A happy new year to you all, and I hope you are all still in party mode.
We are back at work on The Strand to bring you the news on what's happening around the bay.
I had a tear in my eye Christmas morning when out I stumbled, heading diligently to my food bowl, when I was halted, (doing a four-paw drift across the linoleum) as I caught sight of a nude portrait of myself.

Now as you know it takes a fair bit to cut me off in mid stride, heading towards the food bowl. But what is a poor dog to do, when he sees himself in oil, on canvas?
Is it an original? You bet. It's boner-fide.
The food was temporarily forgotten, as I cocked my head to and fro, trying to think if ever there has been a better oil painting of such a magnificent body.
Move over Mona, Diesel is about to hit the art galleries of the world.
The family had decided to get the boss something cool for Christmas, and what better present, than a picture of his faithful companion, me.
Now he can hang it on the wall and be forever reminded that there is, and will ever be only one 'Big D”.
Thanks to all the people involved, and a big special thanks to the 'G Man”, for using his special talent to capture me at my finest.
Now I must move on to the bizarre but true department, and this actually happened.
The bosses and I were heading down the coast, enjoying a day on the water, when out of the haze appeared a twolegger on a jet ski. Up he rocked in mid-ocean, and as calm as you like asked the boss if there was any place handy to re-fuel.
Well you can imagine the look on the boss's face, (I would have told him to take the first right past the Aldermen, keep going until he came to a service station near Easter Island) Now the boss and I have done a fair bit of sailing up and down the coast and this took the wind out of the boy's sails, I can tell you. Apparently the story goes, that he left Tauranga to take a passenger to Tairua and turned around and headed for home without checking his fuel.
The lad on the ski was lucky the boss was a boy scout and was prepared like all boaties, should be, with more spare petroleum reserves than Sheik Ya Bowser. He handed over a tank of gas. That was a week ago, and we haven't seen him, or the gas, since.
Now as this great country is surrounded by water, it never ceases to amaze me, how nonchalant some are.
Here's a great recipe from my mates at New Zealand Beef and Lamb...now there's an organisation after my own heart, solely dedicated to promoting the eating of meat.

Barbecue Lamb with Minted Guacamole

Ingredients
6 Quality Mark lamb leg steaks (or loin chops), fully trimmed

For the Marinade
1 Tbsp oil
1 Tbsp white vinegar
1 kiwifruit, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp sugar
2 Tbsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

For the Minted Guacamole
1 cup fresh coriander leaves
½ cup fresh mint leaves
2 tsp mint sauce
1 avocado, peeled and stone removed
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
100ml coconut cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Method
Combine all the marinade ingredients in a large dish. Marinate the meat for 1-2 hours (or baste the meat with marinade during cooking for a quick alternative). Make the guacamole by combining all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until amalgamated. Keep in the fridge until required. Remove lamb from the marinade and drain.
On a lightly oiled medium-hot barbecue, grill the lamb steaks 3-4 minutes per side, or 4-5 minutes per side if using loin chops. You can baste the meat with any leftover marinade. Serve with the minted guacamole.
Okey dokey that's all from me my good people, and please take care out there, I am off to lie down in front of my painting.