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Quirky Folk - June 2008



Used in accordance with the terms of Wikimedia Commons’ GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts.



I’m a big fan of Adventure Bound, a fishing program that screens on Sydney community TV station TVS. I enjoy the program simply because it makes fishing look so interesting, fun and glamorous. But a fishing friend warned me that they edit the boring bits out (obviously) and that in reality, fishing takes longer than you think and you sometimes don’t end up catching what you want. Call me ignorant but on Adventure Bound, one of the presenters will kick the show off with something like, “Welcome to Adventure Bound. Today we’re going to catch some trout/gummy sharks/jew fish etc.” And off they go and they end up catching exactly what they were planning to catch.

My fishing friends say that’s not how it happens in real life. That sometimes when they go fishing they end up catching crabs and other non-fish items. They throw them back into the ocean.

I discovered how long fishing can take a few months ago when an old school friend wanted to watch her boyfriend fish. We stood there in the hot sun, waiting for something to happen. Half an hour went by before there was a small tug on the line. A few minutes later the tugs became stronger and the boyfriend hoisted up a small angel fish. As much as I hate to say this, I was bored out of my mind but I marvelled the guy’s patience. The other thing that kept passing through my mind was the thought of falling into the sea as my friend’s boyfriend was standing right on the edge of a jetty, overlooking some rocks. It was not the sort of place I wanted to be, especially since I can’t swim. Neither can one of my fishing friends which is why he avoids rock fishing.

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Just Another Feral Cat Picture

June 29th 2008 21:00




Ok, so a few days ago I wrote a blog about a feral cat picture I found in my cat desk calendar. Flicking through it again today I found this pic which is probably about as feral as a cat can get. What is it with feral cats? As my sister says, they have this scruffy, wild look about them that gives their feral status away. It can’t be lack of grooming as this cat looks like it takes care of its fur; but the expression on its face and its colouring is just plain wild. With wild comes unfriendly, unapproachable, aggressive…you get the picture (ha ha, sorry, bad joke).

My neighbour claims she is an expert on any cats – including wild ones. To prove this, we were out walking around Rushcutters Bay one night when we came across a feral cat hanging around a gate. As usual, it had this wild look about it. There was no way I was going to risk being bitten or scratched but my neighbour managed to coax it close enough for her to stroke it. She spoke softly to it and it didn’t seem to mind her touching it. It didn’t scratch or bite her. Nor did it miaow or show any signs of aggression or distress. It was as if she was stroking a cat that was used to human contact (maybe the cat was – after all, Rushcutters Bay is one of the most densely populated parts of Australia). I was left amazed. If there really is such a thing as a ‘cat whisperer’ then I think the title goes to her.
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Sao Has Her Periods

June 26th 2008 21:00
I was about ten when I made this amazing discovery. I was with some girls who lived in my street, Fiona and Tina. Tina was one or two years older than me so she knew all about the facts of life (I didn’t; blame it on overly protective parents).

We were hanging around my backyard when we spotted Sao, a large yellow dog. Being animal lovers, we moved closer to the dog only to see blood coming out of her privates. I was shocked. I had no idea what was going on but Tina loftily said, “She’s having her periods.” Horrified and wondering if the dog was in pain, the three of us decided to leave Sao alone and play elsewhere.

Now I had some vague idea what periods were in the human world but it never occurred to me that dogs suffered the same fate. Wondering if Tina was correct, today I did a Google on menstruating dogs and came across the following URL:

Doggie Diapers link

The URL mentions doggie diapers. How cute. Just like humans. I wonder if female dogs also get PMT – grumpiness, breast pain, back pain etc like humans do.

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Photo by Pleple2000. Used in accordance with the terms of Wikimedia Commons’ GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts.

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Feral Cat Pic

June 24th 2008 21:00


What a sour puss!

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‘No People Allowed’ Sign

June 23rd 2008 21:00


It’s another great day at the office…

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The very beautiful jet black Higgins

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Do Animals Understand Mirrors?

June 19th 2008 21:00

Photo supplied by Marrabbio2. Used in accordance with the terms of Wikimedia Commons’ GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts.


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Mymystic Tonkinese Kittens

June 18th 2008 21:00
Linda Vousden, my favourite breeder of my favourite cat breed has uploaded a video of her beautiful Tonkinese kittens on Youtube. The kittens are simply stunning, their beauty absolutely breathtaking. I wish I could take one home. They have such lovely caramel colours. Oh, baby! As much as I hate to say this, the kittens are far cuter than my friend’s beloved Tonks, Butterscotch and Gingersnap. But then again, I’ve only seen those two when they were fully grown. Who knows how they looked liked as kittens? Maybe they were just as adorable.

