LIVING LIFE TO THE MAX

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

HAPPY 80th BARKDAY...in the DOGGIE-PARK

GREETINGS FROM SOUTH AFRICA!

MAXMOM here...

Earlier this week, when we took the dogs for a romp at the doggie-park, there was a small notice, pinned up at the entrance to the park. It read:

"Please join me on 7th September, at 4.30pm, in the park to celebrate
my 80th birthday...
...Brian"

Neither Lorraine, nor I knew who this "Brian" was, but everyone we bumped into along our walk was chatting very enthusiastically about the prospective 'birthday party'.

There was a sense of building communal excitement.
It sounded a most intriguing open invitation.

So at 4.30 today, (just before sunset), I loaded up Aunt Tam and my Sweet Hooligan into my car. I also grabbed the small gift I'd wrapped for "Brian" and then headed for the party.

Most of the people who had gathered under the trees, were effectively strangers, but the ambience held great festivity...

What a great occasion!
...effectively an open-invitation to all doggie-walkers!
Doesn't it just ooze with generosity and goodwill?!

The birthday boy and our host - Brian - had brought along an array of drinks and snacks for his guests. It was an extremely generous gesture and pulled in quite a crowd of doggie-people. There were happy conversations everywhere, and the numerous dogs took full advantage of the opportunity to romp and play together too.

How refreshing it is to see that the generous, long-forgotten hospitality of a bygone era is still very much alive.

And what a positive example 'Brian' is to all of us.
He truly is a remarkable, fit 80-year-old gentlemen, and is the epitome of longevity.

Thank you, Brian, for your generosity and your hospitality!
Thank you for inviting us all to share in your special day.
We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
I wish you many, many more happy years of health and happiness!
It was an absolute pleasure to meet you!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Sending lotsaluv

PLEASE DON'T FORGET...

"MAXDOG"...

...my book, is due for imminent release in early December 2011.

Should you wish to read more about this incredible story of the

dog behind the blog...

Please click

HERE

If you would like to pre-order/reserve a copy of this book,

please email me at:

carylmoll@yahoo.com

...and I will do this with the greatest of pleasure.

Twitter streams are on the sidebar of this blog,

and you can also follow

MAXDOG ON FACEBOOK

by clicking

HERE.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

CUPBOARD LOVE!

GREETINGS FROM SOUTH AFRICA!

MAXMOM here...

Three sets of hopeful eyes peer at me from over the edge of my mattress.

As I open my own eyes and emerge from my sleep, their energy is ignited.

Toby barks at me with youthful vigour – it’s a rude awakening indeed.

“BOL! BOL! …Good morning, Maxmom!”

Soon, Tammy’s wet, cold nose finds her target - in my neck.

“Uurg,” I cringe.

The “King” spurs her on with his little happy dance at my bedside.

I grab a pillow and pull it over my head

“Go away, dogs.” I mumble.

My attempt to garner more sleep is futile.

The trio are determined. They become progressively more impatient and noisy as they sense my reluctance. They’ve been up for a while now and have already made their early-morning garden calls. They’ve become masters at mobilising the ‘Boss’ at the crack of dawn.

“No sleep for the wicked,” the "Boss" constantly complains.

Now the pooches have returned to accost me – and extract me from my dreams – to demand personal attention.

I know what they are after :

THE TIN!

It’s a pretty container which houses their early morning doggie-treats.

I keep it on my bedside table – bad idea!

The tin is within arm’s reach. I planned it that way, so that I don’t even have to open my eyes in my sleepy stupor.

As the dogs continue their campaign, I turn my weary head towards the alarm clock.

It’s a gadget which is becoming more redundant by the day - replaced by my faithful canines.

Geesh, it’s hardly 5.30am!

“Go to sleep, Dogs!” I flop back into my pillows.

My command is futile. Their wake-up calls are getting earlier every morning – a bit like the seasonal sunrise.

I don’t blame them – it’s gorgeous outside.

The dawn is sprinkling dusted sunlight over the pale green leaves on the trees in my garden.

Birds twitter their joy and the water-feature reminds me that it will soon be time for early morning swims again. For now though, I want my sleep, so I curl up tighter, trying hard to ignore them.

