Please, No Storms



Iris time!



Severe weather in the forecast.  Hope they are wrong!  The proverbial "strong storms" . . .  Ugh.  The forecast for rain has been off the mark for the past week, so our luck is due to run out.  The yard is looking so good right now with the Coral Bells and Iris all flowering and the young Hostas just lovely.   Several people brought Peonies to work, so it must be the time for bad weather.  My mind has stored so many images of once-gorgeous Peonies squashed flat by heavy rain or shredded by hail.  That's probably what keeps me from adding them to my yard!


The fish all bagged up and ready to travel

Wish I could figure out how to edit some of the html coding on these blog pages, as I can't aways place things exactly as I wish.  I can manipulate coding on my own web pages which are hand-coded, but can't always figure out how to change coding that is generated for these blog pages.  Maybe when I am laid off in July I will take the time to update my skills!  Interesting that most everyone at work has a list of projects they want to accomplish during the lay off.  Yes, everyone seems to be expecting that will happen.

At the fish club meeting last night we had a speaker on salt water aquariums and the potential for making money by breeding marine fish and propagating corals. With the the popularity of reef tanks, the coral business is particularly good. Rather than depleting the reefs, coral is commonly grown for resale.  Breeding marine fish is far more difficult than breeding freshwater fish.  Proper conditions, spawning triggers, and appropriate food for incredibly tiny fry are far more difficult to manage, but it is being accomplished with an increasing number of species.  Raising Clown Fish has always been on my To Do List, and Clowns are supposedly "easy".  Or comparitively easy!  We'll see!

Got my fish safely bagged and auctioned off.  The Synodontis petricola brought the best price of course, but were purchased for a fraction of their retail price.  Am pleased they went to Rodger.  The Limias sold quite well too, and Dale who got them will do a good job.  He often purchases the fish I BAP since we like similar types of fish.  I was able to purchase a bag of very unusual Corys, bred by Rich who is a fabulous fish breeder, and a bag of "pedigree" Green Terrors (they are considered pedigree when they come with location information - where they (or their immediate ancestors) were collected in the wild.  Fun to see my old friend Garrett now sporting some interesting tatoos, and made arrangements for friend Alex to come over and pick up the rest of my Limia melanogaster. 

Getting the Fish Keeping Bug back!  Need more fish!

Something's Fishy

Fish club meeting tonight!  It's been a long time since I've gone to a meeting - they always seem to conflict with something, generally getting ready for a dog show.  With Argus retired from active campaigning, I need to get back to all things fishy!  I have four empty tanks right now, still up and running and ready for new inhabitants.  A number of my fish are elderly too, so it's time to add some new young fish.  Yes, I let my fish live out their days in peace and do not normally hurry their exits.  Several of my Cherry Barbs are over 5 years of age, and Edd my Puffer as well.

Four species of young fish to take along to the meeting tonight for the BAP table.  Members get points for spawning and raising different species, the number of points dependent on the presumed difficulty doing that particular species.  The bags of fishes are auctioned off to club members, and the club uses the money to support it's various activities including excellent speakers.

Assuming I get them all caught and bagged, I will be taking along Synodontis petricola, Gambusia affinis, Limia tridens, and Black Mollies (they are a hybrid and have not official Latin name).  We have to take at least 4 fish, and because I have only the 5 Mollies I will take them all.  Love the little Mollies - hope the parents spawn again.

Really need to get back into serious fish keeping.  I miss my fish club friends, and am ready to try some new species.  I have 300+ BAP points and need 500 to get to the next breeder level.  I think these are all 10 point species except for the Petricola which will be worth more.

Good news on Josie!  The growth is a large wart with a long root.  It will require surgical removal (scheduled for next week) but she'll be fine.

Where Do The Robins Go?

Baby Robin perched on the dog yard fence.

The baby Robins must have left the various nests over the past weekend.  Hopefully they survived the ordeal, as we encountered several of them in risky situations.  This one was perched on the back fence, while another landed on the deck near the patio door, probably caught up in a gust of strong wind.  Fortunately the dogs didn't see either of them. 

We always get several broods of Robins in May/June, before the adults all disappear during the heat of the summer.  No one has explained to me where the Robins disappear to, but they do, and although we see many of them in spring and early summer, we see very few later on.  Where do the Robins go?  Hopefully the prowling cats don't have anything to do with it!

Vet appointment for Josie tonight.  She has a horny, warty growth on her foot, coming out of the side of her pad.  I've been watching it for awhile and it had not changed and appeared to cause her no discomfort.  Suddenly it's started growing, and when I came down yesterday morning I noticed some tiny drops of blood on the family room floor.  A bleeding nail I assumed, since the dogs had all had their nails done the previous evening.  Then when Ron & Jose were playing catch in the family room, she banged her foot on the side of the chair and it started to bleed.  It was the warty area, so that must have been the source of the blood the night before.  We'll see what Dr. Ann has to say about it - was glad I could get an appointment with her.

Josie with her Grandma Coral

Of course I immediately think cancer, but hope the overgrowth of tissue is something less serious.  Concerns me that it's grown quickly this past week.  I've always said I would never put a dog through cancer treatment, but would just give supportive treatment, enjoy the dog as long as it was relatively pain free, and then let it go with dignity. Hopefully I will not be forced to make this kind of decision with Josie any time soon.  Having lost both Morris & Sid to old age in the past decade, and seeing that in 13 year old Coral's future, I am not prepared to give up charming Josie as well.

Please include Josie in your prayers.

Holiday!

. . . But let us never forget those brave Americans who gave their lives that we might live in freedom.


A Do-It-Yourself Dalmatian kit

So much accomplished already this weekend, but my To Do list is still way too long.  Yard is looking terrific, tomatoes & herbs are planted, lilies & rhubard transplanted, lattice fence covering the new chainlink (looks a lot less institutional), a wood strip added to the new privacy fence gate so it really IS a privacy fence, deck in cleaned, kitchen & family room swept (oh my, the hair!) & scrubbed (on hands & knees) but so much left to do.   With most of my weekends at home in the forseeable future, I have no excuse for not getting caught up!

