Winter has arrived - mud season is past

All is well but baby, it's cold outside! The new coffee maker has been working overtime warming us up with cappuccino and latte. It almost makes the weather bearable.

The kennel is busy and the dogs are in charge. It is so cold this morning that the little dogs are exercising inside. Little Mr "I'm-In-Charge" Westie had a few choice words to share with Moses the Airedale as he inspected the feeding process (Moses in typical Airedale fashion just shook his head and rolled his eyes). Westie boss-iness is in full swing and he also has positioned himself as the night time clean up crew. Provided all other dogs are inside with hatches closed, he will happily hop through his door to update his brother on the kennel status. If anyone is still outside, however, he is in charge and outside to the bitter end. Little Mr Bichon, on the other hand is smartly inside eating the bedtime milkbones and laughing all the way to the bank. Both are looking forward to New Year's Eve celebrations and have requested Mum's if Dom Perignon '96 is out of stock. They guarantee us that Warren will foot the bill . . . The four Penaire Airedales have departed in a flurry of waves. Virginia and Sue had lots of adventures returning from Williamsburg (9 hours later than planned and in the middle of the night, of course) but the smiling faces this morning made up for the long wait in Newark, we're pretty sure. All should sleep well for a few days - their barkers are exhausted! Wilma is doing just fine and is a wonderful boarder as is our resident Corgi - Brewster. Today, we will have another Lab in residence (Wilma will be pleased) and tomorrow two more Airedales and a third Lab.

The house crew is quiet and happy to be inside with the windchill hovering at minus 25. Patti and Sophie are eating and content with the addition of Costco's tortiere to their meals. We are on our way to the city to hunt and gather another couple of those pies. It's a case of whatever works! Meal planning is under way for tomorrow night as well - New Year's Eve is a stay at home and have fine food and champagne evening.

After the largess of Christmas, dinner was a simple affair last night. Omelettes filled with herbs, scallops and Jarlsberg, french bread and salad made a good meal with Christmas cookies rounding out the evening.

Bosing Day arrived and we took to the roads

There is a momentary lull in the proceedings so time to update. The day brought with it a trip to Tatamagouche for a visit with Shelagh. On entering the room, Mary and Jo introduced themselves, noting that it had been a year since they had been able to visit with Shelagh. The clear and somewhat peevish response "I know who you are.". It was a wonderful visit. Christmas has never been an easy period for Shelagh, so we anticipated a difficult year this year. While the last visit was strained, Boxing Day brought with it a better outlook, a brighter and more spirited discussion of a myriad of topics and a real delight in visiting with Mary and Jo. With hugs on departure after a long visit, Lee was heartened at Shelagh's improved spirits. Leaving a plate of Regalridge Christmas baking as well as a piece of meat pit, Shelagh is settled for another week.

The kennel is busy and the dogs are doing very well. Old Wilma was given a large dog bed as a loan from Sophie and is enjoying it's comforts. Gemini is ushering her around the yards and showing her all of the good spots while the warm weather seems to agree with her. Both old dogs are doing well. The two little white dogs are thriving and playing their usual games with us. While one is old and the other ancient, they are eating well, enjoying their runs in the exercise yards with their pal Trebia and are all in all happy with the season. They were particularly happy with their turkey dinner and note that Lee is a better cook than Warren. We aren't sure whether that is a true compliment but will take it under advisement. The four Clarke Airedales haven't missed a beat and are enjoying the exercise and activity level of the kennel. Lucy and Baron are up to their usual tricks and Naomi and Moses occasionally shake their heads as they watch the relatives antics. Haydn and Fiddler have become fast friends once again and seem to sense that they have met before. We are quite certain that Haydn has taught Fiddler the Star Spangled Banner. The question is whether Fiddler has taught Haydn "In plenty and in time of need, when this fair land was young . . . " It will be interesting to hear the Barbados anthem sung at a Penn State football game! Levi is attempting to keep the youngsters in line but it is a tough sled. Brewster is running on his little Corgi legs and herding everyone in sight. It is a great group of dogs this year and we are enjoying them.

The house dogs are delighted with the extra people in the house and while Lori is a bit ticked that Chantelle did not see fit to take her to Digby, all others appear to feel the universe is unfolding as it should. The little Prince is doing splendidly and Piper has finally agreed that Mary is allowed to carry him about and to take him in and out to the deck for some fresh air and exercise. He has started his house training and is doing remarkably well. Nick went on the Tatamagouche trip and enjoyed his drive.

Dinner was an East Coast affair with fresh scallops taking center stage. We added a lovely asparagus and parmesan risotto, fresh peas and a salad of cranberries, toasted pecans, apple and celery with a lovely cumin dressing. Dessert included Ken's fruitcake, Christmas cookies and Lee's chocolate peppermint candy. We are faring well.

Christmas

Merry Christmas and thanks for your notes enquiring whether or not our grocery money had dried up to the point that the blog could not be updated. The truth is, the laptop met it's maker (John, your presence is requested) and that upset the normal flow. The week of Christmas did not allow for time at the computer but all is, in fact, well.

It has been a busy December in the kennel with comings and goings at a record high. Many of our 'regular' boarders were here early in the month, leaving space for new arrivals and the two little white dogs for the Christmas period. Roddi and Ruari are in residence and in charge - at least in their own minds, and out playing with the Cirneco. Lucy and Baron rule yard number three and are quite certain the world needs to have their opinion on most happenings. Naomi and Moses are quieter and more settled, happy to have their staff looking after them, pointing their paws when they feel a chore is less than complete. Gemini has a Labrador friend and is as happy as Gemini always seems to be, both exploring the outdoors with sporting dog precision and accompanying the humans as they work through the daily routines. Brewster marches to his own beat, seems to enjoy the activity level and has the perimeter of the kennel as his domain - a good thing for a Corgi. Levi and Haydn are looking after Fiddler. The two brothers have enjoyed their holiday and have developed Airedale puppy games much to the dismay of Levi who does his best to keep the two youngsters in line. Jazz is with us in the house, settled into the 'Older Welsh' room behind the den with Bob and Jack.

The housedogs are doing well - Patti and Sophie are enjoying the bounty of the season and the rest are bouncing along, happy with company, extra food and the occasional jumbo milkbone. Dolly and Nick are particularly appreciative of the increased rations and have entered a request for Christmas to occur monthly. Einstein notes that the best part of the season is here - there are empty boxes to sleep in, wrapping paper in abundance to hide beneath and people to torture at every turn. Life doesn't get better than that for a cat.

Christmas Eve was with the Schenk-Ross's with our traditional tortiere, gingerbread and hard sauce, tomato chow and 'Twas The Night Before Christmas read as a round. Great fun, wonderful friends and the perfect meal ushered in Christmas 2009. The big day brought with it great bounty and everyone agreed that it was one of the best Christmases ever. Thoughtful gifts blended with smiles and a few tears as we opened the world's best coffee maker (y'all are welcome for a latte any time) a new laptop and a notebook, THE drill, a decoy from Ironbound Island, an antique quilt, art, rain gear of the highest order, personalized dog related items, an incredible Airedale cake stand (it will be well used), books and jewelery, snowmen in varying shapes and sizes and much more. Starting the day at 5:30, we finished the famous Root liqueur from Pennsylvania and the plum pudding at close to midnight. Jo and Mary are here with us from State College to help us celebrate and the dogs are tickled. They are favourite additions to Regalridge at any time and never more so than at Christmas. We celebrated well, laughed freely and enjoyed the day thoroughly.

Meals (for those who have missed the menus this past week) included yogourt pancakes and bacon, fruit salad (orange, pineapple, cherry, blueberry and banana) with a honey ginger sauce, maple granola, maple scones, haddock chowder, apricot bread, cherry bread, turkey, stuffing, brussel sprouts prepared by Jo in a cream sauce with nutmeg (outstanding), roasted beets, potatoes and squash from Ken's garden, fiddleheads, Christmas cookies and homemade candies, candied peel, etc etc etc. There is no shortage of food, drink or coffee. Visiting will be on the agenda for the next couple of days. Perhaps Tony and Karen will join us in New Minas for lunch?

