Tag: Central Coast

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A Day In The Life of Doug and Fred

A few weeks ago I introduced you to my little friends, Doug and Fred. They are hilarious and loving and hyperactive and gentle and annoying and adorable – they really cover the full spectrum in the space of a day. They’re loving WFH season…they’ll be in for a rude shock when things finally go back to normal!

They’ve had an ideal lifestyle while we’ve been staying on the Central Coast. Here’s a little Day In The Life action for you.

Mornings at the dog beach

These two HATE swimming with a passion, but they love being at the beach. They get their feet wet and cool off, but as soon as they see a wave approaching, they can’t get away from it quick enough!

Lunchtime Fetch!

Doug & Fred could play this allllll day. We actually have to be quite forceful when it’s time to stop because otherwise Doug will hyperventilate. He just keeps chasing that ball – even when he can’t breathe any more. His commitment to the ball is really quite admirable.

Spending some quality time with his beloved ball (TMI)

Afternoon Recovery

Pretty much the rest of the day is spent snoozing and snuggling. The camera roll on my phone is just a flip-book of sleeping dog pictures. They’re just so adorable when they’re sleeping and snuggling and loving each other! I wish I could tell you that they did something more interesting all day, but it’s literally 90% snooze.

Dinner

Let me just clarify – these dogs are VERY well fed. They’re both very small and they don’t need a lot, but they get delicious Raw and Fresh patties every night, along with the occasional bone and a whole lot of treats throughout the day! You’d be forgiven for thinking they were starving, the way that they carry on when anyone else is eating!
These raw whole chicken & veggie patties look sooo appetising. They’re pretty unpleasant to prepare, but the dogs love them. I really appreciate that dogs NEVER get tired of what we feed them. Every day, they are just as excited to eat the same old thing that they’ve had every day of their lives. They sit right at my heel, watching my every move like a hawk until the bowls touch the ground. So easy to please!

Goodnight!

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North Shelly Dog Beach

We’ve been riding out COVID on the Central Coast, where we have plenty of space and we can hear the ocean all day while we work from home. As grateful as we are to have this place available to us, I don’t think anyone is as grateful as our dogs!

They’re used to spending their days in our very modest courtyard, with walks along busy roads and the occasional trip to the park. Here, they have a backyard big enough to explore all day, and they LOVE their daily visits to the dog beach. I don’t know what they’re going to do with themselves when the world goes back to work and we go back to our teeny tiny little yard in the city.

Of all the dog-friendly beaches on the Central Coast, North Shelly is our favourite. There is SO much space, so it’s been really easy to manage social distancing, and every dog we’ve come across has been beautifully behaved. They also love playing in the rock pools and racing up and down the dunes, which is a luxury that isn’t so easily accessible at other beaches. There’s a car park behind the dunes alongside a small reserve with picnic tables and some decent public toilets. It’s a great spot to take in the view of the surfers (and, more importantly, all the puppies) below.

I can never resist the opportunity for a photo shoot with my crazy canine companions in the gorgeous afternoon light. These rascals are slowly learning how to pose for my thousands of photos!

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Light & Shadow

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.”

Martin Luther King Jr.

WARNING: Uncharacteristically emotional content!
I’m usually fairly passive in my writing, but I’m isolated and we are in the midst of some kind of mass extinction bullshit and I HAVE A LOT OF FEELINGS. You’ve been warned. Read on at your own risk.

It can be pretty easy to feel overwhelmed by stress and anxiety when it seems as though the world is ending. First it was the fires, then it was the floods, and now it’s the virus. We are all more isolated than we have probably ever been, spending a lot of time alone with our thoughts…and for me that’s not the ideal situation! I tend to assume the worst case scenario and over-exaggerate the possibilities ahead when left alone with my brain. Combine that with the constant stream of news and general hysteria (and, for me, a particularly high vulnerability to this disease) and you have a recipe for near-insanity.

However, amidst the chaos, I have found calm in taking time to express gratitude for all the little joys that we are lucky enough to experience every day. The birds singing in the morning, a loving paw on the knee, the smell off coffee wafting through the house, flowers blooming in the garden. Every day there is beauty to be seen.

One of the things I am most grateful for is the beautiful location we have been able to isolate in. We have plenty of space and we are close to nature, which has a welcome grounding and calming effect. I have been noticing the way the light changes throughout the day. It is a reminder that although it feels like the world as we know it has screeched to a halt, the Earth continues to turn. In fact, it is thriving in the absence of human activity! The sun rises every day and sets every night. The tides continue to rise and fall. The seasons continue to pass, as the leaves begin to turn.

In these manic and uncertain times, I have found sunlight to be such a reassuring reminder to put one foot in front of the other and try not to get caught up in the panic.

In light of this (pun very much intended), I am channelling my anxious energy into creativity, making observations on light and shadow. I hope these images can help to bring some zen your way!