Well, another week has passed by - I'm going to try to write a little more often - but here in Bathurst we've been having great weather (despite just having turned winter) and the sun has just beckoned me. I go a little dopey after lying in the sun for a few hours - its the benefit of being black - very good sun absorption qualities.

But getting down to business, I had a great 4 hour walk on the weekend - I took Ellie, Master Craig and Mistress Liz and ****SURPRISE**** Master Matty and his new Mistress Julia came up to Bathurst for a walk (I've spoken of Master Matty in earlier diary notes).

Anyway, a fun time was had by all. I had to first take Master Matty and Mistress Julia to the train station (they travel by rail and needed to check the timetable and book a return ticket - personally, I couldn't see why they just didn't phone the station, but I'm often accused of being too intelligent).

A fun thing actually happened on the way to the station. Outside the betting shop some lousy "master" had locked his/her dogs in his/her vehicle. Anyway, they started barking at Ellie and I, but were hampered by the fact that their Master also didn't think of winding down the windows a little (lucky it wasn't a really hot day). This gave me quite a large advantage because I could bark in normal tones at them, but they were restricted to very muffled ones. Unfortunately, the dogs were reasonably intelligent and decided to beep the car's horn at us (how embarrassing) - I was actually getting a bit scared that they might try to follow us (most dogs are not very good drivers - they tend to have a lot of trouble parking since there is always a fight to see who can park closest to the fire hydrants). We continued to bark, though, showing no hint of timidity at the horn.

Next, whilst waiting at the fish and chips shop for our lunch, we managed to drag a very sedentry Master Craig to talk to yet another dog - he was not very amused - but dogs just gotta be polite to each other.

Lunch was a bit of a let down. We had to wait for everyone else to eat before we could get started - it ended up being cold chips - I had actually ordered a hamburger with the lot, but Master Matty didn't drop it to us (we're too proud to beg).

Back on the walk, I wanted to say hello to a cat - a lot of hissing, a bit of spitting and the odd swipe went on, but Master Craig just wouldn't go near the cat (I did ask him to stop spitting, though - ugly habit).

When we returned home, nothing had changed - bones were where they were left, dirt where it was dug....

To the mailbox, we received a note from Juanita - which included an explanation of what an Australian cattle dog is doing overseas:

"Not too sure how I got over here from Australia.  I was adopted off the 
street by a good friend of my Master and Mistress. About seven years ago 
the friend realized I needed more company.... that's when I joined my 
final, current family."

I suspect that Juanita may have been drugged and then dognapped. I bet it was one of those international animal smuggler rings - dogs have great trouble jumping through these rings. Smuggling is a bad problem in Australia - a lot of Australian native animals are smuggled offshore where people pay huge prices.

Next, to the contraption! I've recommenced work on the contraption. It's state is currently "very chewed", so its now perfect for some work. I'm trying to attach the spiny worm to it. Bone has some very good properties - one of which is its tremendous strength. We were wanting to do a bit of smelting in the backyard, but prissy Master Craig said it's too dangerous for dogs to be handling molten metals (he says he can't get proper protective helmets etc. for dogs) - all I can say is that he doesn't have much trouble finding a hairnet when he wants us to do a barbeque. Anyway, that's why we're trying to connect bone to the end of it.

Take me to the next diary entry!

I'd be very happy if you'd sign Master Craig's visitors' book before you leave (he won't create one for me).

Return to: The locked/chained world of Rogernald Dogue and Elanor Dogue-Dogue

Return to: The Marvellous World of King Craig