Wrapping, Impressive Meals and Gift Arrival herald the day

It was wrapping day and success is ours. The closet level dropped appreciably and items are appearing under the tree. The local outward bound packages were tied up with bows and those going with us to Digby are lovely. We have made progress. Ken worked outside finishing up late fall jobs and trimming yet more trees. We have lots of trees and he appears intent on having something or other on most of them. Chantelle was in Windsor for the day, arriving home laden with packages and wonderful commissioned pieces.

The kennel is going strong. Kacia and Neeley are star boarders, eating well, playing in their yard and just having a good time. Winnie and Trebia have bonded and Trebia has introduced Winnie to all of her favourite mud holes in the December yard. Winnie is mighty impressed and mentioned that Anjin left too soon. Lucy and Nemo are best friends and Lucy has agreed with him that coming in through your door when you are called is just a silly habit. Millie is a great little Wheaten and is doing her best to be appropriately responsive. She is very easy going and aims to please. Marged and Shillelagh are certain their owner is on her way home, also certain that if they call to her, she will come with alacrity. The fact that they still have voices after three weeks defies all logic and science.

The house dogs had a decent day, although most feel that dreary, wet days are not at the top of their lists. They do appeal to the youngsters who love to go 'muddin' and take every opportunity to check out the earth's core. Patti and Sophie had a good day, ate well, enjoyed the fire and the Christmas tree in the den. The little characters rolled along, urging the big dogs to enjoy the season - in Norwich and Welsh fashion. Bob and Scout have exchanged crates and both are happier. Bob now has the room with a view in the senior's section of the house feeding room, next to the heater, and Scout can supervise the kennel dogs out of his window.

Dinner happened without Ken, a highly unusual occurrence - it was his Christmas dinner with the Health Board and the speakers were oenophiles. I thing that was the right term but if not, according to Ken they knew more about wine than anyone he had ever met. There were wine pairings and discussions of the chosen wines for each course. It sounded like a tremendously enjoyable time. Chantelle and Lee suffered through homemade mac and cheese (cheddar, Jarlsberg and Parmesan reggiano) accompanied by oriental chicken thighs. Late in the evening, Willow Lodge called to let us know that Shelagh wanted us to have her Christmas list and enumerated the items for our edification. Fortunately, we have most of it covered (and wrapped) but who knew that she wanted mittens! That crystal ball has got to get shined up. Tomorrow is Tatamagouche if the roads co-operate. Thursday Saulnierville. Friday the RNYSquadron. Sataurday a Christmas party. It's a busy season and it sparkles. We like that.

The City welcomed us - and the crowds were manageable

The city welcomed us. Store doors flew and gifts landed in an ignominious pile next to Nick. Costco was saved for last and offered up the last few items including the holes in the pantry - yes there were crevices still available to us for the fruit and nuts. Home in time for Ken to head to Truro for his Health Board meeting and a couple of hours for Lee to trim the stairs and lug all of the gifts up the stairs to the wrapping station. Trees were lit and the house looks like Christmas.

The kennel is busy and the dogs are all having a good time. With decent weather (think a November sky - overcast and threatening but not overly cold) they were out to play for good periods and had a good time in their 'packs'. Winnie and Trebia played chase; Millie, Nemo and Lucy explored and watched late geese fly overhead; Kacia and Neeley managed their yard with big dog aplomb and all was well with the world of boarders. Anjin departed, delighted to see his owners and ready with stories of his kennel romance.

The house dogs would have liked warmer weather but the puppies enjoyed themselves and were bouncing on our return. Patti and Sophie continue to do well, are eating and going outside in their usual rotation. Patti has taken on many of her old roles and is managing the inside activity at her old level. We are relieved to see our Patti in action.

All of us had large lunches, so dinner was light. Homemade chicken noodle soup, egg rolls, a lovely old cheddar and Christmas cookies (with ice cream for some). It worked. And tomorrow will be a day for wrapping.

Parties Parties everywhere

It was a day of comings and goings with lots happening in between. Chantelle had her extended family Christmas party so was off in a flurry mid-morning, the little car packed to the gills and a few inches lower than usual. Lee and Ken were in the kitchen, Lee making her famous roasted root vegetables (turnip, parsnip, carrot, onion, mixed oils, herbs and special salt, roasted pecans in lime pepper, etc.) and Ken yet another batch of the world renowned fudge. Then it was off to the ATA Christmas party. It was a great crowd, a wonderful home in which to host the party and a successful dinner and auction. An interesting twist was Ken's bidding for Tony. Lee, as auctioneer, had a moment of panic when Ken started bidding on Cathy's donated van but then remembered that Tony had told Ken that anything with an Airedale on it was to be bought so Karen has a new vehicle for a very good price, Anjin will be riding in style, we will find a big bow for their return and the ATA is solvent for a few years to come.

The kennel is bouncing along. Millie the Wheaten, Nemo the Welsh, Lucy the Welsh and Trebia the Cirneco are managing the number two yard. It is a parade with Nemo on a leash, Lucy carried and the other two flanking Chantelle, urging her along. Nyssa and Kacia are in yard three, doing well and enjoying the routine. Noses are improving and meds are finishing up. Amy, Winnie and their puppy Anjin are in yard four and are having a great time. Amy and Anjin will leave today, a separation of the new romance, sad, isn't it. Marged and Shillelagh wait for one run to empty so they get a spin and a new venue in which to exercise their lungs. We are looking forward to Margaret's return almost as much as they are.

The housedogs are doing well. Patti and Sophie are doing well, eating and wagging. The little dogs are tumbling around the den and deck, looking for Santa's elves around every corner. Piper is enjoying the little Prince, proud of his progress and watching him with a truly maternal eye. She isn't going to be happy to see him leave. He is thriving, well adjusted and a delightful puppy, tail always up and loving to explore. He is weaned, likes his food but loves to sleep with Piper at night.

The ATA dinner was wonderful - turkey and Margot's great baked ham, wonderful side dishes and extraordinary desserts. It is a party not to be missed. Tomorrow is the city to mail gifts, finish up a family or two in Christmas shopping and the weekly Costco run, all to be finalized before Ken goes to Truro for his Health Board meeting. A busy day shaping up . . .

Cooking, Grooming, Polishing and Shopping - Christmas is coming!

We were busy but so was the rest of the world. With company coming for dinner, it was an early start. Ken decided that the dining room looked so good that he would give it a final polish - and that was his day. Chantelle had a list a mile long for Christmas spa treatments so spent her day in the midst of flying hair. Little Megan the Welsh was spiffed up and Amy Airedale was finished as were several Regalridge dogs, including Clint, Charlotte, Clem and Jessie Rachel. Lee worked on her multiple personalities - from the kitchen and dining room to the hunter gatherer in Truro on a dog food run, a bit of power shopping (oh where oh where have teh hockey cards gone, oh where oh where can they be . . .) and settled back in to finish dinner prep.

The kennel is rocking with lots of the regulars here for a pre-Christmas visit. Marged and Shillelagh are certain that adding a few notes to their repertoire will bring their owner back more quickly. Anjin, Amy and Winnie are in number three yard and are developing new Airedale games. Anjin has chosen Amy as his intended while Winnie holds both in some mild disdain. The third point in a triangle isn't always fun. Lucy, Trebia and Nemo are holding down number four yard. The old dogs enjoy each other and watch the young Cirneco in amazement. Kacia and Nyssa are thriving. They have not only their outside run but also the perimeter area and move on to yard number three as the added bonus. Their medications are being put on and in and all is stable. Millie arrived in a flurry late afternoon and immediately settled in to her regular routine. It is an easy group of boarding dogs who like the day we lay out for them and let us know.

It was a very very very very cold day. The wind was high and biting so nobody wanted to be out for long periods. It was a quiet crowd of supervisors in the den, stretched out on beds and happy to enjoy the fire and the lights of the den tree. Lola left us for her new home with Charlie Airedale. We miss her but know that having her own people and a great older brother is the right answer. She will be in charge of Moncton in no time.