Immediate project is what to do with the dog yard.  I made it larger, including what was previously part of a flower bed, but now I have to figure out how to keep Josie from digging holes.  Really don't want to bring in another load of rock, and not sure if the existing rock will cover all the mud-to-be.

Not a perfect weekend for a picnic, but we decided yesterday would be the most suitable and it was.  Wonderful chicken kabobs from Whole Foods - a one day sale at $3.99 a pound - that's $6.00 off the regular price.  They were excellent!  It was a good excuse to make my always-good 4-7 Bean Salad (depends on what I have on hand), and my mother made her excellent potato salad.  Why do we all prefer potato salad like our mothers made?

Have been fielding puppy inquiries this past week.  It's nice to have pups on the way!  Rosie quite sure that Reebok is pregnant - I was sure within a few days of breeding her.  She'll be back in two weeks and we're expecting pups in July.  Penny's hip x-rays were good, so she'll have her CHIC number soon, and the dog we want to use had a sperm count done (he is an older dog) and everything looked good.  So, Reebok & Penny will hopefully have pups about a month apart, Reebok here, Penny at my daughter Jess's.  All four parents breed ring champions with their CHIC (health testing) numbers and wonderful personalities.  Am guessing Reebok is not liver factored (she could be, but I bet she's not) so her pups will probably be all blacks.  Liver Penny is being bred to liver-factored Cruise, so she should have pups in both colors.

Hopefully things will fall into place for Lucy to be bred this winter or next spring - have two reservations on her litter, plus her family wants to keep a boy.  After so many years with so few pups, we're really rockin' now!

Rhubarb Pie For Breakfast

Although leftover Pizza and apple pie (not generally eaten together) are two of my favorite breakfasts, Rhubarb Pie ranks right up there too, especially with hot coffee.  We had fresh homemade pie with my mother late last evening, but were feeling the affects of a wonderful dinner and couldn't give the pie the attention that it needs to be fully appreciated.  This morning I can!  Awesome!  I grow the Rhubarb and mom makes the pies, although she says her pie making is coming to an end as it gets harder to read the recipe and get the measurements correct.  This one was certainly perfect though!

Yesterday turned out to be busier than expected.  When I checked Facebook at noon, I had an invitation from Heidi of Caribe Restaurant inviting Ron and I to a food bloggers dinner hosted by Dole, at their restaurant.  They'd had a cancellation and decided to offer the tickets to us, as good customers.  What a thrill!  A chance to meet "real" bloggers, and have an awesome meal as well.  We accepted and really enjoyed the occasion.  Pictures tomorrow.



The new fence is in place

Although we had been told 5 to 7 working days for the fence to be completed, I had stressed the fact that because I had multiple dogs, sooner would be MUCH better.  It worked!  The fence went in yesterday, and other than a few minor glitches things went well.  The estimator had not ordered that style that I had intended, but this one looks great and I am quite satisfied.  He also botched the chain link portion of the order, so the posts were not tall enough for the existing chain link that was to be re-used - so we ended up with new chain link too.  While the installers were waiting for the new chain link and the new gate to be delivered, they added some extras to the board fence, things that would have taken us a lot of time, but so easy to do with their specialized equipment.  Love it!

Employees As Livestock

Yesterday was NOT a good day.  Because we had a meeting scheduled for 7:30 I went in early anticipating something important.  NOT!  Our director announced that she was moving a couple of the managers, so all the peons (she didn't say that, but it was inferred) would have their cubes moved so we could remain under the thumb(s) of our fearless leaders.  Great timing too, people retiring, others filling in on their jobs, and everyone attending classes for the new accounting system.  Like we all have the time and inclination to move.  No consideration of who needs room for filing cabinets - we get to walk down the hallway to retrieve our project files, rather than having them handy.  My 5-foot cabinet which is totally filled will not fit into my new cube.  To make things even more fun, my co-worker JoAnn is retiring, I'm currently doing her job while she uses up her vacation days, and I have to fit HER files into my new space too.  And the new cube is smaller than my old one - because the cubes near my fearless leader are all "standard" which means too small to work in.

I love my job, but hate the fact that employees are consistently treated like livestock rather than individuals.  That's not true in all offices, but has become a tradition in ours.  It's also been a tradition that when "they" want someone to leave, that person is bullied until it happens.  Subtle bullying, hard to prove, but obvious to the individual and their co-workers.  We are watching it in action right now.  Time for a meeting with the new CFO - we'll see if she is actually what she seems to be.

In all my years of working here, I have never had a really good manager.  I have had nice ones, hard working ones, managers with people skills and others with the personality of a wolverine, but I have never had one that combined all the appropriate characteristics of a good manager.  We have them in our office, so I know they exist, but it's not likely that I will ever have the chance to work for a person I can admire both as a manager and as a person.

Several of us were lamenting the fact that we did not take the retirement package, and wondering if we would survive the next year.  Things will only get more stressful with the budget issues, not enough workers, and the new accounting system.

Gotta start buying more lottery tickets!   

De-Fenceless

The yard looks pretty weird right now

Posts are set and a temporary fence is up.  It consists of light-weight mesh fencing between our yard and the neighbor's and old exercise pens strung along the alley.  The side fence is strong enough to keep the neighbor's Westie from wandering into my yard, and the ex-pen creates a boundary.  Now at least the dogs can be off leash with supervision, and all approved of the change..

Being without my fence sure leaves me feeling vulnerable.  I particularly miss the chain link along the side of my house, and double-check the lock on the side door every time I walk by.   Argus has been told that he must be extra vigilent until the fence is replaced.  It's uncomfortable having my yard open to the alley, but it did provide the opportunity for a nice chat with a pleasant neighbor from across the alley who I haven't spoken to in several years - privacy fences DO have some disadvantages.

It's been three days now and no sign of some virulent form of e coli, BUT I will not be eating medium-rare burgers at a bar anytime soon.  Thanks for your concern.

