What made you happy today?

[Morrigu]

^ EXACTLY!!!!!

That was my argument - no kids and no chance ever to have any visiting and an enclosed back yard etc etc etc - nope gotta have a pool fence - feck off!!!!

So no pool for us - cause on principle I am not putting some poxy pool fence!

[stui magpie]

So..........don't ask permission?

This is an above ground pool, if the council finds out I'll deal with that then.

[ronrat]

For the first time in 20 years, I have a dog. She is a poodle cross, 12 months old and called Tuki. She rides on motorbikes, pushbikes and chases the next door cat out of our yard. I am teaching her to walk on a lead and teaching her English which she has picked up quicker than my Thai. My girlfriends Mum gave her to us so the family all know her and no puppy training. The young Russian child next door loves her as she is not aggressive and just chases balls and toys. Took her to the Dragon boat races today and the only whimpering we heard was me when I realised you couldn't get beer in 33 degree heat. Went past the quit smoking tent and 2 of the competitors were having a smoke. this is Thailand.

[think positive]

cool Ronrat, love my poodles!

went snorkling on an extinct volcano today, amazing, better than it was 20 years ago. then they took us to a giant turtle reef, OMG when one swims up under you, its just amazing!had a truly incredible day! and a couple of Mai Tais for the ride home!

and Morrigu youll be happy to hear that everyone (I saw anyway)stuck to the rules, don't touch the fish or the coral, and if they swim up to you that's ok, but don't chase or try and touch them. and no fish feeding!

[HAL]

Oh. As a species fish are more successful than mammals.

[ronrat]

Took Tuki out today for a walk on a lead for her first time.. First bar we stopped at they loved her and she dropped at my feet and slept.Already learnt in one lesson she can't jump on a table there but chair is ok. She is smarter than all Saints supporters and most Bulldog ones and she is only 1. Took her for a walk through a market and to be honest thought mayhem. But she stopped when I stopped, played with the little kids and waited till we got home to enjoy her dinner. My Mum has had Poodles and I was sceptical but they are the worlds smartest dogs. I spent all day having the owner escape proof Chez Rat. 40 seconds later she was out. We laughed because the intent was to keep other mutts out. And she hates the Cats.

[partypie]

While hand watering the garden this morning I was taken a bit by surprise by one of the resident magpies a couple of feet away. For the next half hour it wallowed in the spray from the hose, flying off and coming back for more, at one stage landing on the hose. A couple of other magpies were hanging around but not as game as this young bird. There is quite a large group living in an enormous tree at the front, at the moment teaching fledglings to fly. I have never fed them and never had a problem with them. This particular bird has magnificent markings, extreme black and white.

[stui magpie]

[partypie]

[stui magpie]

^

Hmmmmmmmm. I could train them to dive bomb people who I want to get of the pool.

[3.14159]

This a pic of Aiden, a young friend of mine.
He busks his card-tricks and juggling outside our local supermarket.
I often see him (and the other members of his family) riding around town on unicycles (they don't own a TV).
Here he is riding his new uni-cycle with a 40 inch wheel while mum and dad look on.
It's much harder than it looks!

He is 13 years old.

[stui magpie]

^

tall for a 13 year old, must be about 5'10" to 6'

[stui magpie]

talking with some of the people who directly report with me, I joked about being offered another job elsewhere. One of my team made it clear that if I left, they were leaving also. Not with me, just they weren't staying if i wasn't there.

Had a chat with them about that later to understand, once understood took that as a massive compliment. Based on that and other feedback, I seem to be a borderline decent manager.

[David]

Getting a call on the way home from work last night with a tired girlfriend and screaming baby on the other end of the line. "I've put you on speakerphone," she said. "Can you keep talking? Your voice seems to calm him down."

What!? I'd never thought of that before, but I tried singing to him when I got home and it actually worked. It's a nice feeling.

[think positive]

Curled up in my own bed

Had a great trip, but I sure missed my fur bubs, and my other daughter!

Didn't miss the cold though, brrrrr