Busy, Busy, Busy!

Holy smokes folks, I have been RUNNING this week! Last weekend was the local dog show . . . 6 shows in 3 days. My good friend came up with a black and tan dog that came over from Russia to be shown, so I knew that Gracie and I didn't have a big chance of winning until he finished his title. So the first two days were for practise more than anything. Gracie was HORRID - her behaviour was terrible. She wasn't afraid or upset, just running, galloping and being a turd.

On the Sunday she won Best of Breed in the morning for her first point, so that was a real treat! She was quite bad in the Group ring - she thought the dog behind her was chasing her, so she kept turning around to try and play Oh well, she did well for a puppy. In the afternoon she was a turd again, and she lost the Breed to the other puppy. But it was nice that we could share the wins over the weekend.

I was at work for two days, and then was off again today. I had an ultrasound this morning to ensure that my liver, kidneys, pancreas and gallbladder are working properly. Last time I had bloodwork done, the liver enzymes were off, so the doctor sent me for an ultrasound and more bloodwork. Then I ran ALL kinds of errands, and finished sewing the 60 snoods I promised to make for the upcoming Specialties this weekend (Cockers-only shows, in addition to some all-breed shows).

I'm now spending a bit of time on the computer, as I will likely be off-line for the next 5 days, while I'm at the dog shows. Farley and Gracie are coming with me, and Taffy is going for her trial visit with her new family. VERY, VERY, VERY busy!

Good Bye Long Weekend!

Well, the long weekend is almost over now :( So sad to see it go - I have enjoyed having the additional days off. In addition to having today off (thank goodness for Statutory Holidays), I took Friday off as a mental health day. Good thing too, as we had company over that night and had to get the house cleaned up. We had company over on Saturday night, to celebrate my mom's birthday, so that was a busy day too. Last night we went for sushi (yep, for my mom's birthday) and I also groomed a client dog.

Grace is downstairs, with three out of four feet trimmed for the coming show weekend. Unfortunately my nieces are here to distract her, so I can't get her to stand still so that I can trim the last foot. So we're both taking a break, and then I'll try and get that last foot done.

I have a busy few weeks coming up, so there may not be many blog posts. Of course, since I've been slacking anyhow, you gentle readers may not even notice a difference in frequency. But I feel it's only fair to warn you anyhow.

Enjoy your spring or summer or whatever season it is for you!

PS

Did you know that the number for wedding books in the Dewey Decimal System is 395.22? Go forth and learn, dear readers. Thank you to our friendly librarian Weeza for sharing this gem of information with us all at the wedding reception. My life is brighter for it!

What a weekend :)

Well, I have to say that Vicky and Vince had a lovely wedding. They had a Justice of the Peace, and the ceremony was in the same location as the reception, all in the evening. It was nice to be there to celebrate with them both. And at the family dinner on Friday night, we discovered my new nickname (thank you Ben!). Weeza introduced me to him, and he said "oh yeah, that's Kelly from the blog!" Sort of like Jenny from the Block (J-Lo), except I'm K-Lad. So now all of my peeps can refer to me as either K-Lad or Kelly from the Blog.

I had a fabulous visit with Farley and Grace's breeder and her niece . . . we did LOTS of chatting, mostly about dogs, but about other stuff too. I had an absolutely delectable lunch served to me on Friday, and an equally tasty breakfast served to me on Sunday. The dogs were very attentive (especially the boys), and it was tons of fun. The only bad part was that the visit was too short.

Now it's back home, and gearing up for dog shows. I have about a million snoods to sew for our upcoming National Specialty, and a dog to get ready for showing again. It should be busy and fun :)

Just Truckin' Along

I don't really have much to post, but I hate to not update the blog regularly. So here I am, trying to think of something witty and worthwhile to write. So far I'm drawing a blank, which is kind of embarassing, given that I consider myself a writer of sorts.