Dinner was a good pre-Christmas run. Jimmy and Dawn came to see the little Prince. Drinks and appetizers were followed by a prime rib dinner with Delia's fixings -new carrots in a maple glaze, fresh peas and roast potatoes with two lovely Australian wines. Creme Caramel and Christmas cookies were a decent ending and our Ken was happy with that one. We did discover a nice non-alcohol based drink at Costco - an apple-pomegranate sparkling juice packages in corked champagne bottles. It is a nice addition to a table as an alternative beverage. The room is now ready for Christmas. And we are almost there too.

Guess what - we found a room!

We found the dining room! Remember the summer projects that became fall programs? The dining room had become the workshop - and a true workshop it was, replete with sawdust, sawdust and more sawdust. Sawdust coats stuff and the dining room has stuff. So this was the day to wade in and see if it was possible to find the room, keeping in mind that Ken had spent a day lugging the workshop pieces to their homes in the garage, basement and who knows where. And it happened. A day and much sorting and pitching later, we have a dining room with a Christmas tree and polished silver.

The kennel is increasing with Lucy's arrival in the morning. She has a group of friends that includes Nemo and Trebia and settled in to enjoy her visit. Within moments, she spied Nemo's big stuffed toys that he carries out (drags with all his might is a bit closer to the truth) to the outside run to sleep on in the sun. She has added their duplicates to her Christmas list. Nessa and Keeley have settled in and are happy with the accommodation. They have been introduced to their exercise yard and have taken full advantage of it, exploring all of the corners and nodding their approval. They are happily being medicated (noses and ears) and eating their three meals a day. Two boarders coming together are always settled easily and the Chessie and Berner are no exception. Winnie and Amy are managing their yard, looking after the area as sensible Airedale girls are wont to do. Anjin is considered their communal puppy and is being taught all things adult Airedales feel it necessary to teach a puppy. He is taking it in good humour and kicking up his heels if he really approves of the lesson. Marged and Shillelagh, on the other hand, need no direction from anyone and are quite convinced that if they repeat their yodel often enough, their owner will hear them in Vietnam and return immediately.

It was a blustery cold day so the dogs were happier inside than outside. Patti and Sophie are doing well and we are thankful for the time we have with them. The little dogs are bouncing and vocalizing - looking forward to Christmas and urging the rest to become as excited as they are. Georgie and Clint have no idea what they are talking about but do their best to ratchet up their activity levels to meet the occasion. Atlas is just happy that there is food all over the counters and that he can most often get to the napkins on the table before Lola grabs them. Ken spent the day making fudge with lots of expert supervision underfoot.

Dinner was preceded by drinks in front of the tree and appropriate oohs and ahs for the newly found dining room. Then there was a bar b que in the icy cold night and yet more wrapping. It is a busy season and lots left to do.

It was Christmas shopping day. Chantelle needed to finish up and Lee had been given a list and checked it twice so the girls were off to the city. Chicken soup and apple pie were dropped off for Reg's dining pleasure - he is always pleased to have a change in diet and homemade soup is one of his favourites. Lattes in hand, Bayer's Lake Business Park was the target and the girls were delighted with their foraging. While it was busy, it wasn't overwhelming, the parking was plentiful and the options limitless. Good pricing is everywhere (although why we get the impossible requests from Calgary, we haven't quite figured out - does anyone out there have a line on hockey cards?!) and the van was full of a collection of gifts as it made its' way back to Belnan for a late dinner.

The dogs had a bit of a turnover with two arrivals. Amy remains in residence, sporting her lovely new haircut and Winnie is keeping her company. Neily and Keesha are settling in and have quickly graduated to the perimeter run of the kennel. That's a great start for new dogs. This pair (a Chesapeake Bay Retriever and a Bernese Mountain Dog) is well socialized and seem happy with their changed circumstances, not uncommon for dogs boarded in pairs.

The housedogs were limited to supervising our Ken and found that job a bit light. Although he is in constant motion, one person does not a full workload make. They were relieved to see the van return and their full complement returned to Regalridge. Piper has integrated fully into the house routine after what she considered her banishment to the bedroom with the puppy. The change in having him downstairs suits both of them well. She checks on him regularly, he has the room with a view so more stimulation in his fourth week of life and the two return upstairs in the evening for their bonding time. We have actually enjoyed the one puppy experience with Piper and have learned, yet again, the special nature of our dogs. Patti is doing well as is Sophie so the world continues to turn as it should.

Dinner had been prepared in the slow cooker so the chicken in an Oriental sauce was ready - much to Ken's relief. Paired with vegetables from the garden and Christmas cookies, we were worn out but content.

The list is getting shorter

It's mid-week and we are on track. That's a little frightening but we can handle the pressure. It was a day to be in a number of places at the same time and for the most part it worked. Another large batch of Christmas cookies happened - this time Swedish Tea Cakes, a perennial favourite. Wrapping consumed the afternoon as did outside trimming for Ken after a bit of gate maintenance - that has to be done when you open the gate and it wants to come with you. Ken also spent some of his spare time learning to speak Clint. Clint ,the young Airedale, has a repertoire that would be admired by any opera singer worth their salt. His range, ability to differentiate sounds and timing lead us to believe that with a little more work he will be orating by his first birthday. Chantelle was in Windsor for a day that included a Christmas lunch for one of her organizations. Lunch at the Woodshire is a great thing and everything from the applewood smoked turkey sandwich with it's accoutrements through the impeccable service was thoroughly enjoyed.



The dogs love days in the kitchen. Sophie had a yen for homemade chicken soup so that was made yet again - and she deigned to eat rather than looking at the ceiling after her food is placed carefully in front of her. That ceiling routine can be darned annoying. Patti decided that bar b qued hamburger would be her food of choice and along with her supplement the menu suited her just fine. With the medical ward looked after, the others had a good day. The weather was fine, if a bit cooler than usual. The little critters had a great time talking to the birds on the deck - there is a storm coming and the county's supply of birds are here to top up. Phil pheasant has returned to the chestnut tree outside the office window, with Philomena. Winter is now truly arrived. The Northern Orioles are still occasionally in evidence with many of our regulars. There was such a bevy of mourning doves in the tree across from the deck that they looked like Christmas ornaments.

Barrett left among a wave of uplifted paws saluting his departure. Trebia has asked that he return for Christmas - he is a great playmate. Brenda, his owner, was tickled that he had such a good vacation. Amy and Winnie are holding the fort with more company arriving tomorrow.

Dinner was East Coast with fresh haddock, vegetables and (well maybe not all East Coast) lovely risotto with shallots. Finished by apple pie and cheddar, life is pretty darned good.

Tuesday is a good day. The week is still young and the potential to change the world still exists (it diminishes as the week end looms - worlds stay pretty much unchanged on week ends). Ken had a meeting in Truro so spent the day planning for the meeting (ensuring he wasn't going to miss meals), driving back and forth and getting home in time to eat yet again. There was chicken soup from last night's chicken - that makes the whole house happy. CKC business continues but Christmas is coming so wrapping and decorating take precedence. Wrapping is finally at the top of the list and a good start has been made.

The housedogs are doing well. Patti is enjoying the attention, her energy level is rebuilding and she seems content - Ken is doing well supporting her illness. Sophie is sleeping more but when she gets to the end of the entry to the house, she is still off and running, finds her ball and barks it up and down the yard, less frequently than when she was in her prime but still with alacrity. The Norwich and honorary Norwich are tumbling around the kitchen, looking for a reason to encourage other dogs to do something - anything - that gives them a reason to exercise their lungs. Viola is growing and singing the 'all I want for Christmas' song - yes, she is missing her two front teeth! Piper is more fond of the little Prince than ever, particularly since he is now downstairs through the day and evening so she can get back into her regular routine. When he goes back upstairs, she is happy to accompany him and they spend the night together.

The kennel is moving along well. Barrett and Trebia have developed great games and keep the yard in a whirl. Amy and Winnie have everything under control in the Airedale world and greatly enjoy each other's company. Marged and Shillelagh are pretty certain the area requires direction from the Welsh community and are giving it their best shot.

