Holiday Pip

A couple of Christmas photos. I'm so lucky to have a dog that humours me by letting me string a fairy light necklace and ribbons around her neck (at least for 2 minutes).

 

Increase in Virgin Blue's pet carriage fees

Today I wrote a letter to Virgin Blue complaining about the increase in pet carriage fees.  I'm not one to write complaint letters, preferring to comment on forums, talk to friends, or keep awake at night thinking about companies that have wronged me (okay, so maybe that last one's a joke).  However, I feel really strongly about Virgin's pet carriage fees, as it just seems completely unreasonable and money grabbing.  Pip's only 4kg for heaven's sake! $100 freight fee for a 4kg dog!!!!!

Here's a copy of the letter sent:

To whom it may concern,

I'm writing to you regarding the recent increase in pet carriage fees.  The recent increase from $55 to $100 per trip I feel is ridiculously overpriced and unwarranted.  I fly with Virgin every couple of months on average, and I've long been a proponent of your brand, service and reasonable prices, which is why I feel compelled to write to you about this matter. 

About once a year I take my 4kg dog, Pip, with me to Sydney from Hobart for a family Christmas, and due to the fact that Hobart is situated on a separate island to Australia, it's necessary for me to fly with her.  Since I started taking the dog in 2004, pet carriage fees have risen from $33 dollars for a 4 kg dog, to (now) $100 - a fairly steep rise considering human fares in this time have actually dropped.  The other local carrier that accepts dogs on their planes, Qantas, includes dogs as part of the check in allowance.  Given that Qantas has always been more expensive than Virgin with little difference in quality of the flight experience, my preference has always been to fly with Virgin, however, the recent rises in Virgin's pet carriage fees appears to make Qantas overall cheaper than Virgin Blue (plus there's the added bonus of earning Qantas frequent flyer points for the total amount).

In short, the recent increases in Pet carriage fees stinks of money grabbing on Virgin's behalf, and has affected my loyalty to the brand.  It doesn't take much petrol to transport a 4 kg dog, and I'm sure you've had more trouble with surfboards than with my placid pet.

Regards,

[Lucy]

 If anyone else feels similarly annoyed by this increase, Virgin's complaints and feedback page can be found here.  I'd encourage as many people to write in as possible so that Virgin understands that us animal peeps ain't happy.


update 22/01/10

Virgin eventually emailed me back in response to my complaint, and interestingly they say that they haven't put up their prices.  Me thinks something fishy is going on in the Hobart Virgin Freight department (passengers with pets have to pay Virgin Freight directly when they drop the pets off).  I'm going to investigate further....

The Pip conspiracy

I've posted in the past about having a very non-doggy dog.  She doesn't like balls, toys, ropes etc.  She used to quite like those tiny cat-toy mice, and she'd sit down and shred it in a lengthy session.  However, I think I overflooded the market because her last mouse - and the larger rat for that matter - are still whole, and 3 years later are still lying in her basket.  She also has a weird chicken/ball thing, and a stingray toy from the Melbourne aquarium (which she mainly uses as a mat to sleep on).  Yet, about once every 6 months, I'll come home and her rat will be out of her basket.  The assumption is that once every 6 months she remembers she's a dog and plays with the toy.

Since I've moved into my new house a month ago, however, the rat  (today it was the rat and the chicken/ball thingy!) has been out of the basket about 6 times on my coming home.  Last week, the rat had even made it into my bedroom, which is proof that it wasn't just 'scratched' out.

The question is, is Pip really playing? Or has she finally linked the relocation of her gifted toys with my coos of delight when I come home and see that she's 'played,' and as a result deliberately places the rat outside the basket to receive extra attention?

The Bone Delusion

I decided to give painting a go for this particular project called Post, that I'm organising as part of the siteless ARI 10% Pending.  The result is The Bone Delusion, a small painting on ply, measuring about the size of a postcard:

The photos are a bit ordinary as I took them with my mobile.  The problem with moving house is that things like card readers disappear, and so my camera is pretty useless at the moment.

I've drawn from Medieval painting/ iconography and combined it with a reference to Dawkins' recent book.  It's not meant to be anything too serious, just a bit of fun!

you can't teach an old dog...

....that's right all you non-believers... I've taught Pip to wipe her paws on the doormat before entering the house!

It incidently happened the same day that I noticed that little Pip's lovely orange lashes are turning white. It's a shame dogs live such a short life.

it's been awhile

Well, I've finally worked out how to connect my old blogger account (signed up with my hotmail account back in 2004) and my newer blogger account that was set up after Google took ownership of Blogger. Before that I was way too lazy to sign out of my Google account to post on this blog (yes, even I astound me sometimes).

