Competition Mania

Hi all it's Molly here.

With all these competitions going on, and us having missed the Mango Minster deadline already (sorry Norwood, I know we have disappointed you), we thought it would be time to get the speedy boots on...

As you all know, we are one "man" down in the Inky and Molly team so I took it upon myself to save face.

Again, it's confusing. Biggie Z's name for his dog pile comp has nothing to do with dogs piled on top of one another (although we could have contributed to that as well). No, no. It's about dogs with piles.
Oh, hang on, that's not it either. Sheesh, this is going all wrong...
No, it's about stuff being piled ontop of the dog. YES! And Airedales too.

So, we're in.

Pinkie thought it was fun to play and good ole me, being such a good sport, I play along with anything they want me to. That's how nice a monster I am.

So here is us getting ready...

 

I am  ready for my first load of washing...

 

Yep, that's one whole load of white washing plus some hand-wash garments.

Yep, just in case you're wondering, it's DIRTY washing. Smelly Pinkie Stuff.

 

Load #2: The Brights (apparently they don't go together with the whites).

 

And load number #3: Dark Smelly Pinkie Stuff plus Inky's beach towel.

 

And the good stuff keeps on coming... Yep, two Stinkie Pinkies hadn't done their washing for a while (their excuse is, looking after Inky is a full-time job...yea, right...)

 

Nicely topped off with some half-dirty stuff they found in the bedroom. "Half -dirty, what's that?", I hear you ask. Apparently, it's the stuff that has half been worn, isn't quite clean clean anymore but doesn't justify wasting water and detergent on it yet.

Well it alll seems pretty complicated to me. Why do they have so many clothes anyway? We only have two coats, on and off. Surely that's enough for anybody??

Anyway, while they decide what's half dirty, dark or bright, I am having a nap (not sure if you can see it, but my eyes are closed and I even uttered a "before bedtime sigh")...

...before I get rudely awaken by the tape measure. Dog, do I hate that thing. It's made from metal and I CANNOT stand the noise it makes. I am off...

But pinkie had just enough time to work out that my pile is just under 1m high. Should I be going to the doctor's???


Moving right along, next up is Tucker's sit -stay contest.

As you know, the Airedale is a direct descendant of the ape and thus I am very good not only at climbing trees but also at hauling myself up onto any other elevated platform whenever I wish to do so.

Here I am on top of the fish pond at my grandparents' home...

And you all know about my fave spot in the back yard to have a tete-a-tete or a romantic dinner for two with my fave male pinkie. Well, I also like to spend time there by myself, watch the birds, peek over the fence to spy on the neighbours or to simply to reflect on life...

 

And that's my entry for Tucker's contest!

MOLLY

Little Miss Lampshade

Hi all

Yes, yes. Very funny. I sure heard them all by now....

Little Miss Lampshade, Lady Satillite, Funnel Head, Bucketling etc on top of the Lady Hopsalot and Miss Limpsalot. I must tell you, it's all wearing a bit thin now and I am ready to go back to normal.

But apparently it is only week three of six full weeks of nix, nuffin, nada, zip & zilch.

Everyday I make a point of giving them THE LOOK as often as possible, just to show that I think it's all THEIR fault. And it is. THEIR FAULT. Why did HE have to take me there, and why wasn't SHE there to protect me?!! And all that looking I do... it's working.

I have them so far, that they take me for drives instead of the daily walks and romps on the beach, feed me culinary delights every hour on the hour and carry me to as many different locations throughout the day as possble in order to stimulate the "Airedale's delicate mind", like a person in the know once said.

I give Molly as much grief as possible too (why ME and not HER?) and run into her with that dreaded cone of mine as hard and as often as I possibly can. Hah, why should I be the only one suffering here? What did I ever do to anybody?

The good thing is, every time I get a treat (hourly), the helmet comes off. I quickly sneak in a lick of my THIRD non-healing wound on THE LEG before the culinary delight is served. She yells. I give her the "MUM, I am suffering, BIG TIME!!"-look...

and she forgives instantly, serving the delicious snack anyway...


My fave these days is dog sausage stuffed in a Kong. Contrary to its name, dog sausage does NOT contain dog, it is however served to dogs. And Airedales like it too! Inkys especially.

So some of the stinky goodness gets cut up into long pieces, then she smears it into the Kong, nice and tight, so its stuck together and to all sides like some kind of mashed paté paste. Enter the Inky tongue, and GO!!!..

The rest is history...

 

That takes about 20 -30 min (depending on stuffing technique) out of my BORING ole existence so I ensure I have a few of those throughout the day.

So things are still a bit drab but I am surviving just fine. Thank you for all your kind meassage, I really appreciate them.


Love,

The Inkypup

Drive-Thru Wednesday

Hi all, it's Molly here.

The pinkies hadn't left the house together for a while as one of them had always been staying with the patient at home.

So I thought I would be nice to take everyone on an outing and go for a drive...

I've loaded up the Airebus with all four Dales (myself included) and the two pinkies and off we went...