Dinner was early and well received. A bar b que in December, not needing a heavy coat to accomplish the task, is a great thing. It was steak from the market across the road, potatoes from the garden and local turnip followed by Lee's apple pie, full of nutmeg and dressed with Christmas cut outs. Santa Claus is Coming to Town was on television - did you know that Christmas is coming?

The tree is trimmed

Life is back to normal - Lee is home. It was a day of catching up and readying the house for the season. With lots of support and supervision in the kitchen, cupboards were organized and cleaning after Ken's week end efforts was warranted. The small tree in the office was lit and the big tree was trimmed. It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Chantelle was in Windsor for her usual Monday meetings and Ken had to go to the city for a funeral home visitation so cars were in all directions.

It was a big day for Piper - the little prince came downstairs. From mid-morning until bedtime he was lord of all he surveyed in the den. Initially, things were a bit overwhelming for a little four week old guy. On his big down filled blanket, he sat with a very worried expression, trying to figure out exactly how his world had expanded so darned fast. Then Piper realized - 'hey wait a minute, I know that puppy!' and things improved. She stood on her back legs for at least half an hour telling him that everything was fine and that she would still look after him in this big room. The rest of the dogs shrugged and went on with their important jobs for the day. Settling in, he learned that the den was not such a bad place, there was lots of stimulation and Good Morning America is really interesting. We raised the bar mid-afternoon and started him on mashed puppy food with warm goat's milk. That went over pretty well. He drank the milk and nibbled the food. As time went on, more milk was added and by bedtime he was eating like a little trooper.

The rest of the dogs are fine - the weather is colder but they don't seem to mind a lot. Patti continues to do well, is active and seems to feel well. The little Norwich are so tickled with their new haircuts that they are just bouncing. They are as cute as cute can be and spent the day tumbling over each other, apparently admiring each other's new look, with big smiles on those little faces.

The kennel is rocking along. Barrett is having a whale of a time with the little Cirneco and, I suspect, will miss the company when he goes home. Amy and Winnie have bonded and are playing Airedale-girl games that involve analysis of the exercise yard, sorting out the other dogs from the yard perspective More are arriving tomorrow so it will be a busy spot.

Dinner was great - you can't beat Ken's beer can chicken with fresh rosemary, garlic and spices. Adding Regalridge potatoes and squash made for a nice evening. And - the Grinch movie was on television - did you know Christmas is coming?!

Rosie is a television star

It was a long few days with Lee in Toronto and Ken and Chantelle managing Regalridge. All is well, with indoor house management slightly off kilter when it is short handed.

Patti is doing very well. Linda's support potion seems to be boosting Patti's system, improving her appetite and her spirits. She is active, seems more herself and is again in control of the property. It was a grooming marathon all week end with Chantelle giving the crew the gift of Christmas hair cuts (Abigail would challenge the 'gift' concept) and the dogs look fabulous. On Lee's arrival late in the evening, the proud Norwich greeted her at the door, showing off their new and vastly improved 'look'. Patti, too, is spiffed up as is Bob the Welsh. Santa will be mighty impressed.

The kennel is building and the dogs had a good week end - even the snow didn't dampen spirits. While it was a winter storm, it blew through quickly and was pretty much over by late afternoon. The ground is white and there was a residue of ice over everything, keeping Ken's airport arrival later than the flight arrival - Lee was amused by that (and if you believe that . . .). Barrett has been joined by Winnie and Amy Airedales. Barrett wants a Cirneco for Christmas. Rosie, a Regalridge Welsh Terrier, will be on Good Morning America Monday morning. Keep an eye out for that!

All else is well and life will return to normal Monday.

Air Canada benefits and Regalridge loses

We again woke with the plan to be in different cities by the end of the day. Ken and Chantelle will be in Elmsdale and Lee in Toronto, if she manages to repack that suitcase. Patti is again improved, eating more and holding court in her exercise yards. It is heartening to see a rally and we are hopeful that it will continue for a while yet. Ken and Chantelle are not particularly looking forward to Lee's leaving - a pair of hands lost and a workload added. The weather is miserable - we could all drown simply going from the car to the house so there will be more housetime for all concerned today.

The kennel is ticking along and the dogs are happy in their indoor/outdoor enclosures. Not for them the exercise yards with rain and miserable weather. Turn up the music, please, was Barrett's request.

Dinner was a mixed deal - Italian in Toronto and Chinese in Belnan. All else went along normally with drying out occurring late afternoon.

It was a trip to Woodstock on her own for Lee. Patti is ill and Ken stayed home to work with her to be here through the day when Chantelle is at work. It is a long drive on your own but a book on CD and Sirius radio sure helped. Dad is struggling to move forward with a new routine but is working on the Christmas Cantata, has the house trimmed beautifully for Christmas and shining clean from top to bottom. We fear for the paint on the walls once Christmas activities are over. Fortunately, he has a number of great friends who ensure he gets out for coffee and meals. Not being able to drive is a terrible inconvenience but manageable in a small town.

Linda came up to help Ken with Patti, bringing utensils (to this house!) and ingredients for a support protocol. She is still Patti, though, and improving from the event on the week end, managing the yard and piling the yard toys in her lair. The rest of the dogs are fine, happy to have the warm weather and indiscriminate with wet or dry days. Woodstock is white with snow so a return to balmy Nova Scotia was great.

The kennel is building with Barrett the Gordon Setter in charge. Ken is getting a great charge out of him with the comment "Do you know he's so big that he looks down on me when he jumps up on my shoulders"? Tom decided he needed a friend so introduced him to Trebia the Cirneco. Stand back folks if you feel an unusual wind. That would be those two racing around the run. The odd couple (skinny little hound and big impressive Sporting Dog) are having a whale of a time. Allan is doing well. He likes the yard to himself but has determined that he has to be out at the same time as Nemo in the adjacent yard. Welsh determine their own routines. It is forming up to be a busy month in the kennel with lots of coming and going.

The kitchen is a busy place whether or not Lee is home. Ken and Linda worked on Patti's protocol; Chantelle made meals for the house and kept on top of things; Sophie managed the space on behalf of the canine contingent and Piper circled the wagons during her breaks from the little prince. The little prince is progressing well - marching around our bedroom in his area and sitting next to his Mom when she works with him. Last night's dinner was salmon steaks on the bar b que and finished with Christmas cookies. Lee is off to Toronto tomorrow for CKC meetings - her Dad sent her home early because of weather looming in NB - so it will be a few more days of everyone picking up her workload. And life goes on . . .

Friends helped us usher in the season

It was a lead up to Christmas Sunday and company was in order. The trees are up, the house is semi-trimmed and a dinner party ushered in the season. Ken has been angling for one of the 8 pound organic free range chickens from the market across the road so many hours of preparation later dinner was served. In the interim, Shawn came and went grooming Bella and collecting what we hope is pregnant Laurel. Jack departed sporting a new hair cut and a jaunty gait and the bathtub had a revolving sprayer, working overtime as dogs had Christmas haircuts. Ken visited with folks from NB who came to see the Regalridge dogs and then came in to help with finding the dining room. It has materialized from the renovations (finally) and habitation is assured. Our exciting early morning news was the advent of Northern Orioles at the feeder. We had never had these beautiful birds before and have enjoyed a flock of them today. They are sweet eaters so apples, banana and oranges were proffered for their dining pleasure to accompany the peanut butter suet already on offer.



The kennel is quiet so offering itself easily to the fall clean up of Regalridge terriers. They are always tickled with haircuts and baths and love to preen after an hour on the grooming table. Chantelle laughed telling us the story of Rocky who jumped back up on the table four times, hoping for more trimming each time he was told he was done. There is a bonfire of the vanities at the kennel this week. Piper is watching the little prince in amazement. He is now sturdy on his legs and marches around the area in the bedroom, sorting out his domain. It was wet by times so Charlotte had a wonderful day - endless hours of digging pleasure and pounds of mud moved accordingly.



