training daze

Posted by trish on Sep 27, 2011 in Blog | 5 comments

You’ve probably heard that old nugget “having a dog is really good training for having a baby”.  Having now had both, I think I would have to agree.  I’m not sure whether there are benefits to having human babies before dog babies, or vice versa, but I can tell you about the interesting time we’ve been having here at chez Smith since the two pups arrived, approximately 13 and a half years after our first baby came on the scene.  There are definite parallels.  And really, the only correct response is to laugh yourself stupid.

Saffy and Darcy are all of nine weeks old which, according to the internet, makes them toddlers.  Bed-wetting, teething, vomiting, nappy-soiling toddlers who fight over their toys and put their faces and arms right into their food bowls.  They don’t listen to commands, they only occasionally respond when called, they get cranky if you take their toys away, and they want to go and play outside even if it is quite obviously blowing a gale out there.

They make a mess of their beds, twisting and turning all night so that all the bedding ends up pushed down one end of the cot and they fall asleep with two legs hanging out the end.

Just when you think they’ve finished doing a wee, they toddle off to the other side of the room and do another one.

And their poohs, though small, are fairly pungent.  Like little beef stock cubes.

We had a one-on-one training session with a puppy trainer on Saturday morning.  So I guess it was a one-on-four, because the trainer, Trish Mitchell, trained our whole family at once.  And let’s be clear… puppy training at nine weeks is just as much about teaching a puppy where to poop as it is teaching the owners how to teach the puppy where to poop.

Trish spent a very generous two and a bit hours with us, calmly and firmly repeating the message that we need to be calm and firm with the puppies.  She was up against it, that’s for sure.  For example:

“Now, Ella, when you want to call her to you, you must use a firm voice, say her name clearly, and be positive and definite about what you are doing.  OK?”

“OK.”

“OK, now you give it a try.”

“Daaarrrceeeee…. Daaaaarrrrceeeee…. come here Daaaarrrcccceeeee…..”

One of the other things Trish kept reminding us of was the need to be calm all the time because the puppies can pick up on the energy you are putting out.  So if you’re really annoyed because your eleven year old has just completely ignored the very clear directions she has just been given, you might need to remove yourself from the immediate vicinity so as not to confuse the pup.

The first few times Saffy squatted in the middle of the dining room floor and proceeded to relieve herself, Madeleine watched in fascination.  She was literally paralysed with shock, and it took a few moments for her to regain her composure enough that she could do what she had been instructed to do in these situations: take the puppy immediately to the Puppy Potty Patch and keep her there for a few minutes so she could make the connection in her mind between pee and the potty.  Then get the bucket of wipes, paper towel, scented nappy bags and odor-neutralising spray (vinegar) and clean it up, calmly and without emotion.  Madeleine?  Madeleine? Take her over to the Potty Patch.  Go on, pick her up and… no, leave the paper for after, just go to the Potty Patch… go straight there, darling, don’t take the scenic route through the kitchen… just go… there you go, thank you.  Good girl!

So the next few months (which, we have to keep reminding ourselves, equates to long, drawn-out YEARS in human terms) will be all about cleaning up pooh that didn’t quite make it onto the Potty Patch and trying to stay calm.  We’ve been here before, PJ and me.  We’ve cleaned up after small animals that don’t yet no how to control their bowels.  We can DO this, goddammit.  We just have to remember to keep doing what Trish told us to do – be calm, be persistent, be assertive.   The difficulty now is that we have to be calm, persistent and assertive in dealing with a couple of little puppies as well as with our own two children, and there’s only so much gin in the house, you know?

my girl

Posted by trish on Sep 25, 2011 in Shoot | 1 comment

fire

Posted by trish on Sep 25, 2011 in Shoot | 5 comments

Sometimes, you see a shot, and you cross your fingers and aim your camera and you hope that you get it.  Then you do.Maybe in some ways photography is a lot like fishing.

This is Sophie, one of the riders in Madeleine’s group jumping class, riding as the sun set slowly in the west.  I’ve taken some crackers of Sophie during their lessons but this one is my favourite so far.  Her parents have asked me to get a print done for her.  I’m chuffed, I really am.

