Reasons to pay attention while mowing the lawn . . .

Lessons learned from cutting the grass this weekend.

1. The obvious is so that you don't run over your toes (of course, if you're being safe, you have shoes on, and wouldn't catch your toes anyhow).

2. So you don't accidentally cut down your mother's flowers (this did NOT happen, by the way, but it could).

3. So you don't run over the newly-seeded areas and rip out the grass before it has time to root.

4. So you don't run over the power cord, trip the breaker in the garage, lose your power source and have to shell out big bucks for a new cord. Really, it could happen to anybody. Not necessarily me or anything. I'm just saying. Really.

FYI - safety first.

Book Reviews

Recently a friend loaned (lent?) me two of her books. Both were books I'd seen on the shelves at Chapters, but for one reason or another, I hadn't picked them up. I love getting the opportunity to read stuff that I would normally pass by - sometimes that's the best way to find a favourite new author.

Lullabies for Little Criminals

A Canada Reads award winner, this book takes place in Montreal. It's the story of a young girl and her father, and their difficult life. He's a junkie without a decent job, and her perception of the world is coloured by the way she was raised (and saying she was raised is a stretch in itself). It's very well-written, and despite the somewhat dark subject matter, it's a quick read. It's a book that's tough to put down once you've started it. Not for the faint of heart, or anybody who would rather pretend that there is no seedy side of life. Sorry, I can't remember the author's name, but I think her first name is Heather.
Rating: B+

The Memory Keeper's Daughter

Another book whose author I can't remember. I really should write that information down, or look it up on the Net before I start these posts. Anyhow, the story is about twins born on a very snowy winter night, and the father making a snap decision that will forever change his life, as well as the lives of his family and his daughter (whom he gives away due to her having Down Syndrome). It's not like there are a lot of twists and turns in the story that keep you on the edge of your seat, but it's very well written and it draws you in like a familiar friend. A bittersweet ending almost leaves you wanting more. I really enjoyed the book - more than I thought I would when I read the back cover.
Rating: A-

Speaking For Spot

By Nancy Kay DVM (why is it I never have trouble remembering authors' names when they've written dog books?). A great book for any owner that has ever question veterinary care. Nancy Kay guides you through vet visits and lets you in on what questions to ask and what kind of answers you should be getting. She does cover a few specialized areas of care, such as dogs with cancer, but the book is a great way to save a bit of money on caring for your dog, while being your pet's advocate when they need you the most. You can check out Nancy's website at http://www.speakingforspot.com
Rating: A+

People are stupid!

Normally I really like the people I work with (and I'm using the words "with with" to indicate all of the people in the trailer I work in), but right now somebody is really ticking me off. I should stop here and say that it could just as easily be the night cleaners or other people randomly wandering through our trailer (it happens!). I normally keep bottles of Diet Coke in the refrigerator, so that I can have a cold drink every day. I buy 6 packs of bottles at the grocery store and keep them cold until I want one. While I was on vacation, somebody drank TWO of the bottles! Now, who would go into a communal fridge and just help themselves? That is so wrong!

But it gets better (or worse, depending on your perspective) . . . Because the cafeteria isn't easily accessible, I tend to bring frozen dinners to have for lunch. There's no way I can remember to go outside to the deep freezer to get one every day, so I typically bring them in on Mondays. I know I had enough this week, because I bought 5 of them last weekend while grocery shopping. Lo and behold, when I go to get my lunch today, my last frozen dinner is GONE! Now, in my opinion, that's worse than stealing my drinks, because now I have no lunch. AND, I took lunch much later than usual today, so I couldn't even go to the caf to buy something,

Why do people think they have the right to take what's not theirs? There's nothing okay about it! Get off your lazy butt and go buy your own drinks and your own lunch . . . your lack of planning doesn't mean I should suffer.

And that's my rant for today.

I'm Still Alive, I Promise!

Hey everyone!I'm sure by now you all think I'm dead . . . I've chatted with one or two of you, and worked on your farms on Farm Town, but otherwise have been pretty much AWOL for a while now. Fear not, I'm still around, just busy as all heck!

Since starting this new job I've done an inordinate amount of traveling, as all of you know. I've been to Houston twice and Toronto once, and there's more travel coming this fall. Home has been busy, because my niece Tashie is here for the summer, which means less time online and more time outside (when it's not raining). She's finally learning to ride a bike (with training wheels) and that takes a lot of work.

On July 8th I flew to Pomona, CA for the American Spaniel Club summer show. I spent 4 wonderful days at the show, soaking up the beautiful dogs and meeting a ton of people (from the Zim forum, and from email lists that I belong to). I spent some time narrating for the DVDs that get made of the show, and lots of time visiting people. Jack Jack's black sister went to live in Australia, and her owner came to LA for the show, so I spent some time with her. My pictures are all up at http://kladckrs.zenfolio.com/

The Monday (July 13th) we went to Disneyland (Jackie, Ange and I). We had an awesome time! Ange and I had never been, so Jackie was our tour guide and we spent a blistering 14 hours there. It was so much fun, and my pictures are also up on the Zenfolio site.

Since getting back, I've been on the run at work, as well as being busy spending time with the dogs at home. They've been feeling kind of neglected, what with me being on the road so much, so I've been trying to spend as much time as I can with them.

100 Reasons To Love Canada

What's not to love about Canada? Not much, but when asked about what they DO love, our readers shared hundreds of favourite things about our home and native land. Did yours make the list?

We Canadians love our health care and hockey. And don't keep us from our Tim Hortons coffee -- preferably with beavertails and butter tarts. From the rolling Atlantic to the Rocky Mountains, we boast about our hearty multiculturalism and polite people. When Kathy Ullyott, Homemakers Magazine's editor-in-chief, asked you to share your top 10 favourite Canadian things, our e-mail inboxes overflowed. There are many things that make us proud to live in the Great White North, including our crazy Canadian weather. Sure, we complain about it, but we really cherish beautifully coloured leaves in the fall, snow-fort wars in winter, cherry blossoms in spring and lakeside vacations in the summer.

From the thousands of suggestions we got, we culled this list of 100 reasons to love Canada -- beginning with the 10 that were named by the most readers:

Readers's top 10 Canadian favourites

10. Tim Hortons "Coffee addicts unite! ... Who can resist rolling up the rim?" wrote Anne Shelton of Toronto. Yes, we love Tim's coffee, Timbits, Iced Capps frozen cappuccinos, sour cream cake and maple doughnuts -- spelled d-o-u-g-h-n-u-t-s, please, not d-o-n-u-t-s! (See item 56 on this list for more on Canadian spellings.)

9. The beautiful Canadian Rocky Mountains, "...still mostly untouched. You can go hiking without running into crowds of people." (Lasha MacLeod, Sherwood Park, Alta.)

8. Fresh water That includes our lakes to swim and fish in, clean drinking water, rivers, streams and ponds. "The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway are proud parts of our history in discovering the country," said Terri McBride of Hunstville, Ont.

7. Hockey Included in "Our Game" are CBC's Hockey Night in Canada -- both the show and its former theme song -- as well as national teams: The Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators, and Montreal Canadiens, Cheers to our women's teams too. In Canada, hockey is "the sport that brings friends and communities together," said Kim O'Reilly, Calgary, Alta.

6. Health careBarbara White of Barrie, Ont. said it best: "Having a husband diagnosed with cancer at 33 and, 10 years later, still waking up beside him and watching our children grow together makes me thankful every day that I am a Canadian. I have not had to get a second or third job, still have a house without having to sell it all in order to pay medical bills!"

5. FreedomWe're overwhelmingly grateful for our freedom of speech and religion; for our nation's independence and democracy, and for our Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Linda LaRochelle from Port Alberni, B.C. wrote in to say: "In Canada, a democratic country, we enjoy the freedom to live our lives pretty much as we choose."

4. Our changing seasons"Canadians enjoy talking about the weather and are often disgruntled by the extreme heat and cold. But the changing of the seasons gives us not only something to talk about, but also to look forward to." (Cheryl Telford, Newmarket, Ont.)

3. The Canadian characterYou described Canadians as friendly, polite, generous, warm, open-minded, forgiving, humble, welcoming, caring, curious and honest. "It's the people that make a country great and we have a great country with outstanding people -- young and old." (Beth Corrigan Jenish, Oshawa, Ont.)

2. The landscapeVast, clean, diverse and green -- those are some of the words you used to describe our home and native land. "Whether travelling east to west or west to east, we truly have a beautiful country to be proud of," said Cheryl Telford.

And...1. Multiculturalism "From our people, our landscape, our culture(s), food, etc., the very fabric of Canada is a patchwork quilt, full of colours and textures and richness," says Linda LaRochelle, Port Alberni, B.C.

After your top 10,* your lists of favourites took on a more personal flavour. And speaking of flavour, we do love to eat, drink and be Canadian! Here are your toasts to Canadian tastes.*The balance of your top favourites are listed in no particular order

11. Culinary variety "The availability of food from around the world, including locally grown produce." Catherine Charnell, Victoria

12. Maple syrup "Dripping freshly brewed maple sap onto frozen snow for that wonderful taffy treat - awesome!" Louise Aspden, Utopia, Ont.