The lead in to Christmas dinner approximated the Christmas feast - gouda biscotti with cheese and olive spread, chex mix (it's Christmas after all so it isn't a party without chex mix), potatoes and gravy, pancetta/chestnut stuffing, Ken's squash, brussel sprout slaw with spiced pecans in a sweet mustard sauce, cranberry sauce from Hants county berries, the lovely chicken and a Basque apple filled cake (a la Anita Stewart). We didn't suffer and the friends who joined us seemed quite content. And tomorrow we pack and leave for the journey to Dad's.

Christmas baking is advanced

Planning for the Christmas trip to Woodstock is a significant feat. Dad is completely undemanding so finding the key to his seasonal taste and interests is not always easy. This year, as with many before, we turned to Mom's favourites. Accompanying us on Monday will be a basket filled with Cherry Nut Bread, Banana Bread, Peanut Butter Balls, Cherry Flips and homemade Chex Mix. If time permits, Swedish Tea Cakes will round out the offering. Mocha Cakes (totally absent of chocolate so where the name originated nobody knows) are able to be found on the street corners in Woodstock so Mom's presence will continue to be felt through the house this year.

The kennel is ticking along with Jack and Allan holding the fort. The days continue to be unseasonably warm and, even though threatening today, the weather held until late in the day so Airedale and Welsh games continue unabated by weather. Chantelle had a day of trimming, working on a Cairn and the Airedales and applying a round of Revolution heading into winter. We had a scare with Patti - she didn't feel well through the day and really slipped late afternoon. Working with sugar water and our ever present boiled chicken, she rallied and was back to her Patti-self by late evening. Those health upsets occur only when the Vet office is closed - that is a rule of dogdom - and can be critical if left unattended. We aren't certain what occurred but Patti was 'shock-y' and sugar water was called for. After a couple of syringes, she drank herself, testament to Patti's approach to life and to the power of sugar water. By bedtime, she had progressed through the chicken to some of her evening meal so we seem to be back in business.

The remainder of the housedogs and the kennel crowd are thriving. Sophie is bright and active in her advanced years, the Norwich are kicking up fusses as often as possible and Paula continues to bring Viola up to be a solid little citizen. She sure is cute. Piper is amazed that the little prince is now mobile - who knew he would walk?! Today is moving day and we doubt Piper will be thrilled. They are going to the whelping room off of the living room in preparation for Ken and Lee's departure tomorrow. Chantelle may be camping with them - we will dig out the sleeping bag.

Dinner was a bar b que - excellent rare strip loin, roasted potatoes with onion and garlic sauce, mushrooms and onions and Christmas cookies (you have to try them after all to be sure they are fit to eat! And we are on to Sunday

On the road again, we were. After starting her day in the city, Chantelle picked Lee up and they were off for Truro (Lee had come home from her doctor's appointment where she had the pleasure of receiving not one but two flu shots, also being prompted that she will be needing two additional vaccines in the next couple of months). It was a quick trip through Louie's to fill a couple of orders then off to Tatamagouche to visit with Shelagh. Shelagh's speech continues to improve as do her mental processes. It is a pleasure to go in and witness the significant improvement each week. Shelagh is improving to the point that she would like to have better abilities to eat and see. She did go to the dentist - a disaster from all reports and no real surprise since the dentist was always a huge challenge. Last night we talked about an optometrist and Lee committed to following up with the hope that new glasses will help in correcting her vision. Shelagh has made it to the stage of enjoying books on tape or CD and is able to manipulate the CD player that we delivered a few weeks ago. She asked for books by authors like Tony Hillerman so not only is she enjoying them, she remembers and can pronounce her favourite authors. The women went armed with dinner - a chicken pot pie, gingerbread muffin and date squares. All met with success and as we left, Shelagh was gearing up for a game of bowling in the recreation room. After the long chat and catch-up, it was back in the car and, through rain and wind, back home to make Ken dinner.

The dogs helped Ken look after the property, with good weather until late afternoon supporting the several projects underway. When no one is looking, Ken scrambles up ladders and nails shingles on the upper regions of the garage. Can't you imagine the lecture he would dole out if that were one of us! The kennel is quiet, Ursey having left early in the day, and Allan Welsh arriving for a visit. Ken chuckled as he recounted the story of old Allan's arrival. He was dropped off at the gate by his doting owner and pulled Ken up the driveway, never glancing back over his shoulder to see that he was being waved good bye. He is aging well as older male Welsh seem to do.

The house dogs are thriving. Sophie and her court play ball every day; Patti looks after the property, delighting in her own bossiness; Piper is looking after the little prince but fretting over what she might be missing downstairs so spending a fair bit of time going back and forth; the little characters are still able to spend their days on the kitchen deck and Jack's run, enjoying the great weather and the young Airedales are maturing beautifully into lovely, sensible adolescents.

Early, before the day started for any but the house dogs, Lee managed to start the Christmas baking with a couple of cherry nut breads. That is always a requested staple for the trip to Woodstock. There will need to be a flurry of baking over the next couple of days to ensure that the Christmas containers are ready for the trip on Monday. Dinner was lovely fresh haddock and Ken had potatoes cooking before we arrived back. After returning a raft of phone calls and leaving a few for tomorrow, it was time to call it a day.

The Christmas market heralds the season

The Christmas market was a success. Going to Windsor yesterday to support Chantelle, Lee returned to Regalridge to report that there was no parking available, the mall was packed and folks were buying. Lee's basket was filled with books, Nova Scotia branded gifts, Avon Emporium's baked goods and lovely Christmas items. Business was booming and the vendors were all smiles. Jumping from one vehicle to the other, it was off to the city for an appointment for Ken, some Christmas shopping, dog food fill up and the addition of the Christmas tree. After years of pleading, Ken finally gave in and a life like but artificial tree came into the house. It is not the ideal, but Lee's health just doesn't bear up to the real thing and another winter of asthma and pneumonia a la Christmas tree was not something we were looking forward to. Ken is resigned.

The dogs are happy and healthy, playing with the yard toys and enjoying the balmy weather. Patti is smiling through the days - she has the place under control and the dogs falling in line. The puppies are good ones, not needing too firm a paw to keep them under control. Piper continues to run up the stairs to look after the little prince and run back down to be certain she isn't missing anything in the activity center of the house. The little fellow becomes more mobile every day but is very happy in our bedroom - we haven't had the heart to move him so he may well stay until he is ready to be weaned.

Dinner was a clean up night with a rack of ribs, chicken wings and fried potatoes and squash from Ken's garden. Not terribly inspiring but tasty. Baking is in the cards for the next few days so that Dad has his Christmas supply. Billy can hardly wait for his road trip and is packing his bags.

Wrapping is underway - we are ahead of the curve

Christmas is coming - have we mentioned that? It was a day for organizing and working in the office. The wrapping station is set up and the Woodstock gifts are wrapped and ready to go. Yahoo. Now for Dad's baking and we're good for next week's trip. Tomorrow is American Thanksgiving - have a great day and count your blessings, neighbours. Those poor folks can't start Christmas until tomorrow - think of the head start we smart Canadians have with the real Thanksgiving in October.

It as another lovely warm day - not much sun but how much do you need when you're rolling balls around your feet all day. The dogs are thoroughly enjoying this weather - supervising the men and exercising the yard toys. All is well in their world. Clint was so tired that at dinnertime he put up his usual protest at being in the feeding room rather than the den and when he was taken out to go outside, detoured into a den crate vacated by his sister, put his feet up in the air and slept through the night. He is such a nice young dog.

Ken had a Health Board meeting so dinner was late and reappeared as the birthday pizza (Ken ate the puny cheap cake but knew enough to keep his head down while he did it. He was alone in that effort). Chantelle's Christmas market is on today and tomorrow (Wednesday and Thursday) in Windsor at the mall. It is a highlight of her Christmas season - she organizes the market for the Chamber of commerce, knows the life story of each one of her vendors, worries about them all year and cares for them through the two days. Her parents were there today and had Santa pictures done with their dogs - we saw the results last night and the shots are excellent. This year she somehow managed to find and award winning photographer to do this job - only Chantelle - so people are certainly getting value for money. She arrived home last night with a box of her purchases - some lovely items and some great food. And we're on to another adventure tomorrow.





