Major Breakthrough!

Okay, so the major breakthrough is in a relatively small, inconsequential area of my dog training activities, but given the amount of time I've put into it, and the fact that I had to adapt my training to work for my dog, I'm pretty pleased with it!

I've gotten it into my head that I should teach the dogs some tricks - you know, like shake a paw, wipe your nose, roll over, etc. Jack-Jack caught on to shake a paw within about 5 minutes, using a clicker and some tasty treats. He's a smart dog, and not afraid to try new things, so it wass quick. It has developed into high five and shake a paw, and we're working on adding wave to his repertoire. But the real challenge was Grace. Grace is a very, very soft dog that absolutely HATES getting things wrong. If you even use a non-reward marker (like yuck or unh-unh) she will melt into a little puddle. So no matter of treats would encourage her to offer me any behaviors. She'd far rather just sit and look at me . . . trying nothing so she can't get it wrong.

So with Grace I've taken a different approach, and done a more tactile training, actually taking her paw in my hand and adding a cue. This method is slower, and I wasn't sure it was working, because I didn't feel like I was seeing any progress. But today, after our target training in the yard (for agility), I thought I'd give it a try. When I asked for her paw and she offered it, I let out a big whoop and fed her a really nice jackpot of treats. She did it several times in a row, so I know it wasn't a fluke. How awesome is that???? I am so pleased with her! She took a big risk in offering it to me, and I made sure she knew I was beyond happy about it.

So I guess I'm at least a slightly better trainer than I thought . . . and that makes me very happy :) Thanks for letting me indulge!

New iPod Applications

Okay, this is a completely frivolous post (like many of mine are LOL), but I learned something exciting today. One of my co-workers has an iPhone (something I would really like to have, but can not justify in ANY way). She brought it into my office today, knowing that I have an iTouch, and am jealous of her phone. She has a new application that she purchased from the iTunes store online . . . it is called "crazy pumpkins" and it's free. It's GREAT! There is this spooky laughing, and if you shake your phone, the pumpkin's face changes (or if you drag your finger across the face of the phone). You can have a pig's snout, fancy mouth, scary eyes, and more. They say simple things for simple minds, but I really got a kick out of it.

So I visited the iTunes application store, and WAY more exciting than the crazy pumpkins (which I admit to downloading) is the fact that I could download Scrabble to my iTouch. How awesome is that? I LOVE Scrabble, and now I can play more often :)

Thanks for indulging my childish enjoyment of this new "toy."

Seven Random Things

Seven random things about me:

1. My dream is to be a published author - not just articles, but a book or some freelance work that I get paid for and that people actually want to read.

2. I love reading magazines! I subscribe to so many that I can't even count them (7 or 8 I think), and I read them all from cover to cover every time I get an issue. Some of them I keep, but many of them I pass on when I'm finished with them.

3. I am terrified of the dentist. I had a dentist when I was a kid that did a few fillings without freezing, and ever since I've been super nervous about going. I tend to avoid seeing the dentist for as long as possible.

4. I am one of the only people on earth that doesn't like turkey. I'll eat it at Christmas, but I really hate all of the left over meals (soup, turkey sandwiches, etc)

5. I hate shopping for clothes but I love shopping for STUFF - books, CDs, kitschy stuff.

6. I have two best friends and two more very close friends, and all of them live far away from me :(

7. I am very, very close with my mom, and have a pretty darned good relationship with my dad too. I consider myself extremely lucky to be close to both of my parents.

Tag seven people:
1. Ange
2. Victoria
3. Jessica
4. Ben
5. Louisa
6. Any random person that may read my blog
7. Sorry, I've run out of people to tag!

Fraidy Cat

Well, as much as I adore my puppy Jack, I have a problem with him. He is very afraid of other dogs. He used to be quite fearful of new people, but he's met quite a few in his 7 months, and has only had positive experiences, so now he's much better in that regard. But he still has fear issues with other dogs.

When I take him to puppy class, while we sit waiting for class to begin he barks and barks and barks at everything. He gets himself very wound up, and it gets hard to distract him and reward him for focussing on me (which is what has been recommended to me as a coping method). During class he's fine, as long as none of the other dogs approach us, because he is able to focus on me and tune out the other dogs. At the end of class we have a short off-leash play period, divided into small dogs and large dogs. I ignore Jack and walk away from him, but he still tries to climb between my legs and he barks and raises his hackles at the other dogs if they approach him. He's had one set of puppy classes and is halfway through the second set, and I don't really see any improvement at all.

I did post to some email lists for suggestions, and I got some great advice, but now I have to implement it. Keep your fingers crossed that I can bring my fraidy cat out of his shell, and show him that other dogs are fun, not scary!

2 down, 4 to go

Well, today was my second Rally O class as a teacher. I think it went well, and a couple of people told me they enjoyed it. That's really my only barometer - that and their smiles and laughter during the exercises. I changed it up from last week - instead of running everybody through a full course, I decided to teach them the footwork for right, left and about turns, as well as working on some Rally skills. It went well, and the time just flew by. I think that before I know it, the entire session will be over.

As I'm typing this, my mom is in the kitchen making our Thanksgiving meal. We have always eaten on the Sunday, and even though the people that we used to share our meal with have moved away, we are maintaining that tradition. We're having spiral ham, mashed potatoes, yellow beans, carrots, squash and cucumber. Mmmmmm. The hams smells just amazing!

Wishing my blog readers a very happy Thanksgiving - take a moment to think about the things you're really thankful for.

8 Things (okay, only 2 things, but who's counting?)

My friend Louisa tagged me in a post called “8 things.” I'm supposed to list 8 things in each of the following categories, but I'm lazy so I'm only doing 2 of each (I stole this text from Weeza - I am possibly lazier than you! - and I'm only doing 2 of each, like she did.)

2 Things I am passionate about... dogs and reading

2 "words" or "phrases" I say way to often... seriously and totally

2 Things I want to do before I die... have a book published and win Best in Show with one of my dogs

2 Things I have learned from my past... people like you a lot more when you're positive (not negative) and guys come and go, but friends are forever

2 Places I would love to see... New York City (Broadway, specifically) and South Africa

2 Things I currently need or want... an external flash for my camera and a place of my own

2 More people I tag... Well, I don't know anybody else with blogs (that hasn't been tagged already) so . . . well . . . nobody LOL

Conferences

Well, I'm in Calgary for a conference for work. It's the very first Canadian national conference for the IIA (Institute of Internal Auditors - http://www.theiia.org). It's a big deal, and they've had fabulous turn out for this event. There are 400 auditors here! It's been a great event for networking - so far I've talked to auditors from all corners of the country (including the Yukon), and each one has provided me with new insight into the profession. There are facets to audit that I had never even thought of before. It has certainly renewed my vigor for this profession, which is one of the purposes of a conference, I'm sure.

Some of the speakers have been outstanding, and some a little bit more lackluster, but I honestly believe that the organizers have done their best to have a wide variety of presenters for the sessions, to reach everybody in the audience at one point or another. It's been a great learning experience, and I'm so glad that I was able to attend.

I hope that my faithful readers get chances like I have, to learn more about their chosen (or forced?) profession, and to get energized. It's a good feeling!

A Big Day!

Well, today was a big day for me - it was my very first Rally Obedience class! Not taking one - I must admit that I've never taken a rally o class - but teaching one. I was so nervous that I couldn't even eat breakfast, so by the time class was done (roughly 1:30pm) I was starving! I think it went well. I have 8 dogs in the class, mostly big dogs. All of the people taking the class have taken either obedience or agility, and they are all very in tune with their dogs. Fun, fun dog people to work with! I have some tweaking to do for next week's class (working on particular stations, rather than doing a whole course), but overall I think it went well.

Thanks everybody for having confidence in me - I really appreciate it!

Some people are jerks!

So, I was getting into the work truck with my mom yesterday morning when I noticed the passenger door of my car looked ajar. I figured that my mom hadn't properly closed it last night, after I picked her up from the airport, so I got out to close it.No such luck - somebody broke into my car last night :(

They stole my satellite radio, and they also took some of my change (just the loonies and toonies, not the small stuff). They went throught EVERYTHING and left a huge mess in the car. I am feeling quite upset about the whole thing - now I know why people feel violated. UGH! I went to the local police detachment to file a report, but I doubt anything will come of it.

Now I'm paranoid about locking the car, the house and about people walking down the street. I wonder how long that will last?

Happy 9th Birthday Farley

Okay . . . so it was actually on Tuesday night (Sept 30th), but better late than never, right?