13. Poutine "Who would have thought fries + cheese curd + gravy could be an out-of-body experience?" Ashlee Mackey, Houston originally from St. John's, N.L.

14. Beef "Best beef in the world, from Alberta." Marybell Ritchie

15. "Canadian beer is the best, hands down!" Jennifer Rayment, Bolton, Ont.

16. Seafood including P.E.I. lobster, Atlantic salmon, Newfoundland chowder, "Atlantic Coast Lobster and BC salmon." Pat Greer, Aylmer, Ont.

17. "We have real bacon. Canadian back bacon." Patricia Fretz, Courtice, Ont.

18. Nanaimo bars "So traditional and so B.C.!" Alana LeSueur, Surrey, B.C.

19. Fresh produce "An abundance of homegrown fruits and vegetables." Karen Mitchell, White Rock, B.C.

20. Saskatoon berries "on ice cream, with fresh cream, on their own as you mow by the bush, mmhmm." Barb Beck, Wetaskiwin, Alta.

21. Wines "Yes, we have some of the best in the world and for many of us, right at our doorstep." Susan Fox, Thornhill, Ont.

22. Butter tarts "You can't find them anywhere else! It's the treat friends from the U.S., Britain and Australia want when they set foot on Canadian soil." Jo-Anne Page, Toronto

23. "Any farmer's market on a Saturday morning." Carrie Chenier, Etobicoke, Ont., (a transplanted Northerner)

24. Icewine "Mmmmm..." Kristi Briltz, Regina

25. Beavertails "Delicious and just part of being a Canadian." Katrien Reed, Belleville, Ont.

26. Fiddleheads "Nothing heralds spring as much as a steaming plate of freshly picked fiddleheads served with butter and a side order of pork." Anne Glazier, Bathurst, N.B.

27. Smarties (originated in the U.K., but made in Canada!) "Do you eat the red ones last?" Jaclyn Nelson, London, Ont.Canadians may not be as flag-waving as citizens of some other countries...or are we? All of these distinctly Canadian icons and national symbols got lots of "votes."

28. "It does us no end of good here to see and have an excuse to salute the flag of Canada -- a hockey game (yes, on ice!) or a Maple Leaf Ball." Shairon Burton

29. The maple leaf "So unassuming, so clean and so elegantly simple -- so reflective of Canadians." Willy Wilkins, Richmond Hill, Ontario.

30. The beaver "Our national animal is hard-working and has a strong sense of family." Christine Peters, Edmonton

31. Money "Brightly coloured bills and unique coins" Lynda Colvey, Cold Lake, Alta.

32. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) "So proud, independent, brave...they make us feel safe." Erin Purdy, Ottawa

33. O Canada! "I feel pride in my heart each time I hear our national anthem." Sandi Larson, Cold Lake, Alta.

34. Parliament Hill "The grandeur of the place added to the lasting memory it created in my parents' visit to Canada. Their photograph in front of the parliament buildings will forever be present in my living room." Cynthia G. Garcia

From natural wonders to unique species, from the majestic Atlantic to the awe-inspiring Rocky Mountains, there's no question that Canada puts the "great" in "great outdoors."

35. "Our national and provincial parks" Sandra Kropinske, Kamloops, B.C.

36. Niagara Falls "It's spectacular at night. Canada is fortunate to have a wonder of the world." Tracey Ilnisky, Gilbert Plains, Man.

37. Oceans "The smell of the Atlantic Ocean (with icebergs and humpbacks in the background of course!)" Ashlee Mackey, Houston, originally from St. John's, N.L.

38. "Fresh air and blue skies -- you can truly appreciate it after you visit some dirty steel towns." Suzanne Michal, Ottawa

39. "Our caring about the environment." Chris Sherlock, LaSalle, Ont.

40. "Watching the Northern Lights dance across the winter sky." Sandi Larson, Cold Lake, Alta.

41. Highway 60 through Algonquin Park "Watching for wildlife, namely moose, hidden within the lush landscape is one of our family's favourite pastimes." Louise Aspden, Utopia, Ont.

42. "Red dunes on the beaches in P.E.I." Lisa Mallia, Toronto

43. The Trans Canada Highway "It allows us to discover all that our beautiful country has to offer. Take the ride!" Anne Shelton, Toronto

44. "Skiing in the morning and going to the beach in the afternoon." Fiona Baxter, Ottawa (formerly of Banff, Alta. and B.C.)

45. Canoeing "There's no better way to reconnect with the natural world and so many wonderful lakes and rivers on which to do it." Bernadette Hardaker, Orangeville, Ont.

46. "Cottage country -- i.e. beautiful Muskoka, lovely Tobermory, sizzling Sauble Beach." Vivian Lee, Toronto

47. Wildlife "We have everything -- moose, deer, rabbit, beaver, squirrels, raccoons, chipmunks, etc." Joyce Poyton, Hamilton, Ont.

48. Polar bears "This bear is twice as big as a lion or tiger...OH MY!" Pat Greer, Aylmer, Ont.

49. Canada Geese "Each time I hear their calls soaring above and see the unmistakable "V" formation I remind myself how grateful I am to be Canadian." Louise Aspden, Utopia, Ont.

50. The loon "Hearing their eerie love song invokes a sense of peace and wonder within me." Louise Aspden, Utopia, Ont.

51. "Sideways snow." when you live with it, you never think you'll miss it." Ashlee Mackey, Houston, originally from St. John's, N.L.

52. Autumn "Love that crispy clean air and the crazy quilt of colour." Shairon BurtonDoes Canada have a unique culture and heritage? You'd better believe it! And here are some of its hallmarks, identified by Homemakers readers as among their favourite things about Canada.

53. Diversity in history and heritage "Canadians have a diverse and rich heritage from our ancestors. It's instilled in us that we must leave a mark as Canadians on our planet." Connie Grant, Saint John, N.B.

54. Bilingualism "What an advantage to know another language -- especially good for solving crossword puzzles!" Mary Danieli, Burnaby, B.C.

55. "Our First Nations...a great heritage, a rich culture, a great people." Ruth Witt

56. Canadian spelling "The letter U -- I love sending e-mails to my U.S. friends with words like colour, favourite, and humour. A special mention for the letter Z (zed)." Jennifer Williatte-Battet, St. Joseph du Moine, NS

57. Family Whether you gather at your local Tim Hortons or during Canada Day or Victoria Day celebrations, you cited family as source of Canadian pride.

58. We actually say, "eh." Tammy Taylor, Oakville, Ont.

59. Canadian comedy and our sense of humour."Canada has some of the funniest quirky comedians from French Canadians, Newfoundlanders, Nova Scotians, First Nations...Russell Peters, Shaun Majumder." Barb Derick, Ottawa

60. Canadian literature Lucy Maud Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables was a popular choice. "Robertson Davies, yes, and Alice Munro and Margaret Laurence and Margaret Atwood...we have so many wonderful writers in this country." Lily Gillespie

61. Local talent "Uniquely talented Canadian actors, directors, writers, artists representing!" Vivian Lee, Toronto

62. Canada Day fireworks "Unites wonderful people of all ages and cultures in this great country of ours." Danielle Vincent, Gatineau, Que.

63. "CBC radio and TV keep us in touch with our awesome country and with the other nations of the world." Ruth Witt64. "Homemakers magazine I can't wait for the next issue!" Brenda Critch, Lindsay, Ont. [Well, really, how could we resist including that one?!]

Of course, Canada has scores of native sons and daughters, of whom we're all justly proud. Here are just a few that rated special mention:

65. Terry Fox "A true Canadian hero." Nicole Okano, Richmond, B.C.

66. Mr. Dressup "Although Ernie Coombs passed away a few years ago and Casey, Finnegan, Aunt Bird and Alligator Al are all tucked away in a special chest. Our children will always remember the many skills and information they learned from the show." Jo-Anne Page, Toronto

67. Pierre Elliott Trudeau "He was an inspirational leader." Shammy Singh, Toronto

68. A prime minister [Stephen Harper] who apologizes. "The prime minister's apology to the aboriginal peoples who attended residential schools is a wonderful accomplishment and a step in the right direction for the future." Eileen Lucas, Fort McMurray, Alta.

69. David Suzuki "He is fighting the most important fight there is today...to save our place on this planet." Bernadette Hardaker, Orangeville, Ont.

70. "Mike Myers "Canada's greatest ambassador." Linda Lee, Moncton, N.B.

71. Musicians "Jann Arden, Bryan Adams, Sarah MacLachlan, Great Big Sea, Loreena McKennitt, Barenaked Ladies, Chantal Kreviazuk, Terri Clark, Nelly Furtado, Anne Murray, Gordon Lightfoot, Shania Twain, Tommy Hunter, Chilliwack, Loverboy, Nickelback, The Rankins, Diana Krall, Avril Lavigne, the list goes on and on and on!" Linda LaRochelle, Port Alberni, B.C.

72. "Proud artist Emily Carr." Lynmarie Hubley, Kingston, Ont.

73. "The talented artists and the people who support them." -- Jeanette BearssCanmore, Alta.

74. Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven "These artists really had it all together. Their paintings capture a true feeling of what Canada is and how vast and different its landscape can be, even in just one province." Katrien Reed, Belleville, Ont.Peace, Order and Good Government: It's enshrined in our Constitution; it's something we're famous for worldwide -- and, in one way or another, it made the lists of dozens of our contributors.

