Vet veteran

Jack: Did you say The Doctor? Let's hide in here!

Yesterday, my Jack Russell terrier, Jack, had his annual vet checkup and, just as I described it last year, he again marched in, full of bravado, through the front doors, realised where we were, did an about-face - and ran straight back out!

For a dog breed that presents itself as utterly invincible, Jack Russells sure are wimps when it comes to vets. (And autumn leaves blowing in the wind.) The vet checked his teeth for tartar buildup (he had teeth scaling in early 2007) and they were in fine condition. Although he wasn't itchy today, I asked for a new course of the tablets we tried last year for the next time his grass allergy flairs up.

We did emerge victorious and fully immunized for another year, but I know he'd much rather be phoning in his attendance in future. Sounds like my relationship with my dentist. (Who moved to Perth, so now I have to break in a new one.)

Sunday's magic number: 94.4 - slowly, slowly... But I just looked up last year's post-vet scenario, it also fell on a Sunday. The first day of my renewed diet (when I was calling the results "mystery" numbers), so 94.4 makes me much happier than the 99 of a year ago. I heard a radio interview on MIX 106.5 this morning reminding dieters that the aim was to increase metabolism to burn fat, not just to reduce portion size and calorie counts. (What, no mention of donuts?)