From left to right, Farley, Grace and Jack-Jack

A toy with SIXTEEN squeakers from mom, and the purple toy is from Aunty Donna

Aunty Donna, thank you for this toy, I love it!

Man, that was some party! Whew!

My folks & a contest

Yes, I got some great ones when parents were being handed out! I could have come up with so much more, but I chose to limit it to ten that I felt made the most impact on me. I am one of the luckiest people I know, because I have close, non-confrontational relationships with both parents. My mom really IS one of my best friends, and I know I can talk to my dad about anything. Not many people are as lucky as I am.

I wanted to let everybody know about my friend Sarah's blog contest . . . check out her blog at http://callhermum.blogspot.com and check out her latest post. Make sure that if you leave a comment, you let her know I sent you there :)

Things I'm Thankful To My Parents For . . .

1. Raising me with excellent morals, ethics and family values
2. My mom, who attended every softball game, concert, awards ceremony, performance and "event" throughout my childhood
3. Always having plenty of good, healthy food to eat (even when money was tight)
4. Getting me a dog when I was 10 - that shaped my life forevermore
5. For encouraging me to be an avid reader - my life is infinitely better due to my love of reading (I can escape, I have learned tons, and I can always find the answer)
6. For teaching me that cleanliness is next to Godliness (but that clutter doesn't mean dirt)
7. For helping me get through TWO university degrees without complaining about going without so that I could pay for tuition and books
8. For encouraging a terrified 17 year old girl to live away from home for a year, because I wouldn't be who I am today without that
9. To my dad, for showing me that any man can be a father, but it takes an incredibly special man to be a DAD
10. For accepting the dogs and truly loving them and treating them with kindness, even though they mess up the house, chew shoes and do bad things from time to time

Wishful Wednesday

In the tradition of my Thankful Thursday posts, I am starting a new trend - Wishful Wednesday. Hopefully this new theme will keep me occupied for a while. I have so many wishes and so little time to list them all :)

But this week it's easy - I wish that I could take a super fast flight or train to get to the dog show. As it is, the drive is something like 6.5 hours, which is basically a full day. UGH! Work in potty breaks (for the dogs and I) and gas breaks (for the car, not me) and it makes for a long day (or evening). If the show goes late on Sunday, I run into the issue of having to drive home in the dark, in relatively heavy traffic. That thought is less than thrilling. Okay, less than acceptable, really.

What do you wish for this Wednesday?

My favourite show . . .

Is back! Nope, it's not Heroes, the cult favourite. It's not even Prison Break, although I will never complain about new episodes of that show. Heck, it's not even House, although that show is a very close second. It's NCIS - Naval Criminal Investigative Services. If you've never watched Mark Harmon crinkle just the corners of his eyes as he's pondering something, you have not fully lived! He may be old enough to be my father, but he is still sexy.

Now, imagine my disappointment at finding out that the only time this episode is being aired is tonight at 9:00pm. That doesn't seem that late, but I'm tired. The days are getting shorter, and the darkness is just sucking the energy out of me. We're running mad at work on this audit, and I'm trying to get my homework sheets done for the Rally course I'll be teaching in just over a week. It's a lot to do in a short amount of time. So I like to be in bed, with the lights out before 10:00pm.

But for Mark Harmon and his fabulous crew, I will make an exception. I will keep my peepers open, and pay rapt attention. The season finale was a bit of a cliffhanger, and I need to know that everything will okay. I hope everyone is enjoying the premieres of their favourite shows!

Another Day, Another . . . Dog Show?

So, after a relatively long dog show drought (a couple of months, which seems endless for addicts like me), I am doing another dog show, just two weeks after the last one. This one is in Lloydminster, which is on the border between Alberta and Saskatchewan. I didn't think it was a very long drive, but I've been told it's longer than I think, so I have taken a day off work to accomodate the travel time. Not the ideal plan for me, given that I only have 10 hours of vacation left to get me through Christmas, but what can you do?

Anyhow, I spent yesterday grooming up a storm, to ensure the dogs are ready. Granted, their trims have held up fairly well since the last show (only a week ago and a day or two), but there's always touch-up work to be done. And since Grace was dirty (she's like Pigpen from Charlie Brown, I swear!), I bathed her. Dried her and made her look lovely.

Imagine my dismay when I opened the door to the smell of poop. First of all, regardless of what I have planned for the day, week or month, that's a crappy way to come home (yes, pun intended!). But less than 24 hours after spending ages bathing and blowdrying my dog, I knew Murphy's Law had reigned and it HAD to be her that was dirty. I was right. Now, they share a wire crate large enough to house a Great Dane, so both dogs were icky, but Grace was just disgusting. Lucky me. In the 30 minutes since I've gotten home, I have washed the crate pan, started laundry and washed the back end of an otherwise clean dog. She's had Kaopectate, and I sure hope this diarrhea gets under control soon!

Anyhow, that has been my Monday adventure thus far. I hope your week started off better. Oh, and happy birthday to Benny-Wenny-Poopy Yucky! I know you love the nickname, so . . . enjoy!

Thankful Thursday

It's been a long time since I've done a Thankful Thursday post. I kind of ran out of steam, and lost ideas for things to be thankful for that don't sound trite or over-used. I'm thankful for all of the usual things - friends, family, my health, etc. But there are all kinds of little things I'm thankful for too. I'm thankful for the weather at this time of year. While the Deep South is still hotter than heck, our temperatures are in the more moderate range, which means that we can be outside a lot more. The dogs are enjoying their walks, and even though the mornings are brisk, afternoons are almost perfect.

TV is back on - all of the season premieres are taking place, and those year-end cliffhangers are being resolved. It's a guilty pleasure, but I'm very happy that Prison Break, House, NCIS, The Office and all of the other shows are back on the air.

It's United Way fundraising time at work, which means silent auctions, pizza days, and other fun fundraisers. If I'm going to donate money, I enjoy being given the opportunity to do it in a fun way. And fun it is!

If you have a moment, think about some things that you're thankful for today.

Fall Breeze

Over the past couple of weeks, the weather has turned to fall weather here in Northern Alberta. We have woken up to frost a couple of times, and the leaves are changing colour and falling off the trees. Hopefully we don't have any super windy days over the next week or two, otherwise our trees will be naked!

Most days it still warms up as the sun comes out, but today it was cool. Very fall-like, which I must admit, I'm not totally ready for. Brrrrr! I am wavering between continuing to wear my fall jacket or breaking out the winter coat. It's only September! I was hoping we might have a nice Indian summer before the cold weather really sets in. The dogs, on the other hand, are loving it. Well, except for Farley, whose joints stiffen in cooler temps. Grace and Jack are truly enjoying the cooler weather, and positively frolick during their walks. It would be cute to watch if I didn't have blue lips and a cold nose ;)

Okay, so in a few weeks, I'll really have a reason to whine, when temperatures are down below zero on a daily basis. This will seem positively tropical. But for now, in my small world, it is just too darned cold!

Weekend Report

Well, another dog show weekend has come and gone . . . my first one since the first weekend of June. I actually only showed one day, but Grace was shown all 3 days by a handler. On Friday and Sunday Grace took Reserve Winners Bitch (runner-up) and on Saturday she didn't win anything other than first in her class. It wasn't an entirely positive experience with her handler, but in any case, the best dog DID win all weekend. The female that beat Grace was very nice - she moved well, showed well and deserved to win.

Jack-Jack, on the other hand, shocked the heck out of his breeder and I by doing some SERIOUS winning. He took Winners Dog (beating 3 other non-champion males), Best of Winners (beating 7 other non-champions) and Best of Opposite Sex to Best of Breed (beating a champion dog). He also won Best Puppy in Breed. He earned 3 points for all of this, on his 6 month birthday! My goal was for him to be happy going around, so this was a VERY big bonus! Just 7 more points, and he'll have his Canadian champion title :)

Thanks for cheering us on everyone!

Good Grace News

Well, today wasn't Gracie's day at the dog show . . . from all reports she showed well for her handler, and was groomed very nicely, but the dog that beat her just looked better. I don't have an issue losing to a nice dog . . . although it does hurt to have her lose when I'm paying for the handler. But that's dog shows . . . tomorrow is another day!

The wonderful news is that Grace went for her hip x-rays today, to ensure that she doesn't have hip dysplasia. The films will get sent to OFA (Orthopedic Foundation for Animals), and they will give her a rating. The vet that did the x-rays said that they should get a good rating, so I'm happy with that. They checked her knees as well (this is a manual test) and they're in perfect shape. So on that front, all is well. With her good eyes and these tests, she should be set for a breeding next year, assuming she stays healthy and I can find a good boyfriend for her.

