| A Plea |
[May. 28th, 2008|10:09 am] |
Everyday I feel grateful for the beautiful Border Collies we own. We love them, train them, feed them, walk them, take them to agility and obedience. Yet we still have no back yard due to a little puppy digger - but that's ok - I knew that going in. Puppie's are adorable, but they are also trouble for a LOT of months. If you don't want the trouble, don't get a puppy!
We aren't perfect, there are days when they don't get enough attention for sure due to life things that come up that take our time, but we try to do the best we can.
This week I went to a Dog Refuge. I can't begin to describe how broken my heart was, to see all these little creatures, a lot coming from abused homes, left there waiting for their next family.
Maverick, our 3-year old, sits between 20 and 21 kilo's (44 to 46 pound) and Indiana, our 9-month old sits at 14.5 kilo (31 pound). Our dogs are healthy, we watch their weight (we have to, for agility they need to be in good shape to protect their joints), and people constantly comment on how healthy they look, their gorgeous coats and how happy they are. But I always think - shouldn't that be all dogs?
At agility a few months ago was a rescued border collie around 2 to 3 years old. He was around the same size as Maverick maybe an inch shorter. When rescued this dog weighed 9 kilo (19 pound) - that's less than our puppy weighs!
Some friends of Mike's just rescued a doberman - these are big dogs. This dog had been tied to a clothes line. The owner threw food at it - while it was tied to the line, because she hadn't trained it and it was so big. It had been on a concrete surface since it was a puppy, it didn't even know what grass was. He's now 4 years old. In January when it was rescued it was 14 kilo (30 pound). A 4 year old dog that should weigh 30 to 40 kilo (66 to 80 pound) weighed less my our puppy! It had had an operation while at the rescue for a twisted bowel or stomach or something - because it wasn't used to having food.
You have no idea how much I want to tie that lady to a clothesline and throw food at her every couple of days for the next few years. Let the sun blaze down on her in summer and the rain in winter, because she has no shelter. Let her feet burn on the hot concrete in the Australian sun. Give her no one to interact with for 4-years, till your brain is so wired the wrong way due to lack of love and stimulation.
Luckily I know this doberman now has the best home it can. It's new owners took him to obedience training last night. We saw him, he looked like such a lost, sad soul, but at least he's on his way to a happier life.
It's just DISGUSTING and so distressing. I swear they need an eye for an eye for these cruel people and sterilisation - god help their children.
I just don't understand it. I've been so affected by these animals lately that I had to put out a plea - if you see this kind of abuse, for gawd's sake report it. |
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| New CILM Pack and other stuff |
[Apr. 11th, 2008|12:36 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| |  rushed | ] |
CILM have just released my lasted pack! Go have a look today at the CILM website!
http://www.cilm.com/a-n-p/r/richards/suzannerichardspackageh.shtml
We recently went to see Weddings, Parties, Anything on a Friday night at the Fremantle Arts Centre. The band reformed after 10 years apart for a whirlwind tour. It was an amazing concert, probably the best I've been to - to date. Mick Thomas and crew really know how to put on a great show. The atmosphere of the Arts Centre on the lawn under the stars was just perfect!
I recently started a new job in a design house, drawing for kids. A bit of a dream come true (once I figure out how to use Illustrator properly!).
Mike and Maverick did a first trial run at a competition level at agility. A bit like Laurel and Hardy, but hey they gave it a go. I was very proud of them both. Indiana is a very smart little cookie - she is lapping up tricks, obedience and agility like a little sponge. She's going to take after her mother (Dancer) as a champion agility dog. She now jumps up into our arms on command! I always wanted a dog that could jump into my arms - and now we have 15 kilo of border collie that likes to give it a try at any moment! |
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| (no subject) |
[Oct. 17th, 2007|12:45 am] |
| [ | mood |
| |  excited | ] |
Maverick went to agility tonight - his fourth week I think. He is already doing tunnels, jumps and the A-frame with ease. He is my little star! I am so proud of Mike too. He has been getting right into it - he even went for the game trials on Sunday volunteered as a steward for the whole day.
