THE DOGS ARE HOME!!!!

I put new batteries in my camera and off we went to pick up the girls.

We parked at Pethaven (quarantine place) and opened all the doors of the car so that it would still be cool when they got into their new “doggie mobile”.
Straight down to the kennels we went. Because the MAF person had come to give the last OK for the release of the girls that day the girls were spread out between 4 kennels. Robyn opened them quickly one after the other and the girls few out esthetic as always to see us. They ran off to the end of the fenced off kennel area where they were sometimes combed and bathed, Kiwi in front. We had left the door to this area and to the outside world open. Kiwi came to a stop, looked with unbelief that the always closed gate was now open and saw her chance to escape and she ran, hopped and skipped to her freedom barking loudly her joy to finally feel anything but contreet under her paws. It was a sight to see. Rowi ran like the wind but fell over her own paws after not being able to have practiced these high speeds for 30 days. Tieka, as we are all used to, barked and wagged her tail like there was no tomorrow and Vaglie and Zanna followed all the others and Im sure I saw them smiling!!!
They jumped into the car with out me asking and checked it out before jumping out again to go and examine the grounds and offices they had been so close to all this time but never aloud to enter.
Finally when the dogs were finished with inspecting and Robyn had given me the necessary papers the girls got into the car again and HOME we went.
Unfortunatly one half of my family wasn’t at our place to see the first reactions of the dogs but did arrive fairly soon after to enjoy.
Well the reaction of the girls was sooooooooooo great. They hurled out of the car running all the way down the garden and back to tell us how cool it all was. They inspected everything. Kiwi was the most through taking her time to check everything, both garden and house, in a calm and methodical manner.
I can truly say they loved it!
We got take aways and had dinner with 12 people and 5 very spoilt girls as they were “being trained” by the younger members of the family and got fish and chips as rewards. I think the girls thought they had died and gone to heaven. They enjoyed all the attention and gladly did any trick asked of them. Even Kiwi lowered her standards of being a stubborn Estrela and preformed.
My brothers dog Rusty (a German shepherd) took it all in her stride. She is such a nice girl. Excellent with other dogs but unfortunately with humans at first standoffish. We wonder what happened to her in her earlier life, she was already fully grown before coming here a year ago. I think the arrival of her new family will do her good as well. Already she is getting cheeky towards the girls, its very funny to see.
Well needless to say the camera didn’t see daylight all day so I personally don’t have photos of the arrival but its not really a thing you can show in a photo anyway.
Now a walk on the beach. That’s the sort of thing that is so much better to show!
Good thing we went to Piha beach the next day eh.
Wow what a beautiful and impressive beach it is. Lions rock is huge, in real life truly a really lovely sight to behold! The road down to Piha is steep and windy and needs all your concentration to drive it safely. Next time Ill get my brother to drive so I can enjoy the magnificent sight on the drive down. Ill also try to get a picture of the view, it really is beautiful!!!
So for now a few photos of us on the beach. The dogs LOVED IT. Oh and we humans did too J
Photos taken by my sister-in-law Kate with her camera. My batteries will last a long time at this rate.

Time for a good laugh.

Up till now we have had wonderful weather….. except for one day. With Murphy’s law being Murphy’s law this meant that exactly that day we had to clear out our house so the floors would be free for the carpet company. The floors had to be prepared before they can lay the vinyl.
It rained and poured, very windy but not cold. Most things we could keep inside but 2 cupboards, 2 beds, tables and a standing light had to go under the overhanging veranda. With huge plastic covers we covered most keeping it in place with bricks and sticky tape. I must say Bill (my brother) and I did an excellent job and all was still dry a day after.
But we did have one unfortunate storm casualty. A lovely tree which the wild birds seem to really love had fallen down L. Oh well nothing to do about it and someone cut it up into bits small enough to handle.
I was still blissfully unaware what my fate was for today when I woke up.
In the morning I had seen my brother on his lawnmower/mini tractor and thought to myself as he jerked inelegantly into movement how I would do that so much better if I ever got onto such a thing. He parked next to the fallen down tree and I thought nothing of it.
I walked up the garden after being called by Bill to come and help. Cool, I like to work in the garden…
Can you imagine my surprise when I was told to get onto the lawnmower/mini tractor and given a quick lesson how to handle this temperamental little thing that is obviously made for strong men. Getting the thing into gear meant pushing with all your strength on the brake peddle on the left. Getting the thing into gear was exciting, the father to the left the faster it went, and the gear lever needed both hands to wrench it into place. Slowly I lifted the brake that was also the clutch, I’d do it the elegant way ;-). Up and up but it didn’t catch until at nearly the highest point WOSH, head wipped back hard, hold on for dear life on the steering wheel, brother lips moving telling me what to do but what I could not hear because of the sound of the motor and off we went in a steady slow pace with a huge grin on my face. Gosh this was fun, bloody scary but really fun!
The garden isn’t flat. It is really quite steep, esp. when perched on a lawnmower/mini tractor with the knowledge that you had to “SIT ON THE SIDE OF THE SEAT” when going side ways on a sloop. Thankfully your body naturally steers you to the correct side because if I would have had to think where to sit while driving this new sensation I would have been to late in choosing the right side.
Now I’m sure you have already looked at the flattering photo of me at work. And laugh you may, I did too. It was fun and I’m proud to look like an idiot hahaha.