I have a really great weekend coming up - a good friend of mine is getting married, and I'm flying down for the wedding. Not only do I get to see some friends (her sister and cousins, as well as the rest of her family, and some other friends of mine as well), but I also get to see Farley's brother and Grace's brother and sister! I'm staying with Farley and Grace's breeder for the weekend, and I'm really looking forward to that. I think it's going to be a wonderful weekend all around. I'm sure I'll be tired when I get home Sunday evening, but I'm equally as sure that it will ALL be worth it.

Mom and Dad are going to look after the dogs for me, thank goodness. I can't even imagine trying to coordinate a dog sitter with my three hoodlums. But my parents take wonderful care of them, so I won't have to worry at all.

See you soon Sarah, Vicky, Weeza and Lyndarae!

All's Well

So Taffy came through her spay with flying colours (of course, she had the easiest job of just resting). There were some slight difficulties, as her uterus was quite fragile, but the vet handled it well I'm sure. My vet is just wonderful - and trust me, I don't say words like that lightly. Anyhow, they did not repair her breast at this time, as the vet felt that it would be too much surgery all at once. But they did the spay and the examined the abdomen at the same time. It was good - just a slightly enlarged spleen, but it appears healthy, so that's good. So Taffy is recovering well, and being a real trooper about the whole thing. She's such a good and easy girl to live with.

I've been really busy with all kinds of stuff, hence the lack of blog entries. I'm not alone - Vicky, Weeza and Sarah haven't been posting a whole lot either. I guess it's just a busy time of year.

I recently joined Curves with my mom, in an attempt to tone up a bit and to just feel better, and so that's taking up some of my time. It's good - at least I'm doing something for myself instead of just wishing that I could look and feel better. That's a step in the right direction. I've been making an effort to eat healthier too . . . and I have really noticed that I feel better in that regard. So it should be a GOOD summer, if summer ever gets here LOL

Hope all my 'peeps are doing well!

Big Day Tomorrow

So I gave Taffy a bath last night, and wrapped her in a pink bathrobe that we won in a raffle. She looked so cute, so I wanted to share some pictures of her. She's doing REALLY well here - she's adjusted to being a spoiled housedog so quickly. She maneovers the stairs with ease, and she loves hanging out in the backyard.

Tomorrow is a big day for her. She goes in for her spay surgery, and they're going to do a short exploration of her abdomen too, because she has some persistent abdominal bloating. They're also going to fix her saggy boob (I wish a boob job for me would be so CHEAP as hers) . . . so she's getting the deluxe package. We'd appreciate any good thoughts and prayers that you can send her way. She's going to feel like she's been hit by a mack truck when all is said and done.

Have a great weekend all!

Slackin' Off

Wow, I can't believe it's been almost a week since I last posted. What a bad girl I am! I've just been busy with doing stuff around the house and spending time outside with the dogs. Now that it's nice out, I try to spend time outside every day with the dogs, playing fetch and enjoying the fresh air. It's good for all of us.

This weekend I have GREAT plans! I'm going to Calgary to visit some very good friends of mine that moved away a few months ago. I'm sure I posted about it, because it was a major event in my life. Anyhow, it's her birthday this weekend AND they recently moved into a new home, so I scheduled a visit. I can't wait to see her and hang out with her all weekend!

Other than that my plate is full with a social life (yes, I can have one too) and learning at my new job. Right now it's pretty slow, since I'm doing a lot of reading to become familiar with past audits (we'll be reviewing them and undergoing a new audit in June), and learning the procedures and processes. It's not terribly thrilling, but it's a necessary evil.

Hope y'all are having a great week!

One Hundred Things

Thank you so much to Vicky's cousin Sarah for supplying another great Blog topic! I challenge anybody to try and come up with 100 unique things that people might be interested in . . . it's not as easy as you think.

