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The Beagle Diary
Beagle Diary is a fascinating (perhaps) insight into Streamer's life
with and without Mistress Hellen. If you haven't visited
before you may wish to start at previous diary pages.
The events of early 2005 are not at this site, but you can read
them at
Streamer's
Live Journal page, which fell into disuse in April 2005. In
fact, the entire website fell in to disuse around that time and
only came alive again in early 2006.
Wednesday 31 May 2006
On our walk at night we had a long talk about diaries. I've not been very active in keeping this one up to date. I told Mistress Hellen that I'm not all that inspired because I don't think anyone is reading it. She pointed out that most people keep diaries exactly for that reason - it's private thoughts and not meant to be read by others. A personal record of your life. Oh, I hadn't realised that at all - hadn't even thought about this diary like that - not lately anyway.
My task now is to update the last few days and then start recording things daily, instead of dithering around and doing other things - such as crossword puzzles and word games.
Monday 22 May 2006
It would seem that I've been accursed with a human who is very accident prone. This normally wouldn't be a problem, except that it impacts on me far too often for my liking. Today, for example, during the show I said I'd like a drink of
water. Mistress H said that she wanted to visit the Ladies' so she'd fill my water bowl from the taps in there. I put on a song and we tootled off down the hall, me carrying my water bowl, anticipating a nice drink while Mistress H did whatever she wanted.
There are two doors between the rest of RRR and the actual cubicles, and when we went to come out of the Ladies' bathroom, the inner door's handle came off in Mistress Hellen's hand! We were stuck!
** Slow Motion Replay: Mistress Hellen puts hand do door handle, door handle wobbles and falls to floor, Mistress Hellen says "Oh NO!!! Oh NO!!!" and starts laughing. **
We fell about laughing, all the while remembering that back in the studio, there was probably only about 1 minute of song left to play and then there would be
nothing!. Mistress Hellen started yelling for Natalie but declared she felt very undignified doing this. I pointed out that dignity scored very low in situations such as these, however it did seem very pointless to yell, since between us and anyone there were a lot of walls, doors and soundproofing. If we'd made it to the outer door we'd have had a better chance of attracting attention by making loads of noise.
The handle wouldn't fit back onto the shaft, any attempt to salvage the situation just didn't work. We decided that sooner or later Natalie would notice that we hadn't returned - and it was about 5 minutes later that the outer door the the Ladies' opened and our rescuer arrived. She'd noticed no music, had put on my next track and decided that something awful must be going on and maybe we needed help!
So we returned to the studio, leaving Natalie doing handyperson work on the
doorhandle.
Sunday 21 May 2006
Mistress Hellen, Missus Elizabeth and I went to the Parramatta 'Million Paws
Walk'. We didn't actually register or do the walk, just swanned around and took in the sights and smells. Yolande was there with Buck so that was a happy catching up time. There were so many good looking dogs! So many happy tail
waggings! I met a Labradoodle who was just as silly as can be, but very cuddly looking. Also caught up with a few beagles, none of whom could speak human.
When we watched the Corrective Services Dogs Display, Buck's killer tail caused some problems because we were in a crowd - he kept whumping all the people around us, despite all our pleas for him to sit still and stop fidgeting.
Back to zeRellies, where Matilda was less than impressed with the doggie smells all over the two humans. Then, to add insult to injury, one of Missus Elizabeth's friends arrived with her poodle puppy. I had a great time playing with him, but Matilda's nose was very out of joint. The puppy kept trying to lick Matilda's face, which also didn't impress her very much. I tried explaining that the puppy was temporary and would be gone in a few hours, but she just sat in a safe corner and glowered at the world.
Friday 19 May 2006
Took another batch of CDs to RRR for the Music Library. We took the new CD rack to show Natalie (the office manager) as we're thinking of getting new racks in the
studio, or at least, getting more racks. Everyone agreed that it certainly is a handsome set of shelves.
Caught up with Ray who is the technical director for RRR. He was installing two new turntables. They are very stylish, that's for sure. It's inspired me to use more records for the show.
We also did some testing with the VCRs and the long tape that I recorded the other
day. It seems that there is a problem with the tape, but not with the Studio
1 VCR, which is very mysterious. Good thing I'd already planned to redo the tape.
Booked in to re-record 'Howling at the Moon' on Wednesday.