75. Education "Even with budget cuts there are still many excellent English as a Second Language programs offered in many schools, community centres and religious institutions in cities and towns in our magnificent country." Jo-Anne Page, Toronto

76. Our military "Thank you for the fighting, the peacekeeping and the ultimate sacrifice of your lives to make this world a better place for my children and myself. " Barbara White, Barrie, Ont.

77. Order and citizenship "We don't assassinate our political leaders...we,"pie" them instead!" Christine Peters, Edmonton

78. Democracy "I love being able to vote in a democratic society." Linda Klages, Hanover, Ont.

79. "The economy and opportunity that Canada offers to her people. We can aspire to a sound future. Students can find vocational training at a reasonable fee and most could afford to take some type of post secondary training education." Sharon Thurston, St-Anicet, Que.

80. Pensions "How many countries take care of its older generation like we do? At some point we will enjoy the Old Age Security Pension and Canada Pension Plan." Susan Scriver

81. Transportation "Subways and buses, trains, ferries, cars, and planes to take us anywhere in our vast country within a matter of hours instead of weeks, like in pioneer times." Sharon Thurston, St-Anicet, Que.

82. Clean roads, cities "I love that our highways and streets are kept clean of litter. " Lasha MacLeod , Sherwood Park, Alta.

83. Safety/sense of security "I feel safe in my community and trust in my neighbours." Laurie MacNeil, Cleveland, N.S.

84. Peace "Our peace-loving nature, known throughout the world." Linda Chaput, North Bay, Ont.

85. Opportunities "It's the land of opportunity and the best place to live on Earth." Gloria Shields, Port Hope, Ont.

In many ways, Canada is a nation of communities, and many of our readers cited local landmarks, hometowns and home provinces as inspiring patriotic pride.

86. "The streets of old Quebec City." Ashlee Mackey, Houston, Tx originally from St. John's, N.L.

87. "We have 13 beautiful provinces and territories to explore. The beauty is incomparable to anything or anywhere else." Peggy McPherson, Windsor, N.S.

88. Ottawa's Rideau Canal "I never feel so Canadian as when I am skating on the Rideau during Winterlude." Katrien Reed, Belleville, Ont.

89. "I love the CN Tower lit up at night. Your eyes are drawn to it like a magnet." Susan Scriver

90. Toronto "This city is amazing! The galleries, the theater, the community, the Toronto Maple Leaf fans!" Suzanne Creighton, Toronto

91. Calgary Stampede "I lived in Alberta for 13 years and loved when the Stampede came to town. It brought the wild west to us for 10 days." Roxanne Zinck, Sussex, N.B.

92. "Free multicultural events at Harbourfront, Toronto." Patricia Lewis, Toronto93. Prairies "Grain fields and grasses that look like waves as they change direction with the wind." Kathleen Alexander, Saskatoon

94. "Ottawa and the Tulip Festival." Cindy San Antonio, Whitby, Ont.

95. "Vancouver is one of my favourite cities. It is so diverse and has beautiful scenery right in town!" Lasha MacLeod, Sherwood Park, Alta.

96. Muskoka "Canada's area of magnificent lakes, rocks, flora and fauna. Boating, swimming, fishing, golfing and cottaging in the spring and summer. Walking the trails and viewing the changing of the leaves in the fall and skiing, skating and snowshoeing in the winter. Lucky us!" Jo-Anne Page, Toronto

97. "The beauty of British Columbia" Sheila Kawahara, Thunder Bay, Ont.And finally -- drumroll, please -- unique entries we couldn't resist!

98. Pineapple Crush. "I think it might be a Newfie thing." Ashlee Mackey, Houston

99. "Elk jams in Banff National Park." Fiona Baxter, Ottawa

100. Ketchup chips -- "Not much to say except YUMMY!" Susan Paisley

Happy Birthday!

Today I want to send out happy birthday wishes to a good friend of mine. I won't name her, but if she reads this, she'll know who she is. She's a quiet, unassuming person with a heart of gold. Although she doesn't show her dogs (she has two Cockers), she's always supportive of the local clubs, and is willing to lend a hand or donate something for an auction. She'll carry your stuff, hold your dogs and even film you while you're in the ring.

She's a GREAT mom, a wonderful dog mom, and a superb friend. I hope she has a most excellent birthday today, and that her husband and daughter spoil her rotten!

Agility Fun Match

So, most of you probably don't know that I live in the middle of nowhere, in Northern Alberta. There are never dog shows, fun matches, trials or anything like that here. Everything is at least 5 hours away, if not further. Fortunately, the lady that I was working for when I taught Rally classes took it upon herself to organize a NADAC fun match today. There was one Standard run, one Touch'n'Go and two Tunnelers runs. I didn't know about the match soon enough to make all four runs (another appointment), so I only got to do the Tunnelers runs with Grace. She's been training in agility since the fall, and in the last 8 weeks has only attended two classes (I've been away so much for work).

The first tunnelers run was . . . interesting. She started out well, but kept refusing to enter the dark tunnel . . . so I skipped it and continued with the course. It was in a horse barn with loosely packed dirt, and I lost my footing (and was WAY out of breath), so I took a tumble. I did a lovely somersault and hurt absolutely nothing, but got all kinds of applause LOL We finished the course smiling and laughing. It really wasn't bad for her first agility run EVER.

The second run was better (but tougher). I had to do a front cross, and it went really well. Grace wasn't super fast, but she was accurate, and we ended up being the second fastest small dog for that run! She even got a prize :-D Overall I'd say it was pretty successful, and it got me pumped for future agility trials!

The End of an Era

This is going to be repetitive for those of you that read a lot of online blogs, but wow! Michael Jackson has passed away . . . an icon of the 80's and 90's, and of pop music in general. I still feel blown away that he has died so young, and right before his planned series of retirement concerts.

Running through my head are several top hits - Thriller being the most predominant one at this point in time. His face will always be irrevocably linked to a single white glove, moonwalking and the pelvic grab, with the high pitched "oh!" It seems surreal that his life just ended, so suddenly.

Everybody, go and hug your loved ones and tell them you love them. This just goes to show that you never know what's coming, or when the ride we call life will be over.

Lesson Learned

I learned a very important lesson the other night. I want to pass it along so that others don't suffer like I did.

When training your dog for agility (weave poles in this case), put the other dogs in the house. This could save your life. Or at least the knees of your pants (or capris). I was running Grace through the weave poles the other night, cheering her on because she was nailing them over and over again (not quite straight, but oh so close now!). I guess Jack Jack wanted to get in on the action, because he ran right in front of me. I was full steam ahead, and didn't see the blonde blur under my feet. Thank goodness the grass is soft, because I did an elbow and knee plant . . . and I'm pretty sure I flew through the air first.

After calling the dog some choice names (I'm sure the neighbors enjoyed that), I rolled onto my back and looked at the sky, simultaneously testing my various body parts to ensure they were attached and functioning as intended. Then I got up, called Jack, apologized for calling him nasty, insulting names, and quit for the night.

Lesson learned. Train one dog and one dog only!

The Jewelry Box

I don't know about you guys, but when I was little, one of my favourite things to do was to sit with my mom and go through her jewelry box. She always had the best stories about the things in there, and hours would pass by as we took a stroll down memory lane. As I got older, it was something that we did less and less often, usually because either she or I (or both of us) were busy. I didn't really think about it that much . . . because as you know, when you get older, life changes from being about dreams and fantasies and memories and becomes more about reality and the facts of life (no, not just those facts people - get your minds out of the gutter!).

Anyhow, my mom just got back from visiting her best friend and was telling me about how her best friend's dad was divvying up her mom's jewelry (her mom passed away earlier this year). It got my mom and I talking about what to do with various pieces of her jewelry when the time comes for items to be given out. That conversation evolved into a visit to the jewelry box (well, drawers now, as she has many mementos collected). It was very cool to be going through her precious items, just like we've done so many times before. It made me feel like a young kid again, and I enjoyed hearing the stories attached to the various items, even though I've heard those stories before. They're the kinds of stories you can never hear enough times.

I'm so thankful to have this wonderful relationship with my mom, where we can sit and fall into old habits and memories and have it feel completely natural. I just wanted to share my appreciation for something that doesn't get done often enough . . . quality time with the most important person in my life.

Movie Reviews

Movie #1 I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry

A light-hearted movie (as most Adam Sandler movies are), it actually has some good messages embedded in the physical gags and stinging one-liners. I really enjoyed the movie, from the "still in the closet" son to the sexy lawyer's uber-gay brother. If you're looking for a movie filled with laughs but a few good moments too, I recommend it. I can't say the ending will surprise you, though.

Movie #2 He's Just Not That Into You

Guys, run far, far in the other direction! This movie is NOT for you. It is a chick flick in the truest sense of the word. But, as far as cheesy chick flicks go, it's not a bad one. The girls get the right guys in the end, the jerks get theirs, and it ends in a feel-good manner. No surprises, again, but good for a night with friends, in fuzzy socks, flannel pajamas and wearing face masks.