Someone challenged me to try to write a list of 100 things about myself... seriously harder than you think it would be. So here's my list:

1) I bite my nails... I just can't stop it!
2) My favourite thing to order in restaurants is a hamburger
3) I find blow drying my dogs after a bath a very relaxing thing to do
4) I like to be the best at everything I do
5) I dream of being professionally published some day
6) I hate flying in airplanes
7) I get motion sickness
8) I could eat pasta every day of the week, I love it so much
9) I love to read
10) I am addicted to Sudoku and Crossword puzzles
11) I have to have a Dilbert page-a-day calendar for my office at work
12) I write for two dog magazines on a regular basis
13) I wish I had artistic talent (painting or drawing)
14) I dream of being a canine behaviorist
15) My favourite colour is purple
16) I hate it when people are lazy
17) I live in organized chaos
18) I’m a compulsive packrat
19) I love Munchies (the snack mix with pretzels, sun chips, etc)
20) I like going to see movies in the theatre
21) I can’t stand really hot weather, I just melt in anything above 25 Celsius
22) I really enjoy a good debate
23) I’m a good writer
24) I love reading and studying canine pedigrees – I have a great memory for them
25) I never want to have kids of my own, but I love my nieces dearly
26) I recently finished my MBA, and am already looking for another course to take
27) I lived in Denmark for a year as an exchange student
28) My best friend in the whole wide world lives across Canada
29) I am fortunate to have many great friends, but most of them live far away
30) I am very afraid of spiders (should never have watched Arachnaphobia)
31) I love Broadway musicals
32) I played trumpet for several years as a teenager
33) I don’t like fish, but I love seafood
34) My mom is one of my best friends
35) I like scrapbooking, but never seem to have time to do it
36) Pictures are very important to me
37) The Barenaked Ladies are one of my all-time favourite musical groups
38) My favourite song of all time is “Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison
39) My favourite canine behaviorist is Dr Patricia McConnell PhD
40) I don’t like Cesar Milan’s training methods at all (Dog Whisperer)
41) I didn’t learn how to apply makeup until I was 28 years old
42) I’m really shy, especially in groups of people I don’t know
43) I like cats almost as much as I like dogs, and would love to own one some day
44) I’m allergic to beer – it gives me migraines
45) I have had the same pen pal for almost 8 years now
46) My favourite scent (candles, oils, etc) is orange
47) I hate driving long distances in the car by myself (> 1 hour)
48) I am addicted to Diet Coke
49) I donate a significant amount of time and money to Cocker rescue
50) I have been to China and climbed a part of the Great Wall
51) I do not drink regular coffee, just the sugary flavoured kind
52) My favourite TV shows are NCIS, House, Grey’s Anatomy and the Apprentice
53) I have a brother that is 4 years younger than me
54) I maintain a constant dialogue about other drivers when I drive (usually it’s not overly friendly)
55) I really enjoy shopping, especially buying gifts for others
56) I love playing crib (the card game)
57) My favourite sport to watch on TV is curling, followed closely by figure skating
58) My favourite sport to play is curling (but I’m not very good)
59) I’m a total suck when it comes to needles
60) I love to sing along to music
61) I don’t like spicy or hot food
62) I love purses, and am always looking for a new one to add to my collection
63) I love silent auctions, I always have to bid on something
64) The colour red looks terrible on me because of my complexion
65) I am a creature of habit, I follow the same routine every day when waking up in the morning
66) My favourite thing to have for breakfast is hard-boiled eggs
67) I don’t eat ice cream very often, because it makes my teeth hurt
68) I consider myself spiritual, although I’m not a church-goer
69) I know it’s childish, but I really love getting presents. It just makes my day!
70) I really hate it when people “preach” one thing but live by their own (possibly unethical) rules
71) I am very protective of my friends
72) Bad driving makes me absolutely crazy
73) I shot a gun for the first time in my life in February 2007 and I loved it!
74) I have eaten catfish, crawfish, alligator, squid and duck
75) I hate change! (except for pocket change J)
76) I really enjoy trivia games
77) I have extremely ticklish feet
78) I really like Life Savers Gummies
79) I cannot sleep without a cover, even when it’s super hot outside
80) I’m a procrastinator
81) My favourite flowers are Stargazer Lilies
82) I’m not terribly graceful
83) I dream of owning a memory foam mattress – they rock!
84) I think that family is extremely important
85) The “disaster” that frightens me most is fire
86) I really love Honey Garlic chicken wings
87) If I had extra money to spend, I would buy books and magazines
88) I bought my car in 2006 because it has a cooler built in to the dashboard
89) I hate having dry lips, so I have lip stuff everywhere (car, office, bedroom, etc)
90) I truly do not enjoy cooking
91) I really enjoy buying gifts for friends
92) I type very quickly – more than 100 wpm
93) I’m a quick learner
94) I speak English, French and Danish fluently
95) I would like to learn to speak, read and write in Spanish
96) I treat myself to a full body massage every 2 weeks
97) I enjoy designing and maintaining basic websites
98) I have visited the Toronto Zoo 5 times
99) My favourite Disney character is Eeyore
100) I find it VERY hard to come up with 100 unique and interesting things about myself!


