I have somehow just managed to completely ruin the layout of my blog.
No more HTML for me.
I'll be back later to attempt fixing it. Sigh.
Sahara and Phoenix had a blast this Christmas. Sahara had already managed to steal half her presents from under the tree (well, in the fireplace, where they were this year) so she didn't get as many as 
she should. They also got some lovely treats from Mum, and enjoyed all the roast turkey scraps. Luckily they quite like sleeping in the tent - I think they enjoy any excuse to lay all over me and attempt to steal my pillows, but even more, they loved their days down the beach. They didn't get a chance to come surfing - there were several thousand other people on the beach, and didn't think it was wise to see how they reacted alone on the beach.
I was given a nice mountain bike, and after riding it around the back garden a few times, I'm beginning to realize it may be somewhat dangerous to be riding it with the dogs either side, if the psychotic barking is anything to go by.
I love this photo. Love it.
...There was no love from Sahara. She's too interested in her little stand-offs with her new kitty friend. It's going to end in tears, I know it.
Yesterday we had a wander around the Australian Dog Training Christmas Party. We haven't trained with them for a long time, due to all sorts of reasons and a bit of laziness, so we thought we'd better pretend we were still active members. Sahara wore her cute little pink jumper, and Phoenix donned his Security vest, but there were plenty of dogs wrapped in tinsel and so on. There was agility rounds, and free barbeque, and that was about it - so we followed S & her dogs, and enjoyed lunch at a dog friendly outdoor cafe in Mt Eliza before heading to the dog park and enjoying some games. Well, the dogs enjoyed some games, centered around tennis balls and running lots - a perfect way to wear them out. After dinner, my new arrival arrived - Cindi the Kitty - and the dogs are yet to even notice her. Although she slept next to my bed, I was up all night sick, and that and their crazy ball chasing exhaustion meant there was no time for inquisitive sniffing. I think it's only a matter of time until they notice the sardine cocktail in the bowl in the laundry, but having said that, there's a large, slimy grey fish thawing out in the kitchen and they're none the wiser.
I again forgot my camera, so I shall be relying on photos being sent via S of the day (and lots of photos of kitty, although some rather bad ones can be viewed on my Made In Melbourne blog). Enjoy :0)
There's been very little activity going on lately, as it's been quite warm and the dogs aren't feeling too energetic. I've been trying to walk them every day, like I used to, but in this heat it's ridiculous - we get about 6km in and we're all ready to drop. Phoenix has even faced his fear, and now launches himself in The Bog Of Eternal Stench and swims madly after the ducklings, while Sahara shouts encouragement from the river banks.
My best friend is coming for a sleep-over tomorrow night (yes, I'm reverting to high school) and so they'll have plenty of attention then - she's just as a big a dog lover, and plays even rougher than I do.
Today I'm thinking of taking them to the beach and sharing some ice cream, but they're not looking too excited by the idea - I think they'd rather round madly around with all the dogs in the park and go play in the lake. I had thought of strapping my rollerblades on and harnessing them up, but I've not taken them out alone like that, and I'd prefer both knee caps intact over this holiday season.
I found the first photos of Phoenix meeting his brother, Bruza again after 2 years, so enjoy.
I'm rather regretting encouraging the mutts to clamber through my window.
I came home yesterday from collecting my massive, gorgeous, lovely Corningware casserole set I won via a dodgy magazine, and wondered why I could hear the dogs barking. And echoing. I asked D if he'd left the back door open - negative - and then wandered in a daze throughout the house looking for signs of damage - again, no.
I was shocked. I can't leave them outside for 5 minutes without then eating a pot plant/shoes/my yoga mat, and they'd even managed to climb onto their destroyed couch, somehow open the window pane with their snouts, and jump wholly through my fly screen - yet nothing. No sunglasses with no lenses. My bed was still intact. Even my indoor plants had all their stems. It makes me wonder if a) they'd only been in a few moments and hadn't gotten started yet, b) they were doing an inventory of things on their list to destroy and were interrupted, or c) they may, inch by inch, becoming slightly more trustworthy. It's a hard one.
