Lolli's baby

Pictured at 2 1/2 weeks...Lolli's baby, Phillip.  Everyone say "awwww".

Genetics--Amazing

Shortcake (top) is the grandmother of Jam (bottom)...same sleep habits = the amazing genetic link. 

Uh Huh

Shortcake has moved in and taken over in 48 hours.  Not a record but darn fast for a nearly 12 year old dog.  Today she pushed Lemmy off the sofa, hefted her rear end up and plopped herself on my feet.  And she wouldn't let me have any of the nice warm throw blanket either.  Shorty aka "The Snatcher" was in short possession of the following food items today:  a piece of buttered toast, half a plate of macaroni and cheese and a partially eaten hamburger.  Note to self:  start eating at the table or put her in a crate before attempting to eat a meal. It was short possession only because I swear she can swallow large objects in one gulp and then look utterly innocent as if it was just a figment of my imagination that I had food on my plate a nano second prior.  Despite her petite stature she uses her body very well and has body blocked, pushed, shoved and been otherwise rude as hell to the other dogs in her attempt to be the ONLY dog being petted at ALL times.  Senior, geriatric, retired, wobbly old Collie huh...yea right...

Until next time...

SUNDAY NEWS

I left Declan up in Minnesota yesterday and brought back a couple of new faces and a few temporaries.  Boy is this house brown again!  Amy and Brian both called to say that Declan was winner's dog today for another point--YEA Declan!  He'll be wintering up north (see, he is not a normal dog, normal dogs would head south in the winter) to get out to the MN shows.  I picked up a couple of more retirees for the Collie Assisted Living Facility :-)  Shortcake, who is Spice's mommy and Biscotti have come to stay.  Shorty is 11 1/2 and Biscotti is 8.  Shorty and Lemmy have come to an agreement, Lemmy gets the living room sofa and Shorty gets the one in the bedroom.  Now if they can get Tori to agree to share said sofa with Shorty it will all be wonderful.  Sally is here awaiting Hobbs return from WI, and Hope is back with a new foster, Ace.  And they are all sables.  With Declan gone that means only Kit and foster Gem are tri.  Unless you add in Trace and Charlie. 
I need more camera batteries but hope to have pics of the dogs and stuff later in the week.
Until next time...

RETIREES

Tori, 8 (l) and Lemmy, 11 (r)

TGiving Looms

Holy cow--Thanksgiving is but a week away!  Where is my coupon for the turkey?  Oh well, why cook a turkey when so many nice buffets provide both meal and clean up.  :-)  This year AJ (who will read this and finally know what the plan is since she hasn't been let in on the goings on) and I will likely eat out.  Maybe we will find a good movie to go to, but definitely low key and fun.  Kim and Ben will probably do the same in Tennessee since Scott is going to be gone with the high school basketball team.  The only really disappointed ones will be the dogs who I'm sure would approve of a turkey made just for them. 
I think I forgot about the looming holiday with all the dog goings on.  Monday I dropped Glitter and Calvin off to their homes in WI, left Hobbs to breed Musca at Sahra and John's, and met up with Jack's new foster dad.  On Saturday the dawn of the day will find me sitting in the parking lot in Shakopee waiting to drop Declan off for Brian to show for a while, picking up two geriatric dogs who will retire with the rest of the aged crew on the farm, do a meet and greet for Willow and pick up Hope to bring home.  At least I think that's what is supposed to happen.  I need a score card or a map or schematic or something to keep track!
Eventually Hobbs will return home only to head back to MN for another breeding.  He's in demand after producing such nice puppies in 2009 and 2010.  I am looking forward to a couple of his babies running around in 2012. 
I still haven't gotten the tarping of the kennels completed, something about all the wind this week has dampened my enthusiasm for the task.  Although I did drag a hose out to the burn pile and got rid of garbage and some dried up weeds pulled early this fall.  With it still so dry around here I keep a hose handy.  Talked to Becky today and she had mini-flurries up north of the Twin Cities.  She can keep it! 
Baths scheduled for tomorrow, ugh.
Until next time...