The morning got off to an early start as we have a "required" meeting at work at 7:30 - my normal starting time is 8:00.  Because the legislative session ended with no budget in place, lay off notices go out next week, effect July 1.  Presumably the meeting concerns that situation.  In a better world, the new accounting system would NOT go live on July 1 as it will just make everything so much more difficult when we finally come back.  Hopefully the Governor stands his ground on this, and if we go out EVERYONE goes out, except for those jobs required for our safety - patrol officers and prison guards come to mind.  Although no one can afford to be out of work for weeks, everyone is preparing for it.  Yesterday we were discussing the projects we have lined up for the enforced vacation.   LOTS I could do around here, as long as I would not have to spend any money to do them.

Puppies?

Waiting

Looks like it's going to be a very busy summer.  After years with no pups, or just one small litter, we are doubling our options this year.  Penny came in season earlier than anticipated, but we're going to go ahead and breed her too.  Reebok's pups will be raised at my house, Penny's pups at Jess's. This will be Jess's first litter, although she's helped with many over the years.  Penny's health testing (ears, eyes, thyroid, cardiac) is all completed except for hips and elbows which have been rescheduled for today.  A dog must be two years old for OFA to rate their hips, and Penny just turned two.   She's being bred to an older dog, so he is scheduled for a sperm count later this week, just to be sure he's up to the job.  Hopefully both processes will have good results!

When OFA evaluates and processes Penny's hips she will be assigned her CHIC number.  I love the little bumper stickers that OFA sends out with the certificates.

Health-Tested Parents For Healthier Puppies

www.offa.org

How Dumb Was That?

Woke up this morning feeling a bit nauseated.  KNEW I wasn't pregnant (!), so what else could it be?  What did I eat?  Was it food poisoning again?  Salmonella from handling raw poultry?  What did I eat over the weekend?  Oops.  That burger?  How could I have been so stupid!  I'm pretty health conscious and quite well read on the subject.  I pride myself in (normally) making good choices.  After working in the yard all weekend, we went to our favorite neighborhood bar last night.  Ron had his normal Wild Rice Turkey Burger and I selected the Light (1/4 lb.) Burger with all the fixings - and without giving it much thought I asked for it medium rare.  I NEVER order burgers that way, only steaks.  What was I thinking?  The burger seemed a bit soft and tasteless, and when I checked I could see that it was very pink inside and decidedly under-cooked (even for medium rare).  So what did I do?  Added more ketchup and ate it.  What should I have done?  SENT IT BACK!  The Waffles Fries were good, as was the Cosmo, Ron was chattier than usual, and we had a good time.  I gave it not another thought - until I woke up feeling queasy.  Although I'm not a hypochondriac, I know this will be preying on my mind today . . .  Bet I don't do this again!

The fence guys are supposed to arrive at 11:00 or call if they won't be here on time.  Am betting they will be late and won't call.  Hate to waste my vacation time waiting for someone.  It's been a lot of work, but I guess we are ready.  Now to survive 10 days without a fence.  Although there will be a temporary fence, the dogs will be going out on lead as no temporary fence will stand up to a Dal pursuing a rabbit, squirrel, or the neighbor's cat.  Hope the neighbor's Westie will also be kept on lead, but the fence ought to hold her.

Argus and Mariah

Mariah is doing well in her new home.  Gets along well with her Dalmatian housemate, but still a bit uncomfortable with the Aussie.  The biggest adjustment will be the fact that her new owner will be at work all day.  Mariah is used to having Ron around, and going in and out all day.

Josie and Argus have been incredibly playful all weekend and I've returned some of the dog toys that Mariah was determined could be destroyed.  Josie is delighted to have her favorite catching toy back, and Argus races around the kitchen/family room with the squeaky rabbit. A pair of knotted jean legs left from a newly created pair of cutoffs became two additional dog toys.

The Northern Lights Azalea

The yard is gorgeous right now.  All the rain has made the grass grow like mad and fill in the thin spots, and the Hostas are so lovely when they are young and fresh, and before bad weather, slugs and sun take their toll.

The Rhubarb is doing well, and the first harvest was delivered to my mother who will make a Rhubarb Custard Pie later this week.  Hopefully the plants are not damaged by the fence project.  A number of perennials were moved and others are surrounded by small fences in hopes they won't be trampled.  Hopefully the yard, the dogs and the people all survive the project!

Very Early Saturday

Goofing around in the ring

Saturday's blog is being written Friday night while I wait for a load of laundry to dry.  Went to dinner with Ron, came home and went to bed early, but had to get up to walk Argus & Reebok and to finish my laundry.  Tomorrow starts early as I return Reebok to Rosie for a couple of weeks while the fence is redone. Reebok will return next month and then we'll start planning for pups.   She's been a great guest and I've enjoyed having her.  Although shipping chilled semen is a lot easier than entertaining a visiting bitch, I have enjoyed the opportunity to get to know many lovely Dal girls over the years, and it's given me a bit of extra insight into the temperament and personality differences within bloodlines.

Love the cute shot of Argus that illustrates this blog.  Our friend Prue caught that from ringside at DCA while Argie and I were in the ring waiting to be judged.  He's such a silly brownie goofball guy.

Mariah arrived safely in Arizona, and her new owner Kay seems to be please with her and says if I change my mind I can NOT have her back.  That's just as well considering that the odds of being able to ship from Phoenix to Minnesota, by way of Houston, are slim to none this time of the year, and we were extremely lucky that we were able get Mariah out today.  Am so pleased that I found just the right home for her, and it came about because of this blog.

It's looking more and more like the State Of Minnesota will be closed for business come July 1st.  A newspaper poll said that 87% of the respondents felt a shut down was likely.  "They" say most of us our just one paycheck away from poverty.  Am not eager to have that confirmed!

Yes Laura, There Is STILL An Audrey

Audrey is alive and well.

This picture is for Laura, who wondered if Audrey had appeared again this year.  Yes indeedy!  Apparently you can't keep a good Cup Plant down.  She looks to have survived the winter in good form and is quite a robust little thing already.  Hopefully Audrey will not grow any taller than the 12 feet she achieved last year - she'll interfere with the phone wires if she does. 

On my list of projects is redoing the raised flower bed Audrey inhabits, as her huge root mass shifted some of the timbers last year.   Hate to move her as she obviously does well in this spot, so perhaps we will just make the planter wider, to accommodate her needs.

Argus wonders what is going on here!

