Welcome. Today I have some nice coffee for you. Tea if you’d prefer and some muffins that I made (helped make) that didn’t cook in time to take with me. Pays to read emails fully. When I noticed the notification for the dance come in, I had already planned on going so I didn’t bother to read it. Around 5.45pm yesterday I had a memory lapse and went to the email to remind myself of the starting time only to find, that unlike normal, the organisers wanted us to take a plate and I had to leave by 6.30pm. The shops were shut (Queensland doesn’t have the liberal opening hours of New South Wales – they believe in family time). I would have to make something. Being on the paleo diet there is nothing in the house except meat, vegetables and coconut oil. Luckily I found a packet of muffin mix and started preparing. Roger kindly took over so I could get ready to go. The first batch cooked and were ready 5 minutes before departure. The rest are here, so pop over for the rare occasion I can offer a treat along with the coffee.
© irene waters 2015
If we “Were having Coffee” I’d tell you that we have been particularly lucky not to have had the severe temperatures seen in the rest of the country. Although hot we have not had the air conditioner on yet and not even been tempted to go for a swim. Perhaps today. I don’t know what happens to you as you get older but the desire to swim seems to fade. When I was younger you couldn’t keep me out of the water. All summer I’d wear a bathing costume so any opportunity for a plunge I was ready. Now I think, can I be bothered having to change, then change again and wash my hair. All too much effort and often the water is just too cold, the sun too burning – the excuses could go on and on.
If we “Were having Coffee” you might ask about Muffin. Roger has renamed her Hannibal Lecter” . She was a different dog at puppy school on Thursday and was definitely bottom of the class. She was so excited to see all the other puppies all those things she did well at home were not in evidence there and haven’t been at home since either. She loves to eat my feet, legs and arms and I’m looking as though I have been in a battle zone.
© irene waters 2015
Toilet training works in the morning but come afternoon she piddles all over the place. Perhaps 9 weeks is the equivalent to being a two-year old human. I’m off to Melbourne for 5 days at the end of next week and unless she has improved significantly I don’t know how Roger will cope.
© irene waters 2015 Muffin 10 weeks
If we “Were having Coffee” I’d tell you that I have taken a weeks leave from my editing and will take another next week. I’ve been doing my presentation for Melbourne instead so I haven’t been totally inactive. I’ve also had coffee with a friend from Sydney and one from my nurse training days who lives in the hinterland so it has been a social week. My Mum also had a couple of falls, the second needing a CT of her head which luckily was okay.
If we “Were having Coffee” I’d tell you that I had the best night’s dancing that I have had for a long time. Not having a partner to dance with can make it a bit of a hit and miss as to how many dances you get in an evening of social dancing. Most of the time there are more women than men and I always get a good number of dances but last night I got all my favourites. In Queensland sequence dancing (new vogue and old-time) are the most popular forms. To dance to your moves is rarely done as it means the man has to lead. Most can’t but it is my favourite style whether it be modern or latin. Last night I had someone who could both lead and dance this bracket and I came home floating on air.
The last thing that I would tell you if we “Were having Coffee” is that last week I said that I thought that ISIS was made up of nothing but thugs. During the week I read an article that made me think that I was wrong in that assertion. If you are interested have a read, it is long but even the first bit gives an understanding of the philosophy of the group. http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2015/03/what-isis-really-wants/384980/
Now I want to wander and share your cups of coffee. Hope you have a good week.
Thanks to Diana for hosting our coffee and there are others who’d like to meet you so pop over to meet them,
Reflections and Nightmares- Irene A Waters (writer and memoirist) 
Muffin is adorable! Roger doesn’t dance? A very enjoyable post.
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Muffin lets say has oodles of potential. No Roger doesn’t dance sadly but luckily too he is not a jealous person either and from the outset was happy that I continue dancing and he would continue playing golf without me having to join in. Glad you enjoyed it Judy.
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After his heart attack, my dad used to go and watch my mom dance with other friends, as well. She loved to dance!
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That is nice. Must have been hard for your Dad though as I presume he used to like to dance. So frustrating when the things you love stop being accessible to you. Great that he didn’t stop you Mum and he could still enjoy the music.
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You guessed it. I think I only danced once with my dad as when we were in S.D. they never went out to parties or dances, but when he was a young man, rumor has it that he was a regular at every dance within buckboard distance!
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Yes 1/2 a generation before mine it was the accepted way for men to meet women particularly in country towns and no doubt it was the same where your Dad was. Now sadly the majority of men don’t want to dance unless of course you are in Mexico.
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What an adorable pup! Sorry you’re still having some trouble with her, but hope that starts to even out more soon.
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I know it will, I just have to learn to cope with little teeth.
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I wish I had a dance partner. I never had except in college when we had dorm dances. There were a couple of guys in the dorm that were excellent dancers and I didn’t shy away from asking them for a few dances each time we had a dorm dance. It was great fun but it has been since 1977 that they graduated and moved on. No more dancing since then.
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It’s never too late to take it up again. Dancing they say is the best way to prevent alzheimers as it gives you the three important ingredients – social interraction, using your brain (remembering the steps and learning new ones) and exercise. Not only is it fun I see it as an essential but like you know, some are memorable.