Keep your fingers crossed that she does well tomorrow, and that both her and Jack do well on Sunday :)

Nerves are setting in

I don't know why, because I've been to tons of dog shows, but this weekend's dog show has my nerves a-jitter. I suppose it's because for the first time ever, one of my dogs is going to be shown by a professional handler. Grace has been down visiting her favourite Aunty for the past week, and now she's with her handler. I have never sent my dogs with anybody else, because I don't like the feeling of not being in control. I'm going to be sitting at work tomorrow, nervous as all get out. And then again on Saturday - well, I won't be at work, but I'll be in the car, waiting for that fateful text message or phone call.

It will culminate on Sunday. Sunday marks Jack-Jack's debut in the ring. I'm not sure he's totally ready, but I'm only attending 2 shows this fall, so I didn't want to miss out on the opportunity to show him as a puppy. He's still fairly shy, but I'm hoping that me being with him in the ring will help.

I most likely won't post blog updates until Monday now . . . I have to prepare tomorrow night (pack, etc) and then I won't have tons of time while in Edmonton. Wish us luck!

She taught me

Today my best friend called me to tell me that she'd bought her first book on "tape" through iTunes. I'm so proud, because I know she is coming into the 21st century whether she likes it or not. But that's not the part of the conversation that resonated with me.

She told me that I had taught her what real friendship is about. I thanked her and reciprocated, and proceeded to tell her that she is stuck with me for life, whether she likes it or not. But well after hanging up the phone, I was thinking about what she said. How did I teach HER about true friendship? The whole time we've been friends, she's gone above and beyond to show me love and caring. She's done and said little things that have made my day better (or my week or my month or whatever). She knows when to call or write or email . . . it's almost like she has a sixth sense.

She has shown me patience and tolerance - even when I'm at my grouchiest and meanest. She has shown interest in my passions, even though they may not be the same as hers (although I think I'm converting her slowly but surely). She loves my family and my friends.

I hardly feel like I've been the one to teach HER - I feel much more like she's the one that has taught me and shown me what a true friend is. Funny how our perceptions are shaped so much around our own experiences.

Another Good Read

This one has limited interest to non-obedience people, though. I was placing an order from Amazon.com for some Rally-O books to help me plan my upcoming classes, and I discovered some books by a gentleman named Willard Bailey. Now, unless you're an obedience nut like I am, and have read a zillion books and articles, you might not know who he is. But as a past subscriber of the obedience magazine Front & Finish, I recognized his name.

His first book is called "Remembering To Breathe" and it's about his journey from Novice A (the beginner's class, if you will) to earning an OTCh title, which is the highest obedience title you can earn with the American Kennel Club. It takes a lot of work, patience and training to earn an OTCh, and not very many people do this with their first obedience dog. The book is wonderful - full of anecdotes, hints and tips. It talks about the changes in training methods (from force to reward-based) and the various kinds of people you meet when you spent any amount of time in a competition ring. It also illustrates the beautiful relationship that Willard has with his Golden Retriever Honeybear.

I didn't cry at the end, but I came close a few times. It's a great book, and if you're interested in obedience competition, then you'll enjoy it.

Update

Sorry that I didn't post an update about my friend Terri, in Louisiana. They had a pretty rough go with the tail end of Gustav, and the concurrent rain and tornadoes (they got two I think). They lost a significant portion of the barn, but the homes are intact (her and her folks live on adjoining property) and there were no injuries to people or animals. So that's a blessing. Now they are watching the path of Hurricane Ike with cautious eyes. Thank you to everyone for praying for her and her family. I really appreciate it.

This weekend coming up is a big one for me. My girl Grace has gone to a dog show to be shown by a professional handler. She's a lovely girl, but only managed to pick up 3 of the required 10 points towards her Canadian title when I showed her last summer. I could continue showing her myself, but with a puppy to start out, I have decided to have a pro show her. I've never done this before, so I'm a bit nervous about waiting for results - I'd far rather be IN the ring than outside of it! Keep all fingers and paws crossed for Grace, please :)

Also taking place this weekend (on Sunday) is Jack's debut in the dog show ring. He will be 6 months and 10 seconds old when he struts his stuff (okay, probably not that young, but not too far off the mark). His black sister Barbie will also be making her debut, so hopefully they have fun and enjoy their time in the ring. Jack-Jack is growing into a very handsome young man, and I'm excited about his future.

Farley continues to hold his own. I used to say he was doing well, but his bad knees and bad back are really causing him to be stiff and sore. I'm waiting on some new pain medication for him (the pharmacy had to order it), so I hope it helps. I hate watching him age, mostly because I know what follows, and I'm SO not ready for it. This dog is my life . . . I need him for a bit longer. If for nothing else than to be my Rally-O demo dog for classes! If you can spare a thought for Farley, I'd appreciate. He'd rather you spared a cookie ;)

Dreams

I have loved dogs for as long as I can remember. Even when I was really little, I wanted to have a dog, read about dogs and pretended to be a dog. I don't really know where this came from, since none of my family (close or extended) feels the same about dogs . . . but I'm so thankful for it. Anyhow, over the past 10 years or so, I've spent time reading about canine behaviour and training, because I find it so interesting. 10 years ago my focus was much more on training, since behaviour was a very undeveloped field. But more and more research and education is taking place, and it's a much more common field.

One of my dreams, for a long time now, has been to train dogs. Not just my own, but also to teach classes. That dream is coming true for me. Starting within a month or so, I will be teaching "Intro to Rally-O" and I'm really excited about it. Hopefully I can do a good job, and get people excited about Rally-O, and maybe even traditional obedience. I want to inspire people to get out there and work with their dogs, and have their bonds get even stronger.

In preparation, I have been surfing the net, talking to friends and purchasing books. I think I might actually have too much information at this point, but I feel that information is power, so I'll just make use of what I have.

Wish me luck . . . I'm excited, nervous and about a million other emotions too.

Last Night Blues

Okay, so I'm not really blue . . . I'm actually looking forward to seeing my family and my dogs tomorrow. I'm not looking as forward to the 7am flight time (which translates into getting up around 4am, to catch a cab at 4:45am to get to the airport), but I can sleep on the flight to Calgary.

But I will miss Houston. It's been a fun week - both on the work side and on the personal side. Today was the last day of the course, and I think people were feeling overwhelmed by all of the information we'd gotten at that point. Everyone was noticeably quieter and more subdued, but it was still a good session.

I've eaten some amazing meals, and tonight was no exception. We went to a Mexican place (no, not Taco Bell, REAL Mexican food) and had a great meal. Mine included a beef burrito taco, two kinds of empanadas (I think) and another item (I can't believe I've forgotten already!). But better than the meal was the company - I got to meet somebody that I've been emailing with for around 6 years. I consider her a good friend, and it was just amazing to meet her finally! I got to hang out with the dogs, and I got to meet her significant other too (he's fabulous!). We had a really nice visit, and I'm so sorry that I didn't get to spend more time with them.

So, this adventure is over, and it's back to "regular" life tomorrow. Hope you've enjoyed my little notes . . . I apologize in advance for the fact that they might get a lot more boring in the weeks to come LOL

Awesome meal!

I'm still in Houston, and somewhat shopped out tonight, so I thought I'd go for supper with some other people that are attending the workshop that I'm here for. We went to a seafood/fish restaurant called Oceania. Oh My Goodness, the meal was great! I had Costa Rican Mahi Mahi with a blue cheese butter on it. We also got wild rice pilaf and grilled green beans as our sides. Yummy, yummy, yummy!

Last night we ate at the Cheesecake Factory (not to be confused with the Canadian Cheesecake Cafe) and I had chicken marsala with mushrooms over bowtie pasta. Oh my goodness, it was another fabulous meal!

Tomorrow night I get to meet a friend that I've known online for about 5 or 6 years . . . for the very first time! I can't wait, I think it's going to be wonderfully fun :) And then early Saturday morning I head back to the Great White North.

Galleria

Houston has this fabulous mall called the Galleria. There are Galleria malls in most of the major US cities. It's a high-end mall, with Louis Vuitton, Coach, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Ave and many more stores like that. But there are also some lower end stores as well. I had a successful shopping day today, even though I only had a couple of hours in which to support the Houston economy.