The dog yard project is proceeding well.  Ron removed the board fencing that we put over the chain link when the neighbor observed that my yard looked like a prison camp - somehow I doubt that 42 inch chain link would hold prisoners for long, but we covered it up just for her.  The chain link along the side of the dog yard will be replaced by all new privacy fence to match the back fence we are replacing. 

The digging is complete, the perennials have been moved, and the fence guys are scheduled to start on Monday.  They'll take down the back fence, set the posts for the new privacy fence, and reset the posts for the remaining chain link.  Eventually they will return and put up the new fence - hopefully that won't take too long as we will be without a fence for that period.  I'll put up a temporary fence, but of course the dogs can't be left out safely until the new secure fence is up.  Means we'll be doing a lot more walking.

Amazingly, the bitchy neighbor has been as nice as can be.  It probably won't last but I'll appreciate it for now.  And I'll keep wearing my Amy Klobuchar & Mark Dayton tee shirts when I deal with my very staunch DFL neighbor!

Mariah is on her way to her new home in Arizona.  Honestly did not think we could pull this off because of the (justifiable) temperature restrictions on shipping animals, but Continental Airlines was very nice to work with and Mother Nature co-operated.  Dropped her off at 4:00 AM - who knew airports were that busy so early in the morning!   The airline personnel could not have been nicer and hopefully everything goes smoothly for her flights.  The timing was good as Mariah would have been the most affected by the lack of fencing.  She LOVES being outdoors, no matter what the weather.  We'll miss her a great deal as she was a good fit for this household, just not quite what I wanted to keep and show and possibly breed from.   So, we still have an "open spot" in Paisleyland.

Hopefully Rosie can meet me tomorrow and retrieve Reebok for a couple of weeks.  I'm really tired of four extra walks a day, and Reebok is tired of living in the basement.  When she comes back to have her pups here, she'll move into the family room with the others, and be a full time house dog if she can get along with Coral & Josie.  If she's bitchy with them she will just run with Argus & Watson.  I don't like running shifts and prefer to have all the dogs run together, but sometimes it's not an option when bringing in an adult dog.  My dogs accept anyone who comes to stay, so I'm hoping she'll fit in.

Thinking puppies!

Still Digging

Argus winning his 3rd Award Of Merit

One of the memorable things from DCA this year was all the compliments received on my attire.  I am not a shopper, and normally dress very casually, but this year I had two spectacular outfits to wear.  The one worn for the Top Twenty included a gold-sequined jacket.  It had been purchased for the previous year's Top Twenty, but I had to sit that one out with my broken ankle.  The long jacket worn for Best of Breed judging retailed for more than $300.00, but like the Top Twenty outfit it came from a next-to-new shop, and cost less than $20.00 - and came with the tags still on it!  A black/red/brown/gold Paisley pattern, with metallic threads.  Such fun!

Another night spent digging in the yard, but we are almost there.  Tonight I'll do some transplanting as the dog yard will get a bit larger and include an area currently planted with Hostas and elderly Asiatic Lilies - given to me by my brother's girlfriend almost 40 years ago!

Reebok will go home to Rosie for a couple of weeks.  Don't need an extra dog here while my fence is down.  It will be tough enough managing the regulars with no fence.  She'll be back in June, pups due in July.

Odd, Spell Check does not include the word Hosta/hosta.  How stramge.

. . . and It Was Not Continued

Argus competed in the Top Twenty

It suddenly occurred to me that because of computer problems I never completed the posting about the National.  Checking back I discovered that lots of good things were omitted.  I haven't ordered my "official" show pictures yet, but have some nice ones taken by friends to include.  It is amazing how many people take pictures wherever they go.  I'm sure that most of those pictures stay on the devices that were used to take them, or get downloaded to a computer, and very few ever get printed.  This was the first year I noticed iPads used to take pictures and video too.  Ah, technology.

Argus won the Stud Dog Class for the third year in a row, what a thrill!  Each year he has gone in with two of his beautiful daughters.  Rita & Pauli in 2009, Penny & Nena in 2010, and Penny & Lucy in 2011.   The judge Mr. Sabella commented on how much fun he had doing the Stud Dog Class, what an excellent sire Argus is, and what lovely type he produces.  He does.

The Best Of Breed competition was outstanding, with over 80 of the top Dals in the country competing (these are the "Specials", dogs who are already champions).  The judge divided the males into 3 groups and the bitches into either 2 or 3 (I forget) so that the ring was not overcrowded and none of the dogs had to stay in the ring for long periods of time.  She selected "keepers" from each group - that is called "making the cut" and then brought those dogs back for further judging and additional cuts.  Argus and his offspring Krash, Penny & Cassie all made it through the first two cuts.   Krash & Penny went out on the third cut, but when I looked around Cassie was still in the ring with Argus and many of the top winning Dals in the country.  Cassie and her owner/handler John were attending their first DCA, and Cassie is the first dog that John had shown to her championship.


Cassie & John, with Argus & me

 The judging continued and Argus & Cassie were still in the ring.  There is only one Best of Breed, and this year it went to a handsome young black dog who is professionally handled and has had a fine career.  The judge has the option of giving out Awards of Merit to the top 10% of the Specials.  As I looked around the ring and counted the number of dogs who were still in competition it looked as if there would be enough AoMs to go around.  Success!   Argus won his third consecutive Award of Merit (and was Best of Breed in 2008) and this year, the first year he had champion offspring in competition, daughter Cassie won one as well.  What a thrill.  John's daughter Liz took this picture of Argus & Cassie wearing the award sashes. 

A very successful National!

We're Back!

Lucy & Jess at DCA

A new modem and millions of cookies deleted, my computer seems to be running normally again.  I can even upload pictures to my blog.

So much catching up to do here, so many changes have taken place in the past week.

Reebok has been bred to Argus with pups due in July.  I'll have to sit down and figure out the exact date.  She'll go back to Rosie for a few weeks while my new fence goes up, then come back to have her puppies here.  We are SO ready for puppies.  The guess is that she is not liver-factored, but both Rosie and I are hoping that she is.  Her father is pure for black, her mother is a liver factored black.  We could do the cheek swab test to find out if she carries liver, but we'll find out in 9 weeks.  Actually, one litter is not really a sufficient sample, so if she has liver pups we'll know she IS factored, but if she doesn't have any liver pups we won't be quite sure that she's not.  (My liver Gremlin once had 10 black puppies by liver factored Ringer.)