Killing time

Just sittin' here watching the lovelylone puppy from the Bryce-Lolli breeding.  Since I had to make the trip today to WI I'm checking up on the little guy.  Granny Sahra had to return to work today and we have all been on pins and needles with Lolli's calcium deficiency.   I am happy to report he has gained 2 ounces since yesterday and is (knock on wood) doing well!  Jack from MWCR spent a week with me and is on his way to northern WI. Calvin has returned to his home and I look forward to having him back in the future to work on his CD and if mom and dad agree we will try more rally and fingers crossed , his CDX.  Glitter is home now also and I am sure she is giddy knowing that she doesn't have to be a dog anymore.  I also brought Hobbs over for a rendezvous with Musca.  Fingers crossed for nice puppies out of both that breeding and the upcoming Beijing-Splash breeding.  I can't wait for a couple of smooth babies to show!

I'm Old

I'm Old.  I figured it out today after 5 hours outside putting up perimeter fence for the kennels, fixing a few damaged parts of the northwest fence, hanging 2 gates and pounding a few of those t-posts.  I felt great until I came into the house and sat for 5 minutes.  Then, you guessed it, rigamortis had set in and getting up was an adventure in joints moaning, groaning and popping.  Popping joints cannot be a good thing.  Yep, I'm Old. 

I must say tho it was worth the effort.  I still need to get the electrical cords strung for the heated water bowls outside (thankfully I did the inside ones last year and left them) and some strategic tarping to help with some of the nasty winter winds.  If the weather cooperates I think I'll string the heater cords thru PVC so the bratty dogs, ie Declan and Charlie won't end up chewing up the bowl cords.  Not sure how to keep Declan and Charlie from trying to move the bowls, perhaps I will be inspired along the way.  A few tweaks here and there and I should be ready for the final step.

I hope I can accomplish it all, I mean I am Old ya know!  :-)

Until next time...

Seriously

Are they serious?  Snow?  Winter storm watch?  While it's not for me directly it is for just to the north and west of me.  Don't they know I haven't completed all my fall chores yet?  Rain and more rain for tonight into tomorrow.  If I didn't know it by the internet weather I would know it by the fact that Roni, Rick and even Josh have been tilling up the corn fields since early this a.m. and continue into the dark of the night.  I have no idea what the purpose is but it must have to do with the fact that rain and then snow is expected and they need it done before all of that. 
Seriously?  Snow?  My dogs are blowing coat, we cannot get cold enough to have snow. 

Ugh, nothing like a reminder of the winter to come with snow storms in early November.  Seriously??

Home Again

I'm back after a week away and oh it does feel good to be home.  I missed the kids that didn't get to go along.  The trip would not have been possible without the help of one Peppi Anstett who came to doggy sit the herd.  Thank you Thank you Peppi! 
I started in WI to assist with Lolli's litter.  Sadly only one puppy was born alive, but he is spectacular.  Apparently Bryce only makes boys, but that is okay because he makes really really nice boys.  "Phillip" is a very dark chocolaty sable who appears to have his granddaddy Gavin's looks.  He is growing like a little weed, Lolli is being a wonderfully attentive mom and Sahra is managing some sleep.  A win-win all the way around. 
This weekend Spice, Hope and Calvin made the trip to MN.  Hope is now in her new adopted home and once again, it's made to order.  I could not be happier with this placement and seeing the pictures from her first day Hope looks very happy too.  Spice qualified both Fri and Sat in Beginners Novice to earn her BN title.  Calvin finished his RN on Friday too.  Gorgeous purple and white rosettes for new titles were a bonus.  Unfortunately the plans for legs on Calvin's CD were sabotaged by the "anticipated recall" bug.  It's okay though because up to that point he had outstandingly high scores going in the mid 190's on Fri/Sat and 180's on Sun.  Calvin is not a 3 day dog but he sure gave it his all.  He'll be heading home soon but I hope to have him back down the road to go out and get that CD.  He was so much fun to show!  My thanks to Deb and Scott for letting me show Calvin and for providing the funds so that Spice could show too.  If not for them she wouldn't have been able to show.
Until next time...