Dogs Tired

Today's recreational activities involved a lie-in - Eloise didn't wake up til 7.45 - frantic breakfast eating and dressing and suncream application and bag packing and dog feeding and car loading and delivery to Nursery by ten past nine which was pretty remarkable by the standards I set myself these days.

Eloise had been, I thought, quite enthusiastic, but when I left her at Nursery she bawled and it was a little heart rending.

Nevertheless onwards and upwards - literally - to Mount Coot-tha where we drove around to the North (I think) side of Samuel Griffiths Drive, which is a very large circular road which encircles the environs of the mountain. We found an anonymous place to stop with a little path leading down into the valley which suggested a circular walk was 520m away. So down we went, and we were down there for about two and a half hours of quite steep hill climbing and general doggy good times. According to the signs the circular walk was 2820m in length, so my maths tells me we must've walked 3860 metres... well it felt a lot further than that, and when we got back and I opened the car boot to get the dogs' water out Matilda leapt immediately into the boot and wouldn't come out - and it's not the sort of boot that has a window; in America they would probably call it a "trunk."

The landmark on the walk was Simpson's Falls. It was as dry as a bone. No falling happening whatsoever. Quite Brazilian, James.

Then up to Camp Mountain which has lovely views over the D'Aguilars to Brisbane and across Moreton Bay.

We got home around 2ish. Tiny retired to the sofa and Matilda had to go an lie down in a darkened room.

Then after some fiddling (lunch) and shopping, picked up Eloise who was very much happier and had a lovely day.

Nicole switched to a long day today but got left over early so got back in time to see something of the aftermath of the Chickpea Croquettes with Coriander Raita and Cucumber Salad wot I cooked. Yoghourt is always popular.

Eloise is become quite articulate in her outbursts. Unfortunately they are nonsense. Words and phrases of the week are, and there is some translation and possibly some imagination going on here, "Get Down," "Shoes," "Juice," "Chase Me," "Poo," and "Go." We're working on "Stop." I think it may be important.