New fence project starts the week after next.  It turned out to be a lot bigger project than anticipated, as I have to move the fence on one side of my yard (it's between 2 & 8 inches over onto the neighbor's property).  It's a perfect time to replace some of the chainlink with additional privacy fencing.

Mariah's wound

Mariah's leg is healing nicely and we are still hoping to get her to Arizona.  The problem of course is the temperature, as dogs can't be shipped when it's over 85 on either end of the trip, and Arizona is already HOT.  She's been wearing an e-collar at night, but has left the stitches alone and has not bothered with the wound.  The stitches will come out in a few days.

Someone posted the following question to my blog.    "Why is mariah considered small? doesn't the standard say between 19 and 23 inches? if she is already almost 20 inches as a puppy, isn't that normal? just wondering! "

That's a very good question indeed!  Mariah is "too small" for my taste.  She is not growing and does not have enough bone to be taller than she is.  She would not be disqualified in the show ring, but she is smaller than I prefer to show.  I want my bitches to be about 22 inches tall and weigh about 45 pounds.  Mariah is less than 20 and weighs about 35 pounds.  She's actually going to a home (assuming we can get her there) where she might eventually be shown, but I am selling her as a pet.   Our "Peaches" was about Mariah's size, and although she did win some points she was "too small" to finish easily.  She was an excellent producer, had 7 champion offspring, earned a CD in obedience, and lived a long and healthy life.  Dogs don't care whether or not they get to be show dogs.

The standard is a guideline, and for all practical purposes we can show almost any dog that does not have a disqualifying fault. That doesn't mean that all those dogs SHOULD be shown, only that they CAN be shown.    Many people show dogs who I consider to have totally unacceptable spotting, dogs with terrible toplines, or nasty tails.  That's their right.  Tiny bitches can also be shown and fit the standard for size.  I just choose not to show them.   A breeder needs a mental picture of what the breed should look like (not can look like), needs to compare her dogs to that picture.

Update

Well hopefully the new modem that is on its way from Qwest will solve my balky computer downloads and impossible uploads.  Because the average lifespan of a modern is 3 years, and mine gave me 5 years of service I can hardly complain.  Don't know why I assumed it would last forever.  I find my laptop/Netbook less than user friendly and have trouble seeing the screen and using the flat keyboard, so my blogs may be shorter for awhile.

Mariah did not leave for Arizona on Tuesday, but her leg is doing well and she's not fussing with the stitches.  She wears an e-collar when no one is around, but is learning to mange that.  Kay is working on the transportation issue, and we still have hopes of getting this worked out.  If not, she will be available a lot closer to home!  Such a good girl she is, but still small at 19 3/4 and 36 lbs.  The perfect size for a lapdog!

Reebok is doing well and is very easy to entertain.  There's lots of coming and going in the basement as my fish, the laundry, freezers and such are down there.  She's enjoying the 4 walks a day and we have explored all the alleys in the neighborhood.  No loose dogs which makes it a lot easier to walk bitches in season.  We ran a progesterone test on Monday and it came back at 6.03, which meant she was probably ovulating at the time.  Eggs take 2 - 3 days to ripen before they can be fertilized, so we are exactly where we should be.  Tried a breeding last night and all went well.  It would have been a day or two early, but the sperm lives with 4-5 days, so if we did not get another breeding we would probably be just fine.  We'll do two more breedings to maximize the chances of fertilizing as many eggs as possible - having the maximum number of sperm available when the eggs are ready to be fertilized..  Pups are normally born about 63 days after ovulation or 61 days after conception.  I have traditionally let the dogs pick the days, but it is nice to have science to fall back on too.  I could take Reebok in for another prpgesterone test, to see if the levels are continuing to rise (it will tell us that she did in fact ovulate) but with a young healthy bitch we will assume that everything went as it should,  Thinking puppies!

Things Never Go Quite According To Plan . . .

Am still unable to upload photos on my computer, and I've got some good ones to post.  If I can't get that fixed tonight I'll be forced to call in the Geek Squad. 

Saturday got off to a good start.  Puppy Eddie and I met up with Lisen, and she decided to ride along when I continued my road trip to pick up Reebok.  Lisen traveled to a few dog shows with me many years ago, and hopefully we'll be doing a bit of that in the future.  Rosie was right on schedule with Reebok who had a "cold tail", the first one Rosie had encountered.  Lots of theories about the cause of this problem, but I suspect it happens when a wet dog (recently bathed or swimming) shakes itself and slams its tail into something, causing a bruise.  The limp tail generally lasts for 2 or 3 days and causes few problems - except on dog show weekends!

Eddie is doing well at Lisen's and is exceptionally gentle with her grand daughter.  Because he lived with 4 kids and all their friends at the Pellas, he is very well socialized with children.  Reebok is doing very well too and I really like her, although I hope she does not mind walking in the rain as it is pouring here right now.  She's quiet and very sweet, and has been the perfect guest so far.  Because she's in season, she's in the basement with all the aquariums, so there's plenty of coming and going plus she gets 4 walks a day. 

Lucy went home with the Pellas yesterday and will be back for the fall shows, so almost everything fell into place.  Almost.  Mariah was supposed to fly off to Arizona on Tuesday to her new home with Kay.  Delta has a flight embargo (no live animals shipped) after 5/15 so we had to get the shipping done this week.  The weather was cooperating with a cool day scheduled for Tuesday (it has to be less than 85 degrees at both ends of a flight) and there was a flight that would work for both of us.  It was meant to be, or so I thought . . .

On Saturday evening Mariah went off with a friend of mine for a play session with doggy friends.  She came back with a large bloody gash in her front leg.  Because it went so deep the two sides of the wound were seperated and it obviously needed suturing.  Animal Emergency Clinic was backed up for hours, so I took her in early Sunday morning.  Happy Mother's Day!  Good thing I did as she required two layers of stitches, absorbent ones in the muscle, and 7 regular stitches in the skin.  Ugh.  Almost $500.00 for an unfortunate accident, but something that had to be taken care of.  As I tell people who are contemplating a puppy, dogs should be considered a luxury, although for many of us they are essential luxuries!

