Proof I still own sheep!

Beechtree Kiloran and Cross Wind Bea, my natural colored BFLs. Kiloran just today thought that I might be a good source of scratches...the eyes glazed over ;)

Minwawe Sea Breeze. She was bred to Jazz. She will be available for sale after her lamb is weaned. SALE PENDING

WhitePine Rush. She is a FirthofFifth Aman x RYL Rachildas, so F2 Orion. Aman is now living with Bill in Canada. She was bred to FirthofFifth Barish, my F1 Timothy.

Theresa had a blog about heads and ear sets. This photo shows three very different ear sets on three different patterns. I personally have seen a LOT of whites with this more upright ear set....is this typical? L to R WhitePine Sedalia out of Jazz x Minwawe Sterling. Sedalia is my softest, finest ewe from last year. She was bred to UndertheSon Apache, an F2 Orion) WhitePine Rush (see photo above for description) and Wintertime Galina out of Wintertime Black Forrest x Sheltering Pines Holy Grail. She was bred to Jazz.

Black Forest Tilly who was bred to UndertheSon Arapaho. She is out of Wintertime Black Forrest x FirthofFifth Twiling. I have her full sister from the first breeding Taika as well.

And humor me as I absolutely loved this girl the moment she was born.....more photos of WhitePine Sedalia. *sigh* I think she's a keeper...not only for her fleece, but her pattern (katmoget and spots!) AND she is structured wonderfully, although however more refined than most you'll see at the shows.

Link to anti-bacterial soap realities

http://www.divinecaroline.com/article/22178/66003-antibacterial-soaps--unnecessary-risks--no

Mitcham update!

Here is an update on the big furball...Mitcham weighs in at a hefty 40 pounds already and is nearly as tall as I think he'll get.....maybe he'll get bigger :) Watch me eat my words later :)


Mitcham just got a bath tonight and a good throrough brushing with the enlisting help of my dad! Here he is glue free in the ears and brushed and brushed and brushed and brushed and brushed and brushed and brushed. And a little more brushing.

He is posing here with Sadie trying to get out of the way ;)

He sits so perfectly straight up...so unlike the Cardigans that can't do that due to leg length limitations :) :)

Ewes available.....

I sat long and hard today out in the flock and made some tough realizations and decisions.

I've decided I'm willing to sell two ewe lambs (going on yearlings) that have been exposed to FirthofFifth Barish.

White Pine Sheridan is a intermediate fleeced black ewe lamb that was born with a smirslet marking. Sire is Wintertime Jazz AI and Dam is Justalit'l Shasta. I'm working towards finer fleece and single coats and I feel she will lack in this department. However with that being said she is extremely correct, solid ewe lamb. She should, if bred, lamb with a grey katmoget or solid black lamb. No guarantee she is bred, but if she is, she is due April 20th-May 21st. $200. Micron report available upon request. SALE PENDING

White Pine Westminster. Intermediate grey katmoget smirslet. She had a wide blaze when born which has now faded. Sire is Wintertime Jazz AI and Dam is LittleRedOak Wren. She carries moorit and will throw spots! Exposed to FirthofFifth Barish and should lamb with a solid black or grey katmoget. Could be homozygous katmoget lamb. NO guarantee on breeding, however was exposed to lamb April 20th-May 21st. $250. She is a little smaller than Sheridan but is correct in stucture.

White Pine Denver is a black smirslet intermediate fleeced lamb that was left open this year. She is a dainty, small framed, small in stature ewe lamb. Sire is FirthofFifth Barish and dam is Minwawe Dixie Up. She reminds me more of the domestic Shetlands so feel that I can move her out. $150 SALE PENDING

All three have soft handle, just are higher in microns and more intermediate in fleece than I"d like to see. I'd be willing to sell all three as a package deal for $500 plus transporting fees.

Also have three ewes available for sale after lambs are born, if lamb is ram lamb:

BonoCreek Lavender Brown was rebred to Wintertime Jazz. In 2008 she produced a shaeal ram lamb with perfect round horns. Lavender is a dark fawn, proven ewe. if with a ram lamb, will be available. Lavi is more intermediate in fleece. microns available.