I bought shoes at Macy's, which was fun. They're Merrell shoes, and I got them for dog shows, but I might wear them all the time. They're a purplish-gray colour, and I love them! Then I bought stuff at the Disney store (and everything was on sale!), stuff at Borders (beautiful book store), stuff at Bath & Bodyworks (which really needs no explanation, although there will soon be locations in Canada, which is awesome!) and stuff at Dylan's Candy Shoppe. Tons of bags, and happy but tired feet. What could be better?

If you visit Houston, you MUST see the Galleria! It's a great experience!

Say a quick prayer please

Not for me - I`m in Houston, where the weather is hot and muggy (but only partially cloudy, with no storms predicted at all this week). The travel day was fine, and there were no hiccups. Thank God for small miracles - it was nice to not have to worry.

By my friend that lives in North-Central Louisiana has not fared so well. I heard earlier today that they made it through Gustav with little damage, but a tornado ripped through the area afterwards, and the family barn is completely ruined (gone, maybe . . . I`m not really sure). They are also without electricity and running water. Hopefully all services are restored soon . . . but in the meantime they`re surviving some wicked weather with very little in the way of cooling or utility availability in the house.

Her name is Terri - if you can spare them, please say some prayers for my friend and her family. I know I will be . . .

Gustav

If you watch any newscast or CNN, you know that Hurricane Gustav is bearing down on the US Gulf Coast as I type this. It was a category 4 hurricane yesterday, with the potential to reach category 5 status. Fortunately it has weakened, and is only classified as a category 3 right now. New Orleans has been evacuated, and unlike with Katrina, this time most people left with enough time to get to safer ground. Hopefully even if there is flooding, wind and water damage, there won`t be such an extreme loss of life.

The scary thing (for me) is that I have a very good friend that lives in Central Louisana. Typically the folks from New Orleans evacuate to her location, but even they`re on high alert, and expecting around 45 inches of rain and winds up to 75 miles per hour. Hopefully there will be no tornadoes that develop as a result of the current weather. I worry about her and her family, even though they`ve lived through many hurricanes. You just never know when one will be too much.

My other concern is that I`m supposed to be traveling to Houston for work on Tuesday. Now, even if Houston does get some of the Gustav weather, it`s right on the western band of the storm, so it shouldn`t be nearly as severe. But it still makes me nervous to think of being down there with that horrendous weather. I`m reassured by the fact that Air Canada is very unlikely to fly into dangerous weather.

Pray for those in the path of Gustav (and Hurrican Hanna, predicted to hit the East coast - FL, SC, etc - in a few days).

Godspeed

Today I got the news that a friend of mine lost his battle with cancer. I knew he was sick and had heard that he was in hospice care, but somehow the news was still surprising to me. I think maybe it was because I had just come back to my office from lunch, and was in a completely different frame of mind. In any case, I'm thankful that his family notified his friends. It was a caring gesture.

I can't make it to the memorial party. Yes, they're having a party and not a service. It's definitely what he would have wanted. The drive is just too long, and with heading out of town for work on Tuesday, the timing is the pits. So this blog entry is my way of wishing him Godspeed. I'm glad that he's not suffering, and I know he's in a better place. But saying goodbye still sucks, no matter how a person looks at it (well, it sucks for me, anyhow).

Kevin, I wish you Godspeed. You are in the hands of angels. You will never be forgotten, and I will always smile when I think of our visits and conversations. Nobody has a better sense of humour than you had! Take care of those of us that are left down here.

Good Read

Well, I just "discovered" a new writer, and had to share. I have been hearing about the "Twilight" books for ages (author is Stephanie Meyer), so my best friend took the plunge for me and bought me the first book in the series. I have to preface this by saying that I don't traditionally appreciate the paranormal, and so I tend not to read those kinds of books. But so many people whose opinions I respect have raved about these books, so I held back disbelief and plunged in.

Wow! What a great book "Twilight" is! Granted, it's geared towards teenagers, so you have that social element, but otherwise it is very enjoyable. The story is good, and I actually got involved enough in it that I didn't have to suspend disbelief for long - just for the first chapter or two. I have since picked up the second book, and am trying to find the third one in trade paperback as well. I can't wait to read on!

Busy Weekend

I normally do more blog writing on weekends than during the week, but this weekend was an exception. It was busy! One of the things that I like do it in my spare time (you know, the stuff we all have oodles of LOL) is volunteer work. One of my passions is animal rescue - so locally I do as much as I can for the SPCA. In the late winter I was helping sort bottles (which can be returned for a refund in Alberta), so I decided that I would get back to that. I did some sorting on Friday night, and more on Saturday afternoon. It's actually fairly enjoyable, because I go with a good friend of mine, and we chat as we sort. It's also a good workout. You have no idea how stiff and sore you can get from hauling around cases of beer and big boxes of glass bottles!

I also managed to get some grooming in this weekend. Jack-Jack and Grace are entered in a show the weekend of Sept 13th, so I wanted to do some preparatory grooming. Saturday I spent a couple of hours with Jack-Jack, and then on Sunday I spent some time on Grace. Both of them look fabulous and ready to take on the world now!

Other than that I spent some more time moving stuff from my old laptop to my new one. I'm still getting used to Vista, but otherwise the transition is going well. I'm happy with my new PaintShop Pro X2 software and VERY happy to have been able to install FrontPage again.

Hope your weekend was enjoyable and productive :)

One Hundred Pushups

Now, those of you that know me know that I am not an athlete. In fact, nine times out of then, the word exercise has me shaking with fear. So I kind of surprised myself when I visited a website called "One Hundred Pushups" and was considering taking the challenge! But the website makes it sound so easy. Of course, there are always the multitude of benefits of exercise that make it attractive too.



The site is - http://hundredpushups.com/ - take a look and see for yourself. The folks (or folk, maybe) that came up with the idea are pretty smart. They took something that sounds impossible to most average people, and made it attainable. Heck, they even made it sound almost easy. I haven't fully committed to trying it yet, but to be honest with you, I can't really see the downside. Worst case scenario - I fail. At least I will have tried. Will you?

101 Things

So, a good friend of mine told me about this list that her friend had made - 101 things to do in 1001 days. I really liked the idea, so I decided to do my own list, with a start date of September 1, 2008. The list is broken into sections, like Learning, Randomness, Adult-Like, Beauty/Vanity, etc. I'm not going to post my list, because some of it is more personal than I want to post . . . I just wanted to give you something to think about, and maybe consider doing for yourself.

Have a fabulous weekend!

Thankful Thursday

It's been a long, long time since I've done one of these posts. And honestly, I've exhausted most of the major things I'm thankful for. Family, friends, my health, etc. You know - all the things that most people are thankful for. I can only write about that stuff so many times before you guys fall asleep. I don't want you falling asleep, or who will read my blog and make me feel loved? LOL It's all about the ulterior motive folks!

So this week I am thankful that Hasbro made a version of Scrabble for Facebook, since Scrabulous was taken down due to copyright violation. I was so sad at the thought of losing Scrabulous, and by the time I got home from vacation, the Scrabble Beta version was already in place. It's not without its bugs, but I'm happy nonetheless. Simple pleasures for simple minds, right?

More Flowers

The two above were taken in the gardens at the Calgary Zoo

The two above were taken at the Calgary Zoo, in the hothouses

This is the flower on a pepper plant of my mom's

My "specialty"

Since I bought my Canon Rebel XTi, I have been playing with taking pictures. I think I've taken around 2500 pictures in the last 6 months, and it hasn't really worn off yet. With all of my experimentation, I have discovered my "specialty" so to speak. Flowers. I have gotten some phenomenal flower photos, and wanted to share.

These are some of the roses that we bought my Grandma for her 50th Wedding Anniversary (we were in charge of flowers . . . )









I hope you enjoy these photos as much as I do . . . I'm off to do more experimenting!

Adventures in Kelly-Land

I'm sure those of you that read my blog with any regularity have noticed that I've been absent. I wasn't purposely ignoring my adoring fans (okay, I might be delusional, but let me enjoy it please!), I was on vacation. My bestest friend in the whole wide world (one of them, anyhow) came out west for a visit, so I took some time off work to play chauffeur. We started in Calgary, had a day trip to Banff, saw the Calgary zoo, and then puttered to Edmonton. In Edmonton we went to the Body Worlds exhibit at the Telus World of Science (VERY cool!), saw Spamalot, and got fancy pedicures. Then we headed up to Peace River with my mom in tow, for my grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary. It was really good seeing my extended family - I definitely don't get up there often enough. Ange fit in like a glove . . . it was great for everybody to finally meet her.