If you have a dog and really want to have some fun (and the dog more so) agility is such a cool sport.
We saw the lady we are getting our new pup from tonight at agility. We get to pick her up Thursday week on Mike's birthday! (He knows how to time good things on his birthday).
As we were standing talking to the breeder, another lady that owns two of her dogs walked up, also with one of the breeders dogs. Plus the breeder brought one with her. So that made four Border Collies and Maverick made five. I have never seen a more beautiful image than five borders all sussing each other out, and wanting to play. Did I mention these were all these dogs are from the same line (including Maverick sort of, his Dad is owned by the breeder, though we got him elsewhere) - these dogs are just magnificant looking - brains and beauty.
My dream to own kennels and just fill it with Border Collies *sigh*
I've got so much work to get done before the puppy takes over the house. I want a few more images done and dusted before then and before the games begin! We just made it through the last 2-years with Maverick and we will be starting over again. But it's SO much fun - when they do that first sit and/or shake hands, and their first beg and their first wee on the floor *groan*
Indiana (as she will be called) is already on the waitlist for puppy school.
Anyway some new titbits below. Re the watermarks, just call me paranoid these days...
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| Wonder Dogs |
[Sep. 19th, 2007|08:51 am] |
| [ | mood |
| |  tired | ] |
We've started to take Maverick to agility lessons as of last week. Last night they had trials for the Masters dogs. I swear those dogs are so amazing.
Mike got to run a masters dog! He did so good. Though he reckons the dog did all the work. The judge asked him if he'd done it before and of course he hadn't.
If you love dogs and ever get the chance to go see them in agility action - do it! They are wonderdogs!
Someone had a cute little border collie puppy there too - it was a boy but Mike wants another girl. But it had the most gorgeous markings. |
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| (no subject) |
[Sep. 14th, 2007|11:53 pm] |
There are some things in live that are just too funny... The Chasers had me rolling on the floor this week with their antics at APEC.
http://www.abc.net.au/tv/chaser/war
I can't believe how easily they got through the security. |
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| Long Post for Missy taken from us 28th August 2007 |
[Sep. 6th, 2007|03:40 pm] |
We had to get Missy PTS on Tuesday. She would have turned eleven years old on the 29th August 2007.
It was such a shock. She was gone within four weeks of her diagnosis. She had hemangiosarcoma - the nastiest most aggressive cancer dogs can get. It's an ugly disease and if I even win a million, it will definately go to research in that area.
We were going to take her in for chemo on Monday, Sunday night she could walk no further than a few steps, so we took her in on Monday anyway, after x-rays and an ultrasound the bad news came that the cancer had gone into the back leg as well :-(
We bought her home, Mike had wanted to get her PTS there and then, but I couldn't, plus our local vets were too busy with an emergency to come out. So we rang the most gorgeous vet who specialises in euthenaisia's at home, and she came out the next afternoon around 4.30pm. So we got to have another special 24-hours with our baby doll. Plus it helped me, to have that time with her and also made me realise how sick she was, I was having so much trouble with the decision.
It may sound over the top to some people, but after losing nine babies and still having no children of our own and all the sadness that comes with that - she was my baby. And every time I lost a child, she was there for me (us) with tonnes of cuddles and lots of love. So she was very special to us.
My Mum went in for her kidney cancer op Thursday (doing ok so far). Then Saturday night our cat Gizmo got sick (he's ok now).
Probably won't be around much for another week or so due to Mum coming out of hospital and probably needing some homecare.
I've attached a lovely note Mike wrote in his journal the night Missy died.
************************************
Well Missy has left us now and we've cried buckets, Sue's downed her second Jack Daniels and dry can, I've just started my second scotch and coke can.
We've had a tough day but on the other hand it's been wonderful.