FirthofFifth Rooibos is a fawn ewe that is rebred to Wintertime Jazz. Her daughter last year went to good friend Stephen at Sheltering Pines. If she has a ram lamb, they will be available as a pair. she is more intermediate in fleece. microns available.

Minwawe Sterling - black krunet ewe. She produced my SOFTEST, NICEST, SPOTTED katmoget EWE lamb last year! I bred her back to Wintertime Jazz hoping for another ewe lamb this year. If she lambs with a ram, she will be available for sale. She is a small ewe (65 pounds mature) and not the best conformationally but she has proven her worth as a producer.

Please email me privately if you are intersted in the ewe lambs or being put on the waiting list for any of the ewes.

2009 Sheep Goals

I'm going through my blog and all the old posts...(who has time to do that, right?)

These were the goals I listed for 2008:
1. find a moorit based ram with UK genetics
2. acquire a few more gulmoget ewes/rams for my flock
3. AI ewes that best complimented the UK rams I have straws of
4. Continue with my fine-fleece program, while adding more pattern to my flock

Let's see. #1. Well I found a moorit ram with some UK genetics. He wasn't as soft as I had hoped, so I'm hoping that I get a knock out boy from Orion or Jamie straws that I used on quite a few ewes to.

#2. I did obtain two more ewes so I now have 3 gulmoget ewes.
#3. I did AI ewes, and it was much cheaper than I thought!
#4. I am continuing with my fine-fleeced program and will continue to do so.

New Goals for 2009:
1. Find a softer moorit ram (hopefully from my AI lambs!)
2. Have a gulmoget ram born that is ultra fine (or find one!)
3. Push for importing of new Shetland ram semen to use in 2010 in my next AI
4. Continue to keep only my softest ewes that also have correct conformation and colors.
5. Move many of my "B" class ewes to the crossbreeding program and use the Bluefaced Leicester ram on them to get Mules in spring 2010.

I am currently sitting at 34 Shetland ewes, both mature and yearlings. I am planning on cutting back to only breeding 20-25 Shetland ewes/ewe lambs next fall depending on quality of fleece/structure and the remaining ewes, if they go unsold, will more than likely stay to make Mules in Goal #5.

I also have 6 BFL ewes that I will continue to keep as a nucleus flock for purebred BFLs and can hopefully sell some locally for either the 3-tier program or for market.

What are your goals? Mine are known to change slightly but I feel that if you don't have goals, both short term and long term, you will not succeed.

Just look at how fast Carol Bator at Zephyr got to her goals and those were her long term goals that were met in less than a few years!

My long term goals are the following:
Breeding a line of Shetland Sheep and a flock that is know for its fine fleece, UK type, sound in structure, healthy, vigorous sheep.
Promoting the Shetland for their fine fleece and hardiness and being able to have a niche market here selling their fleeces and breeding stock.
Promoting the BFL in this area and becoming successful in selling ram lambs as crossing sires and selling ewe lambs as replacement ewes for purebred flocks.
Being able to make a difference in both breeds for the better.
Having my sheep do the talking, rather than words on a blog :)

Repost

This was quite fitting again for the day, and I had posted it last year, but wanted to repost it for maximum affect.

Mother Theresa once said : People are unreasonable, illogical and self-centered; forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; be kind anyway. If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies; be successful anyway. What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight; build anyway. If you find serenity and happiness, others may be jealous; be happy anyway. The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow; do good anyway. Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough; give the world your best anyway. In the final analysis it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.


Makes you stop and think huh?

Girls Girls Girls

Apparently this works for belly scratches with grandpa...



what...no?

Zoe is so elegant here

Great Info for all species

For those of you who haven't been to my website lately, please do check it out! I have added some links to some amazing articles written by longtime breeder Jon Kimes that I think are good for any species....dogs, horses, sheep, cattle, birds.

I'm guilty of 'fault judging' and I think many of you will go " oh wow, I never thought of it that way!" I know I did!

www.ebonwald.com and then go to the educational info link.

And for those too lazy to go to my website.....

http://jonkimes.com/Faultlessness.html
http://jonkimes.com/AnotherAttempt.html

I think they are great reads!

For You

God determines who walks into your life....it's up to you to decide who you let walk away, who you let stay, and who you refuse to let go.