Because it's important that Mariah not bother the injured area, she has to wear an e-collar when she is not being supervised.  I would not want to fly her wearing one, and I doubt it would be acceptable to the airline.  Not sure that it would be safe to send her without the collar as she might bother the wound and pull the stitches.  It might also be hard on Mariah to adjust to a new situation while wearing the e-collar too, so this probably is not going to work.   A bummer for all, as I thought this would be that Perfect Home I was looking for for Mariah!  Stay tuned!

Argus knows he has a visiting lady but has not fussed about it at all, so Reebok is probably not quite ready to be bred.  Because of her jammed tail I don't want Argus trying to breed her before she needs to be bred.   Hopefully we can get in at Winsor's today for a Progesterone Test, to tell us how close she is to ovulation - but more on that later.  This blog will be covering dog breeding, whelping & puppy socialization - assuming everything falls into place!

And we need pictures!

Dog Swappings & Puppy Plans

No rest for the wicked.  I'd love to have slept in this AM, but too much to get done.  Puppy Eddie came down from Canada with the Pellas yesterday, and today I am taking him to meet up with his forever family.  Lisen & Jerry kept Eddie for me for awhile, and Lisen fell in love with him.  Because Eddie was bred by Sue, Ginger, Paula, & Kim, lived with Lisen, then with the Pella family (4 kids), and now going back to Lisen, his registered name is Paisley Red Coach It Takes A Village.  He is the happiest, most secure & well adjusted puppy I have ever met.  Am very pleased with the way he looks & a show career is anticipated.

Lucy will go home with the Pellas when they head back to Canada on Sunday.  She'll spend the summer with them, do some Canadian shows with Junior Handler Grace, and come back for our fall shows and the final 4 points towards her American championship.  Lucy was such a hit at DCA, and Jess had a wonderful time showing her.  Eddie "filled in" for Lucy while she was with us.

After I pass Eddie on to Lisen, I'll continue south and meet up with Rosie & Reebok.  Reebok finally came in season and is coming home with me to be bred to Argus.  Reebok has had an amazing career, winning the DCA Futurity in 2009 & DCA WB in 2010.  Argus is a past DCA Best Of Breed winner, has 3 DCA Awards Of Merit, and sired of last years Best In Futurity (Penny).  He has also won the Stud Dog Class at DCA for the past 3 years.  Hopefully this litter will live up to its potential!

Still having computer issues and unable to upload pictures to my blog.  I think the poor thing is bogged down with the thousands of pictures on its hard drive.  HOPE that's it, as I purchased an external hard drive and will move many of the pictures over.  If that doesn't help, I'll be forced to take it in and have the Geek Squad take a look.  Fortunately I have the Netbook to use while the big guy is gone.  This computer is 4 years old and has given me good service but I hope to get a few more years out of it!

Back To Reality

Most disappointing that my computer has issues this morning and I am not able to upload any pictures to go with this posting.  So many nice pictures to share - eventually!

Did we have fun?  You bet!  Was it a successful trip?  Absolutely!  Am I glad to be home?  So very glad.  Will I enjoy going into work this morning?  Not so much . . .

What a terrific time we had.  Weather was less than perfect and it rained much of the time, but at least it was a WARM rain.  And it was spring in Kentucky.  Green grass (very long because it was too wet to mow), flowering trees, and shirt sleeve temperatures.  To save money we stayed at the Super 8 which was right across the parking lot from the Drawbridge Inn which was the official headquarters.  An easy walk, though I admit we drove a few times when it was raining hard.  Our roommate Laurie (Penny's co-owner/breeder) flew in from Virginia and arrived shortly after we did, and flew out Wednesday evening, so we had a dog walker for each dog, which helped a great deal, especially when walking dogs in the rain.

Not enough time or room to do more than a brief rundown of the week this morning, but we left on Friday, arrived in the Cincinnati area about noon on Saturday, and because it was too early to check into our motel (and because both Jess and I are fish addicts in addition to being dog addicts) we paid a visit to the Newport Aquarium.  All I can say is WOW.  Wish I had had a whole day to spend there.  Just amazing.  Saturday evening was the Welcome Party which was very well attended and it was such fun catching up with friends we see so rarely.

Sunday was the Futurity, but because we had no youngsters to show we did the DCA Health Clinic.  Laurie and I spent the day working there, while Jess ran our dogs through the tests.  Lucy got her eyes CERFed and had her cardiac & thyroid tests done.  Penny had the cardiac & thyroid tests, and Argus just did the cardiac test as he was up to date on his other testing.  Jess said the dogs were all perfect for their testing, and the biggest problem she ran into was their determination to kiss the Techs, Vets, and dog holders.

Monday was Sweepstakes judging as well as the bitch classes.  No pups for Sweeps, but Lucy showed wonderfully well and walked off with the Open Black Class.  We have some wonderful pictures of this lovely girl winning her class - hope I can get them posted tomorrow.

Not enough time here to do each day, but the days were filled with judging, second guessing, and chatting with friends at ringside.  This year we did not eat out, but instead went down to the bar/dining room at the Drawbridge Inn and met up with friends for drinks & dinner and (MUCH) laughter and fun.  The nights were far too short, but it was oh so worth it.

To be continued. . .

Departure . . Soon

If we can get the rest of the stuff in the car, we'll be leaving shortly.  What was I thinking when I thought we could carry four dogs plus stuff.  Three dogs plus stuff barely fits.  No way could I fly to the National.  I need my stuff!  If we bring Reebok home with us, someone will have to ride on top.

See you later.

The Countdown Begins

Just resting

Argus is going to miss motel room beds!  My dogs all sleep in the family room when we are home, but Argus always sleeps on the bed when we travel - on a sheet brought from home, so he doesn't get the comforter dirty.  He'll get a whole week of this at the National, and then "mostly retired" begins, at least for him.  I'm not so lucky, and it promises to be a very stressful summer at work, with the many retirees leaving along with their skills and knowledge, and a new accounting system to learn.  We're supposed to "go live" after the 4th of July.  We'll see . . .  The last 6 weeks of the fiscal year will be spent doing my job, doing JoAnn's job as she is leaving, doing part of Rich's job (they didn't fill his position LAST year), attending 16 (so far) training sessions that vary from two hours to two days in length, plus testing and conversion.  We shall see who survives!  Obviously, I need to purchase more lottery tickets!

