DECEMBER 2002
Saturday 28 December 2002
Listened to the recording of the latest 8 hour tape.  Comatose - that's how I sound in the last few hours.  That's a worry.

I have finally named the reindeer given to me by Michael and Courtney - Matilda.  She's VERY CUTE.

Lolled around in the backyard watching the clouds. Very interesting.

Thursday 26 December 2002 - BOXING Day!!!
WHAT A CHEEK!!!  Someone removed all the peaches from our peach tree in the backyard.  They were there 2 days ago!!!
Whoever it was really didn't score a bargain because if the crop is anything like previous years - each peach looks spectacular but is all wormy inside.  We've tried and tried to get the tree healthy in a lovely natural safe way.

This last year the tree maintenance was just forgotten about.  (Please - no lectures about safe farming.)  It's a bit worrying that someone had the brazenness to wander into the backyard and spend time stripping the crop from the tree. 

Oh well - saved Mistress Hellen from having to pick them all and dispose of them.  I must admit she gets very disappointed that the tree resists all care and she can't use the peaches.

Anyways - off to the 2RRR studio for an early start to recording.... Smorgasbord!!!!  That's the name of the newest 8 hour tape.  Hardly any of it is planned.  Being assisted by PaulJ and also Chris (from the French show - Trampoline, which is on Tuesday nights at 9pm) will be doing 2 hours of World Music in the middle of the tape. 

Wednesday 25 December 2002 CHRISTMAS Day!!!!  (back to top)
Early morning - Off to the station to do the show.  Terry Terrier is coming along to be on air too - he's bringing some of his music collection to play which is great because we're a bit short on new releases just at present. 

Christmas day dawns, and we're still awake after doing the show.  Was great having Terry Terrier along & joining in.  Stayed on air until 4:30am.

Sleep for a while then watch Mistress H make the apple cake with caramel sauce for today. 

Mary Ellen puts my 'Dog Biscuits' tape to air at midday on 2RRR.  We load into the car and go off to zeRellies.

Upon arrival at zeRellies, discover the nibblies are still at home - oh well.  So much for the plum pudding.  Mistress H wanders around in a daze saying "I can't believe I left the nibblies at home" - and Missus Elizabeth keeps saying "It's OK - we'll survive without them".

We did indeed survive without them - and had a great time and a great feast.  The rest of the afternoon is spent lazing around and listening in to H and E chatting about life. 

Tuesday 24 December 2002
GIVE UP - THERE IS NO STICKY TAPE IN THIS HOUSE!!!!
So we now have a washing basket full of Computer Disk Labeled parcels for Christmas.  How classy is that eh???  I must admit they look cool - especially the tasteful use of colour co-ordination and the teeny silver ones which are used for 5 1/4" disks.

Mistress H home with a pile of nibblies for tomorrow - including a plum pudding.  She said that Missus Elizabeth requested one at the last minute.

Visit Chris & Maite's place for Chris' birthday bash - and meet some astonishing folk. 

Michael is visiting & we exchange gifts.  He and Courtney have sent me a Christmas Reindeer - she sings 'Santa Claus is coming to town' - in a man's voice.  She's soft and cuddly and furry - looks a bit like a beagle dressed as a reindeer in a green jump suit.  Very stylish!!!!

Monday 23 December 2002  (back to top)
Oh Dear...STILL no sticky tape on the horizon.  Missus Elizabeth calls over with my Christmas shopping.  There was no sticky tape in the supermarket or the newsagent, then she forgot about it until leaving the shopping centre and couldn't face going back. 
Perhaps Mistress Hellen will bring some home?  She is shopping for my gift for zeRellies since I want it to be a surprise and so can't ask Missus Elizabeth to purchase it.

Having trouble getting motivated to plan my next long tape - which is worrying because I'm scheduled to be in the studio on Boxing Day.

It was too much to ask, I can see - Mistress H home - "sticky tape??? Ooops" she says.

We lay out all the presents and decide we need to start wrapping.  "Let's use computer disk labels" says The Bright One.  My reply (needing a cockney accent) "what are you like?  Computer disk labels????"
Her reply?  "Resourceful, THAT's what I'm like" as she rummages and produces a wad of disk labels that we'll never use...except of course in place of STICKY TAPE.

Sunday 22 December 2002  (back to top)
Still no sticky tape on the horizon.