Lots has happened since I last posted... Pip and I have just moved into our own house last week. I'm now trying to build a Pip-proof fence and work out the best posi for the doggy door (it seems an exterior wall - eek- is most suitable). Once the fence and the doggy door are up, Pip will have the rare freedom to come and go as she likes, (although she's rather partial to the sunspots inside the house). I actually chose this house with my dog in mind. Is that crazy? Signing the next 30 years of my life away to mortgage payments for a dog that's only going to live maybe 16 years max (and is 7.5 years old already)? It has a large north-facing window in the carpeted living room, which means that there's an all day sunspot in the living room just for pooch-baking. It also has a large backyard, and within 1 minutes walk is a large dog-off-leash park perfect for sniffing, running and taking on dogs larger than her.

Moving house has a major downside for pooch, however. She's had to say goodbye to her beloved Nola - my ex-flatmate of over 2 years. We'd often joke that she was her second 'mum', surrogate mum or 'aunty Nola'. Whereas I have a limited capacity to lie on the couch in front of telly, with a dog on my belly, Nola would lie there with Pip snoozing nearly every night, and so the relationship developed.... No flatmate has ever been so kind, so close, so devoted to Pip than Nola, and it's clear that Pip is missing her 'aunty' desperately. Apparently it's not one-sided either. Nola and Ingrid (my other flatmate) were discussing whether there was such thing as doggy 'custody' behind my back, and I know that tears have been shed over Pip's move. It's amazing how powerful doggy love is.

FACEinHOLE

Create your own FACEinHOLE

I thought I might share this stuffed felt dog I made for my sister for her birthday. It's based on this hilarious tale she told me about her dog 'Bunny' (note the careful replication of 'Bunny's markings). Anyhoo, Bun walked into Clo's house the other day with just a possum tail hanging out from her mouth. Clo moaned' Bunnnn where's the other half?' and confiscated the tail. A couple of days later, clo found her with the head an upper body of the possum on the lawn. So I made a replica of the situation. The two halves of the possum can be attached to Bun's 'mouth' by clips that I've sewn into the sides, so you can have either half of the possum, both or none depending on the time of day or your mood. Okay, so my description is not the best. the pictures below explain it better....

Pip has finally acted like a dog!

The pampered pooch Pip has previously shunned all kinds of play, preferring to lounge back and observe dog games from afar. However.... she has a large rat (well, it's actually a cat toy) and after two years of sitting in her basket, Pip has suddenly discovered the delights of playing with it.

Ok, so it isn't hard-core play, and I'm thinking it was just something to get our attention (which it did!) but it's something...

Pip-inspired brooches

Carved Soap and Wood 'Pips'

A couple of carving experiments I did:

So... I haven't blogged for awhile.

I've been a bit confused about the reason for having this blog. At first I wrote it from my dog's perspective, but it just seemed weird because my dog is far more intelligent than me so I can't really do her justice!

So I've figured that this is a blog about my dog. It features artworks that I've made featuring my dog as a subject, stories, and other Pip-related features.

I thought I'd post some more images. These are from Pip's recent 6th birthday party

I have the most boring dog

Shopping for xmas...
it's just going to be my flatmate, dog and me and so all I want to do is spoil the pooch with gifts. BUT...

-Pip doesn't play with balls. Correction. She CAN play with balls, but she chooses not to. Doesn't like them apparently.
-Pip doesn't do ropes or chew toys. What's the point?
-Pip used to shred toy rats and mice (the kind that cats usually like). But not anymore. Maybe I bought too many?
-Pip doesn't like stuffed toys. They just sit in her basket for years gathering dust.
-Pip loathes dog clothes. And who can blame her?

In the end I bought her a squeaky ball, a chew toy, a fluffy rat, some fancy dog biscuits, a green bone and a santa suit. You never know... she may like the wrapping paper?

PiP ART 2007

images of exhibition...


"Reel" (2007)
Calculator Refill Tape, pastel,
3m long (variable, installed)
the length of this work was determined by the wall space... a continuous journey which is rolled up at the right moment.








































'Portrait; (2007)
pastel on paper and wall


















"It Snowed on Mount Wellington in February' (2006) [yes, the title changes every couple of months]
charcoal and pastel on paper
150cm (h) x 290cm








'Snagged I' (2006)
charcoal and pastel on paper
nine units, each 29.7 x 42cm
91.1 (h) x 126.2 (variable, installed)







Snagged II (2006)
Charcoal and pastel on paper
150cm (h) x 300cm





these photos were taken by Hobart based photographer Craig Opie

=the final, finished invite


and for something completely different....

this is what pip has to contend with in her cosy home

Draft of my upcoming exhibition invite.

Pip's 5th Birthday

I celebrated my 5th birthday on the 3rd of March. My best friend Q came around to help party...sausages, cake, the lot! Im not too keen on the candles though. Maybe give those a miss next year?