Had my property surveyed yesterday and learned that the fence on one side of my yard is actually on the neighbor's property, so in addition to replacing the alley fence, we will be replacing the side fence as well.  That means moving all the dirt and rock along that side of the dog yard.  Major project, and a tough one, but it's gotta be done.  This would be why the city requires the identification of property lines before fences can be installed.  Obviously that was not a requirement when the first fences were put in over 40 years ago, and the fence we put in 25 years ago just followed the original fence lines.  Means I will have to transplant my rhubarb, and take down the vine that climbs on that fence.

Reebok still not in season, but puppies are still in the plan for summer/fall.  Just means we will have a very busy summer!  Pups are an enormous amount of work, but we're all ready for babies.

Checking out training schools is also on my list of things to do, as Argus & I need to get started on that as I want to add some performance titles.  He knows all the basic commands, but needs to learn concentrate on me rather than trying to make friends with all his classmates!

My computer is not coming along with me to the National.  Takes up space and time I will not have.  Hope to check in here from time to time though.  When I get my smart phone this summer, I'll be able to keep my blog updated when (IF?) I travel.   Jess is planning a "travelogue" with pictures on Facebook.  We had a lot of fun doing that on the way to Greeley last summer.

Just 24 hours from now we will be doing the final loading, and heading off to the National in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky.  I attended my first National in 1973 and have only missed three since then!  They're held in various places and we've gone to New England, Texas, southern California, northern California, and many places in between.  Next year is Tulsa, the following year St. Louis.

Running Out Of Time

Don't miss a chance to bid on the wonderful Decorated Dogs, a fundraiser for DCAF, the Dalmatian Club of America Foundation.  There is a collection of 41 Dalmatian figurines, all intriguingly decorated by our amazingly talented club members.  You can place an email bid with the committee chair (just read over the instructions) so you don't even have to be present to win.  There will be a silent auction at the National next week, and the bidders will not know the amounts of the emailed bids, so feel free to bid on any that appeal to you.  You might just be a lucky winner!   If you do not collect Dal items, at least take a look - you'll be amazed!  Deadline for emailed bids in Midnight Friday, so don't delay.

Decorated Dals

So much to do before I can leave, and now I have a sore foot to contend with too. Gave up last night and went to bed with an ice pack. Thought I had my foot issues managed, so am NOT pleased with a flare up. Hopefully Ibuprofen will do the trick as I do not have time for a cortisone shot OR rest. I've decided that the 3rd van seat will stay in the van from now on. Taking it out gives me more room for crates, but whoever decided these things were easy to remove must have assumed that all owners were young and muscle bound. They are NOT easy to remove. After DCA I will put the seat back in (perhaps asking for younger stronger help) and leave it there. I need three seats so we can take mom out to dinner, as Ron does not care for sitting on the carpet in back, collecting dog hair.

Packing is about half done, but I still need to do an oil change, pick up the pants I had hemmed, bathe and trim Argus, make lists for Ron, decide what clothes to pack, get some yard work accomplished, do some aquarium water changes, and (unfortunately) go to work. Hoping to leave at the crack of dawn on Friday.

We're just taking Argus, Penny & Lucy, as Pauli came in season last weekend and will stay with her handler and do some all breed shows.  Just too hard to travel with a bitch in season.  Lucy and Penny had better hold off for another week or two!  Reebok is going along to DCA with Rosie, and if she comes in season during the trip she will come home with us to be bred to Argus.  Laurie will be flying in from Virginia and sharing our room, so we will have three dogs and three dog walkers - MUCH easier.  It would have been fun to have Pauli show in the Top Twenty, along with her dad Argus, but it will be a whole lot easier to just carry three dogs.

Lots of fun stuff happens at the National, some official, much of it impromptu.  With so many motor homes there, the bar is always open of course.  The Whine & Cheese Party is not an official DCA event, but always well attended out in the motor home area.  This year they have added "local beers" to the local or favorite wines.  Need to pick up something . . .  Do they still make Pigs Eye?  Summit is good beer, but lacks the catchy name!

Forgot to mention that Penny picked up a UKC Best in Show last weekend, and Lucy got another point.  Penny is now a UKC Champion, and Lucy needs but 4 single points to finish her AKC Championship.

No Time To Post

Oops.  Someone took offense at my comment on Rally.  It IS easier than obedience, and was meant to be that way.  I've shown many dogs in obedience in the past, and to me Rally IS dumbed-down obedience. I did not say it was easy, and for some dogs and some handlers, it isn't. 

Hope to post this noon.  Am out of time this morning.

Some Kind Of Wonderful!

Argus & Lucy in my motel room.

Thank you, weather people!  Sounds like we have another perfect day.  Can't remember when we actually had nice weather on Easter, but yesterday was a stunner.

A reasonably fun and successful weekend in Waterloo, although nothing for the record books.    A bitter-sweet weekend too, as it marked the end of Argus's regular dog shows . . .  We hit some spring shows to keep him in form and so my handling would not be too rusty, but after DCA we will be doing very few shows other than Specialty weekends.  Argus is a joy to travel with and so much fun to show, and I'll miss this more than I can say, but all good things must end . . .

This will be a very stressful summer with all the training required for the new accounting system at work.  Lots that needs to be done around the house and yard too.  The last three years have involved a lot of traveling, and I've been gone on weekends when I should have been working on projects around here.  Time to play catch up on that!

The only remaining goal I have for Argus is a Canadian Best In Show.  He has multiple Bests in three other venues, but only went to Canada as a pup.  Maybe we'll get back there for a few weekends if the judging panels look promising.

Time to raise a litter of pups too.  If Reebok Branaman ever comes in season, she'll be bred to Argus and the litter will be born here.  Penny may be bred this summer too.  The last litter I have had here was the litter Penny is from - has it really been two years?