Movie #3 Gran Torino

Okay, I had totally prepared myself to not like this movie. I may be the only human on earth that isn't a huge Clint Eastwood fan, but that's just how it is. Yes, Clint plays another crusty, old guy that practically screams "Make my day" without actually saying those words. But in this movie we see a hint of the softer side, disguised with sarcasm, growling and grunts. The movie sends a good message, and despite some less-than-stellar acting in the supporting roles, it's a quality film. And unlike the other movies reviewed, I think the ending will surprise you.

The good part about traveling lots is getting caught up on movies!

Wordless Wednesday - Dog Show Candids

Fun in the Sun

I bought the dogs a toy called a "Hurl A Squirrel" which is a fabric and rope frisbee . . . I hadn't had a chance to play with them with it, because I've been away so much. When I took them outside with the toy, I realized one small problem . . . Farley doesn't share. Every time he gets the frisbee, he takes off with it, to chew it up.

Bit the dogs appeared to have fun anyhow . . . enjoy!

Things To Remember

Have there ever been little quirks about people that you thought you'd remember forever? A particular saying or habit or whatever? I got to thinking about my nieces and nephew, and how quickly they're growing up, and how easy it would be to forget the little things that were unique to them as smaller kids.

My first niece . . . the first niece or nephew is special. It's really the first time you feel that kind of love that can only be between your sibling's child (or children) and you. You get to spoil them excessively and be the fun one. When she was really small, she'd say "hippohommas" instead of hippopotamus. It was too funny! And one night she told everybody we were having roast beast for supper, instead of roast beef. She used to be very quiet and shy, but as she grows up she's coming out of her shell, and we're having lots of fun together. She really loves helping me with the dogs, and even picked up the dog poop in the yard last time I was away - without anybody asking her! She's extremely smart, and math is her favourite subject. How cool is that?

My second niece . . . the first biological niece. Her family came to live with us for a few months just after she was born, so she's the first baby that I spent any real amount of time with. Her first word was "soup!" and she would grin and laugh like crazy when we said it. She has always said that Farley was her bestest friend, but she does love all of the dogs, and they adore her too. She loves gummies of any kind, and will eat almost anything at least once. She is very closely bonded with my dad (her poppa), but she loves everybody, and always wants to talk on the phone with us. She was a super good baby. Her terrible twos weren't a lot of fun, but she's a great kid now.

My third niece . . . . actually the oldest of the group, but she came third. She's a really neat young lady that is in between being grown up and a kid still. She tries to be cool, but sometimes I catch her playing with lego or watching cartoons and thoroughly enjoying herself. Her love is horses, although she likes dogs and cats and other animals too. We get along well because I treat her like an adult, and I think she appreciates that.

My nephew . . . the only boy (other than my brother), he has his fair share of issues. Legally blind and deaf in one ear, as well as a host of other issues, he's had to fight to survive. He's a pretty hearty kid, though, and is catching up quickly. He's walking now, which we weren't really sure would ever happen. If you say "Should 'a had a V8", he will smack himself in the forehead, just like the commercial. It's too funny.

My fourth niece . . . the youngest of the crew, she is one of us through and through. Give her some food (or a bottle) and she's happy. She is a very good baby - she almost never cried the whole time we had her over Christmas. She loves to snuggle and hug, and she has a beautiful smile. She's always hungry (just like us!) so she often tries to steal her brother's cookies, so he's constantly defending himself from her. But it's okay, because he used to steal her bottle when she was too little to do anything about it.

The kids grow up so fast that I feel like I'm forgetting as much as I'm seeing every day. I don't know what compelled me to write about them, but I think it's about preserving memories, so I don't forget who they were, even as I continually re-learn who they are.

Wordless Wednesday - Birthday Flowers

Howdy Y'all

Yep, in case you couldn't tell from the title of this post, I'm back in Texas. Houston, Texas to be precise. And it almost feels like being in hell, because it is SO hot. Wow. I went from a very wet and cold weekend (it never got above 13 degrees Celsius) to being in the middle of an inferno (34 Celsius). My body is freaked right out LOL

Anyhow, it was a good (if miserable weather-wise) weekend at the dog show. I drove to Edmonton on Thursday morning, making a stop at G&E Pharmacy to get DOG food. Yes, I checked the bag. And double and triple-checked it too. I also stopped at PetSmart to pick a few things up for a co-worker of my mom's, and then made my way to the show site.

Thursday night our club (the American Cocker Spaniel Club of Canada - Alberta Region) and the Midwest Cocker Club co-sponsored an obedience fun match. I was asked to judge the Novice class, and after a wee bit of confusion around start times, etc, had quite a lot of fun with it. Most of the dogs were pretty good, and the people seemed to enjoy themselves. There are always one or two people that feel like they've failed as trainers if their dogs aren't little robots, but otherwise people had a good time. As a thank you, I got a cute little bag with a picture of my Farley-boy on it, so I was happy.

Friday I ran Grace in Rally Obedience twice. In the first trial she did very nicely and earned a score of 95 (out of 100). I was very happy with that. In the second trial we had a slight miscommunication about the Call Front-Finish Left-Forward sign . . . she didn't feel that sitting in front was required, while I did. Still, we ended up with a 91. Respectable for sure. Friday night was a Puppy Sweeps for the ACSCC club, and Jack did very nicely, winning his class over a champion dog. I was thrilled with that.

Saturday was BUSY. We had three dogs to get ready for the ring (between my friend and I), and ring time was 10:30am. Jack won his class (again, over a champion dog), so everybody was quite pleased. For a dog with bad teeth, he did nicely. The cool part was showing Jackie's girl Tink (Rus Can Ch Freestyle Collection Perfect Pixie) to Best of Opposite Sex to Best of Breed. Not too shabby at all! It was nice to have a big win, even with somebody else's dog. Then I literally ran to the Rally O ring with Grace, where she earned a score of 95 to earn her Rally Novice (RN) title, High Scoring Cocker in Novice A award, and High Scoring Cocker in Rally Obedience (which isn't an official award, so we didn't actually get anything for it, but she DID have the highest score!). What a day!

Sunday was a bit quieter, with just two dogs to get ready, but we showed at 9am. UGH. That's early for dogs that need grooming like our breed dogs. Jack won his class, but was the only one. Still, it was nice to get a rosette to take home. No Rally O, so I didn't have to run between rings. I did have to pack my car and leave fairly quickly after the judging was done, though, since I had to get home.

Other than the miserable rain and wind and cold, it was a good weekend. We had fun, and everybody won something. Jack's sister Blush finished her championship with a BIG FAT 5 point win on Friday, taking Best of Winners and Best of Opposite Sex over several champions, and then Tink and Grace did their share of winning too.

Now I'm back in Houston for work . . . and really wishing I could just sleep in my own bed!

Blonde Moment Supreme

A few weeks ago, my mom and I took a trip to Edmonton with my niece. We took her to see the Stars On Ice figure skating show, and we had a good visit with my aunt and uncle. While in Edmonton, I stopped at G&E Pharmacy . . . the ultimate source for inexpensive pet supplies and pet food (including all of your bird, small critter and horse needs). I tend to stop in there every time I travel to Edmonton, just to check it out, and get dog food if I need it.

I grabbed a small bag of California Natural Herring & Potato formula to try with the dogs, and what I thought was a medium sized bag of Acana Pacifica (grain-free) food as well, which is their usual formula. I opened the Cal Nat food as soon as I got home, to mix with their remainin Acana, and put the rest of the food away.

Tonight, in an attempt to prepare for a weekend away (and then a week away for work following), I opened the new bag of food. CAT food. Perfect :( So now I have a $43 bag of cat food, and no dog food. Guess what my first stop is when I hit Edmonton on Thursday? Yep! G&E Pharmacy. And you can bet your bananas that I'll be checking the bag thoroughly before checking out.

Disappointed

Today I found out that as of the end of June, the location that the training school I work for will no longer be available to us. The landlord has decided that they can make better use of the space than we are. Big, big bummer . . . I finally get into teaching classes and now they will be no more.

Fortunately, agility training can continue, out at the horse barn where the more advanced classes train. So Gracie-Lou won't miss out on any training there. But I don't know what'll happen to the obedience classes. They can be held outside in the summer, depending on the weather, but winter is another story entirely.

Other than that it was a good, busy day at work. Lots to do and still so much to learn. After three weeks, I can say that I feel comfortable with my role, but I'm aware that I have much to learn. That's not a bad place to be, in a new job.

Have a good one folks!

Two thumbs up for "Up!"

My 8 year old niece and I went and saw "Up!" on Saturday night . . . it's Disney's new Pixar movie. It's about a cranky old man (voice by Ed Asner) who takes a ballon flight in his house (using hundreds of thousands of helium balloons) and ends up taking a Boy Scout with him. In true Disney style, there's choices to be made, hints of sadness, and a happy ending (well, what the heck else did you expect?). We both enjoyed the show immensely. For anybody that's even remotely young at heart, I recommend it. Go in with light expectations, and you won't be disappointed.

On a side note, today was the local SPCA's bi-annual Dog Jog, which is one of their main fundraisers. The training school I work for did an agility and rally obedience demo. I brought Grace with me, and ran her through the rally-o course a few times. She did very well, and is set up nicely for her rally trials next weekend. If she passes all three trials, she can earn a new title! I also ran her through the agility course (modified to dis-include the weave poles), and she did awesome for me! She ran a combination of roughly 8 obstacles without missing a beat, despite my relatively poor handling and a VERY clumsy rear-cross as she went into a tunnel. It was exhilirating!