Sue had mentioned the sleep over in her email, we set up a mattress in the lounge room and both lay either side of Missy in her bed, patting her through the night.
I went up this morning and got Missy a Sausage and Egg McMuffin as well as Hot cakes for breakfast.
We've spent the rest of the morning with her grooming her and patting her both inside and outside in the sun (when the rain threatening clouds have broken). When it started to sprinkle (rain) we bought her inside and continued the pats and grooming fest.
Yesterday we'd contacted a vet who has a business (Epitaph) that specialises in caring, humane home euthenasia who came and saw us this afternoon. (I'll get back to this).
Missy got to eat some Sausage and Meat Spaghetti bolognese (Spag Bog is one of her favourites) during the afternoon.
About an hour before Belinda (from Epitaph) came I carried Missy out the front to go to the toilet, after she had her wee she walked a few steps and lay down in the sun on the grass. We had Maverick (our boy border collie) on his lead out there with us. As it happened a Mr Whippy (Soft Service Ice Cream truck came through our street so we bought her a single cone ice cream (a first for her, though she has had ice cream before (and yoghurt and frozen yoghurt)). After the ice cream we heard something that we'd never heard from her before - a fart! We've smelt them before but never ever heard them (in 10 1/2 years), we'd heard her burp but never fart. So that gave us a good laugh.
We just lay on the lawn and when the black Volkswagen van turned up we spoke with Belinda (the vet) who then gave Missy a sedative to calm her. I then carried her back inside to our lounge room which still had the double foam matress on the floor from the slumber party last night. I took care of some paperwork, consent form, form to arrange for her cremation and memorial box. Belinda then talked us through what was going to happen. We've had two other pets euthenased in the past but this was really lovely the way that Belinda explained to us what she would be doing before hand. That she would put a catheter into her arm to deliver an anaesthetic and that we should talk to her as she went under the anaesthetic as she would be able to feel us but then only hear us as she went under. (If you've ever been under an anaestetic you'd know that it's not painful and rather peaceful). That Belinda would then flush the line with saline and when we were ready administer the overdose of drugs that would put her beyond pain forever.
After this was all explained Belinda then lit some incense (relaxing scents).
The steps above were taken and our baby departed us taking parts of our hearts with her even though she will be in what has been left of our hearts for ever so never leaving us. We were left with her alone for a while to say private final farewells.
When Belinda returned she removed the catheter and then took a paw print for us on a poem she had written when one of her fur babies went to rainbow bridge previously and added some hair in a ribbon that had been removed for where the catheter was put. Very beautiful. Gave Sue a lovely bath bomb for de-stressing.
Missy was then with great care and dignity placed on a gurney which until this point had been left in the vehicle outside. Missy was placed on a blanket with a blanket over her body but not her face so we could say even more last words and kisses when she was put into the vehicle, basically a pet hearse that was fitted out inside with restraints for the gurney and our baby.
As hard as it was, Missy has always been our special girl through good and bad times ready to give us a hug and kiss when ever we needed one (she would actually get up and rest her head on our shoulder and tuck her face against our necks whenever we asked for a hug). It was our time to be there for here when she needed us to look out for her. Having Belinda (Epitaph) come to our home and give this traumatic time all the care, respect and dignity that our girl deserved has been such a tremendous help for us. Being a trained vet Belinda listened to Missy's lungs and heart, could hear the trouble she was having and knowing the oncologist who had seen her (a big thankyou and hugs to Dr Ken Wyatt at Murdoch University Veterinary Hospital) and that if he had suggested it was best for her that it was. Was so reassuring, Dr Wyatt's honesty and support was just so helpful at such a difficult time. When we said that we weren't leaving her alone, that someone had to be home at all time with her, he said he'd do the same thing. When we wanted this test and that test done to ensure that the diagnosis was correct and that we had exhausted and confirmed that all possible causes of action had been checked before we made the decision that we made on behalf of the special girl who all those years ago selected me when we went to look at a litter of border collies. We hope that she loved being with us as much as we loved having her.