The pack is not deterred.

Toby and Tammy begin a noisy play-session a few feet from me.

The “King”, too, becomes more and more persistent – his tiny paws whip up a little patter of African rhythm on the edge of my mattress. I sign and resignedly reach for the tin.

The dogs are instantly alert as my hand grabs the tin. I now have their full attention.

“Down,” I say, and our Goldens instantly drop to the floor.

Somehow, I manage to manoeuvre myself into a seated position and position some pillows comfortably behind my back. Toffee refuses to respond to my command. He’s proceeds with the task of raking doggie-tracks onto the side of my bed.

“You guys are impossible!” I sign, exasperated.

I lift the lid of the small container and make a noisy rattle as I fiddle for one of the biscuits. All three tongues lick their noises in unison. They’re ready.

“What’s taking you so long, Maxmom?”

“First Toffee,” I say and hand the little Maltese one of the morsels.

He takes it carefully and retreats, to his throne in the corner of the room – away from the bigger dogs – to savour every crumb.

“Now Tammy…”

Eleven-year-old-Tammy doesn’t waste any time. The biscuit disappears in one easy gulp and she stares at me blankly – pretending that I didn’t give her one in the first place.

“Here’s yours, Toby,” I offer the biscuit to my Sweet Hooligan.

But I see that he’s about to give me a puppy-snap.

“NO! Take it nicely!” I command.

His expression changes to one of total calm and devotion.

“That’s better,” I say and I hand him his treat.

He then moves slightly backwards to allow Tammy the last say.

My fingers do a quick twirl at the bottom of the container. There’s one last biscuit left there.

“Okay, my girl… you can have the last one.” I hand it to her and she takes it gently this time.

As if by magic, all the dogs move off immediately.

I slump back under the duvet and begin to ponder the perplexing question...

“How, on earth did they know that there were ONLY four biscuits at the bottom of the tin?”

Cupboard love!

Sending lotsaluv to all our friends across the world,

PLEASE DON'T FORGET...

"MAXDOG"...

...my book, is due for imminent release in early December 2011.

Should you wish to read more about this incredible story of the

dog behind the blog...

Please click

HERE

If you would like to pre-order/reserve a copy of this book,

please email me at:

carylmoll@yahoo.com

...and I will do this with the greatest of pleasure.

Twitter streams are on the sidebar of this blog,

and you can also follow

MAXDOG ON FACEBOOK

by clicking

HERE.

"Wherever MAXDOG goes, let it do good!"

Sunday, September 4, 2011

THE “FAIRY” OR “GOD”?

GREETINGS FROM SOUTH AFRICA!

MAXMOM here...

Remember that wonderful fairy-godmother, in our childhood storybooks, who arrives in a flurry of delight and, with a wide smile, offers to grant us three wishes?

Most of us are familiar with the fantasy of suddenly having a stroke of monetary luck, or winning some jackpot, which will allow us the opportunity to reshape our lifestyles in a dramatic way.

If that fairy-godmother were to grant our wishes, will we ask for money? Will we request better health – for ourselves or others? Perhaps, in our earthly greed, we might attempt to cheat her and, much to her surprise, ask that all our wishes come true? Or will our three wishes remain along the lines of a shiny new car, a dream-house or the holiday of a lifetime?

Does it not strike you that these wishes have seldom included a dog?

Why is this, I wonder?

Perhaps it is because we take dogs for granted. After all, they are always around us - part of our lives, our homes and often integral to our families and daily lives.

Scientists are suggesting that dogs are innately designed to seek out humans. There is something about them that urges them to form relationships with us. They have learned to be masters of our body language and have no problem quietly sleeping by our feet for hours. Even when they are neglected, abused and left for dead, they still remain faithful to us.

Yes, they may well do this in their reliance on us for food and shelter, but don’t you ask yourself….

WHY IS THAT ANYWAY?

Sometimes, DOGS go further, to foster deep and meaningful relationships with their human owners. Their bonds become so memorable that they are recorded in tales around the world.

Has it not struck you, that perhaps the very design of a dog’s instinct to have a relationship with a human being was purposefully created this way? Perhaps GOD, in His mighty wisdom, realised that our needs could not always be fulfilled on a human level and saw it fit to create a creature with this purpose. We might go further and ask another question,

“What purpose does DOG really have?”