Hope your weekend was a good one . . .

Thankful Thursday

It's that time again . . . it seems like it wass Thursday just yesterday. Time sure flies when you're having fun (or just busy with work, although it actually was fun).

This week I am thankful for my parents. Not only did they do a pretty good job of raising me (if I do say so myself - although they appear to have forgotten to teach me humility LOL), but they are always supporting me in one way or another. Now, I've posted before about my parents and what they mean to me, so I don't intend to get all sappy and sentimental. This week I am particularly thankful that my parents love my dogs and are willing to look after them when I need help.

Just having gotten home from 8 days away, I feel happy knowing that my dogs were VERY well taken care of. Not once did I have a pang of worry, because there are very few people that can look after my dogs like I can. They were fed and loved, and they got to play outside TONS every day. When I got home, they were happy to see me (of course!), but they were happy and not seeking attention or acting neglected. It was clear to me that they had barely noticed my absence.

I realize exactly how lucky I am to have these built-in dog sitters. They save me money, but more importantly, they save me from worrying.

Thanks Mom and Dad - we'd all be lost without you!

PS - Vicky, I may do a show or two in the fall, but I consider that a new dog show year (sort of like the school year LOL)

Home Sweet Home

Well, after 8 days on the road, I'm finally home. Hooray! While I always enjoy traveling, there's nothing quite like being in your own home and sleeping in your own bed. And of course, I never sleep as well without my guy Farley to snuggle up with.

I've now driven the 401 (the main east-west highway through the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), and managed to do so without incident. After more than half a dozen trips to Toronto, it really was time to brave the beast (the highway). It went well, and was kind of exciting - for the first 5 minutes, anyhow. Anyhow, it's another thing that I've been meaning to try. For those of you with no knowledge of the 401, it's massive. Many, many, many lanes of traffic going in either direction, and plenty of cars wanting to cross all of the lanes at once.

I had a fabulous visit with my best friend and her parents. I haven't seen her parents in close to three years, and it was just too long. It was nice to be able to give them huge hugs. I also got to see her brother, sister-in-law and their kids. That visit was a hoot, the kids were a lot of fun.

And, of course, seeing my best friend. Because we live so far away from each other, any visit is much appreciated. This "freebie" visit was a HUGE bonus! It was nice to have some down time, to just enjoy each other's company.

Now it's back to the grind stone, until next weekend, when I go to my last dog show of the year.

Thankful Thursday

Since I had such a nice response to last week's Thankful Thursday post, I thought I would do another one this week. I just got back to the hotel room from the office, and have a bit of time before heading out to supper with my co-worker. It's been a really busy trip, filled with learning, but it's been an excellent experience for me. I'm far more "on board" with the project than I was before I came, and that's a good thing.

This week I'm very thankful for the traveling I've been able to do. During elementary school, my dad won a pair of flights to a list of various places, and he and my mom settled on Portugal. Initially my brother and I weren't included in the travel plans, but that changed. We spent a month just outside of Lisbon, in a small place called Sintra, and it was great.

Following high school I spent a year as a Rotary International exchange student. I lived in Denmark for a year, learned the language, fell in love with the culture, and enjoyed life. During that year I traveled to Prague twice, as well as seeing several other major European cities. It was the experience of a lifetime, and it changed me a lot. I developed a lot more self-confidence, my public speaking skills grew exponentially, and I learned to communicate with just about anybody, regardless of language barriers.

As part of the MBA program I took, I was offered the chance to travel to China (Beijing, Shanghai and Huangzhou), and although I hadn't really considered the Far East as one of my top ten vacation destinations, how on earth could I say no? I didn't! I climbed a part of the Great Wall, walked around the Forbidden City, and had experiences that were uniquely Chinese.

With my job I've traveled a few times, and that seems like it'll be the norm for the near future. I'm also lucky enough to have the means to get to Vegas a few times, as well as traveling to the major Cocker Spaniel show in the US twice already (Indy and Philly), and once more in less than 50 days (Pomona, CA).

I think that traveling really broadens your horizons and shapes your view of the world. I highly encourage you to get out and see the world, because you'll never come away knowing less than you did before you left. Bon Voyage!

Mother Nature

I just want to point out that Mother Nature has a sick, sick sense of humour. Here it is, 2/3 of the way through May, and Northern Alberta is getting snow. Yes, you read that right. The white, fluffy stuff associated with Christmas and cold weather. Frosty the Snowman and all that jazz. Now let me ask you, does that seem even remotely right? Nope, I didn't think so!

Fortunately for me, I'm traveling for work, so I'm in sunny, hot, humid Houston right now. And really, it's not that humid, but when you're used to a dry heat, humidity is killer. With the air conditioning on inside, the contrast in temperature between buildings and outdoors is akin to the temperature difference between Texas and Alberta. However, since there's no snow, I refuse to complain. The skies are a very bright, sunny blue, and there isn't a cloud to be seen. I plan to enjoy my summer vacation before heading back to the Great White North.

Hopefully wherever you are, it's not snowing. And if it is . . . well . . . that just sucks.

Enjoying the sunshine

Jack Jack

Jack Jack again . . . I'm keeping his coat in oil, which is why he looks greasy. It's not pretty, but it protects the coat from damage and from urine stains (if you've owned a male Cocker in full coat, you know about the stains and the smell).

Grace, surveying her queendom.

Farley, doing what everybody should do on a sunny afternoon - catching some zzzzz's in the rays.

Alternate Career Options

Yesterday I spent some time exploring an alternate career option, in case the job I have now doesn't work out. No, no, don't take me seriously . . . I was just installing a new toilet in my parents' en-suite. Well, co-installing, really. My mom did the hard work of taking out the old toilet. That's no easy feat, and I must admit that I'm glad that I didn't have to deal with it. In the meantime, I was shopping, to make sure I had clothes for an upcoming work trip to Houston and Toronto.

When I got home, mom and I started installing the new toilet. Really, toilet installation is pretty straightforward and easy, assuming that there are no complications. But my mom and I should know better - our projects are never really straightforward. Ha! When we installed the toilet in my bathroom, it ended up taking hours due to a few little mishaps. Why should this instance have been any different? It wasn't . . .

Two trips to Home Hardware, many, many curse words, blood, sweat and tears. I know, it sounds more like a war movie, but in all honesty, it kind of felt like a war. A war on water supply and floor flanges. No guns or war machines . . . just wrenches and plumbers' tape.

Anyhow, the toilet is in. It took a lot of extra work, but at least it's in and functioning. My apprenticeship as a plumber is underway!

Thankful Thursday

I haven't done a thankful Thursday post in ages. I kind of ran out of things to be thankful for, without sounding trite and sappy. I want my posts to be thoughtful, not just something that's spewing out of my brain to put words on the screen. Of course, that does happen on occasion, but I try to keep it to a minimum when I can.

This week I'm thankful for the opportunities I've been given. The most recent example is my new job . . . . it's the kind of opportunity that doesn't come around every day. My new bosses took a chance on me, and I appreciate that. I know that I can do the job and do it well, but without fate and intervention from a few people, it never would have been available to me. But beyond the job, I have had so many other great opportunities . . . and they just seemed to come along at the right times in my life.

Just out of high school, I traveled to Denmark as an exchange student with Rotary International. It was a huge opportunity - I was so lucky to be able to live abroad and to gain the awesome life experiences. I saw a lot of Europe, I learned a new language and got to be immersed in a new culture. So many people never get the chance to do this, and I did. It changed my life forever, for the better.

Last fall, I was given the opportunity to teach some Rally Obedience classes. I have no official training as a dog teacher, but the training centre owner hired me. It has turned out to be a lot of fun, and I have some fabulous students. I am thankful all the time that I got this chance, because dog training is something I really love.

Life is a series of opportunities ~ whether or not a person grabs them is what guides the course of their life. What "carpe diem" moments have you seized?

New Job

I started my new job yesterday . . . and hit the ground running. The Business Venture Manager told me that I have roughly six weeks to get it all figured out, and I think that was a generous amount of time :) Ideally, he wants me to have it figured out now, so that I can be 100% productive right off the bat. But there's definitely an acclimatization period, and I'm in it now.

I've spent the past two days learning and absorbing. I've been talked to and involved in discussions, and I'm slowly figuring out what it is I'm supposed to do. I've spent time in Word and Excel, and a bit of time checking out PowerPoint stuff too. Wait until I get all of the access I've required - my head will really be spinning!

But I am most definitely enjoying it. I love being busy all day, and I love that my input and comments are being taken seriously. People act like I know what I'm talking about . . . sometimes that's good, sometimes not so much. But they don't know when I'm bluffing, only I know that. Hee, hee, hee!

Thanks everyone for the well wishes. I think this is a great move for me, and I'm glad I made it. I am now a Project Management Analyst slash Project Controls Specialist. If anybody figures out what that is, let me know!