Then we came home and hung out for a week. We watched a few movies, played some games (Scrabble anyone?), played Wii and just chilled. It was a wonderful 2.5 weeks that went by far too quickly. Ange has gone home now, and my life is back into its regular schedule. Work, home, work, home . . . well, you get the idea.

Hope you weren't in too much withdrawal ;)

I did it!

Last night I did something that I almost NEVER do (and those of you that know me well know that this is true) - I made supper! My mom had taken a pork tenderloin out for supper, and then discovered that she had to work late, so she suggested that I cook it. I HATE cooking, and am not very good, so I was nervous. But I found a recipe online, and it turned out awesome! I cut the tenderloin into medallions, browned them in the pan with mushrooms and onions, and then put them in the oven for an hour with a mushroom soup sauce. It turned out really tasty! I made rice as a side dish.

It sounds stupid, I know, but it's a big deal for me to make a whole meal and have it turn out AND nobody got sick LOL

Happy happy joy joy

I am back in the land of the technologically living! Tridon (the local Telus dealer) called me this morning to tell me that my replacement phone was in . . . so I took off from work an hour early to pick up the phone. I've re-loaded all of my information onto it, so it's like we were hardly apart (aside from SEVERAL missed phone calls and text messages).



I'm not done with Telus though - there is no way on this green earth I'm paying for 10 days of cell service that I didn't use. Plus I need to be reimbursed for items that I had downloaded onto my phone, which are now long gone. This should be the fun part - wish me luck!

Still no cell phone

'Nuff said. Sigh.

And now I've written down the name of the so-called "customer service" rep that I've dealt with for most of the past 10 days. She has NO customer service skills at all, and was rude again today (she's the one I talked to on Friday as well). I plan to make a complaint when all of this is done - but not until AFTER I have a functioning phone in my hot little hands.

Gotta comment on the guys doing construction on some pipe that runs under the walking path by my house. They have a truck with supplies blocking the walking path . . . so I have to use the sidewalk, which is no big deal. But their construction signs are blocking the sidewalk, so I have to either walk on the road (not safe) or on peoples' lawns (most people don't want two dogs on their lawn). Smart thinkin' guys!

Haves & Have Nots

200 Have and Have nots! - I've seen this on a few blogs -the bolded things are the things I've done

1. Touched an iceberg
2. Slept under the stars
3. Been a part of a hockey fight
4. Changed a baby's diaper
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Swam with wild dolphins
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a tarantula
10. Said "I love you" and meant it
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long and watched the sun rise
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
19. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
20. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Bet on a winning horse
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Taken an ice cold bath
28. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Ridden a roller coaster
31. Hit a home run
32. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
33. Adopted an accent for fun
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Felt very happy about your life, even for just a moment
36. Loved your job 90% of the time
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Watched wild whales
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Gone on a midnight walk on the beach
41. Gone sky diving
42. Visited Ireland
43. Ever bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited India
45. Bench-pressed your own weight
46. Milked a cow
47. Alphabetized your personal files
48. Ever worn a superhero costume
49. Sung karaoke
50. Lounged around in bed all day
51. Gone scuba diving
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Done something you should regret, but don't
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Been in a movie
60. Gone without food for 3 days
61. Made cookies from scratch
62. Won first prize in a costume contest
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Been in a combat zone
65. Spoken more than one language fluently
66. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone
67. Bounced a check
68. Read - and understood - your credit report
69. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy
70. Found out something significant that your ancestors did
71. Called or written your Congress person
72. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
73. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
74. Helped an animal give birth
75. Been fired or laid off from a job
76. Won money
77. Broken a bone
78. Ridden a motorcycle
79. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100 mph
80. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
81. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing
82. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
83. Eaten sushi
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read The Bible cover to cover
86. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
87. Gotten someone fired for their actions
88. Gone back to school
89. Changed your name
90. Caught a fly in the air with your bare hands
91. Eaten fried green tomatoes
92. Read The Iliad
93. Taught yourself an art from scratch
94. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
95. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
96. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
97. Been elected to public office
98. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
99. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
100. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
101. Had a booth at a street fair
102. Dyed your hair
103. Been a DJ
104. Rocked a baby to sleep
105. Ever dropped a cat from a high place to see if it really lands on all four
106. Raked your carpet
107. Brought out the best in people
108. Brought out the worst in people
109. Worn a mood ring
110. Ridden a horse
111. Carved an animal from a piece of wood or bar of soap
112. Cooked a dish where four people asked for the recipe
113. Buried a child
114. Gone to a Broadway (or equivalent to your country) play
115. Been inside the pyramids
116. Shot a basketball into a basket
117. Danced disco
118. Played in a band
119. Shot a bird
120. Gone to an arboretum
121. Tutored someone
122. Ridden a train
123. Brought an old fad back into style
124. Eaten caviar
125. Let a salesman talk you into something you didn’t need
126. Ridden a giraffe or elephant
127. Published a book
128. Pieced a quilt
129. Lived in an historic place
130. Acted in a play or performed on a stage
131. Asked for a raise
132. Made a hole-in-one
133. Gone deep sea fishing
134. Gone roller skating
135. Run a marathon
136. Learned to surf
137. Invented something
138. Flown first class
139. Spent the night in a 5-star luxury suite
140. Flown in a helicopter
141. Visited Africa
142. Sang a solo
143. Gone spelunking
144. Learned how to take a compliment
145. Written a love-story
146. Seen Michelangelo’s David
147. Had your portrait painted
148. Written a fan letter
149. Spent the night in something haunted
150. Owned a St. Bernard or Great Dane
151. Ran away
152. Learned to juggle
153. Been a boss
154. Sat on a jury
155. Lied about your weight
156. Gone on a diet
157. Found an arrowhead or a gold nugget
158. Written a poem
159. Carried your lunch in a lunchbox
160. Gotten food poisoning
161. Gone on a service, humanitarian or religious mission
162. Hiked Mt. Everest
163. Sat on a park bench and fed the ducks
164. Gone to the opera
165. Gotten a letter from someone famous
166. Worn knickers
167. Ridden in a limousine
168. Attended the Olympics
169. Can hula or waltz
170. Read a half dozen Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys books
171. Been stuck in an elevator
172. Had a revelatory dream
173. Thought you might crash in an airplane
174. Had a song dedicated to you on the radio or at a concert
175. Saved someone’s life
176. Eaten raw whale
177. Know how to tat, smock or do needlepoint
178. Laughed till your side hurt
179. Straddled the equator
180. Taken a photograph of something other than people that is worth framing
181. Gone to a Shakespeare Festival
182. Sent a message in a bottle
183. Spent the night in a hostel
184. Been a cashier
185. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
186. Joined a union
187. Donated blood or plasma
188. Built a campfire
189. Kept a blog
190. Had hives
191. Worn custom made shoes or boots
192. Made a PowerPoint presentation
193. Taken a Hunter’s Safety Course
194. Served at a soup kitchen
195. Conquered the Rubik’s cube
196. Know CPR
197. Ridden in or owned a convertible
198. Found a long lost friend
199. Helped solve a crime
200. Responded to a NJP newsletter

Telus rant

Let me just start off by saying that until now, I've never really had an issue with Telus. Oh, there have been small incidents over the past 10 years or so, but nothing that was enough to make me want to rant about it in a public forum. That has changed.

Last weekend, while driving home from Edmonton, my cell phone died. I really have NO idea what happened - I checked it before we left and everything was fine. Then, I tried to check it while stopped for construction, and it wouldn't work. Those of you that know me know that I rely on my phone a LOT. So my mom and I stopped at the Telus dealer on the way into the city.

They told me that they'd have to order in a phone for an advance swap, and that they'd then send this one out for evaluation. They told me it would take 3-5 business days for the swap phone to come in. Here it is, 5 business days later, and there's no sign of the new phone. When I called the store, the girl seemed to care very little that my life is being disrupted by the lack of a phone (they don't offer loaner phones). In fact, she almost (but not overtly) seemed to take pleasure in telling me that it might be in on Monday. Maybe.

This is really pissing me off - forgive the vulgar language, but seriously. It's a complete inconvenience, and nobody gives a darn at all. I hope, beyond all reasonable hope, that the phone is in on Monday.

Puppy Kindergarten Graduation

Look at me sitting! I'm such a good boy - I'm watching my mom too!

It's so hard being this amazing . . . no more photos, please. I need a break from the paw-parazzi

Whoa, check out that handsome dude in the mirror! He's almost as good looking as me!

