Rest in Peace my beautiful friend Charlie

Very sad news this morning. My best friend Charlie is no longer with us. He was only 9.

He was getting a bit older and stiffer, but we still had lots of fun playing tug of war last month on our regular morning Wynberg walkies. 

I even had to shout at him on our very last walk together three weeks ago to let me have a go at shredding that stick.

He always had a huge smile on his face.

And was always the kindest and gentlest friend - even when we teased him and tried to take his ball.  

We will all miss you something terrible Charlie and we are so very sorry for your family who must be feeling so sad and missing you most awfully.

Harvey comes to stay

Last weekend Harvey came to stay. He is a bit crazy but I don't mind him a bit because he affords me some respect as an elderly aunt. This is him raiding the cat's food and any dog that raids the cat's food has my respect.

The Alph and the Food Lady packed up and said we were off to the beach. We knew it must be a long way away as all our blankets were piled into the car with us too. Laddie likes to rest his head on Harvey and his soft fleecie coat. 

It was quite chilly and spattered a bit with rain but we snoozed comfortably in the nice warm car all the way to ...

Suiderstrand. And it was sunny there.

The Food Lady was a bit fierce about letting us run around as they were worried that we would lead Harvey astray and lose him in the bushes. But after an endless lunch break we were taken out for a walk. Tails up!

We had a great time showing Harvey around Papkuil, where they are building a few more wooden houses in the restcamp. Lots and lots of good smells!

Then we got fish and chips and dog cubes and all had an early night - although Harvey spent most of it deep under the duvet with the Alph and Food Lady. We braved the cold and stayed on the floor on our dog bed. 

The next day was a bit drizzly to start. This is an Osteospermum moniliferum that used to be Chrysanthemoides monilifera but molecular biology is throwing taxonomy into a bit of a tizz. But it stopped soon and we all set out with rain gear at the ready. 

Can you believe that Harvey has a rain coat too!

The Food Lady was happy to find a plant she hadn't seen before Chascanum cernuum - a common and widespread member of the Verbenaceae that is often found on limestone.

The sedge had not withered from anywhere, and lots of birds were singing.

Come on Lad - catch up!

Happy dogs exploring the hills.

Tea on the limestone.

A cheery little Jamesbrittenia albomarginata - a scroffy plant that also likes limestone.

Looking down on the fish traps at Rasperpunt.

Come on! What's the delay?

The blombos-lined path to the beach,

where we saw lots of birds including these Caspian Terns,

and we had a delicious wade - much to the consternation of Havey who only swims with humans.

More gulls and an Oyster-catcher. 

There were lots of flowers for the Food Lady - like this early flowering Dimorphotheca fruticosa (previously known as Osteospermum fruticosum) -

and lots of molerat holes for us dogs.

Even new benches (in memory of the Suiderstrand Rate-payers Association which is no longer) for the Alph to sit on.

But all too soon it was time to leave. All  buckled and ready for the long drive home.

A happy Harvey re-united with his mom and dad who were back from a weekend at Franschhoek. 

Ta ta you crazy little Boston Terrorist! 

Scotties in the snow

This morning, despite the rain, we decided to believe the yr.no weather website that said very little rain would fall today, and we met Pauline and Sue and Honey and Gwen from Denmark and Jess from Polokwane on Tafelberg Road to hike up Platteklip Gorge.

It was quite a hike, mostly in the mist, but then it started clearing ...

and in next to no time we were nearly at the top. 

Here are Jess, Gwen and Pauline at the top. 

And the Lad putting his feel into a little patch of icy snow.

Someone had made a little snowman too.

It was rather wet up here on top of Table Mountain, but we Scots were really in our element and the temperature suited us just fine.

Gwen, Sue, Pauline and Jess on top.

We explored a bit then decided to head for the Cable Car and the restaurant and coffee and hot chocolates, but then it started to snow - at first just a few little fluffy flakes,

but then more and more till Honey and I looked a bit spotty.

Everyone was quite excited, even Gwen who knows all about snow coming from the frozen north as she does.

It was quite fun! But I must say I was more interested in the faint smell of dassies, maybe some just up here ...

They took photos, 

and videos, 

while I got wetter and whiter. 

Sue and Honey.

There were quite a few other crazy people up here, and a mad dog or two ...

A final photo, then off to the restaurant to warm up and dry out.

Luckily we were allowed in too and had dog biscuits under the table.

Coffee and hot chocolates inside, while outside it continued to snow.

Honey never eats her biscuits, and eventually Laddie snaffled it.

Pauline warming her hands on the fancy heaters in the restaurant. And we made friends with this little girl who was having an ice cream for her lunch.

Another under the table shot of the stripe-nose Lad (from fighting the Jack Russell down the road!) 

Then a snowbow came out! 

It gradually stopped snowing.

Time to make a move ...

We started heading towards the cable car - which I have been down in before - in fact two or three times.

Lad and the Alph making sure we had the tickets - and sending a few WhatsApps of the snow to our human brothers. 

Looking down over Cape Town and Robben Island the weather started to look a bit menacing  

as we made our way to the cable station, 

and walked into the cable car - me leading this time - and the Lad hesitating.

Honey looking mutely miserable. 

It started raining a bit on the way down as the car twirled around showing us Lions Head, 

and the forbidding rockface of Table Mountain.

Our friend from the restaurant was also in the car with us, and she tried to comfort Honey.

Laddie was a bit of an idiot coming down the stairs afterwards, and here he is shooting out with the Alph. Never mind Lad, next time it will be easier! 

We still had a way to go back to the cars, and we were struck by the luminous yellow bushes of the Golden Conebush (Leucadendron laureolum).

There were also some Gladiolus maculatus flowers out. All rather drippy. 

Nearly back at the cars ...

Just one more Protea repens pic from the Food Lady, then home to sleep and to watch Wimbledon.