Archie
Beaglier
Date of birth: 16.5.19
Came home: 12 6, 2019
The Beaglier was first developed in Australia in the 1990s during a cross-breeding program. Breeders were looking for a small, energetic dog who had a less active scent drive than the Beagle and so they cross-bred the Beagle with a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, as they are known to be well-mannered, even-tempered dogs. Since then, their popularity has grown and they can be found throughout North America and Europe.
And,
this week's
Butch centrefold is...
Why Archie?
Our last dog was called Magic and it was obvious why. As Karminda, his vet, said , "Magic was indeed magic by name and by nature".
Our reason! Well, isn't that what life is ~ magic...
But, Archie!
-
Was he named after the new young prince - Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor (born 6 May 2019) the son of Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex. The great-grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II, Archie is seventh in the line of succession to the British throne.
No!
-
Was he named after Archie Andrews a bit of a rascal who made his first appearance back in 1941? Hmmm! If it was a girly puppy I might, indeed, have named her Veronica or Betty.
Nope!
-
Was he named after the Archibald Prize which is awarded annually to the best portrait, of some man or woman distinguished in art, letters, science or politics, painted by any artist resident in Australasia’?
Definitely not!
Well, why Archie?
-
Mary conducted a survey of her American grandchildren and Archie was the winner... Thanks, kids!
Archie's first day with us...
Michael from Chevromist Kennels does a final check on Archie's digital code,
we pay the money and then head home.
Hey! Is Mary excited?
Is Archie apprehensive?
Archie meets Auntie Jodie...
Archie's first visit to the vet...
Hey, Archie, we are going for a drive....
… to see the vet.
He looks lovely, Mary. How are you?
Hey, Archie, we are going for a drive....
Emails to/from Archie's principal vet
Archie's Email to Dr Karminda, South Valley Vet Clinic (Sunday, 14 July, 2019)
Dear Dr Karminda!
Hi! I’m Archie. I’m so sorry I missed you on Saturday. Dr Paula (!) was lovely but she stuck something up my backside which I didn’t like. Daddy told me I will see you next time we drive to South Valley Road.
Dr Paula said this was an important time for me to get to know new friends but to be wary of nasty big bad dogs(!). So dad and I went for a walk on Saturday afternoon. He got mum’s back-pack and put it on his chest (I think he sat it on his tummy), put a blanket in it then stuffed me inside that. I have already met three neighbours. Daddy said I can’t nose-tap any 4-legged neighbours for a while yet. Will they think I’m being stuck-up if I keep looking down on them?
Bye!
Your friend, Archie
Archie's Email from Dr Karminda, South Valley Vet Clinic (Monday, 15 July, 2019)
Dear Master Archie,
It’s so nice to meet you, even if it’s only via email at this stage!
I hope you have recovered from your visit to the clinic the other day and you are well.
I trust Mary & John are treating you like royalty but you are also remembering to practice what they are teaching you!
Looking forward to seeing you soon.
Kind Regards,
Dr K.
PS: Please pass on my warmest regards to your servants!
Odds-n-Ends
Sorry buddy. But, I've just gotta get this done.
After-dinner nap-time
Backpack on front with blankie
makes for one happy hitch-hiker
Archie's first walkies...
Archie loves Auntie Sue...
And, Surprise! Surprise! Auntie Sue loves Archie
Such is life...
-
Meeting Karminda ~ jab & check-up
-
Archie likes small, tight, inacessible places
Archie has the habit of disappearing into "impossible" locations (could be his total inquisitiveness or something from his beagle ancestry). This time it was behind one of my bar fridges (Mary's solution - "Call the fire department") Hey! Why call them when I'm at home!
Behind both fridges
Wickie-Time...
Archie lenjoys our evening whickie-time (check these 2 videos)
Today was not a good day...
Definitely not one Archie want to remember
Archie's modelling days fall Flatt...
't wasn't for lack of trying...
A quick look at this video-clip will reveal why it just didn't work. A rock-rollin'-n-run-n-stretch on the carpet, while being totally free-n-easy for Archie, also left his ex-ball hideout totally exposed. Not only that but there were no we-we provisions. Neither Mary nor I could wake up to the scene of an Archie in a urine-soaked onsie, gnawing on a disassembled not-so-safety pin while the remains of his 20+stitches lay strewn around his bloody crate ~ would mean too much extra washing for Mary (and more veterinary bills)...
ps I cut out the gory bits, the rock-n-rolling cartwheels and the bare-bits (far too risqué). I'm not into doggie-porn.
Hey, dad! It's walkies-time...
And, it's now part of a daily six-step routine...
which I dare not alter....
Step 2. Around 7.12am I hear a subtle whine, barely louder than a muffled whisper; the signal for me to rise-n-start shining.
Step 3. I dress, go to the study, open the door to Archie's crate, give him a mandatory 3-minute 'rub-down and stretch' then take him outside where he relieves himself.
Step 4. I give him his bowl of doggie-milk and go turn on my PC.
Step 5. Archie collects me and we head for the back door. I walk with him to the patch of synthetic turf where he unloads a large land-mine (for any unwary intruders). I return to my PC.
Step 6. Archie runs excitedly (now that he has done his duties), jumps up on the blue recliner and says, "Daddy, daddy, it's walkies-time!" No amount of ignoring, key-board activity or pretending to be busy will quieten him.
Step 1. Me, dozing comfortable in bed waiting for my eyes to feel like opening.