Grace's Therapy Visit

So last night was the first of three practicum visits required by the therapy group that Grace and I are involved with. As soon as we walked into the hospital's front area, there were ooohs and aaaahs from people. She pranced her way into the elevator and rode it up to the fourth floor (Continuing Care) like a pro. We met the Recreation Therapist, who promptly fell in love with Grace, and then started making our rounds.

Grace did very well, and I'm not sure if it was the residents or the staff that enjoyed her visit more :) She met around ten residents, and she wowed almost every one of them. With one lady, she laid down on her bed and snuggled into the lady's legs. The lady was very happy about that. She showed off her "high five" trick, and gave out a few kisses (not too many though).

Our visit lasted about 45 minutes or so, and Grace was pretty tired by the time we headed back to the car. She handled everything like a pro, and I'm looking forward to our next visit!

Walking The Dogs

Or are they walking me? One never really knows, given their uncanny ability to turn into sled dogs as soon as the leash is attached. And it's not like these dogs can't heel - Grace is ready to compete in Rally-O and Jack Jack has been training for heelwork for almost a year now. But something about the two of them together. Grace I can manage verbally, with reminders to walk "easy," but Jack Jack has to wear the dreaded Gentle Leader head collar. He hates it with a passion, and spends at least half the walk attempting new removal procedures. He has yet to succeed. Farley stays home, as the theatrics exhaust him, and his knees give out anyhow.

The first walk of the season was Monday night. Bright blue skies, sun shining . . . perfect walk weather. Apparently, the dogs have forgotten how to walk on a leash since the late fall. Fun stuff. Untangle, walk two steps, pull the coupler line out from under Jack's tail, walk five steps, poop, walk three steps, untangle . . . you get the idea. And then we reach the off-leash area. This is where my own amnesia kicked in, and I let both dogs off the leash (it's a fenced area). They go off running like something is chasing them, and they're having fun. Until Jack sees the other dogs. The dogs that are so far away they look like specks. And he starts barking and freaking out. Aaaaah yes, I forgot. His whole "other dogs are way scary" thing. Crap! Scoop him up, and attempt to hold a writhing, barking, squirming dog while ignoring the dog that just wants to play. The poor owner is wondering what on earth her dog did to mine to make him scream. I'm reassuring her while calling Grace and trying to get the heck out of there.Yesterday's walk was a bit more civilized. We by-passed the off-leash area, much to Grace's chagrin and Jack's relief. He's much braver when the dogs are on the other side of the chain link fencing! We are still working on the getting tangled up issue, but it'll come. And Jack's various Gentle Leader removal attempts continue. He is convinced that with the right flick of a paw, it will magically slide off. Meanwhile, I'm enjoying the show.We may actually get this routine back in place if we keep at it.

And once the two beasts are under control, I can bring Farley along for fun every now and then. Just to remind myself that carrying a 24 pound, 9 year old dog is more work than I want while taking a nice, summer walk.

Holy weekend, Batman!

I was so busy I barely had time to sit down!

Friday night my niece came for the weekend. She's 8 - it's a good age for interaction, and she's really smart and inquisitive, so she's lots of fun to hang out with. I groomed Taffy, my very first foster dog (she's on my website, on the rescue page), and my niece helped me a bit by cleaning up the hair.

Saturday morning I got up and let Farley upstairs while I showered (live in the basement, with my own bathroom). Went to go upstairs and found the wrapper from a diabetic chocolate bar. My dad said he'd only eaten one piece, so I dug out the hydrogen peroxide and waited for Farley to throw up. He was licking his lips a ton, but no vomiting. So my mom, my niece and I went out to run errands. Came home to a huge pile of chocolate vomit on our beige basement carpet. But at least he got it out. Brat!

Saturday night we took my niece to a belly dancing recital, as a family friend was performing. We went to another friend's house for supper first, and then went as a big group. It was fun! I want to learn to belly dance now - those women were amazing!

Sunday morning I got up and bathed and dried Jack Jack (weekly ritual). My niece helped a bit with brushing, but she did get bored . . . I can't blame her. What 8 year old wants to watch you dry a dog for an hour? LOL Then I took her to my two dog training classes - Rally obedience and then Novice obedience trial-prep. She LOVES helping with my classes, and it's great exposure for the dogs, many of whom aren't used to kids. When we got home from class, I cleaned out the inside of my car for the first time since winter had set in. It was very gross - several trips with kids in the backseat led to crumbs and food all over, and dog hair supreme. That took an hour and a half, and then I took it to a car wash to clean the outside. It looks and smells great now!

Sunday night is TV night - we watched our shows and took my niece home. I am thankful to be at work, where there is no physical labour LOL

Training Challenges

So, as I've probably posted on this blog before, Grace is in agility training. Well actually, both of us are, since I've never done agility either, other than fun classes with Quigley when he was younger. Anyhow, we started classes in the late fall and have been going weekly pretty much since then (with a few breaks for holidays and stuff).

One of the things that Grace and I have been working on is weave pole training. When a dog competes in agility, they have to weave through 12 poles, set in a straight line, roughly 20" apart. Seeing a dog weave well and quickly is an awesome thing . . . but it takes a while to learn, because the dog always has to enter with the first weave pole by their left shoulder. We're learning using a method developed by Susan Garrett called 2x2 Weave Training. It works very well and it seems to really cement the concept of weave poles in the dogs' minds. I have been very happy with it for Grace, as she has been progressing quite nicely through the stages of training.

Until last week. I have a set of PVC weave poles that I made, and I'd been keeping them at the training centre due to the weather (can't train outside in the snow!). I brought them home last week and set them up in the backyard. Grace looked at them as though she'd never seen them before. Now, I know that you have to take a step back in new situations, to facilitate learning, so I went back several steps to make things easy for her. Even with the poles set in a channel, she acted as though she'd never seen them. Of course, that frustrated me, as she had been doing so well.

Tuesday night at class, she was reasonably decent with the weave poles. The instructor told me to persevere with practicing at home, because many trials are on grass. Well, she has gone through the poles a few times . . . but after going through correctly 5-10 times (with tons of praise and reward to reinforce it), she starts running around them, or blowing them off completely.

Hence the title of my post. Training, while something I love immensely, is occasionally really, really challenging. Really challenging.

Job Specifics

Okay, now that everything is hammered out, I can finally share the details about my new job at Syncrude :) This is a position change within the company - I am not changing companies.

I will be working on the SAP project (to install SAP as our base system on top of Windows) starting on May 11th. Rather ironically, I will be returning to the trailer that I worked in 2 years ago, and maybe even to the same office! I will be a Project Manager Analyst, or Project Coordinator. I will work as a liaison between Syncrude and Exxon for the project, and will be familiar with both sets of systems. SAP is a program that includes all aspects of the business from purchase to pay (ERP, if you're familiar with the industry term), so it is going to be a MAJOR change for employees at Syncrude. It's a huge project, and I will get lots of exposure, so it's a great opportunity.

Wish me luck on my new adventure - it should be very interesting!

The Frisbee Fairy

On Saturday, after being out of the house all day with three of my nieces, I came home to find the red frisbee back in the yard. The dogs are thrilled, especially Farley, since he adores that thing. A friend told me that the frisbee fairy had taken it for regularly scheduled maintenance, and that occasional disappearances can be attributed to her. Who knew????

Revenge Is Sweet

Remember the "Shhhhh . . . In Disguise" pictures? Well, those glasses were from my 8 year old niece's birthday party . . . all of the kids wore them.

Yesterday when i got home from work, I found Farley chewing on a flesh-coloured piece of plastic. Ooops, there went the nose. In the basement I found the remnants of the charmingly fuzzy eyebrows and mustache. Sigh.

Farley says revenge is sweet :)

Change Is Good

Today I got some good news at work. My rotation in Internal Audit is drawing to a close, and my boss and I have been discussing my options for where to go next within the company. It's been an ongoing discussion for a few weeks now, and we've been talking about plans and possibilities.

A couple of weeks ago my boss called me about a really exciting opportunity within my company. I talked to a few people involved with the potential job, and sent in my resume. Well, I was either shockingly charming or my resume is brilliant, because today they called me to invite me to join the department :) YAHOO! I'm really happy about this, because it's a heck of an opportunity for me, with lots of room for personal and professional growth.

I can't say a lot about the details until everything is hammered out, but suffice it to say that my spring re-birth and changes are coming about.

Shhhh . . . I'm hunting wascally wabbits

Farley . . . . incognito.

Adventures in Kelly-Land

Yep, life is always an adventure, right? At least it seems that way with my life.

Yesterday I was playing frisbee with the dogs in the backyard, enjoying the weather and sunshine. The dogs were having a great time running around too. Unfortunately, as I occasionally do, I threw the frisbee into the neighbours' yard. Not the uber-friendly, pleasant neighbours - no, that would have made life too easy. It was the cranky, solitary, unfriendly neighbours. No worries, though, as it didn't appear that anybody was home.

I went to the front of the house, opened their gate, and made my way through the little corridor to their yard. I was about to go around the house when I heard a chain jangle. A dog chain. Now, I had no idea that they had a dog (it's very quiet, I guess), so I had no idea if it was friendly or not. Scratch the idea of going through the yard - no longer feasible.

