good friend.


Abby: Sweet little Abby. She is so adorable and caring. She is a good friend.


Charlie: Charlie lives in the States. He is learning to be a boating dog and is getting better and more confident around the boat all the time.


Happy: Happy, you are a sweet pea. You always remind us of the things we should be thankful for.


Mason Dixie: We've only just met Mason Dixie. Mason Dixie lives in Ohio and is a Golden Retriever like Thor. We hope to become good maties.


Secondly, we received an award from our buddy Thor. This award is passed to bloggers for showing great Attitude and/or Gratitude. Thanks Thor, you often think of us and we really appreciate that. We know many of you have already recieved this award so please if you havent received it we happily pass it onto you.

We have big news. This evening some very special visitors are arriving to spend 3 days with us. It's my girlfriend Ellie and her little brother Bazzy, airedales from Melbourne. We are so excited. We have the camera at the ready to take lots of photos. This is going to be great fun. We've just had word they are on their way!!!!!

We've been receiving lots of Christmas cards from our DWB maties and D has helped us put them on our wall. When ever anyone comes over they are amazed at all the cards. D & B have some too but not as many as us.

Lastly I leave you with this photo of my sister Tess. I'm mean honestly, who does she think she is. Check out her style will ya!

Stay tuned for pics of the Leuradales with maties Baz & Ellie.

tailwags

Noah x

Living in an Aussie Wonderland by the Leuradales

G'day maties,
You all know the Christmas song "Walking in a Winter Wonderland" by Felix Bernard. Well we kind of fiddled with the words and changed it to "Living in an Aussie Wonderland". So without further ado we present you with our version.

Christmas time in Australia
Can get hot let me tell ya
It's Summer time here
Fill our dog bowls with beer
Living in an Aussie Wonderland

All our mates get the white stuff
But down here Summer's real tough
The footpath gets warm
Cool it down with a storm
Living in an Aussie Wonderland

On Christmas Day we sit around the barbie
We're panting cause it is so stink'n hot
Then they say it's time to go a walkie
Thanks all the same but we would rather not

After lunch we go a snooz'n
And the Peeps they keep on booz'n
We wish you the best
For next year and the rest
To all our maties in their wonderland
To all our maties in their wonderland

Merry Christmas everyone

tailwags
Noah Willow Tess & Lucy xxxx

Food Glorious Food #2

Hi everyone,

I'm just taking over Noah's blog for another food post. While we were in Japan Bryan and I bought what we call a Japanese bbq. Jazz & Dixie, maybe you can ask your dad what this is called. It can be used inside and we tried it on Sunday night.

First I marinated some bream fillets and raw prawns. We placed hot coals in the bowl which sits over a dish of water. Then we sat the grill over the top and cooked our fish & prawns. It was great and a very healthy way to eat.

We did notice the aroma of bbq in the room after we finished eating but we can live with that. The good thing about it is it doesn't leave the room smokey but we did turn the smoke alarm off just in case. In keeping with the food theme of this post here is a video of the boy enjoying his frozen Hoki fillet.

I hope everyone is having a good week. Only 2 more sleeps until Friday yay.

D xx

Tess' 6th Birthday

Hi hi everyone,

It's me Tess. Today is my 6th birthday and Noah kindly let me take over the computer. I had my photo taken with D but there wasn't anyone around to take it so she had to take it herself. I think I look really good but B keeps calling me an old boiler.......whatever!!

Then B put up our Christmas tree. It's not the usual kinda tree with baubles and branches. It's ceramic with glass beads and a candle burning inside and letters that say Peace.

I think it looks pretty and it's easy to pack away. I think the pinkies really like this tree!

I've been on 2 walks so far today. I met some B&B guests and they gave me lots of cuddles especially when they found out it was my birthday.

I hope everyone is having a good weekend.

Love

Tess x

The Incident

G'day Blogging buddies,

It feels like we've been away for ages. D's fault of course. We actually got back last Tuesday afternoon but D said she was too busy to help us tell you all about the incident which happened at Kelston Country Kennel.

As you all know B & D went to New Zealand to visit Bryan's mum in hospital. While they were over the ditch the girls and I went to our usual kennel. We usually book into the family suite. Well let me tell you, that my friends will be a thing of the past.....thank you very much Lucy!!!!