Yet, human beings fail to question this. Instead, we simply accept the presence of these animals in our lives. Is there not more to this?

I like to think that DOG exists because of the purposeful intention of GOD. I also like to think that DOG exists, not only to fulfull a need in each of us, but also to fulfil a purpose in GOD’s overall plan for the universe. In my personal opinion, DOG’s relationship with us, is a direct gift to us, from GOD, to explore in all its mystery, and to unearth GOD’s overall plan for us all.

Am I going too far in this thinking?

Have you really looked at your DOG today and wondered these things?

What do you think?

Or is this also just part of my own, very personal, fairy-tale?

PLEASE NOTE:

Some of my readers may not be aware of the imminent publication of my book

MAXDOG

in South Africa, in early December 2011.

hould you wish to read more about this book, please click:

HERE.

You can also visit MAXDOG on Facebook, by clicking

HERE

Friday, September 2, 2011

ANNUAL SPRING DAY: RANDPARK PRIMARY SCHOOL

GREETINGS FROM SOUTH AFRICA!

MAXMOM here...

(The children welcome the Headmaster onto the stage)

Hello there to all my friends around the world.
A particular welcome to my new visitors today!

Each year, for the past 16 years I have been involved, in one way or another, with the annual "Spring Day"
for our local primary school:

RANDPARK PRIMARY SCHOOL

in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Each year, I am overwhelmed by the generosity of parents and the joy of their children, as they offer their floral gifts to the school to distribute to various old-age villages.

It is always such a pleasure and privilege to be involved in the transportation of some of the boxes of flowers to the selected villages.

It really is a special day, because I get to see both sides of this incredible gesture. On the one hand, I watch the beautiful children as they bring their gifts to school and celebrate in their assembly.

Later, after piles of bouquets have been packed into my car, I get to witness the joy of the folk, on the other end of my trip, who get to receive their gifts.

Today's post and photographs are mainly for the benefit of those special parents who have made the day possible - simply by their overwhelming generosity. Most of these parents are unable to attend these assemblies and probably never get to experience their own childrens' special Spring Day.

I am sure my readers around the world won't mind if I dedicate this blogpost to the wonderful people who are part of the
RANDPARK PRIMARY SCHOOL COMMUNITY.

So here we go with the photographs...

(The headmaster, Mr Stanley)

(A sea of little faces)

(The little girl who won the spring raffle)

(Two chess champions who were awarded their certificates at the assembly)

(Even a baby attended the celebrations)

(Civvies day...No school uniforms today!)

(The Headmaster with one of the children)

(Don't you just LOVE that hat!)

I'm sure it won't be out of place for me to say a special"Thank-you", on behalf of all the recipients of the beautiful flowers:

Thank you to all the parents who made this special day possible!
Thank you for your generosity and your love!

Thanks you to Mrs Sandy Mol - the music teacher - who put the whole Spring Day together.

Thank you too, to the headmaster and teachers of the school.

And finally...

"Thank you to all the children, who brought all the beautiful flowers to school.
You have made some old people very happy indeed"

What a way to celebrate Spring!

Sending lotsaluv to everyone and wishing you a wonderful weekend.

PLEASE NOTE:

Many of you may not yet be aware of the imminent launch of my book, here in South Africa, in early December this year.
If you would like to read a little more about this journey to the publication of:

MAXDOG

Please click: HERE

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

A SPRING MID-MORNING BREAK

GREETINGS FROM SOUTH AFRICA!

MAXMOM here...

Hello there to all our friends around the world!

We are having such beautiful weather here in
Johannesburg, South Africa.

Spring is upon us and all the trees are sprouting new little green buds.

It really is such a pretty time of the year - invigorating, and filled with all the hope for a new beginning.

Our resident weaver bird is buzzing around his developing harem. There is a lot to do in preparation for his productive months ahead.

Me? I simply couldn't stay indoors today...The "outdoors" is calling!

So I abandoned my work surrounding MAXDOG and grabbed my car keys.

My friend Lorraine and I decided to make the most of the morning and pay a visit to a new venue for tea and cake. They are one of my new followers on Twitter: