Our much loved black Labrador
The perfidy of my M&D knows no bounds. They presented me with the promise of a family trip in the car last week, a rare occurrence that could have resulted in a pleasant lunch at Kingston Beach, or something similar. Instead, I ended up at Tasmanian Veterinary Hospital, Kingston for my annual jabs for spurious …
Hi Friends, Ruby here to wish you all a merry Christmas. Things are feeling quite celebratory here at ‘Wainui’, Dad has made the pudding and the cake; presents are secreted away; and the tree is groaning under the weight of decades of decoration collecting, many of which dance provocatively when the doors to the deck …
It’s Sunday morning, I’m lying on the lounge and I’m not feeling very well. Suffice to say, I’m only partially responsible for the way I feel, and that the true culprits are M&D. There is a reason for this state of malaise which I will get to later as it has its root cause in …
12 March 2025 05.00 Awoke and realised that it’s 10 hours since I last ate! Nudge Mum into consciousness to alert her to this fact. She that was born in The Year of the Snake has a reptilian look to her eyes so I decide to retreat and return to sleep although it is hard …
Dear Friends, Ruby here seeking some clarification. The word ‘we’ is used frequently at #87 to describe our little family, ie Mum, Dad and ME. I like the concept, it expresses the egalitarian nature of our happy home. We are all registered with authorities as living at this address; we are all included on Christmas …
The indignity, the ignominy, the injustice! M&D have perpetrated the most egregious treachery on my well-being by insisting that I go on a diet. For the last few weeks, I have been fed a much-reduced quantity of gently poached chicken, supplemented with steamed, mashed vegetables and a mere sprinkle of kibble. How do they expect …
Dear friends Apologies for the communication blackout over the past few months but it’s been hard to get near the keyboard. I suspect M & D thought I was getting airs above my station (or more ‘likes’ than them!) and made sure the office door was closed. But then they went on a mini break …
Let’s start with Dr. Izzy. M&D decided that I was in drastic need of some urgent training and psychological help. Behaviours perceived to be in need of correction were excessive pulling on the lead, escaping the perfectly pleasant house and yard area, total focus on food (allotted and scavenged), barking for attention and of course, …
Before I relate the latest Ruby exploit, I know you are all going to say, “Why can’t they just put everything away?” Well, the answer to that is we have a Labrador who, like most, is fixated with food. Coming a close second, is an unrelenting quest for anything remotely resembling food. Ruby is not …
Hi there, Ruby here. I’m not sure that the tag line is a fair representation of my behaviour of late. Apart from a few unfortunate incidents, I have been trying to turn over a new leaf and as a result I have remained remarkably well-behaved. Those of you who are conversant with my more colourful …
On our fridge there’s a red & white magnet with the initials AHVEC and a phone number and I reckon if you ask any dog in Southern Tasmania they’ll tell you there’s one on their fridge too. The letters stand for After Hours Veterinary Emergency Centre and you’ll find them in Hobart’s inner north. The …
Hi friends, Ruby here. I must admit I’m a bit conflicted about this whole Christmas thing. I get vibes through the ether from my big sisters, who for the most part, were Christmas Grinches of the ‘bah-humbug’ persuasion. They were of the opinion that the hype rarely lived up to the reality for the canine …
An Island Off an Island 