Just heard that Baxter the Beagle is going to stay with Michael and Courtney again for two weeks after Christmas.  Wonder if he's grown any more sensible since October.

We visit Dilys and exchange gifts - our offerings of course wrapped tastefully in paper bag and plastic bag since sticky taping paper around a gift is rather impossible at present.  Normally when we visit Dilys I play with Chelsea, a Golden Labrador, but she is nowhere to be seen today - probably inside the main house with her humans.  I should explain that Chelsea's family live in a different house to Dilys.
When it starts pouring I go outside to stand in the rain momentarily and of course get told to get back inside.

Missus Elizabeth said she'd do my Christmas Shopping for me and will bring my purchases over on Monday.  I have asked her to include sticky tape. 

Saturday 21 December 2002
Forgot to mention yesterday that if you want the background to the Big Bean Bag Bean Cleanup, it is written about on 19 November. 

Along with questions such as "how many angels on a pin, how many cats in New York City and how much ear wax in a car ignition, we add....why has the sticky tape vanished?"  Another of my favourite unanswerable questions is "how much dried snot on the side of the driver's car seat?".

Mistress Hellen home from the battle front - with the last of the Christmas gift list all crossed off.....but with no sticky tape. 

Friday 20 December 2002
The Big Bean Bag Bean Cleanup is in progress in the backroom.  I have been banished to the front room because I was laughing and wagging my tail too much and causing too much turbulence.  Mistress Hellen flopped down into the beanbag today and was suddenly inspired to get up and fix the thing properly.  The beans have been gradually seeping out of the bag and into our life to the point where they can be found at all points in the house, in various stages of flatness, depending on how many times we've trodden on them. 
The back room again looks like the set of White Christmas.

Progress Report: MOST beans have been rounded up and returned to the bean bag.  The gaff tape style of mending has been abandoned and <gasp!> SEWING has taken place.  We should now only have a few days of 'catch that bean bag bean' ahead of us until the place is safe again.

Tuesday 17 December 2002
Dilemma - cannot decide where to display my Ducky Awards.  Ponder this for ages until Mistress Hellen suggests the bottom of the first page - with a link from here - at least for the moment.  Sounds good to me!!!!!  (awards won by this website are no longer on display)

Monday 16 December 2002  (back to top)
YaY!!!! The other day I applied for a Golden Ducky Award for this web site. And this is the email I received today!!!!!!

~You Won The Exalted Platinum Ducky Award~ 

Dear Web Master .. CONGRATULATIONS .. your web site has been reviewed by the Ducks Deluxe Award Committee and your fine work has earned you the "Best in the World !! Exalted Platinum Ducky Award For Music Related Web Site Excellence" ... which is the highest "Ducky Award" anyone can win... 
The last time that we had a Platinum Ducky Award winner was in March 2002 !!! .... you are supplying a great service to the global web community, and if anyone deserves it you do ... 
You have also won the "Monumental Golden Ducky Award" and the "Screaming Silver Ducky Award" at the same time !! ... your web site has pulled off a complete sweep !! .... Won all 3 !!! .... which is not easy to do ... 
We have included all 3 of your awards with this e-mail ...
Web sites like yours are what the "Ducky" web site awards are all about .. please feature either or all of your awards on your site with pride and with a link off of the award(s) back to the "Duckys Home Page" located at http://www.ducksdeluxe.com so others in the music industry can apply for these coveted awards too ... 
From an artistic and popular standpoint the "Duckys" remain the most prestigious form of recognition for guitar and music related web sites in the world... and you have just won all three !! .... 
Please let us know when you start displaying your award(s) on your web site and we will link you in the "Ducky Hall of Fame" .. CONGRATULATIONS Again .... Enjoy ... WELL DONE ... @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ 

Saturday 14 December 2002
Been working on things to improve the web site.  Having lots of fun. 

I'm also planning my next long tape.  This one will be music I've collected in 2002.  Can't think of what to call it though.  Any suggestions welcome.  I'll be recording it over the Christmas week - sometime!!!

Friday 13 December 2002
Created my Nose Nuzzle Christmas Graphic to send out to everyone I've been in contact with since the show started. 

Been doing more dogaerobics since Tuesday night.  It was cold and when I put on my Beagle Puppy Coat (complete with appliquéd paw prints, beads and sequins) I discovered it has grown a bit tight.  Not a good thing.