Sweet Baby James

Be still my heart. On Saturday night, I got to see THE James Taylor in concert. Most people my age don't have a clue who James Taylor is, as he was popular in the 70's, but he still has a big following. And I am included within that group. He was absolutely AMAZING! For a guy in his sixties, he still has amazing energy. And his voice is as awesome as it was when he got his start. He had a wonderful back-up band that he calls his Band of Legends. Each one of those musicians is a star in their own right - they were awesome. The concert was made up of covers (songs originally done by other artists) and James Taylor classics. Every song was excellent, but of note were "Steamroller" and of course "Sweet Baby James."

I have been so lucky over the past year to see arists that have never traveled to Canada before - Van Morrison (who rarely tours at all) and James Taylor. I'm not sure that I can top these concerts . . . they were both breathtaking adventures!

Thanks for letting me share my excitement. As corny as it is, I got tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat when he started singing his first song. What a dream!

And They Called It Puppy Love . . .

Need I say more?

My Mom's Peonies

Just some more playing around with my Canon Rebel XTi - I am still enjoying this camera just as much as I did when I first got it. These are my mom's peonies, which are in full bloom and gorgeous.

Hot, hot, hot!

You know, the scary part is that it's not really that hot outside. It's been in the low to mid 20's this week, which is pretty average for our summers. But the air conditioning in our building at work has been on the fritz for a couple of days now, and it's like working in a sauna! My office has been hovering around 30 degrees, and I've been walking around looking like a lobster. I have a fan on me at all times, however that just seems to be moving hot air around the office.

It was a real treat to come home from work tonight and walk into an air conditioned house. This is only our second summer with air conditioning, but man, I really do NOT know how we survived without it before! It takes the edge off and makes things comfortable.

Hopefully the AC at work will be fixed soon. Preferably before November!

I just don't get it

Last night Jack-Jack and I went to puppy class. The drive from my place to the class location takes about 15 minutes in good traffic. Traffic was so-so - not great but not horrible either. There was a bit of a line-up, but nothing that was extraordinary.

As I was merging into traffic, I saw a motorbike pull out of the line of traffic into the MERGING lane on the right, pass two cars, and pull back into traffic. Ummm, what? Last time I checked, passing on the right was NOT allowed. Doesn't matter what kind of vehicle you drive, you should always follow the rules of the road. I just shook my head and rolled my eyes.

People wonder why more bike drivers get killed than regular drivers . . . it's because of foolishness like that. Let me clarify - not all bike drivers are reckless. I know some VERY responsible ones. But this was completely unsafe, and I highly doubt this guy would have done the same thing in a car.

That's my rant for the day. Drive safely folks . . .

Thankful Thursday

Well, even though I did the Thankful Alphabet earlier this week, I'm going to try and come up with a good Thankful Thursday post as well. Goodness knows that I have plenty to be thankful for . . . it's just writing about it without sounding sappy and trite that's a challenge.

Today I'm thankful for my new boss. I know, I know, that sounds trite right off the bat. But it's true. My old boss was very good - don't get me wrong. He was fair, honest and good to work for. But my new boss is kind of like a breath of fresh air. Not only is he very approachable and fair, but he is also very friendly. It's funny, but you don't realize how much that can make a difference until you get exposed to it after a long "dry spell." My old boss was certainly friendly too, but he was from the old school of management, which prescribes a clear line between employer and employee. It was never uncomfortable, but with the new boss it's just really nice. He eats lunch with us every day, and takes an interest in our lives (just like we're interested in his, since he moved here from Australia for the job).

He's open to discussion, even casual conversation. He makes a point of greeting everybody every day, and ensuring that he has time to meet with you regarding any issues or concerns you might have. He keeps up to date with your progress on various tasks, and provides advice and support as needed. I know - he sounds like a paragon!

So far, I'm really enjoying the new boss, and I look forward to working with him over the next couple of years.

Enjoy your weekend! I'm headed out of town for an overnight trip, so there'll be lots of driving, but plenty of fun too!

Happy Canada Day!

Today is Canada's birthday - so of course, that means fireworks (last night), parades and all kinds of activities. I took my nieces to the parade with my mom, and brought Jack along for fun. He wasn't thrilled about the bagpipes and sirens, but he was THRILLED about the attention he got from the kids around us. He really adores kids, thank goodness! He is getting more and more social with every passing week. The puppy kindergarten classes have helped immensely.

My mom took the kids down to the river front for some activities, but I decided to come home and enjoy the quiet for a bit. As much as I love my nieces and nephew, sometimes I love the quiet too. So this is one of those times. I was thinking I might put a movie on and just relax. I still haven't watched "The Incredibles" and since that's where Jack's nickname came from (Jack-Jack Attack!), I guess I should ;)

Hope you're enjoying your day, and if you're a Canuck, Happy Canada Day!

Thankful ABC's

I borrowed this idea from a friend's blog . . . I am short on creativity lately, so I thought I'd use it on my own. I thought it was a cute idea, so I thought I would do it here. I would love to see other people do it as well.



A- Aunty. I'm not really thankful for any of my aunties in particular, but I am extremely thankful that I get to be an aunty! I have 4 nieces and 1 nephew, and I enjoy each and every one of them. I like having one on one time with them AND time with them as a group. They bring youth, vitality and innocence to my life. And they have made my heart grow exponentially with the arrival of each one.

B- Best Friends. I am fortunate enough to have two best friends, which is twice as many as some people ever have. One lives really far away, but I get to see her quite often. The other lives much closer, and I typically see her monthly. I talk to both of them by phone very regularly, and we email lots. They both play different roles in my life, and together, they make my life complete!

C - Canada. I am very thankful that I live in Canada, which is a relatively peaceful nation, with lots of wealth. I don't have to worry about health care, and I don't have to worry about war, other than our brave soldiers that go out into the world to ensure peace. We have a great country that allows us many personal freedoms.

D - Dogs. I am so extremely thankful for my dogs (three of them at present). They are my sanity and mental health preservers. These dogs are always happy to see me, even when I've yelled at them or left them at home all day while I've been at work. They love me unconditionally, and they remind me of the simple joys of life.

E - Eating. I am so thankful that I can eat normally, and pretty much anything I want. I don't have to have my food in liquid form or anything like that. Since I know two people with major "eating" issues, this has been on my mind lately. I enjoy food so much that I would really miss being able to savour individual tastes and textures.

F - Family and Friends. I know I posted about Best Friends, but I also have a lot of very, very close friends that I rely on, as well as my family, who I am fortunate to be very close to. Without these people around me, I know I wouldn't be half the person I am right now.

G - Growth. I'm not talking about growing taller (or fatter LOL), but growing personally. I am a firm believer in continuing education, and I believe that we can learn something from everybody we meet, if we just pay enough attention. I think that personal growth is tremendously important.

H - Home. Although I don't own my own home, I'm thankful for the home that I do live in (my parents' house). Even though I complain about it being crowded and overstuffed (both of which are true, by the way), it is still HOME to me.

I - Income. I'm thankful that I have a good job that pays well. This allows me to pay off my debt and to do the things that I enjoy, such as traveling, dog shows and buying the things I want.

J - Job. I'm grateful for the job I have, as it presents me with learning opportunities every day. It continually challenges me and keeps me on my toes. I have great co-workers (don't tell them I said that or it'll go to their heads!), and a really good boss.

K - Kisses. For me, kisses from my nieces, nephew and dogs are something I definitely enjoy and appreciate. There's a sense of love and trust in that small gesture that always makes my heart swell.

L - Literature. Since I have already used B, I'm using L to capture literature. I am an AVID reader (as well as a budding author), and I can't imagine a world without literature. It captures our history as well as our imaginations.

M - Music. I'm a bit music-lover . . . I always have something playing in the background, especially Broadway musicals. I have a fairly broad range of stuff I like, and I am always interested in hearing new bands or musicians. Life would be very dull without music!

N - News. I'm thankful that we have Free Press in North America. When I was in China, it was a bit disconcerting to only read what the government deemed appropriate. I read the news every day, just to stay on top of what's happening in our world.

O - Outside. I love the outdoors, especially when it's bright and sunny outside. Even in the winter, when the sun is shining I'm quite happy to be outside with the dogs, soaking up some rays.

P - Photographs. Without a doubt, I love photographs and am so thankful for them. I am a picture BUFF, and am always waving my camera around, trying to get good pictures. I look at pictures over and over, and rely on them to help job my poor memory. I would be very sad to lose all of my pictures.

Q - Quiet. I never thought about how much I appreciate quiet until the first time we had all of the kids here for a weekend. By the second day, I felt like my ears were ringing from all the talking, laughing, crying and singing. So I am thankful for quiet moments, especially right after those busy weekends!

