You are a wuss!
But it’s a seriously loud noise!
Thunder is not going to hurt you. You didn’t even notice the fireworks on New Year’s Eve.
They are different.
Yes, but it’s still a loud noise. And you even cower when the neighbour fires his .22
I can’t explain, it’s just… FRIGHTENING!
Well, please get over it, it’s really pathetic.
Pathetic
You are going away – again.
I know, but this time I have no choice.
Why?
Because my body is failing and I need a neck operation to stop the damage.
Wow, will you be able to come running with me when you get back?
No my boy, that is never going to happen. Hopefully there will be more cycling.
How long will you be away?
I don’t really know, I guess about 2 weeks or so.
I’ll be waiting for you.
I know.
Me in the middle, the human on the right and June at the back
Hey, nice photo of me.
I thought you might be impressed.
Well, I am good looking.
Yes, if not the brightest crayon in the box.
You referring to me chasing the cows? Now that was fun!
Until they decided to chase you. Doing that at Nyanga is one thing but please don’t do it on the farm. That will get us both into a lot of trouble.
OK, OK but it’s in my nature. Anyway, you have to admit it was a fun weekend away.
Yes it certainly was a welcome break.
You are pathetic, a WUSS of note!
But you don’t know how terrifying cotton wool and betadine can be!
You, a lion hunter, are scared of cotton wool and betadine?
Oh yes, yes! It’s psychological torture.
Just as well we had to leave you behind when we went to Mana Pools then. We saw a real lion.
That’s different, I can handle lions.
Oh right, you can just about handle the next door cat.
It’s the next door bitch I want to handle! But I don’t know how…
Yes dear Zak, you have been fixed to avoid that. Unfortunately you persist in trying and have torn your shoulder getting through the fence. Hence the betadine. Come here…
Nooooooooo!
The terror of cotton wool and betadine etched all over his face
Ah, that’s better! This is the real me. Handsome, structured, alert, poised. Have I missed anything?
Yes, conceited.
That’s a minor flaw!
There are those on the internet who have seen this blog and think you are a pretty boy. They haven’t seen this photo.
Not always a pretty face…
Hey, that’s not fair! I AM good looking!
Well, most of the time yes. But if you’d just let me put fly smear on you, you at least wouldn’t have to put up with flies on the end of your nose.
But…
But what?
I don’t like it.
You’d get a biscuit for co-operation.
Nope. Not worth it.
You are just such, such a RIDGEBACK!
Yes!
Wuss.
Dogs don’t eat apple cores.
I do!
You are a fierce carnivore, lion-hunting, almost-a-ridgeback. Apple cores are not in your diet.
Well, I eat avocados and apples are also a fruit so…. Please!
I think you only want it because I have been eating it.
Well. Yes!
OK, OK.
The temporary fruitarian
The scene: It is early morning. Kharma is on the bed, a well loved marrow bone close to her paws – she is apparently ignoring it but in reality it is well attended to. Zak is sitting at the foot of the bed watching the bone which he regards as his.
Kharma, please?!
Zak: Please! Please let me have my bone!
Kharma: No.
Zak: But you are not even chewing it! He makes a whine and moves towards the bone.
Kharma: Just try.
Zak backs off, sits and barks. The human enters through the door near the head of the bed.
Human: What’s wrong Zak, won’t she let you have your bone?
Zak, giving the human his most pleading look: No, how selfish is that?
Human: I can’t blame her, you should try being nice to her more often.
Zak: But I am, I am! Please help me!
Kharma, moves head fractionally towards the bone and raises her right eyebrow. Says nothing. Her tail is uncharacteristically quiet.
Human moves to cupboard to get camera. Zak agitates and barks again. Please Kharma!
Kharma. Go on. Test me.
Human sits on bed near the pillow and takes a photo.
Zak: Come on, help me here.
Human: No ways dude, this is your problem to fix. Kharma’s the boss here.
Zak circles to the top of the bed, jumps up and sitting down backs into the human, all the time intently focused on the bone: Come on dude, it’s a boy solidarity thing. Help me out, I need that bone!
Kharma says nothing.
Human (laughing): Dude, Kharma is just making her point, be patient and she will eventually let you have it.
Zak (jumping off the bed). Awww. You are no help at all. I need that bone now.
Sigh
Human puts away the camera and leaves to get ready for work.
Author’s note: Variations on this theme play out every Sunday morning when the dogs get their bones. Kharma will devour hers first and then browbeat Zak off his just to show that she can.
My first Rhodesian Ridgeback, Kim, was an uncharacteristically unemotional dog but when she’d finished her bone (always in the same place on the front lawn) she’d play bow to it, tail wagging furiously, do a little dance around it and then pick it up and go and bury it. She was very self-conscious about all this and wouldn’t do it if she thought I was watching.
Jenni would always bury her bones, sometimes eaten, sometimes not. Again, if she thought I was watching she would go somewhere else. The bones did reappear from time to time but I was never sure if they ALL reappeared.
Before Zak, Kharma was relatively indifferent to her bone. I was never sure if it was going to be chewed or ignored – sometimes permanently. That has all changed and she devours her bones if she can. I think she has some hyena genes in her because sometimes the bones really are eaten and they are not insignificant bones!
A burst of yellow flowers on the Acacia karoo outside my bedroom
Don’t you just love the yellow flowers in the dawn light?
Yes.
I planted that tree 9 years ago.
Quite.
It’s going to be a great day.
Where’s yesterday’s bone?
Amazing view isn’t it?
Great.
I do hope you appreciate where we are living. You could be living in town near a noisy street with annoying neighbours. We won’t always be living here.
Oh I do, I do. It’s just that it’s breakfast time!
Early morning dogs
Back home
You had me very worried there Little Boy. Running off like that for 3 hours.
Why? I was out having fun. Hunting is in my blood – that’s what I was bred to do.
Yes, that may be but it’s dangerous out there for unwary dogs. Snares, snakes and unscrupulous people. Where are your “partners-in-crime”?
I don’t know. We sort of got separated.
Well, I haven’t seen them around. I hope they are OK. Hopefully all the holes in the fence are fixed, for the time being at least.
Spoil-sport!
I am Zak 