Wednesday 11 December 2002  (back to top)
Oooo!! Much excitement today when I received the following communication from Doctor Apollo.  He's from WARD "C".

commencing communication NOW ...
contacting Streamer THE Beagle ...
Hello our favourite Space Beagle!

Just perused your Diary Data and read that micro-orgasms have invaded your ears !!    Off to The Naughty Chair with the lot of 'em!   Often the consequence of spread across the Deep Throat Space Membrane by virtue of regional proximity I believe.  Probably dispatched from Planet Streptococcus and therefore susceptible to Penicillium mould extract.

Hope both you and Mistress H. are feeling MUCH improved by now ...

Doctor Apollo, c/- WARD "C"

p.s. The Wise Ones highly recommend a quick listen to unsubtle innuendo to greatly facilitate the healing process.

transmission ends ...

Tuesday 10 December 2002
An entry in my guest book reminded me I haven't reported on the tap dancing for a while - mostly because between going out and being ill, I haven't done a lot.  Today I got right back into it again.  Hmmmm, some muscles have been resting a bit too much lately.

Monday 9 December 2002
Mistress Hellen arrives home tonight after her tap dancing lesson and announces that she has HOLY ears.  I say "Holey ears?"  and she says "NO! HOLY ears".  OK, I'll fall for it.  "Why?" I ask innocently.  "Because when I was at the doctor this afternoon, he took one look in one of my ears and exclaimed "JESUS".
Guess that warrants a few eye rolls, don't you think?  Guess also that we're both on the mend now that we both have drops, pills, creams, sprays, etc to shove us along the way to good health again.

Sunday 8 December 2002  (back to top)
Haven't been in a writing mood because I've been so off colour.  Asked if I could go and spend a day or so with Missus Elizabeth and the rellies (the official collective name for Missus Elizabeth, Mister Darron, BoyGeoffrey, BoyGraham and BoyNicholas is zeRellies).

All OK for me to go on my little holiday.  Take my walkman although Mistress Hellen says having headphones on all the time probably isn't helping my ear infection.  SHE has an ear infection too - copy dog that she is.

Only managed one night and two days at zeRellies. Thought it best to come home before someone accidentally killed me. 
Day 1: BoyGeoffrey fell over me while I was stretched out on the kitchen floor enjoying the coolness of the tiles. He was eating while walking (never a good idea) and didn't notice me - fortunately he wasn't eating off the family heirloom china at the time.
Day 1 Later: Move to corner of kitchen, Missus Elizabeth asks politely if I can move out of the way because she wants to get the cupboard open. I move near BoyNicholas who is having an afternoon snack. BoyNicholas shares snack with me then forgets I'm sitting at his feet, gets up and stands on my tail.

Day 1 More Later: BoyGraham, feeling sorry for me, says "hey, there's this great book I want to show you" so we tootle into the study and he's rummaging in the bookshelf and he knocks this loose pile of books off the shelf.  Gee, Golly Gosh, at least I was able to save them from hitting the floor.  Hardback books really ARE hard!!!!

Day 2: Snoozing under the table where the computer lives.  I figure it's safe here.  WRONG!!!!
Mister Darron comes in to use the computer and suddenly stretches out his very long legs and boots me one in the face.  I howl in surprise and pain and retreat right to the corner of the room under the table.  Missus Elizabeth to the rescue - she crawls under the table and lies with me for a while until I can be coaxed out.

Dinner that night was GOOD!!!  Mistress Hellen comes by to share the meal and hears about all my mishaps.  We all ended up having a good laugh about it, especially since I was supposed to be resting and healing, not gathering more injuries.

Thursday 4 December 2002
Not in a writing mood at present - will tell more later.

Tuesday 2 December 2002
Won't be doing my show tonight because we're still both sick - Mistress H more so than I.  Unlikely to be finding someone else who is willing to chauffeur me to 2RRR in the middle of the night.

Sunday 1 December 2002
I'm feeling much, much better but Mistress H is not. 

I am forbidden from discussing her health concerns in this public place.  She said "next thing, you'll be telling people what I eat for breakfast".  I must have looked guilty because she suddenly started scrolling through the diary entries saying "where is it - what have you told them".  Great relief on both sides (she can be very cross at times) when it's discovered I've only mentioned muffins and not....(oops, she's looking over at me - best I stop right HERE).

The Beagle Diary
A fascinating (perhaps) insight into Streamer's life with and without Mistress Hellen.  The diary is updated frequently.