Its been a long time and to be honest I could have stalled even longer as its still a busy time. Another big factor is that the computers here haven’t been too cooperative up till now so each mail has its exciting time consuming moments, “can it be finished and actually sent before having to reboot the computer and write it again?” No doggy photos for the moments as they are on another computer. Perhaps Ill do a “quick” log in there to post a dog jail photo later today.

The girly dogs all arrived safe in NZ an hour later than expected and greeted Robyn (who is the quarantine kennel owner) and the customs people just as happily as they did visitors that come to our house. Kiwi was apparently the biggest hit with the customs men. Yes well, this was to be expected as any self respecting butch NZ man cant possibly go gaga over little curly coated Lagotti LOL..
To all our amazement all 5 girls hadn’t weeed or poepied in their crates so no guesses as to what the first action was of the girls once released.
Every 2 or 3 days I go see the dogs that are still in quarantine. They are doing very well. The first 2 visits they would try do come with us when we left. But after that when we left them they stayed back looking resigned to their prison sentence.
The owner Robyn is a super nice animal loving lady, an opinion not only shared by myself but also the dogs. They react with happy enthusiasm when Robyn and/or her daughters, who work there too, come and have a natter while we sit and cuddle the dogs. The reaction is quite different should one of the work men attempt to walk past the kennels. They bark like mad looking ever so pleased with themselves that their attempts at being guard dogs is working so well.
The quarantine place is also boarding kennels for NZ dogs and cats who’s owners are on holiday but this service will be stopped at the end of this month and they will solely be a quarantine facility. Hence the reason for all the workmen present doing big renovations that will benefit both humans and dogs in its space and practicality.
Just another 8 days, the big escape for the dogs is on the 30th. I cant wait so see the girls reaction from being locked up in kennels for 30 days to being aloud to come out of the door! And then their reaction to getting out of the car and having the run of our huge garden with large sloping grass land. I’m sure Tieka will bark her lungs out with joy!!!

There is still much to do at home. The vinyl that I ordered is European but fortunately a piece big enough to do my new home was available in Australia. Unfortunately there wasn’t a container on its was for a while so the floor will not be ready before the dogs arrive. Also the kitchen is not a kitchen. Oh well then we “have to” eat dinners with my brother and sister-in-law. I rather enjoy that so its no big sacrifice.

I only hope that the container from Holland with all my worldly possessions will be delayed. If it arrives before the vinyl is laid it will be a bit of a pain in the butt. Oh well what will be will be.

Getting here was sort of a miracle. Many organizing things went wrong but finally sorted themselves. The worst being the dates for the dogs transport being changed at the last moment and my hand bag with our flight tickets and passport being packed three quarters down the 22 cubic meter container destined for NZ was pretty exciting. I ask you, what man in his right mind picks up a woman’s hand bag let alone pack it away in a box? The container was emptied and the hand bag was found. Someone mentioned that such bizarre things could only happen to me LOL


On the day of the flight it was wonderful to see how many people came to send us off. I didn’t expect that at all as in the weeks before I had said my goodbyes to nearly everyone. I was proud that people would take the time to come to the surprise parties friends had organized for me. The extra attention at the airport was the icing on the cake.

The flight was excellent. It had its not so nice moments too. With out me knowing my 83 year old mother had packed a fork, knife and a spoon in her cabin bag as a last minute thing because it was part of a set she got from her sister as a wedding present and were forgotten to be packed with the rest. The fact that these things are not aloud in planes these days didn’t cross her mind. Thankfully the customs people thought it rather cute and let us though. Then the arrival in NZ had its exciting moment as my mother again without thinking had placed a banana in her handbag to eat later. But bringing in fruit, drugs and sex magazines into NZ is totally taboo. So we groveled and pleaded it was all a mistake and after getting a big scolding we were fortunately let in to NZ and told never to do it again.

Tomorrow we are off to the girls again. It is situated on the outskirts of a small town called Pokeno, approximately 70 minute drive. I take a big assortment of raw food for the dogs with me. They love all the goodies that come out of it and are totally roly-poly by the time we leave. On the way home we go into the 5 shop strong town to get a world famous huge Pokeno 2 scoop ice cream and buy a kilo Pokeno pork sausages for on the BBQ.

Sorry that its been so long but I hope this update has helped a little with the lack of news. More to follow…. Esp photos.

Ps I have the same email address arrow_8@yahoo.com . My mobile has changed and is now 027 5888988. Land code being 0064 and drop the 0 before the 27.