R - Rescue. For the number of dogs out there that need help, I am HUGELY grateful for rescue groups and all of the hard work they do. They take in dogs that would have nowhere else to go otherwise, and they bring out the best in them. They bring families and dogs together and facilitate happy endings.

S - Singing. I may not be a good singer (Okay, that's the understatement of the year!), but I love singing, and when I hear a song I know, I usually burst into song without even noticing.

T - Teachers. I can not thank the wonderful teachers that I've had enough. Those top notch teachers are the ones that instilled this love of learning in me, and encouraged me to always learn more. Without teachers, our world would not be a very fun place to live.

U - Understanding. Sometimes I really appreciate being able to understand more than just basic concepts. It makes life so much easier!

V - Vitality. Okay, so lately I haven't exactly been full of vitality, but I am thankful for the times and days that I DO have it.

W - Writing. My childhood dream was to be a published author, and I have to say that that is still a goal that is close to my heart. I truly enjoy writing and having the ability to express myself in words.

X - Okay, I can NOT think of anything with X. So I'm grateful for the other 25 letters, but this one is drawing a major blank for me LOL

Y - Youth. I am very grateful to still be younng and able to enjoy life. I realize that as you age you don't lose the ability to enjoy life, but I do think it gets tougher.

Z - Zoo. I adore the Toronto nd Calgary Zoos . . . both of them have been renovated in the past while, and they have excellent habitats for the animals. They are great places, with lots of learning opportunities and cool things to see.

Stuff You Don't Know About Me . . .

Okay, I must admit, I stole this blog idea from both Vicky and Weeza . . . thank you for the idea ladies! I've been short on inspiration lately, especially since I have a puppy to play with. Blog . . . puppy. Blog . . . puppy. Tough choice - or not!

1. I will eat peanut butter cups and Kashi granola bars, but I HATE nuts in desserts, salads or on chicken. I will not eat those things with nuts. It's just easier to tell people I'm allergic than to deal with the questions.

2. I do NOT eat fish. YUCK! Well, except for Basa fillets. Everything else is gross. Salmon is included in the yucky list.

3. I hate flying in airplanes, which is funny when you realize that I fly several times a year. It makes me nervous and feel sick to my stomach.

4. I have road rage. Oh wait, if you've ever been in a car with me, you already know that ;) I don't ram into other drivers, but I have gestured and hollered.

5. I love attending live hockey games, but get totally bored watching it on TV.

Just One Word

Stolen from Sarah's blog - http://callhermum.blogspot.com

Answer in only one word:
1. Where is your cell phone? Table
2. Your significant other? None
3. Your Hair? Short
4. Your mother? Calgary
5. Your father? Ironing
6. Your favorite thing? Friends
7. Your dream last night? Forgot
8. Your favorite drink? DietCoke
9. Your dream/goal? House
10. The room you're in? Dining
11. Your children? Dogs
12. Your fear? Fire
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? House
14. Where were you last night? Bed
15. What you're not? Skinny
16. Muffins? Yummy
17. One of your wish list items? House
18. Where you grew up? McMurray
19. What you read last? Behavior
20. What are you wearing? Casual
21. Your TV? Sitcom
22. Your pets? Dogs
23. Your computer? Laptop
24. Your life? Busy
25. Your mood? Happy
26. Missing someone? Yes
27. Your car? Caliber
28. Something you're not wearing? Socks
29. Favorite Store? Chapters
30. Your summer? Ange!
31. Like someone? Friends
32. Your favorite color? Purple
33. Last time you laughed? Today
34. Last time you cried? Sunday
35. Someone you wish to know more? Yes
36. Horrible habit? Packrat
37. Future plans? Move
38. If money were no object? Travel
39. Life-long dream? Author
40. Greatest accomplishment? Education

SPCA Dog Jog

So today the local SPCA hosted their semi-annual Dog Jog (I think it's semi-annual, I know it used to be). I was planning to take Grace with me, since she's so friendly and outgoing, but I think she's starting her heat cycle today, so I didn't want her out in public. So I decided to take Jack. Given how timid he can be, I knew it would be good for him, if it didn't scare the living daylights out of him. He's improving daily, so I figured it wouldn't be TOO bad.

We got there and I registered, and Jack was whining a bit, but not putting his tail down or backing off. So far so good! We watched the agility demonstration (done by the lady that owns the training school we go to), and that was a lot of fun. Then we did the actual walk. I think it was about 3km, I don't know the distance. He trucked along the ENTIRE way, happy as a clam. We walked with a Border Collie (gorgeous dog!) and a large Black mixed breed (VERY sweet!). Jack was absolutely fine with them, he didn't make a peep. He got petted by a bunch of people, and handled it really well. I am SOOOO proud of this little man!

There was a barbecue, so I got to have a hot dog and a rootbeer, and Jack got some nice cold water and a big cookie. We visited with some people, and then headed home. It was a really nice event, and we both enjoyed ourselves. He's STILL tired, but I'm glad it went well for him.

On another note, the idea was tossed out that I teach some Rally Obedience classes. Wow! I was honoured to be considered, and I hope it comes to fruition. I think it would be a LOT of fun! I don't know that I'm really qualified, but since I'm one of the only people in Fort McMurray that has competed, I guess that's more qualifications than anybody else has. So we'll see what happens in the fall.

Hope your weekend was excellent!

Thankful Thursday

Well, another Thursday has rolled around, which means it's time to reflect on something I'm thankful for. There are so many things I'm thankful for, I don't even know where to start. As I've said before, I hate the idea of sounding cheesy!

This week I'm really thankful for my wonderful friends. Yesterday one of my best friends filled out a survey of 51 questions about me. I really enjoyed reading them, and was a bit surprised about how well she knew me (although I shouldn't be, since we've spent tons of time together). But what really struck me was the "niceness" of her answers. I was really touched by some of what she said. I'm sure if she reads this, she'll think I'm just being goofy or silly, but it's true. It touched me, and it reminded me of what good friends I have. Especially this person in particular, who has been an incredibly good friend over the past several years.

So to that person (you know who you are) - thank you. And thank you to the other wonderful friends I have, who are too numerous to name here. You make my life better than it could EVER be without you!

Finally some sun!

I hate to be a whiner, but what the heck . . . those of you that read my blog already know I'm a whiner, so it's not like it'll be a surprise!

We have had rain. What feels like enough rain (over the past 2 weeks) to build an ark and float away! Have you ever tried housetraining a puppy in the rain? He doesn't want to pee outside, and to be honest with you, I can't blame him. I wouldn't want to either! But he's been very good (and I've been very persistent), so that's kept the accidents inside to a minimum.

But the rain is depressing for me too. I find it hard to be upbeat and cheerful when the skies are grey and cloudy. All I really want to do is go to bed and have a sleep, surrounded by dogs and with a good book in my hands. Instead I have to get up, go to work, and actually be personable with co-workers. Dammit!

Today the sun is shining, and I can already notice a difference in how I feel. I spent some time playing fetch outside with the dogs and enjoying the sunshine. I can just feel the positive energy flowing! I hope you had a sunshiny day too!

Busy Weekend (Take 3)

It seems like I use this blog post title fairly often - I wonder if that is a sign of having too much going on? But in this case, it has been a very pleasantly busy weekend so far.

Friday night was quiet, thank goodness. We had a good supper (Mom made pork chops in mushroom soup, baby potatoes and peas), spent some time chatting, and then went to bed. Mr Jack-Jack slept ALL night, and even let me sleep in on Saturday morning! What a good puppy - he's fitting in very nicely. Saturday Mom and I ran errands in the morning. She wanted some vegetables and herbs for the garden, so we went and got those, as well as stopping off at Superstore to get some big planters for everything. We assembled the bed frame for her king-sized bed, and did laundry. Terribly exciting, I know.

Saturday night was great fun - I went with my parents and a family friend to an Opimian Society dinner (http://www.opim.ca). The Opimian Society is a club for people that enjoy wine. They offer between 6 and 8 meals a year, and each one has an exquisite menu. Last night it was Creole Cooking - Down The Lazy River. The food was unbelievable; absolutely scrumptious. We had Tempura soft shelled crab, Atchafalaya Alligator, Frogs' Legs and succotash. Everything was delicious. I can't wait for the meals to start up again in the fall!

This morning I went for 9 holes of golf with my Mom and a family friend. It was cool and damp, having rained through the night, but we discovered that this is near ideal weather for golfing. Not too hot, and not too buggy either. None of us was golfing very well, but we sure had a good time, and everybody made some lovely shots.

