Big Adventures of a Little Muppet Dog -part II

Big Adventures of a Little Muppet Dog

March 24 to April 18th

 I know a dog only has one tail but this adventure requires multiple tales to be told. 

So sit back, grab a bone, scratch that itch, my favourite thing, and read about my adventures part II. 

Now, where were we....ah yes - Meriwa - lovely town west of Hunter Valley. Many shops and homes here, a rather dry looking town, not much rain here lately, but friendly nonetheless. We found the Leagues Club and the folks were allowed to stay in the gravel car park just off the golf course here. I thought it was a park for me to run in but found out quickly that I couldn't run on the dry grass, which I discovered the next day, as it made my tootsies sore. I just peed on it instead. It was rainy not long after we arrived and even some thunder, the folks thought that was just grand as it had been a while since rain. They pulled the table into the tin can and played some games that Aunty Robyn had bought them. Pa won most! I planked and kept an eye peeled on them in case they left without me, not my favourite thing. Once the rain ceased, the folks took me for a nice walk and then headed into the Club for dinner. I heard they met some nice locals and had some brews. Brews, I must find out if they have brews for the furry variety. 

Day twenty-three and we drive into town to fuel up and check out the shops. Ma's new mate Aunty Kelly makes home made soap and sells in a shop so Ma checks the wares out. Pa ties me up and they buy some soap and donate money for a few second hand books to take with them. Pa has learnt to read books again and Ma takes the piss out of him asking 'who is this man!' And I want to say "it's Pa" but I can't move my jaw to make that sound, so a woof will do. Later on that day we drive out to Battery Park which is a nice shady place with areas to eat their lunch and where there are rocks that are 35 million years old. Very odd formations due to lava freezing in these shapes, really cool. See Pa below.....

 

The folks head back to the tin can for a short time and as Pa can't sit still we head nearby to a lawn where they roll heavy looking balls along the grass. (Lawn bowls -EN) I hear they are using the presidents balls which is a privilege. Ma says, barefoot, bowls and brew! Later on that day Pa and his new mate, Aunty Patrick, head to a tin shed near the club with stringed instruments in their hands and balls, oohhh balls, my favourite things.  Instead of throwing the balls to me they hit the balls like maniacs in a room. I don't get it, Ma watches but takes me for a walk on and off, much better than seeing two men sweat. After the boys have finished I'm taken back to tin can whilst they have a few brews, can you see a habit forming here?!, with the locals in the bar until they came back to me and we all have dinner in the tin can then met up with the locals again at the pub. I think pubs are one of their favourite things. Aunty Kelly and her hubby joined them, and guess what?!, I'm allowed in to meet them all. I know they want to meet the famous Muppet of the South - licks all round. After many laughs they must call it a night and ta ta to their new friends who all said they must visit us again next year, I'm sure they just wanted to meet me again, but I'll keep that to myself for now.
 

The next morning we all head into a place called The Hunter Valley. I'd better behave here in case I'm hunted I first think, but I soon discover its a wine making region. We meet Aunty Whitey and pull up outside a homestead where we are given full run of the place. The folks feel very privileged and we all laugh as Aunty Whitey thought my folks would be in their sixties and that the boys would have to be on their behaviour! In we all settle, I meet all my new six Aunties who love me of course and we chillax out here for four nights. Every day by the pool and tin can are these big brown furry things. Goodness me they're huge (kangaroos with joeys! -EN) .

I growl at them to let them know not to come near us but I get told off, so much for protecting my family. I have run of the house here and enjoy my cuddles and when I hear my new aunties want me to be their future mascot, I nearly bark at the chance. But I'd miss my folks too much. The area has many grape vines, that even these kangaroos enjoy hopping through,  with trees around and weather that is warm the entire time we are here. The reason my folks have come to this place is for a concert. A Day on the Green which they often go to in Melbourne.  I get the feeling I may be planking a lot this day. Saturday comes round and I hear the folks got wicked passes for behind the scenes and hang out side of stage for Choirboys, The Angels, Cheap Trick and head into the crowd for Billy Idol. I guess I'd better forgive them for leaving me alone, but they did cuddle me extra. Ma says the show was fantastic and that they had free meals and drinks and they even got to meet Billy and Steve Stevens! I would have liked to meet Billy too as I've been listening to the music so much.

My new Aunties want us to stay the week, meaning me of course, but we must move north in the tin can. We spend the final night watching something called cricket finals (ICC -EN). Everyone is happy as Australia beat New Zealand. I'm happy for all the extra cuddles I get as we all sit around focusing on the tv watching a ball being hit by a wooden stick, seems a waste of time to me when we could all be outside and I could be chasing a ball, my favourite thing. My folks feel so lucky and also sad to leave the mates they've been staying with. Aunty Marcus makes sure to see us as we leave the next day and I get a ride on a golf buggy, my new favourite thing, and he cuddles me extra. I think I'm his favourite thing!