So I took the old dog Farley into the fire lane and cruised behind the houses. I could see the frisbee, just inside the fence. No skinny sticks to try and shove through the fence boards to try and manipulate the frisbee in any manner. But a lovely big, old tree. Good for climbing, or at least hanging onto while you get yourself over the fence. It wasn't pretty, and I can guarantee it wasn't graceful either, but I got myself over the fence and into the tree. I dropped into the yard, grabbed the frisbee, and climbed the tree to get back out. Action over for the day, I looked for Farley. His concern for his owner was overwhelming . . . I guess he figured I was gone, since I had disappeared, so he had started to make his way further down the laneway, checking out the good smells. His devotion is underwhelming LOL

I did learn two valuable lessons though - 31 year old bodies are not meant for climbing trees, especially when they're out of shape, and stop throwing the balls, frisbees and other toys over the damned fence!

Absolutely unbelievable

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

This just goes to show that you truly can NOT judge a book by its cover! This woman is totally unreal . . . her voice is angelic!

Interesting discovery . . .

Well, as those of you that have met him know, my young man Jack Jack is a pokey puppy when it comes to eating. No matter what kinds of things I've added to his food (canned food, baby food, gravy, supplements, etc) he has always been a slow eater, and he rarely finishes his meal. He's not a fat dog - in fact, he could stand to gain at least a pound - even though he eats 2 cups of food a day. That's twice what the other two eat!

As I do on every holiday, I took some of our meal and added it to the dogs' food. Last night they got some mashed turnips (my mom and I love 'em) and some cooked carrots, cut into small pieces (by my 4 year old niece, who started biting them into pieces when the knife wasn't cutting easily - OMG we laughed at that!). Well, to my shock (and great happiness) Jack Jack was the first one finished eating! I couldn't believe my eyes!

To see if it was just a "one of" occurrence, I gave them all the same thing tonight. Again tonight, he sucked down that meal like it was going to vanish if he didn't hurry. It's so awesome to know that he has a favourite food, although I'm kind of surprised it's turnips and carrots. But whatever, at least now I know what to tempt him with!

Taxes

Normally I have my taxes done as soon as all of my receipts come in. But for some reason (perhaps being so busy I can hardly think!) I have been slow to do my taxes this year. I know I'm getting money back, because of my investments and donations, so there's no rush to have them done for any particular deadline. Anyhow, today I sat down with Intuit's QuickTax program and did my taxes.

I put everything in, and clicked on the review button, to see how much I was getting back. I almost passed out when it told me I had an amount payable in the multiple thousands of dollars!!!!!!!!!!! My mind was reeling and I felt sick to my stomach, trying to figure out how I would pay that. I called my mom into the room, and she very kindly (and without as much laughter as I expected) pointed out that I'd forgotten to fill in some boxes. Once those boxes were filled in, I realized that I was getting a refund. Phew!

Thank goodness for my mom, or I'd still be in shock, and looking for quick ways to make money.

Milestones

So, on March 23rd I "celebrated" 5 years of being employed at the same place. Normally that wouldn't really seem like much of an accomplishment, but in this day and age of job changes, it's not bad. When I sit back and think about it, it certainly doesn't feel like I've been there for 5 years. It feels like I just started a couple of years ago. The time has gone by quickly. Of course, for half of that, I was working on my MBA, and most of that time is a blur.

I got a nice, hand-signed letter from the CEO of the company I work for (http://www.syncrude.come) and I get to choose a milestone gift from Birks (the jewellry store). Not everything is made by Birks, but I guess they handle the awards. Because I also have 5 years of safe work, I get to choose an award for that as well. The choice for that was easy, as there are only 9 awards to choose from. I picked a really nice Victorinox Swiss Army Knife/Tool set. Choosing from the awards for 5 years of service is tougher. Still, how nice to have a choice . . . many companies don't offer gifts.

No other real milestones to talk about today . . . it's been a beautiful spring day, with warm weather and blue skies. I spent half of the day with 3 of my nieces and my mom, and I spent the other half of the day grooming my monsters (the youngest two). Can't complain, that's for sure!

Happy Easter to my blog readers, and thanks for reading my rants, musings and weird notes.

Easter Rebirth

On a similar vein to my "Spring Glee" post, today I am writing about Easter rebirth. The topic is timely, given that Easter is on Sunday. The timeliness isn't really a coincidence (come on, I can't get anything past you guys!) . . . more because I really have not a lot else to post about right now.

Obviously, the holiday is celebrating the death and subsequent resurrection of Christ. The ultimate rebirth. But there is always rebirth taking place around is, in big and small ways.

It's springtime, so the grass, trees, shrubs and flowers are coming back from their deep winter sleep. Slowly (well, slowly for us here in the Great Filthy North), the snow and mud are going and the bright colours of spring are taking over. The hibernating animals (including me!) are waking up and going about their springtime rituals. Working off the winter fat and stretching limbs and joints. I see it in the dogs, too, who are happy to be outside for longer than it takes to pee.

Even in my own life, rebirth is happening. Things are changing. It's exciting and daunting, all at once. Change is always a little bit scary, but totally necessary for life to progress in a natural way.

Find some time to think about rebirth and how it is touching your life. And happy Easter, Passover, or whichever holiday you choose to celebrate.

Springtime Glee

Okay, so anybody that knows me realizes that glee is probably overstating things a bit LOL With that out in the open, I am thrilled about the new, warmer weather. It's been at least 6-7 degrees outside, and the sun has been shining. Today, late afternoon, some cloud cover rolled in, but otherwise it's been gorgeous outside. The dogs and I have been spending a bit more time outside, getting our fair share of Vitamin D.

The only downside to spring is the requirement to clean up the yard. There is several months' worth of soggy dog poop out there, and since they're my dogs, I have to clean it up. Yucky, gross, ewwwww! But it has to be done, so I chip away at it, day by day.

Still, even that gross task can't dampen my new spring spirits. Hope you're in good spirits too!

Music Choices

Lately I've been downloading some new music for my iPod. As my friends know, I have what could be called eclectic tastes. My friends will understand my most recent music choices, but others might not.

~ Britney Spears, "Circus" . . . not what anybody would call a mature or classic music choice. But the songs have a really catchy beat, and hey, I've never claimed to be mature! I especially like Womanizer and Circus.

~ Cirque de Soleil, "O" . . . what sounds like a blend of Bollywood and French, the music is haunting and mysterious. It also brings back incredible memories from my recent trip to Vegas. I have my best friend to thank for sharing the CD with me!

~ The soundtrack to "Slumdog Millionaire" . . . definitely very Bollywood, but also with underlying dance/techno tones. The Oscar nominated songs (Jai Ho and another one whose name I can't remember) are really memorable and make me want to sing out loud.

~ Taylor Swift, "Fearless" . . . a really nice follow-up album to her debut album. More twangy country songs, but with her innocent, pretty voice. I do recommend it, but not if you don't like country music. Even her nice voice, the twang could be TOO much for you.

What's new on your iPod? Please recommend some catchy tunes to me!

On The Road

Ya know, there's nothing like driving for four hours and entertaining a kid. Granted, she's a really well-behaved kid, but still . . . I listened to a song about gummy bears over and over and over again. It's a techno song (or something like that) and I think I'll be hearing the beat for days on end, in my waking and sleeping hours.

Thankfully, my best friend made up a snack bag for my niece, so she had things to eat. She got a lot of mileage out of the goldfish crackers - at one point she was pretending they were boots and finger puppets. I really don't quite remember ever being that creative. She really did a great job entertaining herself, for the most part.

I have realized that my music choices on my iPod are not always appropriate for 4 year olds. My niece is now telling everybody that Britney Spears' "Womanizer" is her favourite song. Great. Double great LOL Mix into that some Mamma Mia as well as this Gummy Bear song. The excitement was overwhelming!

Anyhow, I'll be back on the highway on Thursday . . . taking my niece home and heading out to another dog show. After that I might be all dog showed out.

Monsters vs. Aliens

First of all, I wanted to clarify that while I'm heading to Pomona, CA in July, none of the dogs are making the trip with me. It's almost impossible to fly dogs into California at that time of year due to the temps, and I would rather just sit back and enjoy the show than have to worry about grooming and nerves and everything else. So Farley, Grace and Jack Jack will be staying with my parents while I travel. Thanks for the vote of confidence though!

Tonight I went to see the latest Disney Pixar release, Monsters vs Aliens. I was lucky enough to be able to see it in 3D. Now, I may lead a very sheltered life, but I have never seen a movie in 3D before, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Let me tell you, it's COOL! They give you these glasses (not the blue and red ones that you use to read 3D comic books - these are grey), and it just makes everything pop right off the screen! I really enjoyed that aspect of it.

The movie is filled with laughs and grown-up humour. We went with a 4 and a 5 year old, and I'm pretty sure that 85% of everything was a bit too mature for them. Maybe more. Personally, I thought it was hilarious (highlights include Seth Rogen as a blob of jelly and Stephen Colbert as the US President). The cast is excellent, and full of stars. I laughed a lot.

If you enjoy Disney and/or Pixar presentations, I recommend seeing this one. Don't go in with high expectations of the plot or character development - it is Disney after all. But do expect a fun movie that is entertaining for kids and adults alike.

California, here I come!

I have been debating for months about whether I should attend the American Spaniel Club (ASC) Summer dog show in Pomona, California. On one hand, this show is finally close enough to home that it won't take all day to get there (the show moves around the country every year, to different host zones). On the other hand, California is hotter than hell in July, and it's also not cheap. I have gone back and forth on this since last year, with no real decision.

Well, as you can tell from the subject line, I've made my decision. I'll be heading to Pomona, CA (which isn't too terribly far from LA) in July 2009. My good friend (Jack Jack's breeder) convinced me that it would be a wonderful trip for us to do. We'll be meeting the owner of Jack Jack's sister Barbie, who now lives in Australia. We'll also get to see some fantastic dogs. AND (this really, honestly was the selling point) we're going to Anaheim on the Monday following the show, so I can go to Disneyland. When my best friend suggested that, she KNEW I'd say yes :)

Despite the heat and having to save like a fiend for this, I'm super excited. Only 104 more days to go!

Heading Home

Well, the glitz and glamour of Vegas will soon be a memory. As I type, I'm sitting in McCarran International Airport, waiting for my flight. It's been a great trip - I've been able to connect with old friends as well as meet new ones (well, sort of new - we've been e-friends for a long time). As with my last trip to Vegas, there has been lots of sightseeing, tons of shopping, and a healthy dose of shows.

Wednesday night we saw "O" by Cirque de Soleil, and were blown away by that. What an incredible performance! The music is enchanting and the athletics and artistry are mind-blowing. It was well worth the price - my two friends and I enjoyed it immensely.

Thursday was a less hectic day than the previous three were, but we walked a few miles (well, maybe not a few, but it felt like lots!). We meandered through the Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat at the Mirage, and took pictures. My "new" friend's nephew and brother-in-law joined us, so that was fun. It was nice to spend some time with them. After they left, we went for lunch at a burger place (although, oddly enough, none of us had burgers). We roamed the Forum Shops for a bit - had great fun at FAO Scwartz! - and then headed to Paris, where we had supper at Mon Ami Gabi. What a fabulous little restaurant!

Last night we took in the Donny & Marie (yes, of the Osmonds) at the Flamingo. The showroom is set up like a lounge, with tables, so that was cool. It's a pretty intimate venue . . . we could almost reach out and touch them! The show was a blast, and I know my one friend was in heaven that we were there at all.

This morning was all about checking out of the condo, getting luggage organized, and getting to the airport. Now comes the boring part of vacations - the travel. Fortunately I think I can watch "Slumdog Millionaire" on the flight, so that should pass the time.

Tomorrow it's back to real life . . . no richer, and maybe not a ton wiser either, but at least just a little bit more relaxed!

Vegas Days 2 & 3

So we are definitely enjoying Las Vegas . . . the weather is nice and hot (roughly a 60 degree difference between home and here!), and the sky is such a vibrant shade of blue. The hotels look awesome against the bright sky.

Yesterday started with some shopping at the Fashion Show mall that's just across the boulevard from the Wynn and Encore. Then we went to the Venetian and spent some time at Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum. It was so cool! The wax figures are very lifelike, and I even got to marry George Clooney :) Wedding pictures to come LOL We wandered around the Venetian a bit, and managed to find a lucky Liam (leprechaun). We got gold coins - chocolate ones!

We had supper at Margaritaville and watched a Micheal Jackson impersonator . . . that was kind of scary. Who'd want to impersonate him?

Then we went to see Phantom of the Opera: Las Vegas. It's basically the Coles Notes version of the Broadway show . . . 90 minutes of fast and furious singing. The falling chandelier was scary, since we were sitting right underneath it, but it was a great production. We all loved it.

This morning was a lazy morning, which is perfect for a vacation. We slept in and lazed around. After lunch we went to the Premium Outlets and did some shopping. Not much, but we did do plenty of window shopping. Now we're chilling in the condo until we head to the Bellagio to see O. I can't wait, it's supposed to be amazing.

Tomorrow we are seeing Donny & Marie Osmond, and I think we're hitting the Secret Garden at the Mirage. It should be a great day!

Vegas Day One

We're doing well and having fun. My cold has progressed from the painful stage (thank God!) to the snot-filled head stage. I can't breathe, and have to blow my nose every 5 minutes, but that's better than the pain. I picked up some great drugs at Walgreens that are helping. We also found rootbeer freezies!!!!!

Yesterday we went to Mandalay Bay and went through the Shark Reef . . . that was okay. I did get to pet a stingray, which was cool. We had lunch at the House of Blues. We went into the Luxor (the pyramid) and managed to get lost. We exited through the scuzziest stairwell I have ever seen. Maybe the seedy side of Vegas? We did the MGM Grand and looked at the lions there. I got some great pictures. We gambled in Mandalay Bay, the Luxor and MGM Grand. I'm down $30 . . . and I still haven't found any machines that are more than $1. I'm looking.

We went to M&M World and I got the cutest hoodie for my niece. I also got her a bag of orange M&Ms. No sugar-free ones, sorry! We went to the Coke store, which was very cool. We walked to Paris and walked around there for a bit. Then we were tired. Nicole's sister drove us to Fremont Street (old Las Vegas) and we watched the light show there and spent about 1/2 hour there. Then we came back to the condo and had supper. It was Pizza Hut, and the crust was SOOOO disappointing. Oh well.

Not sure what the game plan is for today, but I'm sure it holds many adventures for us!

Happy Birthday Little Man!

I find it very hard to believe, but my little dude Jack Jack Attack is one today! It seems like just yesterday he was born, and I was falling in love. I remember bringing him home and starting puppy classes with him. I remember his first dog show. SO many firsts with him, and more to come.

Today he gets a bath (much more exciting for me than for him LOL) and then I will take some birthday pictures. They will be pretty, as all of my Jack pictures are. It's the subject, not the photographer ;)

Good Luck!

It's actually Peaches that needs the good luck. We're hoping to restore the vision in at least one of Peaches' eyes. She's a doll. Both eyes now have a cataract. She hasn't had any applications on her lately.

We've come up with MANY wonderful items for our Peaches Raffle. We all know that it's a scary economy at this time, so instead of doing an auction, we thought (and hoped) that it would be easier for anyone to help us by just purchasing a 'chance' instead of an expensive bid on an item. So, if you could take a look at our raffle page, perhaps forward it to others that might be interested, we would appreciate it very much.

We hope we have something for everyone. Not just dog people. Although I can't imagine non-dog people!

http://www.cockersinneed.com/butterfly.html?1236018271484

Go Gracie-Lou!

Tonight was Grace's last Agility II class. So far she's had 16 weeks of agility (12 weeks, actually, since she missed a couple of sessions due to work travel), and she's doing really well. We're teaching weave poles using Susan Garrett's 2x2 method, and Grace is almost doing 12 poles straight! Not bad for only 6 weeks (we used channels the first session). This method of training is awesome for clicker dogs, as it uses the clicker to mark proper entry and execution.

Grace LOVES the wall and the bridge (A-frame and dogwalk), and goes flying over both pieces. Right now she's slightly ambivalent about the tunnel, but I think it has to do with us learning rear crosses, and her not being 100% committed to the tunnel before I turn. This worries her, as she thinks she'll lose me. She'll learn, though.

She's a fast girl, and we're both learning. I have to keep working on having her work on BOTH sides, not just my left (since obedience is all on the left, this is a struggle for me). We're both going to have to get comfortable with distance work too. But we have a great instructor, and lots of support. With any luck, she might be ready to trial next summer!

So proud

A couple of weeks ago my dad got great news - his brother had been offered the position of Judge in the Court of Justice where he resides and works. This is a really big deal - only the right person for the job is chosen, after lots of interviews, references and a review of their work. Not just any lawyer can become a judge, it requires something special. We've all been really excited for my uncle.

Today the excitement got just slightly more palpable - today the official invitation to the swearing-in ceremony arrived in the mail. Unfortunately, we can't attend, because it's far away and in the middle of the week. But feeling the roughness of the official invitation, and seeing the formal cursive script just makes it seem more real.

My uncle really is an example of a kid that grew up in the middle of nowhere and worked his way up. He was never too proud to do hard labour, and he earned the money he needed to get through law school. Student loans weren't so readily available when he was in graduate school. I am so very proud of my uncle.

Okay, I lied

Never mind that whole "March is coming in like a lamb" thing . . . it's bloody cold outside, with wind and snow! Okay, Mother Nature, I call Uncle and you win . . . . now please just back off a bit and at least tempt us with dreams of spring.

On other topics, my Canine Good Neighbour class that I've been teaching is done. I am so impressed with the students I had - they all progressed so well and learned so much. We had a lot of fun playing obedience games last night. There were lots of laughs. No more CGN classes until the fall, so I get Wednesday nights free.

In like a lamb?

I'm a bit concerned. March is supposed to come in like a lion and go out like a lamb . . . which means kind of a rough start to the month (weather-wise), but a nice, spring-y finish. It's now the third of March, and it appears to be coming in like a lamb. I am very worried that it will go out like a lion - especially since that's entirely possible here in the arctic tundra. While I'm enjoying the milder temperatures, I don't want it to get cold again!



It may just be me, but this has been a long, hard, cold winter. It doesn't seem like we've had many warm weather breaks in between the sub-zero days (weeks!). I think pretty much everybody here is ready for spring in a BIG way. How about you?