Wednesday 17 May 2006
The other day Mistress Hellen returned from shopping with a new CD rack - one that needs two pairs of hands and some dexterity to put together. We visited zeRellies and Mister Darron helped put the rack together. Seemed astonishingly complicated from where I was watching. It surely is a handsome rack though, just what is required to organise the classical and orchestral and 'highbrow' CD part of our collection.
Tuesday 16 May 2006
Not much been happening lately - except for a lot of cataloging and sorting of CDs for the music Library. Managed to get back into routine with walks again - which is good. Mistress Hellen announced in the evening that she wasn't feeling well - a bit like a cold coming on.
Saturday 12 May 2006
We've been so out of whack lately that walks are a bit of hit and miss. I tried on my Puppy Coat today - the one with appliques and sequins and things that shine - and was pleasantly surprised to find that it still fits just fine. Now I just have to keep in shape over winter.
Friday 12 May 2006
Visited 2RRR and installed the first batch of cataloged CDs. 50 of them. Socialised with a few folk, collected even MORE CDs for cataloging and then headed off home for a big nap.
Thursday 11 May 2006
The bruised knee is looking spectacular, resulting in loads of sympathy to Mistress Hellen from anyone who sees it.
Spent a lot of time today sorting through the promotional material that comes with CDs for the music library. Also sorted out things that I won't catalog right away, such as singles. It's a bit annoying to catalog a single and then have the full album arrive the next week - so singles will be the last thing cataloged in this backlog of CDs.
Mistress Hellen has offered to do some baking for a Cake Stall that's happening
tomorrow, so last night and today she's been busy in the kitchen. Not that most of it was baked, only one thing - the rest was chocolate crackles and white christmas and stuff like that. I mostly kept out of the way, because, as long time readers of Beagle Diary may remember, me in the kitchen while cooking is being done has resulted in me wearing ingredients such as flour and sugar. I did however, creep in a few times and collect the rice bubbles that had spilt over onto the floor.
In the evening we visited Barney and Flynn, as their humans are the collection point for Cake Stall offerings. Barney, Flynn and I played and got in the way - no-one would pat us as they were all under strict instructions to keep their hands very clean while working with all the Cake Stall things. It was very strange actually visiting Barney and Flynn at home, since we always socialise in the park.
Wednesday 10 May 2006
Visit 2RRR and asked Natalie about the missing CDs. She asked if we collected the ones in the 'official' library holding area - ah, no....we didn't. We'd just collected the ones that she'd taken out of another cupboard while she was looking for something on Monday. Oh Dear, in the holding area - there's heaps of CDs. So we load them into the car and then spend an hour or so getting Studio 1 ready for the arrival of the newly cataloged batch some time in the near future.
During this cleanup of the studio, we collected even MORE CDs that haven't been cataloged and also filed away a lot of stray ones. Goodness me, what a mess.
Natalie joins in the fun and tidies up the Music Library drawers to make more space - there's around 5000 CDs all stashed in these drawers. Oooo!
Having started to listen to new music again, I'm already overwhelmed and impressed by the talent out there. Just about every CD has me thinking "wish I did a show where I could play THAT track". I discuss this with Mistress Hellen and we come to the conclusion that it's just not the right time to take on any more radio committments, not even a teeny weeny one hour show featuring new releases.
Tuesday 9 May 2006
I've decided there aren't enough CDs here - well, there are certainly a LOT of CDs, but there should be more if the library hasn't been updated for at least 4 months. I work on cataloging the first batch of 50 - which is a start.
Haven't seen the same bird activity in recent days - maybe they've all moved north as
the weather has now turned colder. One tree in the back yard is shedding leaves and little resiny cone thingies that are very hard. They're made of lots of little sharp segments and they break up easily. Under the tree is covered in tree litter and I keep forgetting to avoid that bit of the garden as the resin sticks to my paws and also makes the sharp bits stick - so if you tread on a sharp bit, it doesn't just fall away. It all smells rather nice though.