Argus needs a few titles at the end of his name too.  Not sure I can dumb down to Rally, but a CD in obedience would be nice.  He'll need a new job to do.

And maybe I can sleep in on Saturdays, take my mother to church on Sundays, and have time for a few picnics.  Sounds good to me.  Hope Argus agrees, and makes a good adjustment to life style changes - but dogs are so adaptable, and he is always happy to do whatever I ask of him.  I'm sure retirement will be OK too . . .  So why am I just a little teary?

It's Time To Start Looking . . .

Mariah will be available to the RIGHT home

Finally made the decision to start looking for a "forever home" for Mariah.  Hopefully I can find one as good as the home Jaime/Jake went to, and the one Eddie will be going to soon.  Mariah is a great fit for my household, and both Ron & I really like her.  She's smart, willing, tries very hard to please, has lots of cute traits including talking and smiling, but she's just a bit too short.  Not a bad trait in a companion to be sure, she's really the perfect size for sitting on your lap, but she's a bit short for the show ring.   I could keep her for awhile longer, to see if she grows, but if the right home is there for her it would be a shame to miss it.  My first choice would be something local, within easy driving distance, so I could keep an eye on her.  If she gets a late growth spurt, I'd like the option to show her (at my expense).  If she doesn't, she can be spayed and live her life as a wonderful companion.  Let me know if you can provide the right home.  (I'd also consider placing her further away, if the situation is right.)

Not an easy thing to do as I really enjoy Mariah, but any young dog I acquire is a "maybe".  I'm still looking for just the right dog to add to my household, but it has to have the right personality for us as well as be star quality in the showring.  Guess I am still looking.  Because of my age, Ron's age, where I live, and future financial concerns, any permanent addition to my household has to be just the right dog to stay here forever.   Argus was the last dog I kept, and he's 5 1/2 years old.  I'd really prefer another brownie boy, but common sense tells me it ought to be a girl.

Plans are falling into place for Lucy to go home for awhile after the National.  Jess put both majors on her, but she still needs 5 singles to finish her championship.  Because Jess will not be available to handle her in May, and because Lucy is due in season momentarily, we decided she should go back to her family for a couple of months.  We'll bring her back later, preferable in July, but possibly not until mid-August.  We'll send her home with her health testing completed, and we've all agreed that it would be more practical to breed her next fall.  Her family will be moving this summer and a litter of pups could make things more than a little difficult!

When Lucy's family comes to pick her up, they will return Eddie who then goes to live with Lisen & Jerry, and Ruby the Brittany.  Eddie is such a sweetheart, and I know Lisen will really enjoy having a Dal again!   

Worries

Puck is afterall a California Dal!

Argh, one of those nights that last too long.  The kind where I wake up at 4:00 and can't get back to sleep.  Way too much to worry about! 

Big worries like will I ever be able to sell this big dumpy house?  How will I ever get everything out of it?  How long will I be able to afford the taxes for the "privilege" of living here?  Should I refinance, or wait until I need to include the cost of a new roof in the package?  How old is my roof?  How long do they last?   Do I need to put additional money into the house?  Will my neighbor be a problem again this year.  Will the new fence go in smoothly?  How long will it take?  How will we manage the dogs without a fence?  Who can I farm out for a week or two?  Would anyone take Mariah?

How will the training go for the new accounting system?  Will it actually work when we Go Live?  Will I catch on to the new system?  How will I manage my job & JoAnn's too, in a new system?  Will my boss survive the stress?  How long before we can actually do our work in a timely fashion?  Should I have taken the retirement buy out?  Will it be offered again?  Will there be lay offs?  Will "they" screw around with our retirement package?  Will we get a pay cut?  Furloughs?  Will the state shut down at the end of the fiscal year?  Will the state's budget issues actually get resolved? 

Am I getting more forgetful?  Will I develop Alzheimers?  Do I HAVE Alzheimers?  How would I know?  Are my eyes getting worse?  How long before AMD makes it difficult for me to work?  Will the Glaucoma or the Pigment Dispersion Syndrome cause more problems than AMD?  How would I handle being blind?  Can I afford the dental work I need this year?  Why is dental coverage so minimal?  Is it time for that hearing aid this year?  Does it annoy people that I say, "What?"  When will Ron go in for an evaluation?  One of us should be able to hear!  Why won't he go in for a general check up?  Eat better? Take vitamins?  Be more careful about cholesterol & sodium?  Am I spending enough time with my mother?  How long will she be able to live alone?  She seems to be doing well, but am I missing something I should have noticed?  If someone has a health crisis this summer, will I be able to manage that along with my job?  Will I really be able to retire in 3+ years?  Will I survive that long?  Will there be any Social Security left for me?

Will Jess and Don decide to move?  Can they afford to buy closer to work?  Can they sell their house?  Do they really want to give up their present home?  How bad does Ron's condo look?  Does he ever clean house? Does it look like a trash house? Should I nag him about it?  Should I go take a look?  Will I be the one who has to take charge of that some day?  What will happen to all his stuff?

How long will Coral live?  What will Ron do when she passes? Will she have expensive vet bills?  Will the others stay healthy?  Why are vet bills so expensive?  Will we get Lucy home after DCA?  Will Lisen be ready for Eddie?  Is it time to sell Mariah?  Should I let her go as a pet, or keep strings so I can show/breed her if I want?  When is she coming in season?  Should I sell her before then?  How long should I wait on her?   Can I really afford to show Argus any more? Is it time to retire him? Will I miss the shows?  Will HE miss the shows?  Should I start him in Rally?  Obedience?  Will the tendinitis in my shoulder get worse if I do that?   Will I be able to get away for any shows this summer?  Will I be too stressed from work to do a good job with the dogs?  Will Reebok come in season at a suitable time?  How will she fit in here?  Will she get along with Coral & Josie?  Do I really want to raise a litter of pups?  Should we breed Penny this summer or wait?  How should we breed her?  Who should do the puppies?

Why is my brain so active at night?  Why can't I just go back to sleep?   Ah, the clock radio came on.  Thank goodness.  The news is bad, as always.  But the sun is shining, the birds are singing, and everything looks much better in daylight! A cup of coffee, and a group of wagging Dal tails really helps too.  It's gonna be a good day!