Saffy

Posted by trish on Sep 25, 2011 in Shoot | 4 comments

Photo by PJ. 

Darcy

Posted by trish on Sep 25, 2011 in Shoot | 2 comments

Photo by PJ.

piccolo puppies

Posted by trish on Sep 22, 2011 in Shoot | 6 comments

My friend Kate came around today to meet the puppies and request more photos of the puppies on the blog, please.  Oh, okay then.

That’s Saffy on the left with the big white tip on her tail.  Darcy, out of focus in the foreground, is slightly bigger, slightly darker and has only a little bit of a white tip on her tail.  The thing under Saffy’s eye, I’m sorry to say, is just dirt.  We gave them a bath tonight, on account of them smelling like dogs.  Dogs who had just spent half an hour chewing lamb bones that had been thoughtfully split open lengthwise in order to access the marrow, which ended up all over both of their faces and all of their paws.

Anyway, moving on…

Kate asked how much they weighed and since I didn’t know we got out the kitchen scales.  Turns out Darcy’s got about 300gm on Saffy which, when you only weigh a bit over 1.5kgs is quite a lot.

Just for the record, I’ve got a squillion pictures of them on both cameras but I’m having technical issues tonight (meaning I have no idea what I’m doing and PJ isn’t able to help because he’s got More Important Things To Do if you can believe that).  As soon as I get them ready, I’ll post them.  Including… are you sitting down?  A picture of Saffy looking NOT VERY IMPRESSED at being given a bath.  They’re so cute when they’re cranky.

Wallis

Posted by trish on Sep 21, 2011 in Blog | 3 comments

A woman’s life can really be a succession of lives, each revolving around some emotionally compelling situation or challenge, and each marked off by some intense experience.

– Wallis Simpson.

I heard this quote for the first time the other day; Madonna has just directed a film called W.E. (stands for Wallis Edward) about Wallis Simpson, the twice-divorced American woman whom Edward married after abdicating the throne.  I don’t know the context of the remark but it’s been buzzing around in my head for a few days now and I felt like writing about it.

In my novel, the one I’m taking an extremely long break from for no other reason than I’m Lazy, the main character – a woman – goes through a bit of a transformation after a) she loses her job and b) almost loses her marriage.  But she pulls it togther and keeps going, and in doing so becomes a more authentic version of herself.  She starts to figure out which parts of her feel the most honest and real, and which parts she has been trying out for everyone else’s benefit.  I’m not sure if I’ve written it well enough to give this impression but there’s a challenge for me in the editing phase.

I went through an ‘emotionally compelling situation or challenge’ when I had the kids, and this had quite a profound effect on me, as it does on all women.  I became somebody quite different, and not always in a good way.  Ten years or so after Madeleine was born, a situation arose that was also challenging, and the ‘new me’ dealt with it in a way quite different from the way ‘old me’ would have handled it; and that was the moment I recognised how much I had changed.  The next time something emotionally compelling happened, ‘new me’ handled it in more of an ‘old me’ kind of way, and it was… amazing.  I came through it almost unscathed.

A woman’s life can really be a succession of lives… yes, I believe it can.

Each new life can be marked by a change in circumstances -  a big event, a new partner or job,  gaining a qualification or having a baby or moving to another country.  But it’s the changes that happen after those things that really count as the new life.  You do become a different person, and so you do things differently.  Yes, getting older is part of that but it’s the experiences that shape you.

I’m going to start writing again soon, and I have been inspired by this quote from Wallis Simpson.  My main character has three lives to live, each one marked by a new challenge and each one resolved through a fundamental shift in who she thinks she is.  What remains to be seen is if her husband – like mine – has the intestinal fortitude to stick with her through each incarnation.  For better or for worse, for richer or for poorer… for who she is and who she might become.

Saucy Spice Company

Posted by trish on Sep 20, 2011 in Eat | 4 comments

Foodie friends Andrew & Raewyn gave us a box of spices as a house-warming present.

I’ve seen these in shops before, but never tried them.

Mmm… Moroccan Lamb Tagine! Beef Massaman! Butter Chicken and Beef Rendang!I had some chicken in the fridge, so the first one I made was Rangoon Lime Chicken.

