-The other side-

Well it’s been some time ……………………

The house has been taken over by Teddy Bears and Miniature Schnauzers. I have learnt to align myself to the bears or dogs in no particular order. My life has been immensely simplified; I am like a computer either switched on or off.

 I have weathered the fur, paws, snouts, clothes and accessories onslaught until I too can converse in Teddy Bear after a fashion.

 Together we have come to grips with the 'IT thingy', and consequently know all about E – mail, digital cameras, broadband connections (very stressful), computer back ups (hold that thought), disk reformats (very painful), firewalls, anti virus and Spam detectors. In fact there is no greater disaster than the computer going down.

Bush fires, floods and sundry mishaps are relegated in one stroke behind the only important thing in our lives:

“.....ARE WE CONNECTED....????????????????"

 We have outlived 2 Pekingese and 3 cats, and have currently been adopted by 2 miniature schnauzers. Cats are independent, and Pekingese are hairy and inert for the most part. Schnauzers think they are human and believe we exist only to serve.

One does not leave a Teddy Bear in range of a schnauzer; ditto for clothes, paper, shoes, mobile phones, keys, anything that can’t be nailed down.  Don’t even get me started on what they will swallow, as that leads down the dark path of the visit to the animal hospital (because someone left a medication tablet on the coffee table and turned their back, only to find the tablet had gone); and the $800.00 spent on having the dog acquire a fan club at the hospital - which no one needs to hear about, and which ultimately led to the decision that she (the dog - not Monica) needed a playmate.

Hence another miniature schnauzer. The first one was impressed; she thought we had bought her a pet. The second one, being a boy, disputes this, but in true male schnauzer fashion, can live with this as long as there is food, it doesn’t matter whose food as long as he can get it.

 After many years and lot’s of hints my talented wife has her own studio – bear heaven – although there does not seem to have been a full migration of all things teddy from the rest of the house to it. I can live with teddies on the TV staring at me as we eat.

 It’s a wonderful journey and I thank my talented wife, whom I LOVE very much, for travelling it with me.

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