Father, God bless all my friends in whatever it is that You know they may be needing this day! And may their life be full of Your peace, prosperity and power as they seek to have a closer relationship with You.

Amen.

water in barn

so my dad informed me yesterday that BOTH lines coming in from the well, into the barn were froze...........and that there was no water for the animals IN the barn, or the cows outside.

So I took 5 gallon pails full of snow and brought in for the sheep, which they appreciated and brought some for the ducks/geese too.

this morning my dad calls to tell me he went into the barn and there was 2-3 inches of water/ice throughout the entire barn as he had left one of the faucets open all night and the line thawed in the meantime.

*sigh*

AND I wanted to clean the barn OUT to prepare for lambing.....it'll be here before you know it! So now my DAD is going to go buy ice melt so we can get the ice out and cleaned.

its always something

*UGH!!!!!*

ALREADY??!!!

I was out enjoying my girls in the -5 degree temps today *our HIGH today mind you*. I've noticed that Underhill Peep, my musket from Gail Former is already rooing in the neck. Again. Last year she started rooing in her neck too, so by the time the shearer came in May her neck wool had roo'ed and grown in again about an inch!

Do any of your sheep roo? Especially this early when its so cold yet? For those that shear early, do you guys get the 'break' in the fleece that has to be trimmed off? I had a dozen that needed to be trimmed as they were still in the rise the end of MAY. Remember we are so much colder here!

*Most* of my AI girls look quite hefty, except a few of the two year old don't appear pregnant for March lambs, but I haven't checked rear ends or udders yet, but I'm planning on seperating the AI ewes from the rest of the flock in the next week or so so they can start to get fed beet pulp mixture. Those that don't bag up or appear bred will get moved back to the main flock after I'm sure they aren't bred...which may be up until March 25...LOL I'm not taking any chances with lambs out in the snow, so better to make sure!


Photos....soon my friend...soon. Patience! :)

Wordless Wednesay

Poor Blonde

last one I promise!

A Blonde is watching the news with her husband when the

newscaster says 'Two Brazilian men die in a skydiving accident.'



The blonde starts crying to her husband, sobbing 'That's horrible!!!

So many men dying that way!'



Confused, he says, 'Yes dear, it is sad, but they were skydiving,

and there is always that risk involved.'



After a few minutes, the blonde, still sobbing,

says, 'How many is a Brazilian?

Another laugh for my friends!

NINE WORDS WOMEN USE
(1) Fine: This is the word women use to end an argument when they are right and you need to shut up.

(2) Five Minutes: If she is getting dressed, this means a half an hour. Five minutes is only five minutes if you have just been given five more minutes to watch the game before helping around the house.

(3) Nothing: This is the calm before the storm. This means something, and you should be on your toes. Arguments that begin with nothing usually end in fine.

(4) Go Ahead: This is a dare, not permission. Don't Do It!

(5) Loud Sigh: This is actually a word, but is a non-verbal statement often misunderstood by men. A loud sigh means she thinks you are an idiot and wonders why she is wasting her time standing here and arguing with you about nothing. (Refer back to # 3 for the meaning of nothing.)

(6) That's Okay: This is one of the most dangerous statements a women can make to a man... That's okay means she wants to think long and hard before deciding how and when you will pay for your mistake.

(7) Thanks: A woman is thanking you, do not question, or faint. Just say you're welcome. (I want to add in a clause here - This is true, unless she says 'Thanks a lot' - that is PURE sarcasm and she is not thanking you at all. DO NOT say 'you're welcome.' that will bring on a 'whatever').

(8) Whatever: Is a woman's way of saying @*#$ YOU!

(9) Don't worry about it, I got it: Another dangerous statement, meaning this is something that a woman has told a man to do several times, but is now doing it herself. This will later result in a man asking 'What's wrong?' For the woman's response refer to # 3.

* Send this to the men you know, to warn them about arguments they can avoid if they remember the terminology.

* Send this to all the women you know to give them a good laugh, because they know it's true!!!

Bottle of Wine

Note to self: beware of women. thanks to my friend for sending me this priceless piece of information!