This afternoon I gave Jack-Jack a trim with the clippers, and am sitting down to write my monthly article for the Cocker Classic. Nothing like writing it the day it's due, heh? But that's always been my style. Grace could really use a good grooming later on, and laundry is ongoing.

So a busy weekend, but a fun one. Hope your weekend was great too!

Thankful Thursday

It seems like it's been an awfully long time since I did a thankful Thursday post. That's probably because it has been a while, what with the trip to Vegas, food poisoning (or flu) and then getting the new puppy. I've been pretty busy, and haven't been spending as much time online lately.

But I'm here today, thinking of all the things I'm thankful for. And as stupid, girly and shallow as this sounds, I'm grateful for the fact that the tent caterpillar infestation is almost over. Apparently the local environmentalists are saying that by the end of next week, they should be in their coccoons, and well on their way to being moths. I really do prefer the idea of moths over these creepy, crawly caterpillars.

These things are EVERYWHERE. They love aspen trees (according to the girl at the bus stop this morning), but will munch on anything deciduous. There are quite a few in our yard, even in the grass and on the deck. I'm sure I've killed close to 50, just in the past couple of hours. Of course, I am going out of my way to make sure that I step on any that I see. The deck and planter box edges look like a little tent caterpillar killing field. Which is really what they are, I guess.

They also really like the side of our house for some reason - so my mom's been taking the hose to them and spraying them off. Whatever it takes to get rid of them, because they really do give me the shivers. I don't know why, since they don't bite or anything, but I just can't stand the thought of them.

I am thankful that their reign of terror (silent as it has been) is almost over.

Recovery Is Good

Considering the great amount of trauma that Jack-Jack went through last night, I thought there might be some residual effects. Nope, not in the least! Tonight he's as feisty as ever - perhaps even more so! He's played hard with Grace several times tonight, has played major tug-of-war with the braided fleece rope toy, and ran around the yard like his hiney was on fire. Maybe now that he's safely removed from puppy class, he feels big and strong? In any case, I like this puppy - he's much more fun than the soft, whimpering puppy I was exposed to last night.

On another front, the Northern Alberta region is going through a MAJOR tent caterpillar infestation - they are forecasting about a billion of them in my region alone. Can you say EWWWWWW? They are everywhere - I step on them on the pavement and in the grass. I am flicking them off the deck, the garden bed edging, the garbage cans, and the yard furniture. Worst of all, Jack-Jack seems to think they're some Northern Alberta delicacy. Mom and I sprayed for them on Sunday morning, but I think the rain washed the spray away, so we're going to have to spray again. Our spraying is very limited, though, because the spray is toxic and I have to be careful where we apply it so that the dogs aren't at risk.

As we were spraying on Sunday morning (garbed in long sleeved and legged clothing, with safety glasses and gloves on), I felt like that scene from "Good Morning Vietnam" where the general walks out onto the beach and says "I love the smell of napalm in the morning." Tell me, is that scary?

Off I go to wage more war on the millions of tent caterpillars taking up residence in our yard. Wish me luck!

Lucky . . . or not so much?

Well, for the past week I've been thinking that I needed to look into a Puppy Kindergarden class for Jack-Jack. Although I can manage the training aspect on my own, the socialization aspect is invaluable. And attending a class keeps ME on track for teaching manners to my furkids. However, I kept forgetting to email the lady that runs the training school in town. Today, I finally remembered to email her. Lucky for me, I was able to get into the current session, which started today!

I knew that Jack wasn't quite ready for puppy classes yet, since he's not been on a leash much. But I didn't want to lose the opportunity, so I took it and signed up for the class. What an adventure!

First of all, he was NOT thrilled about the car ride, although he did fairly well. A few French Fries from McDonalds helped make it a more pleasant ordeal. Second of all, he was NOT impressed with the whole collar and leash thing. In fact, when I tried to pull him by the leash, he screamed bloody murder! Everybody quit talking and stared - that was fun. I'm pretty sure the instructor was trying to see if I was discreetly pinching him LOL

He handled the class aspect very well . . . he worked very nicely for me, and picked up on everything I was asking him to do. Cockers really are intuitive, intelligent dogs! But for the play portion of class, he wanted nothing to do with the other small puppies. Nevermind that he was the biggest of the small dogs, as soon as that terrifying Chihuaha came close, he tucked tail and ran. Oh well . . . he can't be totally perfect, right? With all of the wonderful things he has going for him, a bit of timidity at the first class is small potatoes.

Pay it Forward

Well, my friend Sarah did this thing on her blog where she asked people to recommend music in the "guest book", and she chose three winners from that. Given that I don't get a ton of notes on my blog, I'm not holding my breath for being able to choose 3 winners, but I'm going to try!

I'm looking for people to post a comment recommending a good book to read. Doesn't matter what kind it is (ficton, non-fiction, etc), I'm open to suggestions. After a few days, I'll randomly choose three winners, who will in turn get to pay it forward!

Still around

I have been so absent from my blog, and I apologize to my faithful readers! Having a new puppy in the house is taking up a lot of my time, and preventing me from being online much. But trust me, I'm not complaining! As much work as raising puppies is, I'm thoroughly enjoying my little man!

He's settling in very well, and he and Grace are pretty fast friends now. They love to play and wrestle, and it's super cute to watch. Farley's not terribly enchanted with Jack, but he's being VERY tolerant, which I'm proud of. He's such a GOOD dog.

Work is busy too - our department is still short-staffed, so everybody is working a little bit extra. It keeps us all out of trouble, anyhow. We have a new boss from Australia, and we're all enjoying getting to know him. His Australian slang is great fun to decipher!

This weekend my brother's family is here, so the house is very busy. Many people, kids and animals give it a sort of three-ring circus feel. But the dogs are enjoying the company, and it gives the house a lively feeling. Hope you're all enjoying your weekend!

Busy Weekend!

Well, I know I have used this blog post title before, but it really was a busy weekend! I traveled to Edmonton for a dog show, and to bring home my new puppy. I left here Thursday afternoon, and didn't get back until Monday afternoon. I brought Grace with me, but left Farley at home to keep my parents company.

Thursday night Jackie and I ran to Wal Mart to get a few things, and to stock the trailer with pop and snacks. We visited with some breeders that drove up from Washington, and had a VERY fun supper at Humpty's (I will never forget the question "What is a humpy banger?" as long as I live!) We got back to the trailer and headed to bed at a decent hour.

Friday morning we got up and went to West Edmonton mall for a bit, as well as making a pit stop at G&E Pharmacy (which sells pet supplies at awesome prices - on Edmonton's south side). In the afternoon I put Grace through her paces at the Canine Good Neighbour (CGN) test, and I'm proud to say that she earned her first title! What a good girl she was! The tester just about ran her over with a bicycle at one point, and it didn't phase her one bit! Friday night was the Puppy Sweepstakes for our Specialty, so I ring stewarded for that. It was fun. After the Sweeps we went out for a late supper, which was very fun again.

Saturday was a busy day - I had to groom a dog for Jackie and then prep another dog that I was showing for a friend. I showed a female in the morning for a handler that was injured and managed to go Reserve to the girl points, which was a big deal for this 6 month old puppy that showed like a CHARM. She was such a pleasure to show! Saturday afternoon was the specialty, which took a couple of hours. It was fun - I think people enjoyed themselves. Saturday night was the dinner and auction, and it was a fun time for all. MOre fun for some than others . . . not naming names, just commenting on the fun that some people had LOL Some of us (them?) may have even paid for the fun a bit the next day LOL

Sunday was busy for me, as I had committed to judging two classes for the specialty Junior Handling. I've never judged before, but have always wanted to, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I hope to do it again in the future. I also got drafted to show that 6 month old puppy for the injured handler again in the Specialty. She did very well with me (as she had done the previous day with Jackie, who was pinch handling), and I had a blast showing her. I have to say, I've never won so much at a specialty, and it was a pretty good feeling! Then Jackie and I packed up the trailer and went back to her place. We got to play with the puppies, HAVE SHOWERS, and just relax. We were both very tired.

Monday I drove home, new puppy in tow. So far Mr. Jack-Jack is settling in just fine. His confidence level goes up by the minute, and he is charming everybody here left, right and center. I'm enjoying him immensely. Farley's not thrilled, but he's not nearly as unhappy as he was when I brought Grace home. Mind you, Jack's not nearly as crazy as Grace was either. IN any case, we're settling into being one big, happy family.

Hope your weekend was great too!