The Chronicles of Wallace & Samuel

Arooo there everybuddy,

Do you like our new look? Mom said it was time for something new…a fresh start…a clean slate.

Things are plodding along here. We’ve had a good number of public holidays and long weekends lately, which has been nice, we’re always happy to have the peeps at home with us. It’s such a pity they have to go out everyday to earn money for our luxurious upkeep *BOL*.

Soooooo, what’s new? Not very much, but we can report that Dada has gone back to school…well college actually. We are all very proud of him, he is being very diligent and has received some pretty impressive marks for his first assignments.

Here is a picture of Tallulah and I (Wally) keeping him company while he studies…such supportive children are we.

 Aaaaaand here is a photo of Sam…NOT keeping him company #justsayin’

Mom and Dada deserted us went away for a few days recently, to a tiny town in the Free State called Clarens. Mom being mom was able to sniff out and find a Scottie souvenir to buy whilst there. Not only that, there was a real life black Scottie living at the house next door to where they were staying. It’s as if Mom attracts anything Scottie where ever she is…it’s a gift really.

Our sister-cat Simone, is on her 2nd bladder infection for the year. The vet says it is down to her age and her kidney disease. All we know is that she’s become quite the pro at being hauled off to the vet and doesn’t even put up a fight anymore…mom says it’s a little disconcerting.

Mom has decided to learn to sew  this year. She goes for lessons on a Saturday with her aunt (our Oumie’s sister) but she says that it’s more like 75% talking and 25% sewing. We’re all living in mortal fear that she will take it upon herself to start making us “clothes”- that’s just NOT going to work for us.

And finally Tallulah…to be honest, the less said about her the better. She has started trying to groom us. I (Wally) am having NONE of it but Samuel…oh Samuel…I saw you getting a beard grooming from her the other night…oh I am on to you mister! It’s just gross! Cat spit *BLUGH*

Well that is pretty much all our news. We’ve stopped bugging mom about blogging more often, it will happen when inspiration hits she says, clearly inspiration is severely lacking in our house. We actually think it may have to do with Oumie no longer being with us, she was our muse and number 1 fan…we miss her.

We hope you are all keeping healthy and well. We will hopefully be barking at you again soon.

BIG licks,

Wal & Sam

xoxo

Aroooo there Everybuddy,

Well, so much for getting mom to up her secretarial duties during December, she is officially on a final warning butt we honestly don’t think she takes these things nearly as seriously as she ought to.

How is everybuddy doing?

We are terrierific! I (Wallace) turned 6 at the beginning of February. Mom says time is going too fast butt I bark “Who cares! Where are my presents??”

I got a pawsome zebra stuffie to add to my growing wildlife collection – I now have a lion, a tiger, 3 hedgehogs and a zebra.

I guard my zebra with my life – Sam keeps stealing him and running zoomies around the lounge / dining room with him, it REALLY irritates me!!!!

For those of you who are wondering…this is STILL happening *sigh*

Tallulah has turned into a valcro cat, she doesn’t leave us alone! There are rumours doing the rounds that she is looking into applying to become an “honourary” Scottie. OVER MY DEAD BODY!! Honestly, what is she thinking?

Anyhowl, that is about all the news we have for you. We’ll hopefully be barking at you all again soon, butt until then…

BIG licks & love from us to you

xoxo

 

 

Howzit China Beans,

It is the 2nd of December and we can sniff Christmas and holidays and Highveld summer thunderstorms in the air.

So, this is what it looks like when the heavens open over Johannesburg.

And this here is the result of said heaven’s depositing too much rain, too quickly on us.

Having barked this, we are still in the grips of a drought and we’ve already had our first heatwave of the season.

I can further report that everybuddy is doing as well as can be expected, considering the year we’ve had and additional (minor) issues that have cropped up along the way.

Sam…is Sam

Our sister-cat (Simone) is doing well on her new K/D (kidney friendly) diet and medication. She is due for a check up again this month but the vet was very happy with her various levels at her last visit.

Our other sister-cat and self-confessed selfie taker, Tallulah

Has finally succumbed to Sam’s  five year war of attrition, resulting in the following photo (*WARNING: This may be disturbing to sensitive canine readers).

Yes, you are seeing that right…they are lying next to each other…and there is also nudging and ear licks happening.

It’s beyond my comprehension. Mom and Dad are LOVING it. Sam was ecstatic to begin with (new relationship / honeymoon period) butt the shine is already wearing off, mainly because she won’t leave him alone now *snort of laughter* and constantly follows him around rubbing up against him and wanting to know what he’s thinking about. If only he’d taken my advice and left well enough alone.