Here is a photo of my little sister Willow. Notice anything.......Yes that's right. She has a bandage around her leg.

While we were at the kennel my brat sister Lucy decided to have a little game with Willow which resulted in this.

When D saw what happened she got very very cranky with Lucy & Tess...Oh I forgot to mention earlier, Tess helped.

Look at this sweet face. She wouldn't hurt a fly. Yesterday I had to have my annual shot in the butt so Willow came along to have the hole in her leg checked out. She was very good and isn't in any pain. She still bounces around like a trooper.

D & B will have to go back to NZ early in the new year. So when we go to Kelston Kennel Willow & I will share a pen and Lucy & Tess will be in the pen next to us. They can play bitey face or bitey whatever to their hearts content and Willow & I will be able to rest easy.

How about the Christmas card exchange?? It's fantastic and we've already got lots of cards up on our wall. Loads of e-cards have been coming in too. We'll have to take some pics this weekend. Have a great weekend everyone. We're so glad to be back and we'll be around to your blog soon.

tailwags

Noah x

The Dale Quartet...for your ears only, only for you!

G'day maties,

First of all we have a couple of thank you's to make.

Before we went away we were honoured with this cool award by Momo & Pinot

Thanks Momo & Pinot. We love your blog too and think it's very cool.

Then when we returned from the kennel we were thrilled to receive another award from our buddies in Japan Jazz & Dixie.

We know many of our friends have received these awards already but that's ok. We would like to pass the coolest blog Butterfly Award onto our cool bud Ludo and his little brother Otto and the second award Sharing the Love to our buddy in the UK Finni.

I'd also like to thank Asta for the lovely card she sent me for my barkday. I love it.

Not forgetting my buddies Molly & Taffy who sent me a very sweet e-card. Sadly D is a puter moron and doesn't know how to get it onto our blog. Molly & Taffy's mum knows how hopeless D is with the computer.........hmmm.

This weekend D & B are off to New Zealand to visit Bryan's mum. She is still in hospital after suffering a stroke last month but is on the improve with lots of rehab. There is going to be a big family pre-xmas celebration on Sunday but do you think we get to go to that....nooooooo...instead we have the delight of another visit to our favourite kennel. Luckily we don't mind the place as we seem to be spending a bit too much time there lately.

So that you don't forget us we thought we'd leave you with this lovely song we put together. Willow takes centre stage with her lovely singing voice and Tess is back up singer. Lucy and I are just back up singers.

Hope you enjoy it and sorry about B's harmonica playing. He really has no idea.....

We won't be around for the next week so stay safe and have a great week.

tailwags,

Noah xx

Our holiday to Japan

Hi everyone,

Finally Bryan & I have sorted through the million photo's of our trip to Japan. Noah has kindly allowed me to put some on his blog. Hope you enjoy them.

This is Himeji Castle located at Himeji between Osaka & Hiroshima

On the Island of Miyajima off the coast of Hiroshima. It was just gorgeous


Peace Park Hiroshima
Rubber duckie you're the one......Bryan having a spa bath in the biggest bathroom you've ever seen.

Toyota makes a car called Noah....can you believe it?????

The bright lights of Osaka......and boy were they bright

A steep climb up a hill took us to this beautiful lookout in the city of Takayama

High in the Japanese Alps

The scenery up in the Alps was just wonderful

The colour in the leaves was amazing. We just don't get that much colour in Australia

Our good friends Jim & Yoshi who we travelled with. Thank goodness Yoshi was with us. I think we'd still be trying to get out of Kansai Airport if we were alone lol

Look what we found in Matsumoto. This airedale toy cost more than the real thing hee hee

Matsumoto Castle

The view from our hotel room in Tokyo. The last day was so clear you could see Mt Fuji in the background

The Imperial Palace in Tokyo is in the background

Beautiful Tokyo. We got to meet Jazz & Dixie's mum & dad which was fantastic. Thanks for meeting up with us guys and remember next time you're in NSW come and stay with us!!!

We had a wonderful holiday. We really loved Japan and the people were so friendly and helpful. Hopefully we'll go back someday (when the stupid Aussie dollar improves lol)

tailwags

Denise (Noah's pinky)