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Oh dear…naughty Muffin! I hope she soon settles down. I had to laugh about ‘Hannibal Lecter’ though…! I love dancing, and would love to take formal dance lessons. But for now I’m happy ‘strutting my stuff’ every opportunity I can get. Luckily hubby likes to dance too. It’s great that you found such a good dance partner. Your night out sounds so much fun 🙂 I’ll take a look at the article as soon as I get the chance. And I hope your trip to Melborne goes well and Muffin does indeed behave so you can go there and not worry and that it is a raging success. Love having coffee (or tea) with you Irene 🙂
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Glad you dropped by for coffee Sherri. I know Muffin will improve as she gets older. I just wish that she didn’t see my arm as a rusk and my legs as a game. It will come. She won’t teeth forever and perhaps at 12 weeks she will start to take notice of commands. Yes I love my dancing and whether you know formal dancing steps as long as you can enjoy it when you go out that’s all that matters. Yes it’s a good article worth a read – it gave me an understanding I didn’t have before which is good. Thanks for your good wishes for Melbourne. I am nervous about this one as I am reading a creative work. Always scary. Lots of love 🙂
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Yes, your poor arm 😦 Things will calm down with Muffin, that’s the good news 🙂 I’m sure you will be a raging success at the conference Irene, and I do look forward to hearing all about it. You will do great, I just know it…keep calm and drink coffee 🙂 Lots of love back as always… 🙂 ❤
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Thanks. I will head off with those encouraging words and let you know how it goes or rather has gone. Lots of love and thanks 🙂
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Puppy’s cute, but wow. That looks painful.
Glad you had some fun dancing! I took lessons with a boyfriend once and he was afraid to make a move/mistake. The teacher then danced with me and wow. When you dance with someone who knows how, it’s AMAZING.
Thanks for stopping by my blog this week. I’ll visit again next week!
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Good to see you Daisy. Yes, dancing with someone who knows how is exactly that – AMAZING. See you next week.
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Irene, you can drop Muffin off at my place on the way to Melbourne. Just get her a good parachute and she’ll be fine with us while your away. Not sure quite how to return her though…jetpack? I visited a friend yesterday who is doing dog rescue and is minding 2 x 8 week old pups. They were so cute and just curled up and slept in my arms. Puppies are probably like babies…great to visit but a handfull as parents. Hope Roger goes well.
I’m still cleaning up from the hail. When Geoff removed the roofing, jacaranda leaves spread their wings creating fresh problems. Things are looking much better, even though it’s going to be awhile before my desktop computer gets set up again and I’m not sure if it will even work after the water damage.
Take care and have a great week xx Rowena
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We had a day in Brisbane today and Bundy and puppy were fine on our return. My Mum babysat for a couple of hours and was a little disappointed that Muffin slept most of that time. I think she was lucky. I will consider the parachute drop. I could pick her up in February (by then the biting and piddling will be resolved).
Jacaranda gets everywhere. It is such a shame that just when you were in that state of writing readiness this had to happen. Hope the computer will work again and that soon you are happily back at your desk.
Have a great week. Cheers Irene
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Thanks, Irene.
We got our daughter off to Sydney for school spectacular last night and we had quite a difficult chat about what to do in the event of a terrorist attack, which I posted about: https://beyondtheflow.wordpress.com/2015/11/25/a-conversation-no-parent-should-have/
Any thoughts?
Yesterday afternoon, I attended a book launch for one of our dog walking community. https://www.goodreads.com/author/8301073.Anya_Nielsen/questions
It was quite interesting because about half the attendees were our dog walkers. We have quite a strong community and such an impressive selection of breeds, which you’d never expect to find in one spot…an Old English Sheepdog, Lassie Coolie, Border Collie, Rhodesian Ridgeback…definitely nobody “common”.
This week is busy but exciting. Hope yours is going well xx Rowena
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How did the school spectacular go? Over time I imagine your daughter will attend many events without incident and the fear will lessen as she realises that the chances are slight. Mind you this is coming from someone who has never overcome a fear of narrow, winding mountain roads despite having been on many in the past.
You can’t get better than a dog walking community. The variety of dogs you have sounds as great as the variety where we are also although we also have common ones. We came from a country town where the farmers pet dogs were Jack Russells (good for snakes and ratting) and townies with their maltese. Sheep and cattle dogs were plentiful but they were working animals. So we were staggered to see the variety here. Even an Afghan which I haven’t seen since they were the flavour of the year back in the 70’s.
Hope you had a good week and you caught Muffin on the way down. They gave me the exit door to control especially. (just joking).
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Muffin was perfectly behaved but was rather spoiled! School Spectacular was awesome and I’ve written about it in my coffee share and will write a separate post. It truly was the experience of a lifetime. Take care and I’d better get to bed xx Rowena
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Glad to hear it. Am on my way back from Melbourne now and looking forward to seeing her.
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I’d love to hear how Melbourne went. Are you going to write a post or perhaps you already have? It’s been a crazy time last week going everywhere and this week resting. At least, it is cool today. I’ve been “stonkered” by the heat (that’s one of my Dad’s words and I love it) Take care xx Ro
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I will write a post about it but somehow the whirl of Christmas is upon us and things to finish up. And the heat to contend with. Stonkered is a great word. My Dad used it also. Take care – see you for coffee. XX Cheers Irene
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You are more patient than I. Maybe I was lucky in that Zeke caught on really quickly…
I so love to dance and am considering joining some dance class or another all by myself… who knows? Maybe I’ll find the perfect partner?
A lovely visit with you!
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All my previous pups have been German Shepherds and I don’t even remember having to house train them. Taken outside once and then they knew. This is a different kettle of fish made all the more difficult as we have a huge tiled area outside as well as inside and the grass is around the back and down the other side so it is not as easy as just popping her out the back door and she struggles to know the difference between inside and outside.
Join a dance class. Its social interaction, touch without undertones, exercise, brain stimulation and lots of fun. And who knows?
Thanks for dropping by Dale Have a good week.
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True…German sheperds are so smart.
I do wish you luck!
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Thanks.
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