We love you Missy and always will.
Mike.
********************************************
A pic of our Little Lady taken in April 2007.
One of Maverick and Missy in Feb 2007.
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| And they call the dog - Maverick |
[Aug. 4th, 2007|12:40 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | high | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Crowded House | ] |
So anyway - we have this 2 year old Border Collie called Maverick (yes we have two, Missy and Maverick). He is just SO smart, not the s m a r t Homer kind of smart, the real kind of smart.
He can roll over, lay, sit, shake hands, sit on his hind legs and beg, come, get in his bed, be quiet when you tell him (most of the time), go on the slide and up ladders etc (Missy can do all of that and more). We say he "bounces". Border Collies tend to bounce!
Mike has taught him to wait for his food and eat on command - I won't tell you what command - needless to say it is related to animation!
This morning, they are all excited waiting for their breakfast. Running around and yelping as they normally do.
Mike goes out there, Maverick takes out a chair in excitement, does about three circles, then his bowl goes on the floor and Mike tells him to wait. Well his head is down, totally focused on the food, but just sitting their waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting - for his command to eat. Then the command is given and it's all gone in about 30 seconds flat.
It was so funny, I was rolling around in laughter, all the excitement and then it's just stop and wait and then woooooooooooooooooooooooooooof down.
He is such a clever little (well not so little now) dog! Border Collies are so gorgeous, smart, ours are placid and loving.
But if you are ever thinking of getting one - remember they need SO much of your time!
We go see The Cure tonight - woohoo! We saw them about 15 years ago when they came here last. Tickets were sold out within 38 minutes. I see that they didn't have Love Cats on their playlist in Singapore - devastated. But it should be a very cool concert none the less. |
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| Butterfly Kisses |
[Jul. 2nd, 2007|10:41 am] |
| [ | mood |
| |  sad | ] |
I guess a new peice has been a long time in coming. It's so hard to keep up and keep going with all the medical stuff happening.
But I finally got something completed!
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| (no subject) |
[Apr. 25th, 2007|12:40 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | optimistic | ] |
Snagged from zumfaerie
'If you read this, if your eyes are passing over this right now, even if we don't speak often, please post a comment with a memory of you and me. It can be anything you want -- good or bad. When you're finished,post this little paragraph on your blog and be surprised (or mortified) about what people remember about you.' |
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| (no subject) |
[Apr. 7th, 2007|11:39 am] |
I've not exercised for two weeks - well aside from 45 to 60 minute walks every second night. But no intense exercise and Mike say's I have been a grump.
We watched the movie Art School Confidential last night - gawd talk about a re-run of your art school days. I could pick all the people and give them a name, from students to teachers to the art dealer guy! Loved the movie!
Anyway this week I sat and painted a gnome. I don't like the paints I used, so I wanted to go shopping today for some more. But it seems time has escaped me. I may have to look into a better scanning option, because it certainly looks a whole lot different (better) in real life.
Somebody Loves You
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| Anniversary |
[Mar. 28th, 2007|11:24 am] |
| [ | mood |
| | hopeful | ] |
Today is our wedding anniversary - 15 years!
I'm so lucky to have such a wonderful husband - I hope we get to make it to 50 years together. A little tip - if you marry - marry a good conversationalist, a person with wit, a good sense of humour, and make sure he is caring, generous in love and cuddly!
We are going to the Witches Cauldron for dinner. I am mega excited, since I lost my job we don't get to go anywhere these days, money is so tight - but we had a little left over from Christmas presents, so it's going to be put to good use!
http://www.witchs.com.au
They have the best garlic prawns in the world! People come from all over the globe and go there, just to have their garlic prawns.
Gizmo was really sick on Monday morning. I thought he was dying - I initially thought he'd broken his nose, it was swollen and snooty and he was SO hot. He wouldn't move. I quickly whisked him off to the vets, where he stayed for the day. He is better now, still a little quiet and not wanting to play with Mojo, but at least he's here and alive. He's my little furry baby, so I was so scared on Monday that I was going to lose him. I think I cried bucket loads of tears.
