The Ocean, a Little White Fluffy Thing, and Tragedy

Yesterday, Tim and I went to Pearl Beach on the Central Coast. It's a beautiful beach which is also somewhat dog-friendly. Sammy and Karma love beaches, especially when Tim takes them on a good long walk. I think the salt air makes them even sillier than usual. We last visited Pearl Beach Christmas Day 2005, when Tim's son, Gavin, and nephew, Ben, were visiting.

The tragedy happened yesterday when a tiny white fluffy dog (Maltese, Shitsu, Fox Terrier cross), got chased into the surf by a Staffie puppy, and was instantly swallowed up by the huge surf. The surf was much worse than it was two and a half years ago. On that day, Ben and Gavin went swimming and we also easily got our kayaks into the water. Yesterday, however, you could see the rip tides and the surf was breaking so close to the shore - well, the little thing didn't have a chance (it probably weighed two kilos soaking wet).

The dog looked similar to this:

Although this just isn't something you expect to happen, I talked to a couple of "locals" who were walking past, and they mentioned that this wasn't an isolated event. Anyway, Tim and I kept scanning the water with the owners looking for the little dog, but we all finally had to give up and head for home.

Enough with the rain already!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm really sick of it. It has been raining for weeks here. I realized that I'm not turning gray, it's just mold growing on my head.

And let me tell you about the leeches! Yuck. Last week, Tim took the dogs for an hour long bush walk. It wasn't raining at the time, but it has been raining as I mentioned. When he came home, I noticed a couple of leeches that had dropped off the dogs. They weren't engorged - meaning they hadn't yet feasted on my dogs' tasty blood - but still skinny stretching slinky alien lifeforms. It's hard to like a leech. Anyway, I thought I might rub the dogs with some special doggy insecticide I have to encourage any "hangers-on" to exodus my doggys' bodies. We've had leeches before, but I still wasn't prepared for the plethora of squiggly critters to jump ship (I mean, dog). I must have picked up 20-30 leeches! Now ask me, did I flush the leeches down the toilet?

Funny you should ask....

The last time a leech dropped off one of the dogs, Tim flushed it down the toilet. Jumping ahead (no pun intended - :) ) 20 minutes, I had just finished relieving myself and turned to flush. Have you ever had the experience of something you just deposited in the toilet coming back atcha? Well, you might have guessed what my first impression was, but it actually was the "flushed" (and may I say very good swimmer) leech! It had crawled up the inside of the toilet and was stretching its disgusting self toward where my very "personal" self was just exposed. Are you getting the picture here?

I know that some celebrities, with way too much money and time, actually pay to have leeches placed on their bodies. I know that surgeons use leeches in lifesaving heart surgery. But wouldn't a leech be the epitome of a hemophilia's nightmare?




Personally, I don't like 'em, but if you want to learn more, try here.

-Judi