I love the packaging.

This is what’s inside; a little cellophane package of yumminess.The exhaust fan above our stove is on the fritz, so I opted to cook this outside on the wok-burner attached to our BBQ.

It was very easy.  Heat the oil, seal the chicken pieces, toss in the spices, mix it all about, add a few extra bits (the full recipe is enclosed in the pack) and simmer for half an hour.  I steamed some broccolini and made some basmati rice to go with it.  It was definitely ‘medium’ spicy; too spicy for the kids, perfect for PJ and I.  I’m going to visit their website and see what they’ve got in the ‘mild’ category.

It was delicious, and I can understand why it made it into the ‘Favourites’ box.

The kids have requested the Butter Chicken next.  I’m curious to see how it compares with the Butter Chicken I’ve been making for the past couple of years.

green!

Posted by trish on Sep 19, 2011 in Blog | 4 comments

Look what my clever husband did!

I’m green again!

Yay!

(thanks, darling… will think of something clever I can do to repay your cleverness. It may involve beer.)

The pups are here.

Posted by trish on Sep 17, 2011 in Shoot | 9 comments

(all images by PJ)

You think that’s cute?

A minute ago, Saffy got up and toddled out of the crate where she and Darcy were sleeping.  She went and had a little drink of water, then came over to say hello to me and we had a little cuddle.  After a minute I guided her gently back towards the crate where Darcy had started to whimper in her sleep; her breathing quickened and her legs were twitching as though she was having a bad dream.  Saffy crept back into the crate, lay down against Darcy – spooning her – and put her front left leg over Darcy’s shoulder. A moment later they were both asleep again.

You can’t make this stuff up.  It took all of our collective self control not to burst into tears, didn’t it Madi?

Yes, it did.

R U OK?

Posted by trish on Sep 15, 2011 in Blog | 3 comments

When I was 23 years old one of my most favourite people in the world died.  She was also only 23, but at that very young age she had decided that she simply couldn’t go on, and she committed suicide.  I spoke to her on the phone about three weeks before she died, and I asked her if she was OK, and she told me she was.  Perhaps if I’d asked her more often, and earlier, I might have had more of a sense of just how desperate she was feeling.  By the time I spoke to her, you see, she’d well and truly made up her mind.Tomorrow is R U OK? Day.  As the spiel on the homepage says:

Thursday 15 September, 2011 is R U OK?Day. It’s a national day of action which aims to prevent suicide by encouraging Australians to connect with someone they care about and help stop little problems turning into big ones.

On that day we want everyone across the country, from all backgrounds and walks of life, to ask family, friends and colleagues: “Are you OK?”.

Staying connected with others is crucial to our general health and wellbeing. Feeling isolated or hopeless can contribute to depression and other mental illnesses, which can ultimately result in suicide. Regular, meaningful conversations can protect those we know and love.

It’s so simple. In the time it takes to have a coffee, you can start a conversation that could change a life.

Like so many people, I have lost a friend to suicide, and although it was 17 years ago I find myself still very much effected by her death.  So excuse me if I call you and ask if you’re OK, or if I call your mother or your brother and ask them if they know if you’re OK…  It’s what I do.

There is one other Cause being recognised this week – it’s National Stroke Week.  My dear friend Sophie’s daughter, Harriet, suffered a stroke when she was just three years old.  The doctors at Melbourne Children’s Hospital’s Pediatric Stroke Clinic worked their magic and next month Harriet will be turning six, and she’s a perfectly normal and happy – albeit ridiculously beautiful – little girl.

If you would like to make a donation to the scientists who are looking for answers in this field, please go to the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute homepage.  Or you can go to Sophie’s etsy store and buy one of her fabulous spinning skirts or some lovely stationery, and she’ll donate some of the proceeds on your behalf.