I'm drawing up something to try out in acrylics - fingers crossed and lots of good vibes that it will work out - I am itching to do some "real" painting. |
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| Expensive Puppies |
[Mar. 15th, 2007|01:07 pm] |
Gawd $300.00 to get both the dogs vaccinated and heartwormed! Seems like a cauldron of gold coins worth when you don't have a day job.
But they are worth every penny - keep telling me that. Worth every penny. Worth every penny. Worth every penny!
The Veterinary clinic's renovations look nice though - think I'm in the wrong field of work! |
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| Kiss Me I'm... |
[Mar. 8th, 2007|10:46 am] |
| [ | Current Location |
| | Australia | ] |
| [ | mood |
| | hot | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Sweet Home Alabama | ] |
HOT! Up around 42 degrees celcius. We've been going to the beach the last three days. It's about a 30 minute drive there and back, but it's been worth it. We've taken Maverick along and he's just been so GOOD! No doggy fights etc. A couple of Ralph's due to the salt water, but by the third day he'd figured out it's best NOT to drink the salt water. Gotta love a Border Collie - smart little cookies.
And he's been SO cute! He swims for his ball in the ocean. Then he swims back to Mike or I, so we can hold him up. He can then rest in the water before he dog paddles off again. My big baby!
Next step is to try to get Missy (our 10 year old Border Collie) down there as well. Lil' Miss Grumpy wants to take on every dog on the planet to protect her baby Maverick. She is very protective of him, even though he's now 18 months old.
We've taken her a few times in the past, but she's just too agro at all the other dogs. Not sure how to handle it. Maybe take her on her own and try to keep her distracted. It's just a protective thing - before we got Maverick I don't think I'd ever heard her growl. She was like a sweet little angel.
The cats have been sleeping in the tiolet or the laundry to get out of the heat, poor little furry bubba's.
Oh did I mention our air conditioner is broken :-( My computer and work space is in one of the hottest areas in the house *cry*
Some images I've been working on lately :-)
Kiss Me I'm Irish
Kiss Me I'm Lovable |
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| (no subject) |
[Mar. 1st, 2007|10:21 am] |
| [ | mood |
| | depressed | ] |
I'm about to scream. My computer has been playing up for over a month now. Mike's tried just about everything he can think of to fix it. The work I've had to redo or lost is just getting too much to bear.
I've even been saving things twice, in fear of losing something in the next crash. This morning both files were corrupted :-(
Begging that law of attraction for $2000 for a new computer!
Think I'll go become a couch potato today. |
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| (no subject) |
[Jan. 19th, 2007|04:19 pm] |
I did a heap of these up before Christmas to get a set of twelve. Now I have the nightmare of getting them all up on my site, on products etc. I just wanna sit and draw something challenging! I have SO many sketches, that are aching to get finished.
I did the last one after Steve Irwin died. I dunno why, but it affected me a bit. I used to think he was a twat, but I guess once I realised what he did for animals, him being a twat wasn't so important anymore. So it was my little tribute to him. |
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| Christmas Day 2006 |
[Dec. 28th, 2006|12:42 pm] |
| [ | mood |
| | grateful | ] |
| [ | music |
| | Good Times Hoodoo Gurus | ] |
Christmas was very quiet, but nice. With our loss the week only four days before, we just wanted to be together. We had Mum over for a hot lunch, luckily the really hot weather held out until we had finished lunch. Mike's dad came over Christmas Eve and dropped off goodies.
I got a lovely double set of Poison perfume, Hoodoo Guru's CD (woot! finally) and a very special present - all from Mike. He bought me a watch many Christmas's ago, with a Warner Bros Sylvester face and had it engraved. It's been broken for years, anyway he got it fixed for me for Christmas. The best present ever!