Bottle of Wine

A woman and a man are involved in a car accident on a snowy, cold Monday morning; it's a bad one.
Both of their cars are totally demolished, but amazingly neither of them is hurt.
God works in mysterious ways.
After they crawl out of their cars, the man is yelling about women drivers. The woman says, 'So, you're a man. That's interesting. I'm a woman. Wow, just look at our cars! There's nothing left, but we're unhurt. This must be a sign from God that we should be friends and live in peace for the rest of our days.'
Flattered, the man replies, 'Oh yes, I agree completely, this must be a sign from God! But you're still at fault...w omen shouldn't be allowed to drive.' The woman continues, 'And look at this, here's another miracle. My car is completely demolished but this bottle of wine didn't break. Surely God wants us to drink this wine and celebrate our good fortune.'
She hands the bottle to the man. The man nods his head in agreement, opens it and drinks half the bottle and then hands it back to the woman.
The woman takes the bottle, puts the cap back on and hands it back to the man.
The man asks, 'Aren't you having any?'
The woman replies, 'No. I think I'll just wait for the police...'

MORAL OF THE STORY:
Women are clever, evil b*tches.
Don't mess with them.

Hey a sheep post!

This blog was initially created to keep in touch with my sheep friends and keep up-to-date with them in all things sheepy.

I've neglected them recently!

Let's see....what can I say about the sheep?

Some of the mature ewes are starting to really get fat......I"ve checked for udders on the AI girls that are due in 8 weeks and there aren't really any bagging up but their bellies sure look big! Last year I was amazed some of the biggest bellied girls only had small single lambs so that can't be even a consideration that they are bred. I did AI 10 ewes in October so I have the possibility of having 10 ewes lambing on or around March 20th. The rest of the girls and the AI girls were put in with rams and due around April 20th, so I know for sure that the AI girls didn't take on the AI if they don't lamb sometime around March 20th. I like that I have a definite break between them and it was really based on me being away for nine days in April for our Cardigan National. I think next year, regardless I will put them together for all March lambs. I have new pens inside that are quite large so if we do have a tremendous amount of snow yet next spring that they will be ok in the barn for a few weeks.

The BFLs were put back in the barn as the ewe lambs from Kathy Davidson might be pregnant for February lambs! She told me that they were in with a ram fairly early and that they MIGHT be bred. If not, and if they did cycle, they won't be lambing until May, as I didn't put the ram in with them until a week after the Shetlands as I've been told they aren't the best moms in the cold, especially the first time moms. Time will tell how they do for me. I highly doubt most of them are bred, as they are mostly ewe lambs from 2008.

I've kept most of the ewe lambs separate from the mature ewes this year and I believe that that has really helped them not compete for food and they are growing better than my ewe lambs did last winter when they were with the adult ewes. I will continue this practice from now on. I don't grain them, but the extra space and lack of competition with older ewes really seemed to give them a better growth spurt this winter.

Photos...ah yes...well I should be able to get back to my photos when I get my computer back TONIGHT and then I can start catching up with blogging again. Its amazing how addicted I am!

Why I love Minnesota!

This morning I awoke, let the dogs out, and went to get a drink of water. I turned the faucet on and a tiny dribble of water came out which then quite quickly stopped. You guessed it! My pipes are froze! Now I will be the first to admit that I have a really old house with poor insulation and the pipes have to travel from the ground up two feet to get into the house and all of my water pipes are on the south east corner of the house, where there are no trees to help protect from the terrible winds we seem to be getting there more and more often. Granted we do have 'frost blankets' and straw up against the house and insulation around the pipe underneath the house but this is the second year in a row that i've had this problem. Its usually nothing more than an annoyance as last year it froze just under the floor and it took a few moments to thaw before the ice popped out and water and came rushing back. But now I have to not only go to my parents to check my email on their PC but also shower, get water for the dogs and myself and I cannot do laundry. Last year it was over New Years or Christmas and no one would come (businesses) to thaw my pipes.....it was days without water.

On the temperature front it was -41 when I let the dogs out at 6am, without windchill. I need everyone who doesn't live in this state to stop saying how cold they are are 0 or +20 degrees! My Shetlands dig holes in the snow and hunker down for the night. They eat hay outside and eat snow (no water). They do have straw in a 3-sided shelter but they rarely use it. My BFLs who are of the UK style with finer fleeces and thin skin, have been eating snow as well, and getting fed outside but because they are younger I have been giving them a couple of pounds TOTAL of corn for eight head. I don't think they really need it but they tell me they do. I give my ducks/geese/chickens and pigeons all more corn when its this cold as that is all they really want as its loaded with energy to keep warm. The BFLs do use the shelter at night and pile in there snuggled as one big mass. They aren't dumb.