I

A month away and counting

A quiet birthday at Regalridge with Lee in the kitchen but a great meal (perhaps we will forget about Ken's 'cake' offering which will not be repeated) and interesting gifts. And we move on to Christmas planning - it's a month away. The first tree is shining for the dogs in the den and little Viola's eyes are as big as saucers. Jo phoned from State College with birthday greetings and brought us up to date on the progress at the farm. Like Regalridge, the farm has unending projects underway including the addition of electricity to the various poultry houses. Lee is lobbying for a particular variety of chicken - a startlingly beautiful, fluffy variety that wears a black and tan coat - go figure. The best news is that Jo and Mary are coming for Christmas with Jazz, Eli and Haydn. Jazz really seems to enjoy his repatriation at Christmas and he and Lee manage the downstairs early each day. We have ordered the free range turkey (Margot's too) and are planning meals - a lot more fun for four than two!

It was another warm day and the games continued. Ken was outside making the most of the weather before the rains-which-didn't-come came. The Airedales supervised his projects and came in and out to give Lee updates. Piper is almost enjoying the little prince and his eyes are almost open so a new world is beginning. It will be interesting to watch Piper as he becomes mobile. She still is surprised every time she goes back to our bedroom after her frequent breaks and he is still there! Laurel's heat cycle was perfect - normal in every way and she has been bred to Nick on the optimal days so we are very hopeful that there will be little Airedales at Regalridge in January.

The kennel is getting booked for Christmas and, interestingly, for the two weeks before. It seems a lot of folks are doing Christmas early and returning home to do it yet again.

Dinner was the all day work of Lee's gourmet pizza. We hadn't done that in ages and it was great with a lovely salad of apple, blue cheese, sweet onion etc. Since we had been to Bitar's on Friday evening, we had exhausted the Elmsdale offerings of this nature so the favourite at home made sense for the birthday meal - and we won't go there on Ken's 'cake'. Tomorrow is another day . . .

It was a party night

There was a Monday this week and we filled it in bits and pieces. There was lots of early morning coffee to get Lee with three hours sleep alert enough not to fall over (remember, it was three hours the night before as well and our Lee needs her sleep). Then it was on to the paperwork and telephone, the dogs and the daily chores. Piper is delighted to have Lee home and had two days worth of stories - Lee was only gone one day and Piper didn't repeat herself - not her style - so Sunday was apparently a big day in Piper's world. Chantelle provided and overview of her day with Ken - and asked about the bread that was on the counter, asking if it was the apricot yeast bread that I made. No, Lee replied, it was olive bread which was met with an 'oh' that didn't seem particularly positive. After a raised eyebrow, the confession came. Chantelle made our Ken breakfast - olive bread french toast. Ken, to his enduring credit, told Chantelle it was good. Have we mentioned that Chantelle doesn't cook often? Ask Andie about her skillset in that area.

Ken carried Laurel to the vet for her progesterone testing - Lee didn't think the roads were safe for anyone if she were on them. Laurel was again bred to Nick late last night so we are hoping for good blood values from the university tomorrow. The rest of the dogs are happy and well exercised. The weather is incredible and everyone- dogs and people alike - is enjoying it. Ball playing is the order of the day and the yards are busy with busy Airedales and Welsh.

Dinner was outstanding. Margot and Margaret had their annual birthday celebration for Lee - replete with champagne (Lee's beverage of choice) great appetizers (they disappeared in a blink) perfectly prepared prime rib with side dishes and the piece de resistance, the famous frozen lemon meringue cake! It was a fantastic meal and the Regalridge people drove home to Belnan after a great meal with great friends. And tomorrow is Lee's birthday - get your voices ready to sing.

Lee flew away and returned while Regalridge held its' own

It sure is great weather. Staying at the 16 degree point is a wonderful thing in late November and we are all enjoying it. It was a different day at Regalridge. Lee went to Ottawa for the day, leaving on an Air Canada Jazz flight so up and going at 3:00 am. Taking a puppy with her for a friend just added a bit to the adventure (note, there is very little cuter than a buff cocker spaniel at 9 weeks old! Charlie went through security in Lee's arms, protested vigorously about being put back in his carrier and slept through the rest of the adventure. He was under the seat in front of me without any other passenger ever knowing there was a dog on board). And let us tell you about Air Canada Jazz, it is a tremendous Air Canada partner. The steward was a great fellow from Corner Brook. He refilled the empty vente Starbucks cup twice (to the top), recounting airline stories and explaining the operation of Jazz as he did. simply wonderful customer service at a good price - that can't be beat. The day was a difficult one with meetings with the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association that were challenging in the extreme. To put the icing on the cake, the 6:00 flight was missed. Flying with Porter airline was new to Lee and knowing that there was only one later flight was worrisome. Fortunately there was one seat left and Regalridge was back to its' full complement by 1:00 am.

The dogs on the property had a good day. Patti remained firm in her directions to the assembly and all knew that they didn't have to think a great deal for themselves - Patti would do it for them! Marguerite did give Chantelle and Ken pause late in the evening when she decided that there was an opportunity to wriggle under the new car corral gate to have a personal play area with a ball that was just too darned good to be shared. Piper and the little prince have bonded. She spends a great deal of time with him voluntarily - but declines the opportunity to clean him, leaving that to the people and a look on her Airedale face that says it all.

The kennel was quiet as is usual for late November. Laurel has been bred to Nick so we are hopeful of puppies arriving in January.

Chantelle kept the property moving along - Ken got his three meals and all was well in his world. This followed on the heels of a lovely lobster dinner Saturday evening with an apple and cranberry green salad and olive bread followed by date squares made that morning. Chantelle was in Digby at a birthday party having a great meal with the clan there. A busy week is shaping up and all is well in this lead up to December.

Shelagh was not amused by our absence

It was Friday and we made it to Tatamagouche. It had been almost three weeks and that lengthy absence was duly noted by Shelagh. We arrived during the lunch period (it appears to start at about 11 and goes to 1 by the time all of the residents are driven in, sorted, placed, fed and rearranged. We took the bags to her room first then went to the dining room - and the old Shelagh we know and love kicked in. Her head went up like a deer scenting the wind - no Hello or greeting of any kind but a bellowed 'hey' to the nurse followed by an ascending series of 'hello' until the nurse was able to respond. We still hadn't been acknowledged by Shelagh but by gum she was being taken back to her room - right then - without eating. And off we went - a small convoy down the halls and back to her room, at which point she said 'Hello' - only Shelagh. We had taken a chicken pot pie and the ever pleasant staff brought us a plate. Shelagh smacked her lips as she ate the pit followed by chocolate bread. We tried to put the banana bread away for later but that had to be opened so she could smell it - only Shelagh. There was an issue about the dentist visit that took up a fair chunk of time. Shelagh was very unhappy with the outcome of the exam and wanted both our input and intervention. We will follow up. It was all things considered a good visit with improving communication abilities thanks in no small part to her volunteer Inez. One high point was that Shelagh was delighted with every one of the twelve articles of clothing we had bought for her for winter. That was a bonus - now we have to hope they fit. The nurse brought us name tags to be sewn into them and when she saw the panic on my face offered that they had someone who could do it for us.

All is well at Regalridge with another lovely warm day. Tom finished a major project refencing the car corral. Parking will be much easier although Ken was the only person he allowed to act as car jockey yesterday. The dogs supervised with an eye on the tools, living in hope that they could swipe one so Tom would chase them.

The kennel is quiet - or as quiet as it gets with Lucy and Baron in residence. All else is well with the kennel residents although Laurel is ready to go home. Her progesterone level dropped back a point over the 24 hour period between the last two draws. She will have to go back to the city for Saturday's blood with results not available until Tuesday - week ends are anathema in this process. Sophie didn't eat well but was bright and active so we will hope for the best tomorrow. Piper and the little prince are doing well. The little fellow has a full tummy at all times and Piper then rests. They are still in our bedroom and I fear this is what we will have for the next few weeks - no whelping rooms for our Piper.

