A lull this week

This week has been very quiet here as Dave is gone, the dive shop has been slow thanks to a lack of tourists and a mighty wind blowing every day and pretty much I just haven't done much!  Haven't been down to the beach with the Girls in a few days since I hate sand and couldn't face getting sand-blasted.  MatildaLily has been looking longingly out of the fence each evening as the sun goes down...hopefully today will stay un-windy!


This will be a pet-intensive post as I've been playing around with some things and my ever-willing models feature heavily LOL  Tilly is still in destructo mode and the back yard will never recover.  She has multiple holes and has uncovered some of the reticulation pipe.  The gardeners were here the other day and filled it all back in - something I've also done twice this week - but the holes are back.


It's amazing how far she can flick the dirt

Both girls were in deep denial about the state of the garden yesterday.
"Holes? it was like this when we got here."

"Wow, Mom, you're right! Look at these holes. Naughty kitties!"

"Of course I'm not digging in the hole!"

They then decided to have a bit of rough-housing to distract me
KAPOWIE!

How Dora can let Tilly pull on her neck like this, I don't know! Dora does the same thing to Til so maybe it's some Ridgeback thing


Harry thought the whole outburst was a little beneath him, as usual

Later he was keenly watching the action from a safe distance

But I caught him being a goof, too. You might not be able to see in the small images here, but there are bits of happy dribble right on his chin - it feels SO good!

Check out those claws

Lobo kept a safe distance perched up on the bar stool inside the back door. He kept a good eye on things

and thought seriously about pouncing

but ultimately decided it would be far too much effort, so curled up and went back to sleep. He woke up again closer to dinnertime - what a surprise - but wasn't keen on more posing

I couldn't forget about Boof - but he was pretty danged uncooperative yesterday so it was hard work! Perched on the chair in the living room

Expressing his interest in my activity

Then off to the kitchen to meow and yodel at me, just in case I didn't remember that it was almost dinnertime


Dave is doing well in Perth on his courses. He went to a big mining expo yesterday as a field trip so got to see a lot of things and talk to some people who are in the industry. Monday he's back in courses. It's hard to have him away, but we are both hopeful that this change in direction will get us where we want to go in the future.

I have been busy with enquiries for diving and for more photography things, so my time in the office hasn't noticeably decreased. I have a few weddings coming up in the next four weeks and a few booked for 2009, too. Hopefully I will get out for another brochure shoot at the resort and a family shoot this week, too. I love to keep busy!

Sunday diving

I was able to sneak out after being in the shop part of the day.  Ross, Mary and I headed to one of our favourite sites on Bundegi in the Exmouth Gulf for a single dive.  We had a great dive with plenty of critters and pretty good visibility.  I did about 75 minutes and came up as the current had kicked in and it was getting less and less fun!

Mary has gone dry! She's tired of being cold on dives and I don't blame her one bit!  Yesterday was her first time out in her brand spankin' new dry suit and I have to say I was a little jealous when I surfaced to a cold wind!  Ross and I used Mary's suiting up for a little pre-dive entertainment (all photos of Mary with the baby Olympus 720SW camera)




She only needed a little help...I was impressed on how easy she made it look



It took her no time to master things



Here's some photos from the dive for you:
Smiling rabbitfish

Stars & stripes pufferfish

Six banded wrasse

Moridilla brockii nudibranch head shot

Peeking over a ledge

Gymnodoris rubropapulosa nudibranch

Threadfin pearl perch

Juvenile barramundi cod peeking out from the staghorn coral

Spinning around fast!

Big ol' octopus tucked up under a ledge

His little sucker feet holding him upside down


Dave drove down to Perth on Saturday so I'm bach'ing it for a few weeks. He started a course this morning and called me at lunchtime to say he's enjoying it. I hope he continues to enjoy it. Kinda sucks to have him away, but it will be a good thing ultimately.

I've got some great photography things coming up including a couple of weddings and some more promotional work for the Novotel. I'll pop images up here with links to Kristin Anderson Photography blog and website, of course!

It's a great time to plan to come visit us!

I know some of you have been thinking about making the trek Down Under to see us and it looks like the recent economic downturn is actually helping in the possibilities.  Qantas and United are having little fare wars to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane and there are some killer deals at the moment...and even more amazing, they are actually during very good periods to travel to the Ningaloo Reef.  Those interested in whale sharks will want to check out the May fares.  You'll still need to get to Perth, Western Australia and then up to Exmouth (Learmonth), but there have also been some good cross-country fares lately. Thanks to my friend Amber, brilliant cruise & travel guru, for this link that should help you get a good fare to our shores.

Dave left for Perth this morning and he's expecting a long drive.  He's towing an enormous trailer down for one of our friends and it will make the journey longer than usual.  We expect him to be in Perth until about the 25th November.  He's doing some courses and also has some follow up doctor's appointments.  It's going to be tough to have him gone for so long!

I got my lens back from Canon and took it out the back to make sure it was working well.  I was looking for a kitty to practice on as they are easier targets than the puppies.  Boof was snoozing in the afternoon shade, but woke up a little for me



MatildaLily couldn't stay out of the action but gave me this look when I shooed her away...and I'm sure that is exactly where I left that shoe, couldn't possibly have been dragged there by a doggie with that face! And I'm equally as sure she isn't pulling the jasmine plant to bits...

Dora came out and got into the act with some rough romping. I can't believe how far they can stretch that neck skin out!

Dora makes sure Tilly doesn't dominate the playtime!




 

Happy Halloween!

October is gone, baby, gone...can you believe it?  Today is Halloween here, but I don't expect much action on the Trick or Treat front as it's not a huge deal.  We might get the three little neighbor girls but I wouldn't expect many more than that...a good thing, since we have no candy!

I put the holiday collars on the Girls the other day as we headed out to the beach and pretty much that's as festive as we are getting. Not that you can actually see the collars in these shots, but trust me, they're there!



MatildaLily was doing the "I'm so tired but I'm cute" thing back at the ranch

Not cute enough for us to overlook new destruction

What would Halloween be without a fun time wasting game? Try some Bowling for Cats Or maybe you prefer to look at some great party treats?

So many ways to celebrate!