Now... whoever has read this I challenge you to write a list of 100 things about yourself and post it!

So proud of ME!

Well, as anybody who has been reading this blog for at least a year knows, I am the world's greatest procrastinator. If I have an assignment or paper due, I just do NOT get it done until the last minute. I'm convinced it's in my genetic code. Anytime I have tried to write a paper sooner than the last minute, it turns out to be garbage. Just poorly written and not nearly as coherent as I typically am. Anyhow, I have my VERY LAST MBA paper due tomorrow, and it is DONE! It has been done since about 3:00pm, and if I do say so myself, it's pretty good. If anybody is interested in learning all about the US-Canada Softwood Lumber dispute, by all means let me know. I'd be more than happy to enlighten you :)

Just had to share my pride . . . it's not often I do stuff in advance, but I guess the slow time at work prior to switching to my new job came in handy this week.

Had to "steal" this!

I borrowed this from my friend's cousin's blog . . . I figured it looked like fun. Thanks you-know-who-you-are!

Ten Random Things about Me:
10. I'm very indecisive
9. I love the color purple
8. I chew my nails
7. I love to read
6. I can memorize dog pedigrees very easily, while forgetting everything else
5. I do not want kids
4. I hate scary/gory movies
3. I watch way to much television
2. I can't go a day without checking my email
1. I love shopping

Nine Ways to Win My Heart:
9. Be honest
8. Make me laugh
7. Cook me dinner
6. Be intelligent
5. Love my dogs
4. Write me notes, letters or emails
3. Care about my family
2. Have a backbone
1. Accept me for me

Eight Things I Want To Do Before I Die:
8. Attend Westminster dog show
7. Go to New York
6. Visit New Zealand
5. Own a house on some land
4. Become a published writer
3. Live in the same province as my best friend
2. Watch my nieces graduate from University
1. Volunteer for a good cause

Seven Ways to Annoy Me:
7. Cut me off in traffic
6. Lie to me
5. Act as if you know everything, when in fact I know that you don't
4. Say mean things about my dogs
3. Badmouth people I care about
2. Talk to me like a child
1. Drive like a moron

Six Things I Need:
6. My family
5. My dogs
4. Books
3. A Home
2. An Internet connection for my laptop
1. Meaningful work

Five Things I'm Scared Of:
5. Losing someone in my family
4. Spiders
3. Fire in my home
2. Being unemployed
1. Heights

Four Favorite Things in My Room:
4. My bed
3. My books
2. Dog crates
1. My TV

Three Things I Do Everyday:
3. Snuggle with my dogs
2. Read
1. Check my email

Two Things I'll Always Cherish:
2. My family
1. Pictures

One Confession I Must Make:
1. I am really quite shy, I just hide it well.

Gracie-Lou-Who!

She's 8 months old today . . . isn't she bee-yoo-ti-ful? I love her, even when she's very, very bad! Which, when there is a full moon, is very, very often!