We had fun watching Missy and Maverick unwrap their presents on their own - clever little doggies! Mike said the cats christmas pressie, was that they get to live here another year :->
Now it's back to drawing and work as normal, well until New Years Eve - not quite sure what we are up to then! |
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| Contemplative and Impatient |
[Jul. 19th, 2006|08:19 am] |
| [ | mood |
| |  contemplative | ] |
It's been a bit slow this week, on and off bed rest, feels like it's been a year so far. But my one saving grace, well four of them, is Missy, Maverick, Gizmo and Mojo - I love hanging with my kooky little furry kritters.
We have been organising new tote bags, mouse mats and stickers and got our new Robo cutter, the thing is an amazing little peice of equipment - well it will be when I figure it out. We've had two visits from the guys at Magic Touch and very impressed with the service we got. There is SO much to do and get organised.
Found some beautiful soaps I can get wholesale and can't wait to get them organised. Even Mike mentioned how nice they were to use.
Definately looking forward to doing markets!
You know I love my hubby so much, he has been getting into the Magic Touch and being so supportive, in many ways that I can't make a comment on just yet.
Nothing much else exciting happened - oh except a lovely birthday lunch put on by my hubby, my Mum and my Step Mum. All my family and close friends were there, we had SO much food. But the seafood kebabs went off the best. It was a perfect day. And then the night of my birthday, my hubby took me to the Witches Cauldron for dinner - my favourite restaurant. It was perfect :-) Mike bought me 200 watercolour coloured pencils - ugg I just wanted normal ones, but now I guess I'll have to have a go at these :-) |
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| Such a long time! |
[Jun. 22nd, 2006|08:43 am] |
| [ | mood |
| |  sleepy | ] |
I am so bad at trying to keep up with writing! Things have been very hectic and once again we are doing the fertility drugs so I am very tired at the moment and falling asleep at the drop of a hat.
Exciting news though - yesterday we go our Magic Touch system and the quality of the prints is just awesome! Can't wait to fill the house with products and get moving with things.
Mike also got me a bigger hard-drive yesterday. There is a painting I've been wanting to finish, but can't do to no hard-drive space, so I am really excited to be able to get that finished as well.
I also got my jewelry from the USA, you can view it here:
http://www.mojo.com.au/jewelry.htm
It just looks amazing, the website does not do it justice. The colours are so vibrant, I am so in love with it. It's just the type of jewelry I would wear so I am very happy - can't you tell!
Been hanging out for the new Pirates of the Carribean, totally itching to see it. It's out around my birthday, so I've asked Mike for a ticket to La Premiere (the posh section with the best view) to go see it.
We also saw Split Enz last Friday night. I am not a big fan, but Mike is. The first half of the concert was a bit blah, but they totally rocked in the second half. |
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| (no subject) |
[Dec. 27th, 2005|10:21 am] |
Well if that was Christmas - it's gone.
A busy day, visiting all the relies. Next year, Mike reckons they are all getting a postcard from overseas!
Mike bought me a beautiful new art folio, the Indiana Jones DVD set, and wrote me a beautiful love letter (which was my favourite present). I got lots of goodies from the parents - a new quilt cover (that Mother-in-law said "is that for your spare room?"), my Mum piped up and said "No it's for their bedroom"...it's bright! I love bright bold colours.
We got money from Mike's parents to go to a hotel for a night and were told specifically it had to be spent on that. They are so sweet. We were very spoilt.
Totally spoiled the dogs with bones and pet toys etc. All I've heard from Maverick is squeaks all day!
I had a good day all up. I missed seeing my favourite neices though, but everyone is so busy these days, too much family to see all in one day!
Now what's on New Years Eve?
p.s. I just told Mojo - if he does the dishes I'll supply a years worth of fish for breakfast, lunch and dinner!
Back to drawing, I keep drawing and not painting or colouring. I think I'll have enough drawings to last a lifetime of colouring soon!
A new sketch - "April Rose"
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makinmojo's journal
distressed
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