Butterscotch and Gingersnap don’t talk much these days. This is unusual considering the fact they’re half Siamese. They used to miaow a lot when they were six months old (especially when they wanted to get their owner’s attention) but now they just let out a beep from time to time. I find this weird as I have never seen any other cat that beeps instead of miaows. Just as I have never come across any other cat that purrs constantly like they do. The Grouchy Tuxedo Cat certainly doesn’t purr. Neither does his tabby friend. Higgins and Miggins will purr occasionally but only softly. (Although my neighbour tells me that when it’s late at night their purring becomes loud.)

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Caturday Night Fever

June 17th 2008 21:00
You’ve got to watch this videa. It’s absolutely hilarious. And clever. In short, it’s a clip of a Tonkinese cat who loves to use the treadmill. How cute. I was surprised its owner had it so well trained. I thought a cat would freak out at being on a treadmill. I wonder if the owner ever uses the treadmill with the cat. What a wonderful way to get some exercise!

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A Crying Shame Seal Photo Gallery

June 16th 2008 21:00
My seal lover sister sent me this link to this gallery of photos of adorable seal pups. I wish I could pick one of the pups up and cuddle it. There is something cute and cuddly about seal pups. What about that photo of Paul McCartney and Heather Mills lying on the ice, just behind a seal pup? When I first saw that photo I felt so envious. What an experience, what a life! There are some experiences which are simply priceless and I would say being near a seal pup or an endangered species such as a group of panda bears would be one of them. Being with a beloved pet would be another.

There are some days when I can’t be bothered with people but I never feel that way about animals. This includes changing the kitty litter for my neighbour’s cats whenever I cat sat for her. Even though my neighbour said she didn’t expect me to do that chore, I was happy to do it anyway as it would be good practice for me since I intend to have my own pets. I also fed the cats raw and canned meat. I hated touching the raw meat but cats are obligatory carnivores so what choice did I have? Anyway, if you love someone or some animal, even doing awful chores don’t matter that much.

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Should This Cat Be Banned?

June 16th 2008 00:38
I came across this story in yesterday's Sun-Herald and it got me thinking, should savannah cats be banned? The breed, which has been described as dog-like in nature, is a cross between wild African servals and domestic cats.

Sun Herald Story

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Rudy Goes to the Chiropractor

June 15th 2008 21:00
My sister likes to tease me because I like watching videos of a beautiful Tonkinese (half Siamese, half Burmese) cat called Rudy who goes to the chiropractor for a spinal (actually tail) check up. My sister will often chant, “Rudy goes to the chiropractor,” in this sarcastic voice.

There are five other videos of this cat on YouTube. I just love to look at his face. I don’t think he looks like a Tonkinese though – he’s got very little Siamese in him. He’s more Burmese than anything. Just watching it makes you realise how far some people are willing to go when it comes to looking after their pets. Speaking of which, in my first job where I used to work 16 hour days, my colleagues and I used to fantasise about a better life. We would wish we were pampered cats or dogs who would spend all day inside, napping in front of the fire and being fed. At first I had said I wished I was a cat or a dog but one of my colleagues cleverly pointed out to me that not all animals are treated well and if she was to come back as an animal she wanted to be a well loved pet. I said true, else we could all end up as unwanted pets at the local animal shelter


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I was flicking through the Wentworth Courier when I came across this story on page 13 of the 11/6/08 edition:

Wentworth courier link

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My Kitty Friend has Disappeared

June 11th 2008 21:04
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Photo by Martin Bahman. Used in accordance with the terms of Wikimedia Commons’ GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts.

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Butterscotch Has Been Found!

June 9th 2008 21:00


Butterscotch in much happier times.

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No wonder I hate security guards, bouncers and shops. They tend to hire people who are rude. This story in the 4/6/08 issue of Central Sydney magazine had me seeing red:

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Peanut and Pickle Make Ducklings

June 5th 2008 21:00


Photo by Fir0002. Used in accordance with the terms of Wikimedia Commons’ GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, no Front-Cover Texts, and no Back-Cover Texts.

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Have You Seen This Cat?

June 4th 2008 21:00


Please come home!

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Photo by F. Bjornstad. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.


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Animal Ark Novels

June 2nd 2008 21:00
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My friend's new home


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