Happy Easter!

Yes, it's Easter weekend already . . . it seems to me that Easter is getting earlier and earlier every year. I remember when we used to celebrate it at the end of April, and now it's at the beginning of the month. Oh well, it means a long weekend for me, so I'll celebrate it whenever I'm told to :)

My folks are away, so I have the house to myself. I've been busy since they left, with grooming client dogs, but I have still managed to enjoy the peace and quiet. Living at home isn't really that tough (thankfully I have an excellent relationship with my parents), but sometimes it's nice to pretend it's just MY house for a while. The dogs enjoy not sharing my attention with others too.

I'm feeling domestic today, so I'm going to cook supper instead of ordering pizza, which is my standard operating procedure when the resident chefs are away. It's not a complicated meal, but if I don't post in a few days, know that I gave my self food poisoning LOL

I hope everyone has a wonderful Easter weekend, and that the sun is shining and you have some family and friends to share it with.

Taffy Update

So I have finally had the time to get Taffy all groomed up and looking gorgeous. It took a couple of sessions, because I didn't want to do too much at once. She was SUCH a trooper, I can't tell you how impressed I was. She didn't even flinch when I trimmed her nails and cleaned her ears.

She's a really pretty little girl, and so loving. She has continually amazed me with her abilities too. She climbs stairs bravely, and even jumped on the couch tonight! We were ALL stunned! She hasn't had an accident in the house at all, and she's awesome in a crate. She's adjusting well to the dogs - better than I ever thought she would.

I ordered a homeopathic product called Eye See Clearly, which is supposed to promote general eye health and dissolve cataracts. Anecdotal evidence says that it works, from some people anyhow. It's worth a try . . . and it won't hurt the eyes. Taffy has a vet appointment next week to check her general health and get approval for her spay surgery.

Until then, the spoiling continues!

My Crazy Weekend

So, after signifcant amounts of traveling, I now have a foster dog (Cocker Spaniel, of course!). Her name is Taffy, and I pulled her from a kill shelter on Sunday. She's 6 years old, red, and very blind from cataracts. She stinks to high heaven (although now it's less, since she's had some baths) and is matted solid, but she's really enjoying life in the house. She's had a few litters, and her "udders" are hanging down to her knees, but she wags that nub with all her might. She's a beautiful, sweet, loving girl . . . I know the right home is out there somewhere.

The foot is VERY sore still . . . I slipped on a wet patch of floor at the restaurant tonight, and landed on my foot. That certainly didn't help, and neither did running around at a show all weekend.

Grace showed very well for me - not nervous or unsure at all. She was happy and full of herself, and wanted to love on everyone. Her favourite were other dogs and any kids walking by. She did jump off the grooming table on Saturday morning (my friend doesn't normally use a noose), and she must have injured herself, as she was limping slightly in the ring. We took second out of two on Saturday and Sunday, and then we won our class on Monday. I was just THRILLED that she showed well and had fun.

I also had both Farley and Grace's eyes checked at a CERF eye clinic. Both of them tested clear, which is always a relief. I'm concerned that Farley's night vision is going, but the vet checked him very thoroughly and his eyes are normal. Phew! I know he's not being used for breeding (and has never been), but I still want him to have good eyes. I wasn't surprised about Grace, but I was very happy.

This week is very busy for me - I am going to be housesitting for a friend, so I'm moving over there on Thursday night, along with Grace and Taffy. Taffy needs a grooming, as does the dog I'm looking after, and I have a WHOLE paper to write before April 13th. You know me, I'm a major procrastinator! So that's it in a nutshell for me . . . sorry I haven't been checking in, but the net was down for me for over 24 hours. Talk about frustrating!!!!

This should be fun

So, after four days back at work, my foot is actually about as sore as it was last week. I suspect that if I was still working from home, with my foot up most of the day, it would be improving. But it's not realistic to expect to be able to work from home for forever . . . and it's not like I'm immobile, just gimpy and slow. My mom bought me a cream from the health food store called "Traumeel" with arnica and other healing agents, so I'm using that twice a day. Hopefully it's helping.