Of course, where do you go for an afternoon treat with a disabled Inky, a blind and arthritic Max, a psychologically challenged Pekoe, a barker like myself and two tired pinkies??

To the coffee drive-thru! Not the type where there have the burgers and stuff (I wish, but my pinkies are just not burger people), a coffee only drive-thru. Well coffee and treats only.

I can't believe I didn't have that idea earlier but we are definitely going back (and next time we'll take a camera).

You know why?

We got Schmackos on the way THRU. Turns out they do coffee, treats AND Schmackos (only).

Yep, fed through the window like they should.

I wanted to go for a second lap THRU but pinkie said we had to get back to work.

I didn't!??

Molly

Just as I thought it couldn't get any worse...

Hi all. It's Inky here. A BATTERED Inky.

I thought it was bad enough that I can't go to the beach, can't mongrel-around with my sister and friends, can't walk, stand or do anything at all really.

Well, the Gods have thought of one more thing to punish me with...

THE BUCKET, or should I say, THE EVIL BUCKET.

I know that my pal Fozzie had his fair share of the mean treat recently, but I had never thought it would come around to make my life even more miserable than it already is.

Apparently there has been some complications. Has there ever!
Not in regard to the actual new knee (thank the Lord of Puppies, or I don't know what else I would have to endure). It's the other oozy hole in my leg instead. Hooray!

I was told that while I was knocked out (Bastards!) during my "operation" ("torture" would describe it more precisely) they had me pinned up, like a dead insect on some foam core, to keep my leg "in the right position". Well I am glad that my leg was in the right position for my torturers, however, it left me with a nasty infection from the pins they used. Schanks a lot.

And because of that, I have been unable to put pressure on my leg. My little footsie had not touched the ground since before my op and I've quickly gained the nickname Lady Hopsalot. A concerned call to the "the specialist" (an expert in his field of torture) by my pinkies raised alarm that something could have gone terribly wrong so on the morning of day #8 I was rushed back to hospital.

Oh boy, I didn't want to go back THERE....

Anyway, it took the vet all of 5 seconds (we travelled there for 1.5hrs) to laugh it off (I am glad someone was amused) and let me go with $150 worth of antibiotics.
"That should clear up the infection which has been preventing her from putting pressure on her leg"....

Now, can you imagine though that an oozy hole in the leg would give you the irrits and that you would want to lick it 24/7??
Well, the solution for that apparently is to put a bucket over ITS head.

HELLO!! What about my dignity?? And how on earth am I meant to chew treats or rest comfortably or even look around, the last pleasures left to the cripple that I have become??

I sure have been practising THE LOOK of total disapproval...

and have been succeeding at getting THEM to feel guilt-ridden enough to take the bucket off on occasions. I quickly sneak in a decent lick of the wound (got to make the most of it), but before I know it, I get yelled at and the bucket is back on. So unfair...

Meanwhile, the oozy hole is still driving me stir crazy!

When will I be able to walk??

INKY

Surviving (just)....

Hi all, it's Inky here.

Life has not been fun...



Out of 24 hrs in the day, I have been confined to my bed 23.75 hrs. Not much fun for an Airedale, let alone an Inky.



To ease the boredom, beds have been strategically placed around the home by my nursing staff, so every few hours I get shifted to another room for "a change of scenery" (and for my staff to get a chance to freshen up the sheets)...



When it's time for potty, I ring a bell and I get carried out. I call it a "Tim Taxi". Every time on time.

I also signed up with the "meals on wheels" program and, no matter what bed your in, they find you and serve refreshments and food right to your bedside.
Ever so convenient.

I have been like this for a week now and the first few days were definitely the worst. I was all drugged up and didn't fancy the world much at all.



I couldn't and didn't want to move. Didn't want to speak to anyone. I was depressed and bloody sore (biggify)...



And I can't for the world of me think of what I could have done to deserve this.

Pinkie said, I had torn a cruciate ligament and been "too much of an Airedale" (is there such a thing??). Well, I am sorry, Cruciate Ligament, for hurting you or even tearing you. I wasn't aware. I would like to take this opportunity and kindly apologise to you for any harm I may have caused. Can you please forgive me? And can I please go back to normal now??!!

Well I thought I was dying until a familiar pair of footsteps approached...



Uncle Owee!!! He had come to have a beer with me and I would NEVER think of not getting up for MY uncle Owee!!



I LOVE uncle Owee!!



After greeting uncle Owee and "giving him one", I felt knackered and had to hop (literally) straight back to (another) bed...



Luckily, just I was returning to my state of depression, Lacie and her crew of Wire Foxies turned up to help nurse the despondency away...

However, what my Foxy Friends didn't know is how BLOODY hot it gets in this country. It was 44 degrees Celcius here the other day, which, so Mr Goolge tells me, is 111.2 on the Farenheit scale.

With Max and Pekoe being here as well, my staff have been working overtime nursing me plus supplying icy treats and cold neck ties to everyone; every hour, on the hour.

Here is Max sporting his neck tie..