We must live in the coldest part of the lower 48 states. The Red Rive Valley which has Grand Forks and Fargo in it is not that far from us....(the valley itself starts about 35 miles from us and its a huge noticeable drop) and whatever wind/snow/rain they get, we tend to get it later in the day. They are the coldest places I think on a regular basis. I guess we don't have hurricanes or earthquakes so I shouldn't be complaining.

We haven't had a day above freezing (+32 degrees) since November 8th. That's what our local radio dj said. We also have had 38 inches of snow since the beginning of the season and NONE has melted as we haven't been above freezing here. One day we were at 30 degrees and it was t-shirt weather! Next week we are supposed to get to +28-+30 degrees weather so maybe the animals will have a reprieve from the bitter cold. They really don't seem to mind it as much as I think they do.

Its also sad when you have to talk about degrees in + or - !! I keep telling myself I love the changes of seasons and the gorgeous fall days and that's why I live here. And the beautiful scenery. I think..........

Always learning

I was fortunate enough to borrow JoAnne Beashau's copies of the past Nationals on DVD. Since I wasn't able to attend before 2008, this is a godsend as there is much to learn from watching the video, both the people who are on the end of the lead, and more importantly the dogs who have made an impact in the breed, either with breeding, showing, wins or whatnot. You get to see the animals mature before your very eyes from one year's National to the next, truly a neat thing to behold.

Since I've been without my own PC, I've spent the last week or so watching the DVDs on the portable DVD player of my moms, with notebook in hand and took notes on various dogs, positives, negatives etc in my mind. Sometimes year to year depending on how they grew up things would change, while other things would stay the same. After watching them the initial time, I then went back to the past Bulletins and looked at ads, read the articles and then read the results of past shows. After that was the Handbooks that I own ( I think I have most of them now) and then back again to watch the BOB of each years' National. Talk about overload!

I am however very grateful I was able to view these DVDs as its truly a great way to learn about the dogs you only hear about on ShowCardi-L or by word of mouth. While I have been slowly learning over the past four years or so, I've really made great strides in learning about breed type, structure and such thanks to Barb Hoffman and JoAnne Beashau. Both are very modest and won't take credit but I've learned a lot from them and what to look for in a Cardigan. I'm able to better critique dogs not only on fault judging but also for its qualities and try to weigh each in my mind. My priorities are obviously different than others and therefore each dog is of different value to different people.

The day you quit learning is the day you should stop doing whatever you are doing. I'm glad I'm able to learn something new each day and look forward to each day's emails as there may be something of great education in those emails and things to hang on to for future reference.

Last year I was able to attend the 2008 National. What a great week for someone who is relatively new to the breed. Having never bred a litter, and having my first three dogs not turn out as show dogs for various reasons, it was truly an eye awakening time for me. I had many breeders and breeder judges go over both my girls that I had brought with to the National (Zoe and Ell) and was grateful for their insights and opinions of them. I was also able to get my hands on my dogs there and learn about what is ideal in the breed and what isn't and I asked hundreds of questions. Watching the DVD from the 2008 National was great as when I was there I was truly overwhelmed and am grateful for being able to recap and go over again and again the dogs and fine tune my opinions and learn from the show.

I can't wait until 2009 in Topeka! 89 days to go! But who's counting! I look forward to meeting many more breeders and having them go over my dogs, as well as getting a chance to go over some dogs there as well. Last year I was able to go to lunch and sit ringside with many big names in the breed and was able to listen and learn.

I hope everyone is able to do that at some point in their lives, it made a great impression on me.

Merrymoon Ebonald Retribution

With a lack of a computer (I'm having a friend come over today to hopefully fix it!) I was taking a LOT of photos but unable to download. My parents think I'm addicted to the computer, which is pretty much the truth. I'm now over at their house checking email a lot and decided I'd take the opportunity to add some photos to the blog.