On this day

Posted by trish on Sep 14, 2011 in Shoot | 2 comments

On this day last year, I woke up in Oslo.  I am really dying to go back there.  It is a stunningly beautiful city, and I spent many, many hours walking around the streets just outside the city centre, marvelling at the architecture and the light.  I hope I can go back soon.

serious question

Posted by trish on Sep 13, 2011 in Blog | 15 comments

One of my dearest friends, the lovely Riitta, told me that she prefers my old blog design because she could log on after a week or more away and see a whole lot of previous posts on the one page; she could scroll down through all of them and read the ones that looked interesting, before getting to the bottom and hitting ‘older posts’ or whatever it used to say.  The latest design, she said, made it difficult to catch up quickly; each post had to be opened individually and the effort was making her break out in hives.  Actually, she didn’t say anything about hives.

What do you think of this design?  Do you like it? Really?? Or would you like me to try something else?  Because, you know, it’s a while since I’ve asked PJ to spend his entire weekend tweaking my blog and perhaps it’s time.  Yeah, yeah, the Rugby World Cup is on but he won’t mind.

Let me know in the comments.  I’m genuinely open to suggestions.  And if you have a favourite design, tell me what it is.  You get bonus points for suggesting one of the ‘Elegant Themes’ because I’ve already paid my registration for those (to see them, click on the link at the very bottom of the page, where it says “designed by elegant themes”).

Cheers,

Trish

real poo, fake grass

Posted by trish on Sep 13, 2011 in Blog | 0 comments

This is the Pet Potty Patch.  If you don’t believe me, go and see it here.

We have just ordered one of these, because we don’t know what the hell we are doing when it comes to The Care & Keeping of Puppies and my friend Ann (recently indoctrinated into the world of new puppy ownership) told me that she wished she’d had one of these things for her puppies.  And Ann’s recommendation is good enough for me because she is very wise and sensible and all her advice about wine and cocktails over the years has been spot-on so I’m giving her the benefit of the doubt.

The fake grass is layered over a grid, which sits above a plastic tray.  Wee goes through to the tray which the kids will then clean up.  Maybe we’ll fill that sucker with kitty litter. Or sanitary napkins.

Poo stays on top, in a neat little pile for the kids to carefully scoop up.  The challenge for Madeleine will be to not throw up.  She witnessed Ann’s puppies doing a sweet little crap under the dining table and she immediately turned white and started dry-retching.

All the puppies have to do is learn to do their business on the Patch, and everything will be OK.

We’ve spent the last month or so grappling with where the puppies will sleep, how they’ll get into the backyard for some fresh air, and whether or not they’ll need a water bowl each or will they be able to share.  I’ve read a lot of stuff online, watched some instructional videos, and asked Ann. We’re also going to buy one of those Puppy Crates and for the first couple of months the pups will sleep in the laundry which has a heated floor.  After that, we’ll move it into the garage which is accessed through a doggie-door which the owner/builders of this house conveniently put in.

I was warned over the weekend that kids tire very quickly of the dog-walking thing.  I was warned that it would be less than a month before they started complaining about having to do that.  If that happens, I’m going to charge the kids $1 each every time they hire me to take their dogs for a walk.  They currently get $10 per week pocket money and if the doomsdayers are correct I’ll be breaking even (and perhaps even making money) by summer.

hello

Posted by trish on Sep 11, 2011 in Blog | 5 comments

Apologies for the unexpected and unforgivable absence.  I think I’ve been a bit too busy.  For a couple of days there I was very upset about something and I knew that if I logged on I would blog about it and that would probably make it worse, so I avoided the computer and watched My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding instead.  The thing I was upset about has paled into insignificance such that I can hardly even remember what it was about so this week should be back to normal.

The puppies arrive on Saturday morning which will give me limitless blogfodder, I’m sure.  And a few noteable things have happened… my Trademark application is in the final stages of approval, so that’s a bit exciting.  And Ella turned 11.

Thanks for being patient with me, yet again.  Not a single one of you gave into the temptation to send me a virtual kick up the backside.  I appreciate that.

What keeps me going.

Posted by trish on Sep 2, 2011 in Shoot | 3 comments

This is a piccolo latte. Actually, it’s two piccolo lattes. I’ve switched from drinking flat whites to two piccolo lattes, which is almost the same thing but I’m pretty sure it’s still less milk.  And that seems to be making a big and positive difference in my life these days.

Good luck finding the focus point in either of these pictures.  Geez, I’m losing my game.