Best If Used By December 2003



Mariah will be arriving on 11/21

 
Because I had yesterday off work and the weather was still relatively warm, my list of chores included mostly outdoor activities, primarily yard work. As Ron was doing the trash he observed that he only had one bag for the trash hauler, so if I anything I planned to throw out, I might want to start a second bag.  Challenge!  Every now and again I get into a Throw It Out Frenzy.  Because I have a good friend who fits the definition of a Hoarder, I live in fear of ending up that way, and my large old house is full of "things" I've accumulated over the years.  It's actually pretty neat most of the time, but I could do a better job of going through cupboards, closets and drawers on a regular basis.  I took Ron's suggestion as a challenge, and came up with three grocery bags of trash, plus another one for the Good Will.  The major cleaning was the kitchen island/breakfast bar where I store small appliances, napkins, plastic cups and other miscellaneous items, and cleaning under the kitchen sink.

Last summer I decided to buy grass seed, and because I did not get it planted I stashed it under the bar.  Yesterday I discovered THREE bags of grass seed, including the newest one.  There was also nice carton of Iced Tea that we never got around to chilling and drinking - too bad the label said "best if used by October 2007".  Had it been that long?  I knew there was a big tub of Margarita Mix, the kind where you add Tequila and freeze.  I'd been planning to take that along on a show weekend when friends were motor homing, but never remembered to take it.  Certainly something like that would not have an expiration date, but it did.  "Best if used by December 2003".  Oh my!

My bicycle sat out all last winter and I didn't want that to happen again this year so asked Ron if there was a spot for it in the garage.  He suggested that if I got rid of the old Schwin (I've had it for at least 30 years) there would be room for the newer bike that I actually ride.  We put the old Schwin out in the alley for the "borrowers" who come by and pick up useful items that are left out.  Ron came in to make a "Free" sign and by the time he got back out the bike was gone.  Works really well, as long as you remember not to leave items you actually wish to keep out in the alley. I lost a wonderful old galvanized sprinkling can that way!

Let's Start This Week All Over Again . . .

This is my pup who is still known as Light Pink

Yesterday was very definitely a "lost" day.  I got through it, but sure don't remember it!  Didn't sleep well on Thursday, got in late on Friday, sat up and talked, and then the pups yelled off and on all night (and pups being crate-trained in the room next to the guest room, well . . .), slept well on Saturday night with the pups moved to the barn, and got in after midnight on Sunday - and had to catch up with Ron, look over the mail, etc.  IF I had not had to go to work it would have been a lot easier!  Am too old for this.  Went to bed at 8:00 PM last night, got up at 11:00 to send the dogs out and turn off the fishroom lights, then went back to bed.  Feeling Oh so much better today.

The weather is supposed to be fantastic today, so I may use up some of my scarce vacation time to get in some yard work.  Thursday is a Holiday for us, but the weather is due to be "seasonable" instead of sensational by then.

Check Back Later Today

What a Fun Weekend! A quick trip down to Florida to see the Argus/Sugar pups and pick my stud fee puppy. Stayed with Janey & Rick and had a great time. The pups were lovely and there were several that show great potential as show dogs. We did face shots and stacked pictures which I will get posted tonight or tomorrow. The pups had not been worked on the table so the pictures of several could have been better, but they turned out OK. Eight weeks is not the optimum age for stacked shots either – we prefer doing them at 6-7 weeks. I particularly liked the fact that the girl I am taking goes together so nicely. Generally, pups that “fit together” easily into a stack are the pups with the best structure. We spent a lot of time in the yard just watching the pups move and interact – well constructed pups can trot nicely by the age of 8 weeks.


The patch boy was a heart-breaker. We always joke that the patches are often the best pups, and this time it was most definitely true. What a lovely boy. Wonderful structure and great cosmetics too. He may be going to a performance home which would be just perfect. It’s nice to have the lovely patched pups seen, even if they can’t be shown in the breed ring. There were several very handsome boys and I was tempted, but went there planning to select a female and I found one that I liked a lot. Not quite as cute as several of her siblings, but sound structure, a great outline and a lovely personality. She’ll arrive in a week or two, and in the meantime I had better pick a name. All the pups wore colored rickrack collars to identify them in the litter, but I don’t think I need to call a pup “Light Pink”. 


Weather was too cool for the locals, but near perfect as far as I was concerned, near 70 with only a light breeze and a cloudless sky. It froze Saturday night, their first frost of the season, but is due to be 83 by Wednesday – too hot for me. Glad Mother Nature provided such lovely weather while I was there. I saw a lot of Ch. “Sugar”, mother of the pups. She’s such a sweetheart and very well named. I also saw Sugar’s dam and her parents . Sugar’s sire is a dog I have seen numerous times, known for his lovely disposition and the quality of his offspring.


I didn’t get home until about 1:00 AM, so getting up was tough this morning!


Argus spent the weekend with Jess & Don and the Shepherd girls and it sounds as if he had a great time. His kids had a good weekend, with GCh. “ Pauli” picking up 4 Bests of Breed AND 4 Group placings in Indiana, and Ch. “Nati” earning her Grand Championship in Ohio, shown by owner Ann. Argus now has 3 daughters who have already earned the new Grand Champion title (Argus has his too). If you have been reading along with me, you might remember Pauli (known as Bad Pauli) and Nati (known as Naughtia) when they lived here. Both turned out well and are much loved by their owners. Not sure if the new girl stays or goes to a co-ownership home of her own. Depends on how she develops and what Tess P.’s litter contains.