The icy treats (where would we be without them??)..





And Pekoe devouring the icy goodness...



Once the heat (and the Foxies) had left town we loaded the Airebus and headed down to the river for respite. I ordered another Tim Taxi to get me from the car onto a lush green grassy patch under a big cool tree and watched the water skiers (a nurse by my side) while the rest of the crew went for a walkie. No photos here as the pinkie (apparently) had her hands full.

So that's me, pottering along, just surviving. Apparently there is 6 weeks of this life and a total of three months of "not being an Airedale".

What does that even mean??

INKY

Thank you for all you well wishes. Every little message helps me cope a little bit better...

Something bad has happened...

Hi all it's Molly here.

Sheesh, I don't even know where to start.

It's about the Inkster, she no good at the mo.

I noticed how she left with Tim early in the morning Tuesday. They didn't come back all day. Then Tim came back late, without the Inkypup.

The next day, she still wouldn't come home.

Just between you and me, I didn't really mind too much. I spent some time running errands with the pinkie, had all the attention to myself, got spoiled without having to share anything. I thought, not having that little mutt of a mongrel around sure has its benefits.

Just as I was beginning to settle into the only child routine, Thursday night, Inky reappeared.

She was being carried in like a wounded slodier.



I gave her a good sniff all over. She sure smelled off! Some weird stench coming from her. I found some wound oozing pus on her knee...



There was some other rank smells coming off her, especially her mouth and backside. Had she been vomiting or the victim of extreme diarrhea??

Even I started to begin feeling sorry for the poor lass...



Gosh, whoever or whatever got to her, shaved her butt and leg on one side nearly completely and she also has a shaved patch on her back.



She's broken! She can't even stand on all fours (let alone twos) anymore.

Worst of all, she doesn't want to play.

Guess what she did today? She hung all day in her bed, none of the usual Inky antics, not even a hint. Just sat there...



She slept most of the time but often she would just look at me as if to say, hey, i would love to move but I have lost my spirit...



It nearly broke my "big sister heart".

Today was a very hot afternoon so the Inkypup got a cold wet cloth on her head to keep her cool and comfortable (well, something tells me she still wasn't comfortable)...



Well, don't ask me what's going on. I did raise that question with the pinkies. They threw terms like cruciate ligament tear, arthroscopy, epidural, hospital and $4000 at me and I can't make sense of any of this. Did she have a run in with some monster??
Gosh, where were you to protect her? I hope you won't let anything like this happen to me...

The poor honey has been hand-fed dog sausage and milky water. She can't stand up to eat so she gets meals-on-wheels to her bedside.

Today she got ice cubes with frozen treats. I must be fair and mention that I got in on the treats and special treatment, too, so I cannot complain really. But I'd rather have a little less treats and a little more Inky.

She even had to be carried out to go potty. She then sought respite in her kennel.



Now, a word about the kennel: we don't go in there. We only ever go in there when the world's end is nigh or when we feel Armageddon has already been.

So you know what the sentiment around town is at the moment. It's plain awful.

Lucky we got Max and Pekoe here now for 2 weeks. They will be some good company for both, me and the Inks.

I'll keep you updated on the developments of the little one.

MOLLY (concerned)

Our xmas and NY adventures

Hi all. There has been too much going on to be posting about it all day long but we thought we'd fill you in briefly...

Our xmas starts the 24th of December due to the German element in the family.
So we got ALL our presents on Heiligabend, Christmas Eve.



See the stocking, Janie? Pinkie got the message and did fill it to the rim with surprises.

Inky scored this little critter (which lasted for all of two minutes before its tail and squeek magically disappeared)...





And Molly got a new friend that squeeks from all four feet (thank you Andy and Amanda!)...



We also got some new toys from our big pal Riley...



which came together with a lovely card and letter from him and his new little sister Bonnie...




And of course lot of treats...





We celebrated the night with 7 pinkies and 4 Dales and some may think we had a wild party...




but that's just how the pinkies are normally.
See what we have to put up with? (Sigh)



Thank Dog we had Lili and Osca there to help us cope...



The next morning, Christmas Day, it was off to Melbourne to celebrate with Dad's side of the family.





More pressies...



And we even got our own feet...



They squeek and look great strewn around the house! Thank you grandma!

Then Boxing Day we had a stampede of people at our house and were too busy being good Dale hosts to take any photos.

NYE we celebrated with Osca and Lili again at their ranch in Moriac, outside Geelong.
It was a scorcher and we very much enjoyed having a dip in their Dale pool.
We stayed the night and guarded the ranch while the pinkies were out celebrating at a Blues festival and didn't come home until the next morning.

The neighbours can attest that we did a good job at barking, ahem, guarding ALL NIGHT and that WE didn't sleep one bit. Aren't the pinkies lucky to have us?
As soon as the night shift was finished, we collapsed in a heap and it took us a couple of days of lazing about to recover.

So there you have it. That's how we got through the silly season. And silly we were (biggify)....



Love,
INKY and MOLLY