Last night was a rare evening out at a restaurant. Chantelle took Ken and Lee to dinner at Bitar's and Dawn joined us. It was a fabulous meal with great service. We highly recommend the restaurant if you are in the area and Lee is not at home.

Tomorrow we will be off in all directions so after a little housework it was time to call it a day.

Ribs are welcome at Regalridge

Another trip to the city and another blood test for Laurel. Her results are back after the blood has to be taken for shipping Good news - she continues to make steady and regular progress. We anticipate she will be bred this week end. On the way, there was a stop at Reg's to drop off some pot roast soup and pumpkin yeast bread for his lunch. That made the trip to the city more worthwhile.

Piper has determined that the little prince is not so bad after all. Even as he snoozes, she goes into the bed and keeps a watchful eye. We aren't certain that it is a particularly fond gaze but at least it is benign. Spending as much time as possible with our Piper is Lee's duty so today was one to sort the gift closet as a reminder of what is Christmas-ready and where holes need to be filled. We are well along and wrapping can start this week end.

The kennel is ticking along. With the circus gone things are settling although Lucy and Baron do keep the activity level constant. They will be trimmed tonight and depart tomorrow after a good exercise vacation in the country.

The house moved along well. Another beautiful day of weather meant the Airedales supervised Ken on his new ladder, barking encouragement as he swung his hammer. Tom had a lower vantage point so Patti stationed several of her underlings close to him to learn about fencing vehicles. I'm sure it will come in handy as they get older. We heard from Bob and Luella that the Olympic torch was a great hit in Annapolis Royal; there were crowds in period costume to greet and cheer its' progress through the historic town.

It was a favourite night at the table for Chantelle. Ribs were on the menu and both ken and Chantelle were happy as they sat down to creamed potatoes, Ken's squash and for dessert Lee shared Kelly's fantastic Airedale shaped gingerbread cookies with dark chocolate saddles. Life is good!!!

Tomorrow is the trip to Tatamagouche - Shelagh is anxious that we are overdue.

The middle of the week found us yet again at the Vet's having progesterone tests done with Laurel and a check on Nick for his viability (like us, he isn't young any more). Nick succeeded with flying colours and Laurel is close to being ready to be bred. Tomorrow's results will be close, we suspect but she will still have to go for a check tomorrow since results arrive after collection occurs to be sent to PEI's Vet College.

We received a wonderful envelope in the mail from PEI yesterday that will form part of a Christmas gift - thanks Janet and Piper! And it was a day of surprises. Chantelle arrived home with an armload of incredible CD's (replete with photos) of the Terrier Groups from recent dog shows. Thanks so much Tony and Karen. They are incredible!

The kennel is doing well and clicking along. It was a day of bookings - for early December. It will be a busy time with senior Welsh, young Gordon Setter and a variety in between. Lucy and Baron will have everything warmed up and ready and Laurel will have returned to Bella to make things right in her world.

Ken continues to sort out the property for winter - today it was mowing grass. Lee is busy with Piper and the little prince. All is well as long as Lee is there to praise Piper's parenting skills.

Dinner was pork chops a la Ken and apple sauce (Ida Reds a la Ken) potatoes and Squash from the garden and pumpkin squares. Life wound down early - Piper needed support. Ken needed a rest and Chantelle trimmed Scout. Tomorrow is another run to the city. We don't get a lot done when we are breeding a dog!

We strive to keep them all happy but occasionally it just doesn't work

It was a day for Laurel to go to the Vet for progesterone testing. She is well along and could be bred this week, if all goes as planned. Nick will go in for a check tomorrow. Lee's chocolate and eggnog breads were a hit at the Clinic this week. Then it was a trip to Costco for the vegetable and dog food run, with a few other bits and pieces thrown in. Costco was a madhouse, even though the Dartmouth Costco must have people there as well. There was a lovely crystal Christmas wreath that happened into the cart on top of yet another dog bed. Now, dog beds aren't normally newsworthy but this one is a bit unusual. Three people at Costco admired the bed and asked about the dog who would enjoy it, only to be told it was for a cat - they all looked bemused. By the time the Costco 'fareweller ' was reached, you would think a pat answer would have been formed, but no, out of my mouth came 'It is for the cat' and a lecture ensued - see, lady, there's the picture, it is a bed for a dog! It was a failure of a response and a lecture deserved. The back story is that 'Einstein the cat' will not stay off of the Day Planner on the desk. The Planner has now been moved in favour of the dog bed so that Sir cat has a lovely large soft perch to watch his birds under the chestnut tree and to nap in the sun. Perhaps that will keep him off of the only thing in the house that keeps any of us organized.

The dogs did well today. The weather is now seasonal, bringing out the Regalridge people's late fall coats and jackets for the frosty early morning and late evening. The dogs are happy with that. Cool is good. Even the sky has changed - less blue.

Piper is resigned to motherhood but feels she is paying a great price and notes that there will be payback. She has reintegrated, though, into her pack and spends some time each day reasserting her position as Patti's enforcer. Patti is much happier. Clem is still annoyed with Chantelle for having the nerve to leave for the week end and expressed herself throughout dinner.

The kennel is quiet, with the circus packing for their imminent departure. Lucy and Baron are exercising with abandon and Laurel is urging them on. She is not at all amused with her changed situation and is more than ready to return to Shawn and Kelly. Kelly is more than ready to have her back, saying that Bella is bereft and can't figure out where the heck they could possibly have lost her sister! They are not having a moment of peace. Guess the girls have bonded.

Costco sent a nice little chicken home for Ken's lunch - he was a happy boy. Dinner was the week end's pot roast and pot roast soup is now in our future. Ken had spent far too much time out in the elements so was exhausted (and tanned) by dinnertime. He managed to get through dinner without his head hitting the turnip but that was about it. Lee's crisis of the evening was not being able to get Paula out of her lap to go to bed. Each time Lee started to get out of the leather chair, Paula was quicker and had replanted herself - it was an interesting set of moves with Lee almost giving in and sleeping overnight in the chair just to humour the little Welsh. Piper, with the little Prince, would not have been amused to have a missing Lee. There are always new challenges.

The week is off to a running start. There has been a turn over in the spare bedroom and a waving of hands as John and Cathy departed. The circus is here until mid-week. Ken had an appointment in the city with one of his favourite specialists. There is a surgery in his future (early December) so we will look forward to having that behind us.

All is well with the dogs. It was another lovely day of weather so the dogs are happy and well exercised. Patti has all of the toys in her lair except for the two foot in diameter red gargantuan ball that is Sophie's pride and joy. Linda sent it to her from Virginia and Sophie plays soccer all day long with it.

The kennel is quiet. The circus is storing up for their departure. Lucy and Baron have arrived so that will kick things up a notch for the next week. There is no loafing around when Lucy and Baron are in residence. Laurel is back for her breeding and is distinctly unimpressed. There appears to have been a terrible mistake made and she has her nose pointed to the gates, as positive as an Airedale can be that Shawn and Kelly will turn around and remember her soon.

The nursing home called last night. Even before "Hello" I heard the ever patient Gail saying "Yes, Shelagh it is ringing. You don't have to repeat the number again". So, the good news is that Shelagh's memory for numbers has greatly improved. And the message is that we are delinquent in our trips to Tatamagouche (we will go Wednesday). Dinner was lasagne made by Lee and garlic bread also made by Lee. Then Lee was off to the city for meetings of the Halifax Kennel Club and back late. Tomorrow is progesterone testing for Laurel so the road to the city will be well travelled this week.

Food was central to the activity level

Sunday - sort of the day of rest. We had lots to do and lots of coming and going. Shawn and Kelly were here with Bella and Laurel. Laurel is in season and will be bred this week or next. That was an excuse for a nice lunch so Lee was on high speed - there was a pumpkin flan with bourbon and a chocolate nut crust, wild mushroom soup with port and pumpkin yeast bread (do you think there's a theme emerging?!). It was a good gathering even with Kelly's admission of her yearning for Spaghetti-O's (only available in Newfoundland). Bella left with her ears up and a spring in her step. I doubt that spring will be as spring-y when she realizes that Laurel isn't there.