This will be our first Christmas without Oumie, as well as mom’s first birthday without her. Mom says that things are not much easier than they were at the very beginning and instead there’s the odd good day sprinkled in between the bad and okay days. We know when mom is having a bad day and we stick close to her. We’re hoping that despite it being difficult, she’ll be able to find some Christmas cheer – this is her most favourite time of the year, after all.

Wishing you all a good December / Happy Holidays / Merry Christmas.

Licks & Love,

Wallace & Samuel

PeeS: We’ll see if we can get mom to type for us again during the month…paws crossed!

 

Arooo there Blogville,

It is the 1st of September and that means Spring has arrived for us hounds living in the Southern Hemisphere…well, in South Africa anyway.

As you can see, Sam and I are utterly beside ourselves with joy and excitement:

*AHEM* moving swiftly along.

In other news:

Princess Posh Paws (a.k.a Holly), Grandpa’s new kitten, we are told has settled in nicely and is growing by the day. Once again, we can only report on what we are told as we are STILL being denied a face-to-face interview.

At the beginning of August, mom abandoned us (all of us…Dada included) and went on holiday all by herself! Fearing the worst, we immediately started investigating the situation, in case there was a d.i.v.o.r.c.e. on the cards that we were not aware of and we needed to decide who we want to live with.  Turns out Dada was too busy at work and so said it was okay for mom to go on holiday without him.

So mom flew off to some place called Kenton-on-Sea in the Eastern Cape and stayed with friends for five whole days. Having thoroughly sniffed her over when she got home, we can report that:

• Kenton-on-Sea is really by the sea
• There were no less than 6 Yorkshire Terriers and 2 cats at said house
• 1 Brownie cheesecake and 1 raspberry and chocolate tart was made & consumed at said house
• Numerous glasses of wine were consumed at said house
• No gifts fit for Scottish Terriers were bought and / or brought home.

Soon after our last post mom finally made it to Starbucks in Rosebank, Johannesburg. Her and Dada have both been back a few times since. We however are still waiting for a sniff, never mind a sip, of a puppuccino #justsayin’

And finally in health related news, we are sad to have to report that our sister-cat, Simone (a.k.a. Satan’s Spawn) has been diagnosed with stage 2 kidney disease. Being 15 years of age, the vet told mom that it is a common ailment in cats of mature standing (we are NOTHING if not diplomatic….not to mention terrified of Simone). Her diet has been adjusted and she has been placed on medication to ensure her blood pressure doesn’t rocket and once a month mom has the pleasure of wrestling her into her cat basket for a check up, where she purrs and meows on her best behaviour and has her vet wrapped around her little white paw.

Since her diagnosis a few months back, things appear to be stable and (for mom’s sake) we are hoping that they remain so for as long as possible.

Love and licks to you all,

Wally & Sammy

 

Aroooo there China Beans,

We know…it’s been a while…some days it feels like forever…and then others…well, let’s not get into that right now.

All is as well as can be expected on our side. Winter has arrived and so has Starbucks, hence the new wallpaper. Yup, South Africa finally has Starbucks and mom is delighted – she’s yet to go buy some (the lines are ridiculously long) but she says she’s waited this long, she can wait a little longer.

We were terribly sad to hear of the passing of two of our friends: Forrest and Whitley. We told mom that we’ve had enough of this death and dying stuff, she replied that it is part of living…we decided to take a nap after that because our heads were hurting.

On a more pleasant note, we have a new family member – not us personally but rather our Grandpa. He has been very lonely since Oumie left us and so last week he decided it was time to get a companion.

Introducing:

HOLLY

(aka Princess Posh Paws)

She is pure white with the tiniest, sweetest little pink nose. She is a rescue kitten and will live out the rest of her days in pampered indoor luxury.

We have put in a formal meeting request but for some reason it has been denied. We are in the process of appealing the decision.

Grandpa and Holly, we are told, are besotted with each other and there is much romping and playing and purring going on. We’re okay with that, we want Grandpa to be happy.

Finally, our Auntie Kym won a professional photo shoot for her and the Iggies over the Easter period. The photos are just AMAZING and so we thought we’d share a few with you.

Dear Friends,

We are sad to have to tell you that our Oumie passed away last Thursday evening (17 March 2016), after a short but fierce battle with cancer.

We did not expect her to leave us so soon and had high (or perhaps naïve) hopes that we would have at least another year with her, but it was not meant to be.

Mom is struggling…we’re not sure what else to say…she and Oumie were very close and she is now having to navigate a new way of life without her and she is struggling.