This weekend I'm off to a dog show. It's Grace's first show, and I've been looking forward to it for ages now. I entered her almost as soon as I could, and have been impatiently waiting for this weekend to arrive. Now I'm not even 100% sure that I'm going to be able to do a decent job of showing her with this stupid limp. This is so frustrating! I don't particularly want to hand her off to somebody else, because I want to make sure that her first show experiences are pleasant ones. If somebody else is showing her, I have no control over what happens. And I'm not good at relinquishing control, as anybody that knows me is aware.

So, wish me luck and wish Grace luck. Hopefully she shows well despite her handicap (me!), and we have fun. What more can we ask for?

Back at work

So I'm back at work now . . . hobbled onto the bus this morning, and then hobbled into the office. The foot is still sore, still somewhat swollen, and many colours of the rainbow, but it IS improving. Slowly. It's actually good to be back at work though . . . I missed my friends there. Okay, okay . . . stop laughing. I do SO have friends at work!

I finally finished "The Monk" and now I have to choose what to read next. It's almost stressful having so many choices! At least if this is all the stress I experience, life is pretty tame.

If you can believe it, it's snowing AGAIN. I had to get on the roof yesterday to clear 2 feet of snow (at least) from around the vents up there. It was leaking water into our bathroom. I hate heights . . . getting up there was fine, but I get paralyzed with fear trying to get down. I made it though - must have had my big girl panties on! And for those of you concerned about me climbing on the roof with a sprained foot, my mother was there, and it was all done VERY safely. My mother would NEVER put my health or safety at risk.

Hope everyone is having a good start to their week!

Snow Dog

Yes, rather surprisingly, it is snowing again. Oh well, at least one being in Fort McMurray is happy about it.

Lots of Reading

So, for some reason, I have recently discovered a whole pile of books that I want to read. A few I am borrowing from my good friend, who has really unique taste in books. She has lent me 2 of the books that are currently on my must read list. Right now I'm reading a book called "The Monk" by Matthew G. Lewis. It was published in 1796, when the author was 19. It was WAY ahead of its time then . . . it was considered very taboo. I'm about 2/3 of the way through it now, and it's actually a really good read. Not full of action or anything like that, but definitely interesting enough to hold one's interest.

On the shelf, ready to go, I have "Stranger Than Fiction" by Chuck Palahniuk, a collection of non-fiction short stories. Looks like a good book - the first short story is about a testicle festival (no word of a lie!), so how can a book with that kind of opening be anything short of interesting?

I just got "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini from my best friend, so I have to get it read. I've been looking at it in the bookstores, so I guess now I'd better get it read! I also have "Talk To The Hand" to read, which is written by the same author as "Eats, Shoots and Leaves" about punctuation, or the lack thereof, in today's society.

On the way, from Chapters, is "The Smartest Guys In The Room" about the rise and fall of Enron. I watched the DVD in class last weekend (a full length documentary), and it was great, so I am inspired to learn more.

So lots of reading to do . . . now to find the time!

Mother Nature . . .

I have to say that Mother Nature is cruel. It is mid-March, and in some areas of the world spring is in full force. But not here in Fort McMurray . . . ooooh no! It is still darned cold (like around -20) and we keep getting these big dumps of snow. It's not fair! I just want the warmer temperatures and the opportunity to see the ground without snow cover. Grace, on the other hand, loves the snow. She would play outside all day long if I'd let her. The reason I don't is that I'm worried she'll lick the metal shed and get stuck. Beautiful girl, just not that bright.

Anyhow, I don't really have that much to write about, since I'm stuck at home with this sprained foot. I am working from home, but there's nothing exciting going on there. The dogs are sleeping and snoring, and "School of Rock" is playing on TV. Life is boring, but good!