I fix the lead to Archie's collar. He grabs the end firmly in his mouth, jumps off the lounge, leads me to the front door and promptly props as if to say, "Ok, daddy, I've done my bit. Now it's up to you."
For the next 30-45 minutes we walk the estate. I'm not complaining. This way I get my daily photography-fix. When we return home, I retire to my PC for a bit of photo-editing. Archie! Well, he curls up on the other recliner and nods off until it's breakie-time.
I have Archie well trained... (!)
This morning's walkies' photo-shoot
After the rains everything looks so green
Nothing like real rain for a thirsty garden
After the rains everything looks so green
Walkin' in the rain is such fun...
Click image. Watch at 4K with speaker on....
If you have issues with the above link
or your download speed is slow try this link
For Archie-Fans
During the covid lockdown dad-n-I tried something a little different....
Burb (from suburb)
[bʌrb]
VERB
To burb
To move at a speed
faster than a walk,
never having both
or all the feet on the ground
at the same time,
around every street
in one’s suburb...
It's burbing-time...
Brrr! Second thoughts...
Carn, dad!
Enough for today, dad?
Brrr! Second thoughts...
Looking back a couple of years...
What's on Fyansford.com
Thursday, 6 August
Littlewood Drive (south end)
Started with the best intentions around 6.30am.
Got to Casey Boulevard then dad realised he wasn't wearing his mask. So that added another 200m (and at his age every step counts).
Link to today's clip
Saturday, 8 August
Jennings Court
What a morning! Will we, or won't we, dad?
Yep, dad! We can do it...
Dad's new favourite toy....
What a morning! Will we, or won't we, dad?
LINK to full-colour photos
LOOKING back...
& What's on Fyansford.com
Harold Jennings was born in Fyansford.
He was an ANZAC who later became a chemist at the cementies.
& What's on Fyansford.com
Sunday, 9 August
Maskell Court
LOOKING back...
The Maskell family
ran a dairy farm hereabouts.
LINK to full-colour photos
".... and this little plot of land is now my home"
Monday, 10 August
Schroeder Court
Schroder was chief chemist of the cementies (1930 – 1944) and largely believed to be behind the success of the Adelaide Brighton group.
LINK to full-colour photos
& What's on Fyansford.com
LOOKING back...
".... where Maskell's cows once chewed the cud"
Tuesday, 11 August
Dolder Street
Fred Dolder was a foreman at Fyansford cement works.
He established the cementies museum in 1976
LINK to full-colour photos
& What's on Fyansford.com
We can thank Fred Dolder for the Geelong Cement Retirees Museum
LOOKING back...
Wednesday, 12 August
McAuliffe Drive
Several family members
worked at the cementies
LOOKING back...
LINK to full-colour photos
Gallery of McAuliffe Drive Clips
Thursday, 13 August
Casey Boulevard
LOOKING back...
Gallery of McAuliffe Drive Clips
LINK to full-colour photos
Casey! Casey?
Who was Casey?
Casey is a given name, derived either from the Irish Gaelic cathasaigh, meaning "vigilant" or "watchful", or from a combination of the initials K.C. It is also a nickname; in the case of girls, it can be used as a derivative nickname for the name Cassandra.
Can anyone throw any light on Casey - as in Casey Boulevard?
Friday, 14 August
Monier Way #1
Monier
That's our bridge...
Gallery of Monier Way Clips
LINK to full-colour photos
LOOKING back...
Also Incl. South of Casey
Gallery of Monier Way Images
For more about the Fyansford Monier Bridge see: Crossing the Moorabool
Saturday, 15 August
Monier Way #2
I am forever thankful that I wake and am able to take Archie for his morning walk. "Cheers! Here's to tomorrow...."
Gallery of Monier Way Clips
Gallery of Monier Way Images
& What's on Fyansford.com
LINK to full-colour photos
LOOKING back...
Also Incl. South of Casey
Monday, 17 August
Hardiman Circuit
A little brightness en-route
Hardiman!
Any clues as to why 'Hardiman'?
LINK to full-colour photos
LOOKING back...
Tuesday, 18 August
Gugger Place
And, to my mind,
the most appropriately named...
LINK to full-colour photos
LOOKING back...
And, that was our final Archie's burbin'
Stay safe, folks!
A little self-indulgence goes a long way nowadays...
The choice of video-clip sound tracks....
During these somewhat depressing and trying times I have chosen to select
a background music which I think is light, fluffy and bouncy.
It's the music I play whenever I feel depressed or a little d-o-w-n....
If you can't stand the Beatles, Chuck Berry, Rolling Stones, Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Beach Boys .... then I suggest you put your machine on MUTE.
Good morning, sunshiners!
The Rise-Rise-n-Fall of George~George!
George-George is on the move...
Archie and I, while on our morning walks, keep an eye out and an ear tuned, for George-George.
The first morning it was a rustle in the grass that attracted Archie's attention. Sure enough, as we looked closely among the grass stalks we saw two little eyes glinting back at us.
We didn't see George-George for two days. We were, then, very surprised to see him atop of a real estate sign looking down at us.
Hmmm! Scary.
We figured George-George hadn't gone far. Sure enough, the heavy fog did little to dampen Archie's acute sense of smell.
Having had three successive nights of very chilly riverside fog, I'd have thought George-George would have taken up residence in some warm household. But, no, he can still be glimpsed by the alert walker in Archie's Patch (alias the Riverside estate).