Thank you to everyone who has already stopped by and left kind words on our previous post or via the POTP post that Miss Madi and her mom so kindly put up for us. We so appreciate all your support and love. Oumie absolutely LOVED Blogville and each and every one of you who visited us and sent her messages via our blog.

We hope to be back some time later this year but for now mom needs a break and some time to put things back together in her heart and mind.

xoxo

Aroooo there everybuddy,

The title of this post is actually deceiving, what it really should read is:

We’re Taking a Blogging Break

*major side-eyes & scowls at mom*

You see mom and dada experienced a moment of pure insanity around October last year, when they decided that it is time to re-do the kitchen. Now we’re not just barking a new lick of paint…or new stove (cooker / hob). NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!! Not our parental units! When they decide to re-do the kitchen THIS is what we end up with

GONE! It’s ALL GONE! EVERYTHING!

According to dada’s Project Management Calendar we should have a new brand, spanking new kitchen by the end of March. Yes, you read that right…THE. END. OF. MARCH!!

Until then mom and dada are taking turns overseeing the construction work and so mom has put in for some serious unpaid blogging leave. She has promised to allow us to visit you all and that she’ll try type up a post or two when she can.

So there you have it. Please send positive kitchen renovation vibes our way, because if this project runs overtime we’re packing up and moving in with Auntie Kym!

Welcome back everybuddy,

We’ve got a whopper of a post for you today, we really think you’re going to enjoy it so without any further ado let’s get started!

(NOTE: Click on the words in BLUE if you want more information and on the photos if you want a closer look)

04 – 06 January 2016: Black Rhino Lodge

Despite our pleas and promises to be on our bestest behaviour, we were once again left out of the fun when the peeps packed up the car and left to go on SAFARI!!

They took a 150km drive out of Johannesburg to a magical place (not that we would know) called Black Rhino Game Lodge. It is a private game lodge / reserve that boarders on the Pilanesberg National Park.

The first thing mom and AM did when they arrived was jump in the splash pool because it was H.O.T.!

The next 2 evenings (5pm) and mornings (5am) were spent in a Ranger Rover with a designated Game Ranger (named Rudi) driving all around the Black Rhino and Pilanesberg reserves.

Have you heard of “The Big Five“? Well the term refers to the five most difficult and dangerous animals in Africa to hunt on foot. Anyone on safari in Africa hopes to see “The Big Five” – and you know what? Uncle Bill and Aunt Marianne got to see FOUR of the FIVE, that is super impressive considering they were only on safari for 2 days and it was blisteringly hot at the time.

RHINO – Yup! And even a mom & calf!

ELEPHANT – Yup! And they had babies too!

CAPE BUFFALO –Yes, butt only at a distance BUTT it still counts!

LION – Yes!

LEOPARD – Sadly not BUTT they did get to see:

Kudu (top left), Wildebeest (bottom left) & Impala (right)

Zebra & Giraffes

Monkey (with baby), Crocodile, Apes and Warthog 

African Wild Dog (VERY rare sighting), Guinea Fowl, Jackal and a Scorpion

THE END

PeeS: Auntie Marianne? Hi, it’s Sammy! I just wanted to say that I miss being able to jump on the couch illegally and snuggle…please come back. Love Sammy xoxo

 

Picking right up from where we left off last time…

(NOTE: Click on the words in BLUE if you want more information and on the photos if you want a closer look)

02 January 2016: Johannesburg

The day started with a visit to the Apartheid Museum which was pretty heavy going for 9 in the morning butt mom says that it was very interesting and that she’d actually like to go back some time.

From here they caught a hop-on-hop-off City Sightseeing bus for a tour of Johannesburg CBD

The first stop they decided to hop off at was in Braamfontein unfortunately with it still being “New Years” most of the attractions were closed.

Butt they did find a nice place to stop for a bite to eat, The Bannister Hotel.

As they stepped out of The Bannister the heavens opened, as can only happen in Johannesburg on a summer’s day, and it rained…then it poured…then it hailed…and then it was over and the sun was out and beating down on them again.

From here they hopped back on the bus and headed over to Constitutional Hill, which despite advertising being open was in fact closed! Mom was maaaaaaaaaaad, possibly due to her ankle being particularly sore that day…possibly just because she was really looking forward to visiting this particular museum.

This did not however stop AM and Uncle Bill from exploring the grounds and having a grand ol’ time, while mom lay on a concrete bunch (ankle raised) bemoaning the state of the nation and poor service delivery.

PLEASE NOTE: The Flame of Democracy was OUT!! 

Hopping back on the bus the decision was made to just enjoy the ride and see the sights:

Graffiti…Jozi style

Mine headgear in the Mining District

Nelson Mandela Bridge

03 January 2016: Shopping 

The next day was a designated “shopping” day which started off at Sandton City, one of the largest shopping malls in Africa.

From here they caught the Gautrain to Rosebank Mall, the train stops right by the mall … underneath it actually.

The first stop when arriving at Rosebank Mall was at Krispy Kreme, it’d opened about 3 weeks earlier and mom and UB both agree that the Original Glazed is possibly the most delicious thing they’ve ever tasted…we wouldn’t know because as usual none were bought for us.

They then stopped by the Rosebank Art & Craft Market where UB fell in love with & purchased a rather large, framed piece of beaded artwork.

After spending the day shopping it was time for the peeps to come home, spend some quality time with their favourite South African Scotties…and start packing for their next adventure!

Tune in later this week for The Visit – Part 3: SAFARI!

 

Morning Everybuddy,

We hope you’ve all gone for a wee and have your water bowls close by because today is Part 1 of The Visit!

Now, as many of you may recall a few days before Christmas mom decided to launch herself accidentally fell down a single, solitary step and sprained her ankle:

NOT great considering that Uncle Bill (UB) and Aunt Marianne (AM) were arriving in less than a weeks time and there was much sightseeing and walking to be done.  In all honesty, the less barked about this tiny matter the better.

(NOTE: Click on the words in BLUE if you want more information and on the photos if you want a closer look)

30 December 2015: The Arrival

So, UB & AM arrived the day before New Years Eve. A 16 hour, non-stop flight is no joke, so we instructed the peeps to give them some time to settle in and acclimatize to sunny, heat wave experiencing summery South Africa, which AM was 100% into!

31 December 2015: Soweto Tour

The day started with a 9am pick up for a tour of Soweto (SOuth WEstern TOwnship).

The first stop en route to Soweto was at Nelson Mandela’s former and final home in Houghton, Johannesburg. The house is a private home, still occupied by Mr Mandela’s children and grandchildren butt people like to visit it and take photos of the memorial stones and messages that have been left outside the property.

The route the tour guide took into Soweto took the peeps right past Soccer City (FNB Stadium), one of the main venues during the 2010 Soccer World Cup and now a popular venue for international acts to perform at (mom, dada and Auntie Kym saw Bruce Stringbean Springsteen play there last year), soccer matches and other big events.

The stadium is also often referred to as The Calabash because it was designed and built to resemble a calabash or African gourd.

The first official stop on the tour was at Vilakazi Street, one of the most famous streets in all of South Africa as it housed not one but two Nobel winners: Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu. Mr Mandela’s home has been turned into a small museum: The Mandela Family Museum which the peeps visited.

On the way back to the tour bus AM asked the tour guide about the house they’d parked in front of, the owner appeared to be running some sort of business from it…a shabeen to be exact, called The Shack.

The inquiry led to an impromptu visit to The Shack, where the tour guide quickly organised a clay calabash and some Joburg Beer (a traditional sorghum beer or Umqombothi) for everybuddy to try.

Let’s just say UB and AM didn’t take any home with them BOL!

From here the next stop was at the Hector Pieterson Memorial and Museum. The museum commemorates the role South African school children played in the fight against apartheid. Being an ex-history teacher, mom was really excited about visiting the museum and was not disappointed.

After the museum the fantastic tour guide announced that he had arranged an extra stop for everybuddy, a guided tour through Kliptown, one of Soweto’s oldest suburbs and a true example of shack / township living.

On arrival the tour group was met by a Kliptown resident and member of the Kliptown Youth Programme, who took them on a tour through the “streets” of Kliptown, a visit to his own home (shack) and to the KYP centre

Back on the bus the tour was coming to an end with a drive past the Orlando Towers, two former cooling towers which have been re-purposed and are now the location of a very popular bungee jumping / abseiling / zip line adventure operation.

Finally the tour passed by the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, the 3rd largest hospital in the world and the largest hospital on the African continent. It is also a teaching hospital butt don’t expect any Grey’s Anatomy-esk fun and games here.

After the tour the peeps all came home to fawn over and play with us and we spent a relaxing New Years Eve together. Auntie Kym made a delicious (or so we are told, because we didn’t get any) lasagna for dinner, butt she was SUPER nervous cooking an Italian dish for AM.

AM gave the lasagna a BIG thumbs up…needless to say AK was very relieved *BOL*

Tune in next week for The Visit – Part 2: Johannesburg & Shopping