 

We head north and into Coolongolook cemetery where we end up having lunch, it's a dry cemetery with huge trees in the background - cemeteries are one of ma's favourite things to check out and woof, have we seen a few. We drive out through Taree and into Macksville where we plank the night. It's rainy on and off and after being spoilt the last few nights, I am pooped! The next day we head into Coffs Harbour where we catch up with Aunty Jerry and Aunty Denise. They've got a divine home on the river which we are told floods at times. I watch the water dragons on the grass from the balcony as the humans catch up wishing I could chase the lizards but I'm not allowed to go on the grass area as that word 'ticks' springs up. They are the reason I get this stinky liquid on my skin every two weeks, rotten ticks.  The area is so lush and many birds swoop in to eat the bugs that have gotten stuck in the doors on the balcony,  stupid birds but funny to watch. After lunch we head to their basement and the folks are allowed to have a hit of Aunty Jerry's digital drum kit and Ma pulls some funny faces when she drums. 

A few hours later we head off to visit the big banana then onto Maclean, which is one of Ma's favourite towns so far. It's Scottish heritage I hear her say and the power poles around town have all various tartan clan colours and Scottish names painted on them.  I look for my ancestors but couldn't find them, but I think they come from Alveridge. It's a small town but decent shops and loads of trees. 

After we check out the town we have to check out the cemetery which is huge. There are these stinky flying things living in the gardens (bats -EN) and Ma is in her element saying she is going to buy a house overlooking the cemetery and bats. I give Pa a glance to say weirdo and he acknowledges. We have a day trip from Maclean into stunning Yamba with its beach fronts and expensive shops. I get a beach run, the sand feels soft on the paws as I sprint down and tread into the cold waters, ah, my favourite thing. After this we all head to the Yamba pub for a bevo and then off back to the tin can again in Maclean. The folks made friends with the humans next door, their tin can smells better than ours apparently. (Newer-EN), Aunty Irwin and Aunty Karen have two dogs, one just barks at me and the other wants to play. We all head out to the 'Cane Cutters' pub but us dogs stay in our cars. After a while we all head home to plank, my favourite thing, in our tin cans.

 

Up early the next morning and through Ballina and Lennox Head to Byron Bay we head. It's packed with humans here, my goodness the smells. The folks say it's day one of a blues festival today but we spend the day on the beaches, the folks treat themselves to lunch and dinner at this town. At one point Ma and I chillaxed whilst Pa visits the lighthouse - the most easterly point in Australia. Dogs aren't allowed there I'm told, so we cruise in a park nearby to wait whilst walking past two snakes. I could hear them but as they didn't smell I tried to get a closer look, but got yelled at. Not my favourite thing.

 

What a glorious day, the beach had lots of other dogs so lots of bum sniffs and plays in the water and relaxing in the sun until it was time to head out that night to a rest stop called Sleepy Hollow. I planked into a deep sleep chasing bunny rabbits, my favourite dreams, and the folks slept on and off with the road noise so we had lovely sleep in and then finally we drove into Queensland! Woohoo, more beach runs. I can feel it in the air. Here, we meet up with Aunty Karen and Aunty Kara and their dog Maisy. We all walked to Broadwater, via the beach, yay, and had lunch. Another warm day in paradise, the sun is up high in the blue sky. They all caught up on life and Maisy and I ripped through the beach, well I ran in the water without hesitation and chased some items I thought may be food but turned out to be rocks and sticks. Day after day of beaches I could totes, (haha, a word I hear Ma use), get used to this life.

We then headed only a short distance away and stayed with folks friends, Aunty Madison and Aunty Scott, the night at the Gold Coast and their playful dog, Bodhi, who wouldn't leave me alone. Seriously, I know I'm cute but you know....! Their home is divine and again, we all got spoilt. After much yakking it was nighty night and into another deep slumber I fell. I could get used to this life you know.

After brekkie we left these aunties and headed a few hours west to visit Mama and Papa in Dalby. We spent two weeks here, the folks catching up with family and I caught with cousin Oscar who is my mate. We have fun times together, he's so cute I may have a crush on him. Papa loves his pond in the backyard and I admit I was a little slow in working out there are fish, my favourite things, in the pond and I eventually decided to tread into the pond. I couldn't catch the blooming things as they are too slippery, I decide to hide behind the ferns and see if one comes to the edge, I may be able to bob my head in and get the fish, alas my time is wasted on these things and I just end up pushing a rock into the pond and my game is given away. I enjoy my two weeks here, playing balls, bike rides in my newly fitted basket that is attached to Pa's bike and lots of nibbles come my way. We have a couple of days visiting humans in Toowoomba during that time and they eat waffles, that could be my favourite thing. The folks get things fixed to the tin can and I watch on making sure everything is done properly of course.  Mama loves to knit beanies and Papa loves to eat chocolate. They gives me pats and treats, I like staying here, it's like a retreat, eating and sleeping and occasionally sniffing oscars butt. The day we left Dalby the tears were there again, I just know they are going to miss me!!