So much happening!

Sorry my 'blends' - life has been fun and crazy lately and my blog has been sadly neglected. Fortunately many of you also know me on Facebook so have been able to keep up with me there. I see it's almost a month since I last posted but it's been a good month with many wonderful things happening.

Big news No 1 - I got a call from Clive on Wednesday 27 July - he was back in Oz and in Melbourne with Jo - they went up to the snow for a couple of days then were heading up to see us for the weekend. I had already had a couple of conversations with him since he arrived back the previous Saturday and was wondering why he was ringing me at 4pm on my way home from work. Well he was ringing me to tell me that he and Jo had just got engaged. You should have heard me squealing with delight - I was driving home so this was all taking place via bluetooth on my car speakers - hilarious. Anyway one very happy and delighted Maw here. They came up to us on the Friday and stayed till Monday so we got the chance to get to know Jo a bit better. Think she's just great and they seem so relaxed and happy together. Clive headed back to Korea again last night for a 10 week stint this time. By the time he gets back the two townhouses he's been building in Melbourne will be ready for occupation - he's renting one and they'll live in the other and so they plan to have a housewarming/engagement party - that'll be towards the end of October. They're planning to get married next Easter but still in the throes of sorting out venues etc. So terribly exciting.

The rock - I asked what colour gold the band was as I couldn't see past the diamond!!



The happy couple

On the shores of the river when we went for breakfast last Sunday morning

Big news No 2 - we're going to have another new family member after we get back from our trip.  I've been browsing around the animal rescue pages to see who was in need of our love and who looked like they were meant to be ours.  Last Friday I spotted this lovely fellow who seemed to touch a chord - his eyes reminded me so much of our wonderful Zanna.  But of course we'd decided that we wouldn't get another dog until after our trip - would be unfair to bring a dog home for a month then put it in the kennels for 5 weeks while we're gone.  However I emailed the shelter to say that we really liked the look of this guy, explained that we were going away  but if he was still around when we got back we'd definitely be interested.  The lady from the shelter replied and agreed that it made sense to wait and that if he wasn't available there would certainly be other K9s in need of our love.  All good.  Then a couple of days later she emailed me again and asked me to ring her.  I did and we had a long chat and she said that there was always the possibility of adopting him now but leaving him with his carer - all their dogs are fostered - until we got back but she said that she'd obviously have to check with the carer first.  I said I'd discuss it with Bloss.  The carer is in Brisbane and the problem was finding time to go and meet him in the next couple of weekends before we go - a trip to Brissy takes out a whole weekend.  Then thought a bit more and realised that it was a long way to go for a 10 minute meeting which wouldn't tell me much more about him.  So after further discussion with Bloss - he's so wonderful and long suffering and puts up with my 'everything needs to happen now' approach to life!!  He was saying why the rush and I've got my long face on and he says - you really like this dog don't you - yes I do but even so it would depend on whether or not the shelter agree to out proposal and whether the carer can keep him for another 9 weeks.  Anyway put the proposal to the shelter and she said she'd check with the carer and get back to me.  This took from Wednesday night to Friday afternoon and then I got an email saying the carer would keep him and that I should ring her and have a chat.  I did - she was a delightful Kiwi lady (Belinda) - aren't they all - from Nelson (about 20 years ago) and after talking to her I'm even more convinced that he's the lad for us.  So now some photos

Introducing Merlin :

How could you resist that face - he's 12 months old.

Belinda says he learns really quite quickly

I think he'll be a bit bigger than Zanna

HIs history is that he wasn't abused but was quite neglected - only fed scraps I think and so was painfully thin when Belinda got him 2 months ago

So he will certainly make our holiday coming to an end a lot easier to bear!

Other news - weight loss is crap - not gaining but just not losing - I go well for a few days then something happens and I lose my focus.  I'm annoyed with myself for not knuckling down and losing a few kilos but even so I'm just not getting in the groove.  However with a young dog to train and walk and a wedding early next year that should make me get my act together when we get back from holidays.

Less than four weeks now till we're off - excitement levels mounting!  Now must be off and do some food shopping, try and sort out Bloss's packing - he tends to hang all his clothes up in a pile in the bottom of the wardrobe - so a bit of sorting out required and then G, T and the boys will be down for tea tonight.

Hope all is well in your worlds
Take care my lovelies.
Zanna  xx