Monday 8 May 2006
While at 2RRR today I discovered that the Music Library is in dire need of attention as it seems Jason (who took over from me back in 2004) has been abducted by aliens - apparently some time back at the end of 2005. LOADS of CDs to be cataloged, so we loaded them into the car and my mission now is to get the Library back on track.
Programmers' meeting tonight but I didn't go - Mistress Hellen went though and reported that many folk asked after me. I was just feeling a bit shy and also wanted to start on the cataloging of CDs.
On Mistress Hellen's return, she took one look at the loungeroom floor and announced she was going to bed. I then took a good look at the loungeroom floor, and decided there was very little of it showing amongst the flood of CDs I'd been playing with.
Sunday 7 May 2006
The ice skating injuries are developing nicely - making Mistress Hellen fragile and requiring me to FETCH things for her. Hrrumph! I explained that I was trying to plan tomorrow's show - but she said my job was to be a supportive companion. Can't really argue with that - so I sat with her....and fetched for her.
Visit zeRellies again just for the fun of it. Spent a lot of time in the backyard playing with Mister Darron. Came inside to watch some interesting shows on Channel 31 - the latest craze in zeRellies' household.
Visited Yolande and Buck in the afternoon. Buck is so silly - he managed to almost choke on a bit of plastic bottle he was chewing. He loves those bottles. We played outside for ages while the humans chatted. He managed to whump me in the face with his tail. That tail should be registered as a dangerous weapon - I've never met any other dog with quite such a tough tail.
Mistress Hellen was very protective of her knees while Buck's tail was wagging furiously - but he still managed to get past her hands and whump the side of the bruised
one.
Saturday 6 May 2006
What IS it about humans that they have these unsquashable urges to get out and do things that are thoroughly unsuitable and downright dangerous? I guess normally I
wouldn't care - except that the injuries make me wonder about human thought processes.
Mistress H went off tonight to go ICE SKATING, yes ice skating, with Michael, Courtney and Mouse. Normally I'd go and keep Cario company while the humans went out, but tonight I just felt like staying at home - too cold outside!
On her very late return she showed me her knee - which is bruised from her falling on
it. This of course is a bruise on top of a bruise from her fall the other
day. I'm wondering if I should worry about her sudden lack of ability to stay upright, or should I pass this off as her being clumsy in unfamiliar activities. Her shoulder is a bit bunged up too - and she told me she'd hit her face on the ice rink
wall. Yes, I started laughing.
Oh well - all in the name of getting Courtney used to being on skates. I did question the logic of that - if it's Courtney's problem, why did everyone else have to suffer? Fun, apparently. Although by the account of the night it would seem like 50% of the folk at the ice rink were suffering frozen, crushed feet and at least
50% of that mob would be nursing bruises and muscle damage at present. Humans, they just don't make sense some days.
Wednesday 3 May 2006
Visited zeRellies today for a spot of lunch and to watch 'The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe'. Very interesting movie.
This afternoon I cleaned out my inside kennel. This isn't a kennel as such, but an area inside the house that's mine. It moves around according to how the furniture in the house is arranged. At present, it's in a corner behind the settee in the
loungeroom. Anyway, mostly Mistress Hellen doesn't go there except when she suspects that I've hijacked something of hers (eg: socks, shoes) and to make sure I'm keeping it cleaned out and not hiding food in there.
Tuesday 2 May 2006
The beloved car went in for service today. Dilys visited. Mistress Hellen and I went to the park a lot later than usual and I met some dogs I'd not met
before. It's almost like going on holiday when we change our park visiting times.
Monday 1 May 2006
Oh Dear. Arrived at 2RRR and discovered the new tape with a note attached advising that it wouldn't play on Studio 1's VCR. We did some testing and discovered that it plays just fine in Studio 2's VCR, just not in Studio 1!!! What a bummer -
well, not really, we'd already decided to re-record - fortunately!
Left a note for Ray, the technical director at RRR, left the tape for his
amusement. Hopefully the problem will be rectified soon.
After doing my show we headed off to visit Yolande and Buck. Despite all care being taken, Mistress Hellen managed to get whumped in the eye by Buck's tail. She can just add that to the list of injuries she's sustained recently.
A very pleasant afternoon was had by all - Buck and I chased balls and chewed things while the humans moved furniture.
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