If you read the posts previous this one you'd see a black/white little puppy in one of the pics. This guy was in the planning stages for awhile and it just so happened that there were a few nice boys in this litter to choose from. I believe Barb and I chose the same one. This little guy is out of Pluperfect-Merrymoon Prince (Ell's dad) and Merrymoon Noblestar Only You (Molly)(a half sister to Ell). Molly was 2nd in her class at the CWCCA National Specialty in 2005 and does not carry coat. I have been wanting a really nice black/white boy for a long time, and after the puppy from JoAnne Beashau fell through last year (his name was Kenny, a Shadowalk Trademark x Kennebec Give Back My Heart) after he didn't have any testicles. I have been learning a lot from Ell's breeder....Barb Hoffman and from JoAnne so it was only a matter of time before I got something good out of one of them that was black/white.

His name is Justice and he really is what I was hoping for. A handsome head, great rear angulation and drive (many dogs seem to be lacking this drive) and of nice bone, temperament etc. I could go on and on :)

Well we were trying to figure out a way to get Justice from Canada to Minnesota. Every way we thought just wasn't working out so Barb brought Justice to JoAnne's house in Ohio (a seven hour drive for her one way) and JoAnne brought him the rest of the way from Ohio to ST Paul. I believe it was a good 15 hours or so?

Many thanks to Ferris and JoAnne to puppy sitting for me for a few weeks and teaching him all he knew LOL. He's a vocal puppy unafraid of anything and all the dogs really love him. I'm quite pleased.


.............what?.......I didn't do it.....

Ok I'll let you see me close up.....I'm still cute :)

If I can't see him........he can't see me......

Trying to get Ell to play...and pausing for the camera

This was taken right in between them both barking. He minds Oliver well, which I was hoping!


Believe it or not we took many photos of this stance. Trying to get non show dog people (AKA my family) to assist me with a delay on the digital camera is near maddening! This was the last photo we took and it turned out ok I think.

A couple shots of his front

Dogs will be dogs

It sure is rough being a dog at my house!

Oliver and Sadie 'tag teaming' Mitcham. Mitcham weighs 35# (only five pounds more than Oliver) but he is nearly three times as tall and he uses his legs as arms. Its quite comical.

My beautiful Ell taking it easy on the couch. Sure she looks innocent but I think she's contemplating what to get into next!

Mitcham and Sadie call a truce

Sadie looking pathetic so I will 'scratch da tummy'. It works everytime!

Zoe and Ell relaxin' on the couch. A rare moment for those two wired girls!

Oliver and Mitcham

Oliver absolutely loves Mitcham and vice versa. Here are a few photos of the boys playing. I had just washed their floor pillow and Oliver kept trying to roll around and get HIS smell on it. Mitcham just wanted to play. :)

More photos from St Paul

Well we didn't win any points at the St Paul show (for those that were asking) but I did happen to get a few good photos of my good friends from Ohio! I think it was worth their trip! Read on!


Here is Ferris Beashau with her black bitch Roshambo (Rosha) who went WB,BOW, and BOB for a 5 point major under Mr Hartinger. His wife, Mrs Hartinger liked Rosha enough to make the cut before final Group Placings! Congrats you guys!

Another photo...I was a ways away so they aren't the greatest)

Here is Ferris and Rosha and my friend Tammy Johnston with her Pembroke. I believe she was BOB both days as well from the classes with her bitch. A good weekend for Corgi people!

Cynthia Banazak saw this photo and just laughed but she tends to fall asleep quite abruptly. No wonder her back is so sore! Look at the way she is laying!

Here is the Beaszak crew Cynthia, Emily, Picasso, Ferris and JoAnne. Picasso is shown here with his Group 1/BISS ribbon from the Friday North Star Herding Group Club Specialty! Congrats you guys! Picasso was ranked #4 for the year in Cardigans overall. Rosha the black bitch from the first two photos is a full sister, from a repeat breeding. I'd think the match clicked ;)

St Paul photos

Thanks to Jen Frisby for these neat photos. I never know how my girls look as they look way different from the end of the lead, than they do outside the ring looking in!

Here is Ell struttin' around the ring. She's in the 'teenager' stage :)

I'm always so serious!

Zoe lookin' pretty good. Music is behind her. Zoe is maturing nicely I think.

The Open Bitch class. from left to right Zoe and Garrett, Music and Kim, Sue with her bitch (I can't recall her name sorry!), Emmy and Rus, Wanda with Zoe's littermate Lily.

