Christmas in Australia is very different to the ones most of you experience in the Northern Hemisphere. Where you may expect cold weather, snow and ice, here we have the varying degrees of hot, hotter and “bloody hot out there!”, with this Christmas being the later. It is also considered too hot for reindeer, so in Oz Santa’s sleigh is pulled by six kangaroos! <vbg>
When Liquorice and I went for our Christmas Eve stroll, just on dark, there was a massive bushfire out towards Katoomba in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney. It was some 25 to 30 miles distant, and not in a populated area. Considering the distance it was the biggest plume of smoke that I have seen from a single bushfire. There were another six largish smoke plumes in various spots in the distance clearly visible from our hill, which, thankfully by the morning had been extinguished or brought under control. Liquorice sat and looked at those massive clouds of smoke billowing skywards from the fires just over the ranges south of Katoomba. Liquorice must have sensed my feelings for my little darling has seen the smoke from bushfires previously but had never taken much interest. Bushfires are a fact of life in this country, that brave firefighters, God bless them, give battle to throughout the warmer months. It was almost dark when we returned and the terrifying red glow from the flames of that huge fire were now reflected high and illuminating the billowing clouds of smoke.
Christmas morning I fixed a red bow of considerable size, and special meaning, to the collar of my little darling for her walk. It clearly was to be a “bloody hot” one! The smaller fires were out but that huge one had grown! Even Liquorice watched the blaze as we walked along the track toward the gate. The smell of bush smoke hung in the dry air.
Liquorice did not mind her festive looking oversize bow. It was to be a short walk owing to the heat and the need to give the gardens some extra water for the day ahead!
Dad was already hosing the garden on our return so while he finished that garden Liquorice enjoyed her breakfast. The wind was getting up as I took over the watering with willing assistance from my little darling, now without her red bow! With the strong winds came thick acrid smoke that filtered the bright sunshine bathing everything in an eerie orange/yellow glow that varied with intensity with the wind’s changing directions. Liquorice and her Dad were a hot duo when we retreated to the air-conditioning of the house, there to have a cool drink and open my little darling’s presents!
Liquorice, wearing her festive ribbon once more, scented each parcel in turn, lingering at some more than others. She knew which contained the edible treats she always craves! My little darling has not shown destructive tendencies so her Dad opened her gift-wrapped presents in a slow and deliberate manner so as to heighten Liquorice’s impatient interest. The parcels of edibles created much excitement since her capable nose had revealed their contents. She was soon used to the idea that taking a single beef strip, pig’s ear, rawhide chewy, etc would make another miraculously appear from the brightly colored papers! She would place them on the floor in a convenient position and await the next treat! As each gift was dealt with in this manner I collected her treasures and placed them on the lounge, for her later enjoyment. Liquorice did not mind as no one else in her home would eat these delectables! In time her edible presents had all been opened and my little darling still had a reasonably dry mouth!
Next came her toys. These too were unwrapped from their fancy wrappings in the same tantalizingly slow manner.
There was a delightfully marked “stuffie” bone with a squeaker that entranced my little darling, for Liquorice loves toys that make noises. She grabbed it from me with a “That’s mine” attitude and held it between her front paws while searching for any lingering scents that it may reveal! Then she held it proudly by the little tag with the manufacturer’s disclaimers, and started to swing it back and forth. Those extra little bits on toys provide no end of amusement for my little darling! She then started gnawing on one end while expertly holding the other between her front paws, just like a real bone! If she could not eat her treats now, then perhaps this stuffie could satisfy her need, and low in calories too! She rolled over on her back and attempted to play a tune using the squeaker her treasure contained. Then came a white ambulance. She did not realize what it was of course but immediately stopped her gnawing and Liquorice then rolled this newly unwrapped toy with her nose. She still held her multicolored bone between her paws, she was not giving up that one! Liquorice could not find its squeaker so I pushed the front of the ambulance and it made its realistic siren sound. My little darling drew her head back as she considered whether this new toy was in pain or simply unfriendly. Another bout of the siren and Liquorice decided that her pretty squeaky bone was far more to her liking and contentedly chewed on, ignoring the ambulance! She would stop her gnawing and look each time her Dad played with the siren, looking at me with a pitying eye allowing my actions as proof that small things amuse small minds. A “Santa Claus” was unwrapped next. That did interest her! I placed it just out of her reach but not to be denied Liquorice stretched out a massive paw and slammed it down on Santa making him “say” to her “Ho, Ho, Ho, Merry Christmas”. That made her look long and hard at him. Then another slam to drag him closer as he once more voiced his Christmas greeting. Liquorice sniffed at him from head to foot and leaning over her stuffie “bone”, so I could not take it for myself, she started chewing on the white “Pom-pom” on Santa’s red cap! Chewing and pulling, pulling and chewing, quite vigorously! I “rescued” Santa from my friendly girl and offered her him again, this time, black boots first. These she liked licking one, smelling the other then suddenly showing what a “friendly” girl she can be Liquorice shoved her nose up his crotch! And worse, started licking vigorously! I took it from her in my embarrassment for Santa, and, whilst I could be embarrassed no more, looked under his “coat” in my “curiosity”! Then I understood my little darling’s actions. There was the manufacture’s warning tag, not loose but stitched all around to Santa’s “undies”! Liquorice was just trying to get at that tag! Again she started chewing on the Pom-pom, then his head, beard, making him wish her a Merry Christmas again. It was soon back to her new favorite “bone” once more, laying on her side, still holding her prize securely in her mouth and trying to “dig” at it with both front paws. Again Liquorice enjoyed the bone that had enthralled her so much, possibly it had the scents of the treats she had earlier “mouthed” now worked into its plush covering.
New toys and prospect of a belly-full or two of assorted delectable treats made our little black puppy very happy indeed! To those whom apply strictly accurate descriptions, Liquorice may no longer qualify as a “little puppy”, however my little darling will always be the same little black ball of fluff that cuddled into my father’s thigh on her trip home to make our lives complete once more. Sharing a Merry Christmas with my little darling was a very pleasant experience!
Arthur Witten
Liquorice – Hey Dad, you may lick Santa if you want to!