Doggone it chat


By Bobi

So, dogs, hey. Am I right? 

You’ve all seen my baby – an elegant, graceful, wonderful companion. 

Still, I have been wondering what we would do without them during the lockdown. Well, sleep in … obviously. 

But he does give me purpose and exercise.

I have a faint suspicion that I would turn into something round(er) and more unappealing if I didn’t have something that demands that I rise from this couch at regular intervals: food, walks, treats, letting him in and out every minute or so because he couldn’t be bothered using his own dog door. 

I am a fan of all dogs and love seeing everyone’s pics but I am an absolute fan of greyhounds. It came as a bit of a shock really. I thought I was doing something nice by rescuing one but it turns out he rescued me. If anyone is thinking of another dog, I can recommend one of these. Just be aware that food costs are high, but there you go. Small downside.

Which is a long lead (🤣🤣) up to my five favourite dog movies.

1. Anything titled Wallace and Gromit.
2. Most movies with Scooby-Doo in the header.
3. Best in Show. Seriously. 
4. Lassie. I used to cry every time. 
5. The Shaggy Dog. Oldy but a goody. 

The trouble with most dog movies is that there is a tendency for the dog to die. Hence, the leaning towards animated features. 

And so as not to end on a sad not, let me add, this is not a dog. 



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72 Comments

  1. Thanks, Bobi. So my family and I were discussing TV/movie dogs and I was making a list;
    Pluto (not a planet, but still a dog) Goofy, Inspector Rex, Astro, Snoopy, Sooty and Sweep, Beethoven, Lassie, Rin Tin Tin, Eddie (Frazier), Dino (honourary), Benji, Basil Brush (same species), Petie (Our Gang), Deputy Dawg, Benji (Petticoat Junction), Shamus (Mary Poppins), Lady, Tramp and all of the 101 Dalmatians, Huckleberry Hound, Duke (Beverly Hillbillies) ……

        • I should have said Bluey and her family.

          Bluey is a fairly new Australian-made animated series about a blue heeler (cattle dog) puppy and her family. I think it’s aimed at the pre-school set, but adults enjoy it as well.

          Have a look. It’s brilliant. It’s on ABC comedy channel every day at 0800.

  2. I had forgotten about Inspector Rex (both German and Italian versions).
    Love.
    And they kill the owners rather than the dog.
    Although I was still a little bit heartbroken.

  3. My good dog is still hanging in. His recent prognosis was 3 -5 months. That was after a prognosis of the same amount of time in December 2019. He is still a happy boy – and a bloody little legend. It’s not time yet.

    And not about dogs, but a few things are on my mind:

    1. I don’t need Tony Abbott’s approval or permission to continue living. Nor is it unreasonable to expect all people to take sensible precautions so that we are all safer, old people included. Tony can go fuck himself. He’s in his 60’s. If his conviction that oldies are expendable is so strong, he can be the first one up against the wall.

    2. One of the details of Clive Palmer’s defamation suit against Mark McGowan is that Mark caused injury to Clive’s feelings. Jesus, Clive, if you weren’t so pathetic you’d be laughable.

    3. Trump and his ravings about thugs in black uniforms with gear, protesters throwing bags of soup at police, and every other bit of complete horse shit that comes out of his mouth…are his supporters unable to see that he is batshit crazy and very dangerous?

    Someone needs to start searching for a vaccine or cure for the massive amount of stupidity that affects a portion of the population.

    • “… are his supporters unable to see that he is batshit crazy and very dangerous?”

      Yeah, I think that’s about the gist of it. He is their great right wing messiah, so anything he says (look at all the hubbub about that drug he mentioned that might help covid, even though a tonne of scientists have come forward since then and said the opposite) is the gospel truth straight from God Himself, and that’s the hill they’re going on die on. And this isn’t just wacky American conservatives. Look at the Australian media names (well, commentators on Sky News, which I guess is sort-of the media) who are preaching this same nonsense, just as fervently.

      It’s all a con.

      Look at his election promises. It’s all about restoring law and order, and security … well, clearly the guy who’s running the country, right now, is doing a terrible job, if things are that out-of-control, wouldn’t you agree Don?

      It’s a con, and only half the people have realised it. He jokes about sexually-assaulting women, he calls Nazis and white supremacists “good people”, he blames some evil dark shadow network for everything going wrong? If people are stil making excuses and convincing themselves to support him, even with all of that?

      I don’t think there’s any logical way to reach those people.

      The country’s already burning itself to the ground. If he gets back in, what the hell is that place going to look like in four years?

    • A good read, Von and a worthy whinge. It’s whingeworthy to get mad about the idiots and greedy bastards trying to undo McGowan’s good work.
      And did you see the FB post of the woman arrested for trying to organize an illegal protest. The boyfriend demands of the police, “what’s your name?”, as though he is the one with authority, not the police.

      • I haven’t looked closely at a cop for a long time, but don’t they wear a name and/or badge number? I think they are obliged to give their name if asked. So it’s not unreasonable to ask any cop his name in those circumstances.

        I didn’t see the woman’s post on FB, nor any of the video, but I have read a couple of newspaper reports. The woman was quick to say she’d delete her post, once she was facing the consequences of her actions. Say or post whatever you want, people, but realise there may be repercussions.

        I don’t think handcuffing her endangered her or her baby in any way. Pregnancy is not a free pass for to do whatever you like.

        I am a hard ass supporter of civil liberties and personal privacy. But, during the pandemic, I have no sympathy for anti-maskers, anti-vaxxers, and those who whine about being asked to keep standards that help all of us stay safe.

        • The bf asked to see his name, bit it was already clearly on his pocket, but the policeman politely indicated his name anyway.

          Same Von, I’m all for freedom as long as it doesn’t hurt others, take away their freedom or give anyone a deadly virus.

        • Von, that is exactly what I was saying – pregnancy doesn’t exempt you from consequences of your action.

          On the other hand, I wonder why every past-PM is not afforded the respect that the office requires. Ex-leaders do have a part to play in current affairs, can express their opinion (as have Paul Keating and Kevin Rudd this week), and be spoken of with respect regardless of whether that opinion is agreed with or not.

          • If pregnancy exempts you from the consequences of your actions because you are somehow too frail, then it ought to have excluded you from the action.

  4. So, two things on Trump and both contradictory, which is my favourite argument:
    Dr Phil is a three episoder this week. The woman is being catfished by multiple scammers. And no matter what evidence is being put before her, she refuses to acknowledge that it is all crock of s**t. It is interesting watching her face as she just looks slightly puzzled at everyone’s insistence that there is a problem. Now, substitute Trump/One Nation supporter/Craig Kelly. Yep, yep, yep.
    But on the other hand, if I was a white, working class male from a southern state, I’d vote for Trump. I can’t imagine what it would be like working for $2.50 an hour and expecting some foreigner/woman/LBTIQ to take my job for less money any second, and Trump,the businessman, has promised … well, all sorts of things. And he is delivering on some of his promises directed to these people.
    Let’s just say, I understand.
    It’s hard to vote for the greater good, when it means that you fall further down the pile.
    I think the equivalent is voting Liberal because they are promising tax cuts while, at the same time, complaining that there is not enough being spent on hospitals and nursing homes. Idk. It makes sense on one hand but not on the other.

  5. You’ve surprised me here, Bobi.

    Why would a working class male, of any colour, from any location, expect a foreigner (foreigner?), woman, or LBGTQI person to take his job, except for Trump’s racist, sexist, homophobic, hate-filled dog whistles? And I’m interested to know what promises you think Trump, the failed businessman, has actually delivered to those same people.

    My point, again, is that Trump appeals to the lowest common denominator in people through fear-mongering, and I wonder why some can’t see through his lies.

    I think $2.50 an hour is in hospitality industry workers who rely on tips to supplement their meager income. It’s not a common hourly rate.

    Or did you just throw out a line and I bit?

    • Yes and no.
      I was just trying to put together a badly formulated argument for why I suspect that a lot of people vote for Trump.
      I don’t want to call them stupid for believing what they believe.
      The rock solid part of his base is primarily made up of white, not college educated, working class males. They appear to feel threatened by the progressives – progressives meaning any one that is not like them, hence woman, foreigners, etc.
      So Trump tries to keep Mexicans out because they work cheaper.
      He is fighting with China because their goods are mass produced for little cost and that discourages manufacturing.
      And he promised to increase manufacturing by increasing tariffs.
      And he has turned America inward, “saving” all that money that was wasted on international organisations like WHO and has pulled back on all that there fighting on foreign soil thereby saving lives.
      Maybe his base is the lowest common denominator but there are 36 million of them. Trump says he’s in their corner. I’m just saying that if I worked on a production line at Chrysler, I would vote for Trump because what have I got to lose. The Democrats are certainly not doing anything for them.
      But I probably did exaggerate a little with the $2.50 an hour.
      And not enhancing my argument but just making a point: first the Democrats put forward a black man and then they put forward a woman. Way to offend every fibre of their being. Of course they were going to vote for Trump – you know, the white guy who talks just like them.
      I’m not agreeing, I’m just understanding.

      • I think it’s good that you can think outside of your own point of view to see through someone else’s eyes. It doesn’t compromise your integrity. It enhances it.

        • It helps that I have a DD who has voted Liberal . At . Every . Single . Election. Eva.
          Not that I haven’t voted Liberal, or even the Serious Sun Ripened Warm Tomato Party (I was young 😊) on occasion, but I make a conscious decision each time because, you know, circumstances and policies change.
          She seems to have abdicated total thought when it comes to politics.
          I try to be understanding. It’s not always easy and sometimes I have to play mental gymnastics. Maybe it’s becoming second nature.

      • Bobi, I think you have hit on the real crux of the Trump issue.

        There are two separate strands. The first is that Trump gives every appearance of being a first-class sleaze who is damaging the US at every decision.

        The second, separate strand is that the US has serious problems that deeply concern many people. Depending on the person, one or the other issue will be top of their list. Maybe their employment or industry, their demographic, their home, or their values. And just because some more highly born people may not agree with those issues, does not make them invalid.

        Many Trump-haters focus solely on the first strand, and refuse to face the second ones. Trump came to power because he recognised the issues that were important to people, and made promises based on those (unfortunately, with the level of US intellect, many did not realise that the promises were impossible).

        If the Democrats want to win, they have to stop pushing their own barrows and address the issues that got Trump elected in the first place. Forget him, he is just a focus for the discontent – address the issues and Trump should lose all his appeal.

        And I desperately want Trump out of power, so I really wish the Democrats would take the right approach. And after Trump is gone, the whole system needs an overhaul to stop ridiculous power being placed in the hands of one (potentially-deranged) person.

  6. I’ve just been listening to the ABC tell me about Scott’s bus.
    Bloody hell.
    I’m guessing some marketing person has a sense of humour when they thought of that analogy.
    The only thing I really understood is that Western Australia is not getting on the bus. That explains McGowan’s 91% approval rating.
    The rest of us may or may not get on the bus depending on … no, seriously, I gave up at this point.

    • That analogy gave me a laugh too, Bobi. I heard it on the news, shook my head, and wondered what the hell that was supposed to mean.

      How did you find a fitting picture of a bus? Did you Google “threatening bus”?

  7. What has happened to copy editors? I read four or five newspapers and news sites on line almost every day. Today every single one of them had a very obvious mis-spelling or typo in a headline or within the body of a story. I woke up my poor dog by yelling in frustration at one I remember – outage instead of outrage. Kind of changes the meaning of the headline from what it’s meant to say, to nonsense. I can sift through poorly written copy to get the facts, but incorrect grammar usage and mis-spellings drive me nuts.

      • Is this the place for our pet peeves. So many. So many.
        Literal, ffs. How do people literally not know the meaning of the word.
        But I do like y’all. It’s a special word that we, proper English people, do not have an equivalent for. The Americans do have a good idea every now and then. I wish.
        And then there’s the perplexing: I do not get the singular verb with a group word. The herd is running in all directions. It’s a physical impossibility.
        Mostly, I’m judgemental and then every now and then, it’s just hard.

      • Just had a mild disagreement with DS because he used “reached out” when talking to me (he is now working in mildly corporate environment). He likes a good argument so we battled that out, which somehow morphed into the difference between “pompous” and “a pomposity”, which is what I called using reach out in corporate speak. Lots of fun thrashing these out with him because he has a sharp brain.

  8. We just took Harry and Maggie to visit Arthur’s mum, Pat in the old people’s home. They made a splash with a few inmates.

    Bobi, I asked Pat if she wanted to come live with us, but she said no. She has more family in Perth, plus I think she has been enjoying the activities.
    Either that or I talk too much. 🤣

    • Could be either. 🤣
      My Mum said that the older she got, the less she liked change. I’m starting to be more understanding of that.
      Your MiL must be comfortable. You have to take her word on that.
      I’m sure she likes the visits, but I would still let the home know that you are around a lot.
      I’ve had a conversation with my cousin about my aunt (the one that was relatively content) and there was some vindictiveness by some of the staff towards the end. Things like, moving her from place to place last, giving her food she didn’t like, giving her cold tea etc.
      My cousin had to become loud. And he is tall. That seems to count for a lot in these places. It’s all so sad that you have to do that.
      And again, what do people do if they don’t have family.
      I can’t see the problem being solved. Successive governments have been showing their lack of interest for decades.

        • 🤣🤣 it’s funny, isn’t it. It’s the cold tea that offended me most.
          If my last two choices on earth are food or a good cup of tea, I’ll take the tea.

        • $600,000? $600,000? That’s a place in WA, right? Did that get her a luxurious apartment with carers/helpers on call?

          I don’t have family or that amount of money. Nor would I get anywhere near that much by selling my current home. Damn. I’m healthy and mobile still, but guess I should start looking into options if the time comes that I’m not. Or hope that I croak before that happens

          • It may not really as bad as it sounds.
            I’m making some assumptions here about the situation in WA but go with me.
            The money is a deposit (for want of a better word) and most of it is returned (less an amount taken to cover costs based on a formulae).
            And it is put into a trust because, under another complicated formulae, some of it is isolated so that it can be treated as a tax exempt asset so some residents can receive a pension.
            I know. What can I say. I said it was complicated.
            If it is something that you need to know, it is worth having a chat with an expert and most retirement homes have these on hand who will give you a run down for free.
            My aunt’s house was worth $200,000 and she didn’t sell it before she moved in. Her son stayed living in the property. It was all good.
            Defending the rules for a moment, it seriously complicated because it’s got to cover every possibility.
            It’s hard to be reassuring in 10 lines. Talk to someone.

          • Nup. A room. Nothing fancy at all. Pretty boring in fact. And you never see more than a tea lady.

            I’ll take a rock over the head before I get to that state.

            I had lunch with another Aunty; 86 and looks better than some 18 year olds. No surgery either. Slim, great posture lovely skin.

          • Bobi, it’s probably something like you said. As she is my mil, not my mum, I wasn’t involved in the organization if it

          • Thanks, Bobi. I’m not as panicked as that comment made me sound, but that figure threw me.

            I have been half-heartedly looking at information and options on line for a while. Mainly for at home help, but I’ve yet to call or talk to anyone about moving in to residential care or whatever it’s called, because I don’t want to think of a time when I can’t look after myself, or live in my own home. Yuk. I’m sure I’ll be healthy and independent until the day I die :).

  9. So I thought I would just watch the last 10 minutes of Duel in the Jungle while I had a cup of tea.
    Let me just repeat, 10 minutes. I know. I checked.
    In that time, a native was tortured, there was a chase in canoes, a lion stalked the pretty white girl (who was wearing a dress and high heels), a cheetah attacked the lion, the lion won, and went after the girl again while the hero and the villain had a fight (hence the title), the policeman arrived in the nick of time and shot the lion (and that looked real to me 😯), the villain nearly went over the waterfall but was saved by the hero, they were stalked by a crocodile, and then the hero kisses the girl.
    Seriously. 10 minutes. They don’t write movies like they used to.
    I’m going back to cooking shows. My heart can’t take any more of this.

  10. Dog beds – I have three ads for dog beds – and one for t-shirts with cat logos on them.
    Google’s algorithm has surpassed itself today.

    • It’s annoying being spied on, Bobi. But Google can be fooled.

      I think I might have a bit if a chat about ….um…..bowties. Bowties and mobile homes.

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