Lack of time

Well hello there folks!

Its not that I haven't had material to blog about, just lack of time. December was close to our all time record for snow fall in the month, and we had 18 days of measurable snowfall, so then consider many of those snowfalls were quite large and I ended up working a 2nd or 3rd day to finish 'cleaning' up the edges and anything that may have drifted. It was also a record month for income but it was squashed by the fact that I didn't work a single day (for pay anyway) in the month of November, so trying to play catch up with bills ended my excitement of a record month.

I talked about the remodel of the kitchen, well it didn't get done in time for the party, but it is about 45% finished and that is where it has been since Dec 4th. Yes over a month later and its still torn apart. Who has had time?! In December I traveled to my only pigeon show of the year, The Iowa State Pigeon Association held their annual show at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa. I had a great show there, but then brought a sickness home and have lost nearly 25% of my pigeons since then, and nothing I do can stop it. I'm not one for medication, but decided last week to order some 4-in-1 medication. I'm hoping its not too late to stop the spread.

Christmas came and went. I was alone most Christmas and literally pouted so didn't really enjoy Christmas, not even the Church Service which I always enjoy. It took me until Christmas Day night before I finally snapped out of it and realized I was being childish and needed to remember the real reason for Christmas in the first place.

New Year's Eve I was in bed by 10:30pm with some kind of stomach flu. My sister has it now and she relates it to contractions, only worse. I thought my gallbladder was exploding but it obviously hasn't and I'm better now.

I was still somewhat sick at the ST Paul dog show so wasn't up to my regular self and I think everyone who knows me well enough could figure that part out :) It was enjoyable to get away from the snow removal, if even for a few days and even if I was sick. It was nice to see my great friends from Ohio, JoAnne and Ferris and I was bummed that Mary and Erica from Wahpeton, ND couldn't be there, as its been too long since I've seen them either.

Sadie's agility class started again last night and we are doing well. She loves to run and jump and be with me and its very rewarding. I'm the one that needs the work and I'm glad Sadie forgives me for not knowing what the heck I'm doing :)

I'm in the process of purchasing an entire AKC standard course (minus the dog walk, teeter and A frame) so I can practice at home with Sadie and try and get Zoe and Ell prepared for agility as well. Zoe only needs a major to finish, and Ell needs 5 points including a major so they are both 'nearly' done so I am excited about our next event we can bond during. The course pieces are going to be purchased very slowly, and in between other bill pays. I'm still trying to get January's bills caught up, so piece by piece, week by week I should be able to bring the jumps and contacts home one by one. I'll keep you posted.

Right before Christmas my toaster died. You may not think that that is a big deal but I love toast. I realize they are not that expensive but I've been putting my dogs before me and taking Oliver and Ell to the Chiropractor and Acupuncture Vet in Casselton, ND. He's the only one registered/certified in the state of ND and he's really good with the dogs. More importantly Ell and Oliver are happier dogs now.

Now my computer has quit and of course all of my files, photos, address book, emails and music are trapped on the old tower. I need to go and purchase a new tower with more memory, but again, funds are just too tight to be able to go and do that, so i'm now having to walk to my parents house (just a few 100 feet away) to check my email, facebook, blog and other things. I'm just hoping that I can find cash sooner than later to get a new computer. I don't watch much tv, so the computer is my addiction and need it to stay in contact with all my friends that i've made on blogger and elsewhere online!

My dvd/vcr player also quit shortly before Christmas. A dvd player is high on my priority list also as I am a fan of Netflix and was watching them on my computer until that died. Now i have my mom's portable DVD player but jeez is that tiny and its hard to have people over to watch movies on that!

It sounds like I'm whinging, but I'm really not. I've missed my blogging and I miss reading what everyone is up to! I hope soon things will settle down and I can finish my kitchen, get the computer, DVD and toaster and catch up with bills. I'm glad we have snow but would love a few days off to reorganize the house and get situated out in the barns and clean the pens out. I just haven't had the energy between snow blowing and then getting sick. You'd think I'd be in the best shape of my life! I'm just exhausted.

Maybe my lack of computer will give me the much needed time to clean house without the distraction of the internet.....I"ll keep you posted!