There were lots of folks here to see the Airedales - just to get an Airedale fix, really. They are on the list for puppies asap so we do hope Laurel will oblige.

Chantelle found her way home in time for mushroom soup - looking over her spoon at the other eight people having lunch and begrudging them every bite of what she considers 'her soup'. She also managed to choke down some dessert as she regaled us with stories of the Moncton shows. Anjin picked up another point and Logan another Group 2.

The dogs had a great morning - the weather had been forecast to be miserably wet but the water hadn't started to come from the sky so with a warm overcast day the dogs were able to be out until late afternoon. That was when the heavens opened and down it came. The ins and outs in the evening led to dogs with frowns and glares on their returns.

Dinner was simple - bar b qued steak (outstanding), Ken's potatoes and vegetables with apple crisp and Kelly's Airedale cookies. And the new week starts.

Where's Chantelle?

Saturday was reasonably quiet given our missing Chantelle. The girls did find Moncton and went on to find the show. They did well with Anjin taking the points and Logan garnering a Group 2. Then rumour has it they went on to spend money!

The kennel has settled into its' rhythm, now that Bear has departed. Bear waved good bye just before lunch and poor Ben is lost. We will introduce him to Marguerite - that will ensure he will not have to think for himself at all - she is quite bossy. The circus is the circus.

The housedogs enjoyed the great weather and spent most of the day outside playing games and watching the cars come and go at the fruit stand and meat market. Ken ordered the Christmas turkey (Billy says the list is growing by the day and we really don't want to have the left over 40 pounder this year). Clem refused to get out of bed until 11 o'clock, pretty sure Chantelle would surface any time. There are far too many gun shots across the river - hunting season is anathema to the people and dogs alike - and we will all be delighted when it is over.

It was pot roast for dinner with a lovely apple crisp using Ken's Ida Red apples. Tomorrow is forecast to be rainy with balmy temperatures. We can live with that.

The work week ends with great weather

Friday's are generally an easy day of the week. The weather remained wonderful - sunny and warm, barely needing a sweater. The little prince went with Lee to the Vet for his early check and all is well to this point. Piper was somewhat happy to see him return safely and with her ex pen open, she is determining the course of his daily activity based on her wants and needs. That suits Piper to the point that Ken thought he actually saw her give him a lick. Progress has happened. Ken continues to put gardens to bed, tilling soil and raking gardens, cleaning vegetable and flower areas and tidying up the big property. He is happy with his progress and saying hallelujah for the weather's co-operation. Lee made plane reservations for Ottawa and shook her head at the downturn in the economy discussions as she tried to find a seat on a plane at a reasonable price - didn't happen.

Chantelle was packed and ready for Dawn early in the afternoon and by midnight they should have found Moncton. Whether or not they saw Cape Breton first is anyone's guess. This is the last show of the season in the Atlantic Provinces so the dogs are in great form and so are the girls. We will wait for results through the day Saturday and Sunday. It is an Airedale only week end with Anjin the puppy and Logan entered.

The kennel is full of happy dogs. With the great weather and well seasoned boarders, Bear's job is light. He has whipped Ben into shape in no time (considering that Ben was born here and has boarded with us for 8 years it was not a huge leap but don't tell Bear please) and the two terriers have capably managed number three yard. The circus is the circus. Patti looked after the front yards, managing her company with a firm paw and urging them to make the most of the weather.

Dinner was maritime - smelts and scallops with asparagus risotto. We finished the apple pie and are working our way through the fridge and pantry quite nicely. Tomorrow is a day for organizing. Have we mentioned Christmas is coming?

Meetings and Appointments - All is Well

Our Piper has almost resigned herself to motherhood although she is still having moments of rebellion. The baby is growing and really seems to like his Mom. She is warming to him but has absolutely no intention of doing any cleaning - no sir, no way that is disgusting! Oh Logan . . .!

Ken was in the city and Lee had CKC business so meetings and appointments came and went. With the addition of Piper's requirements we managed to keep ourselves busy. Practice baking for Christmas was started. An apple pie appeared for dinner and an eggnog bread was made - just in case we thought we would need that for Christmas or for Dad.

We did receive disturbing news from a friend in Moncton. A friend of his had an Airedale who became ill with a cough last week. She died within three days even though she had been taken immediately to the Vet. The preliminary diagnosis from the PEI Vet College is a mutation of the H1N1 virus. An autopsy is being done and we hope to hear more this week. While this was not one of our breeding, it is a situation that is alarming and points to the broad spread of this pandemic. We recommend that at the first sign of a cough, it would be wise to have your Veterinarian see your dog. Being too careful will never hurt.

The kennel is emptying out. Old Willie departed much to Bear's amazement but lo and behold, Ben arrived and Bear did a happy dance. He has a new pupil and another terrier so life doesn't get much better than that. The circus is the circus.

Dinner was a pork tenderloin in a tomato paprika cream sauce. Interesting but not likely to reappear given the mileage it put on being driven around Ken's plate. The apple pie was a hit, of course. Tomorrow is a trip to the Vet and Chantelle off to Moncton with Dawn and Tony and Karen. Maybe we will even get some Christmas organization done.

Could Logan Come Face His Responsibility?

Piper is not amused. She can't figure out why her life has changed so radically and links her lack of freedom to the little nuisance that won't leave her alone. Where did he come from anyway?! She would like to have a brief word with Logan at some point in the near future about paternal responsibilities.

It was another beautiful day so the dogs played in the yards and again supervised Ken in his outdoor chores.

The kennel ticked along with Bear in charge. He is loving both the company of old Willie and the greater responsibility now that Savannah has departed. The circus is the circus.

It seems Remembrance Day is not celebrated in Ontario as a Stat Holiday. Lee realized this as she sent email to the office only to receive replies that required work on her part. Days off are few and far between with all of the issues facing dog ownership. Working on the Blackberry while supervising Piper was a challenging but manageable situation. Dinner was a group effort but offered a beer can chicken, Ken's potatoes, squash and peas. Tomorrow brings appointments and meetings - and on it goes.

Well, it was a day. Piper went to the Vet to be checked and came home with one puppy. A cesarean later and there is one little boy upstairs in the bedroom. Piper is recovering from the surgery and is still responding to the anaesthetic. She can't figure this little intruder is or why he is attached to her - we are anticipating maternal instincts any time soon. Our vet is incredible and fit us in to a very busy schedule. As always, we are appreciative of that clinic - every staff member is caring and unfailingly pleasant and we are never turned away with a concern.

It was another incredibly warm and pleasant day. Ken worked outside on his gardens and yards, worrying about Piper and relieved when we arrived back. Dinner was a la Chantelle and arrived in nice cardboard boxes.

The kennel is doing well and Bear and Willie are going strong. Bear took Savannah's admonishment seriously and is supervising Willie with care and diligence. They are great friends now and will probably miss each other on separation. The circus is the circus.

Tomorrow is November 11 - a day to go to the cemetery in Bedford to put our poppies on Ken's parents grave. Chantelle will supervise the nursery.

Adventures in building

The days are planned for the week and it only took the morning. Let's hope there aren't a lot of extras that spring up.

It was a beautiful, summer-like day so Ken was outside settling the gardens for winter, turning soil and tarring the roof of the garage. Now, how he did that from the ground, since he was expressly forbidden to climb up a ladder and march around a roof, is beyond me. We'll give that some thought. Chantelle was at work in Windsor and Lee had to go to Truro for Shelagh supplies. Winter clothes will now fill her closet.

And then there were the shingles. Ken sent Lee to Kent - error number one, Lee agreed to go. Thinking it might be a good thing to just drive to the lumber yard rather than go to the order desk, the little blue car pulled up to the guard house and Murray came out with "What can I do for you?", giving Lee hope that this would go smoothly. "I need shingles" seemed a perfectly normal thing to say at this point. "What size?" responded Murray. "They come in sizes?!" was the shocked utterance and Murray's hands landed on his hips. "Well, we don't have every size in every colour so we can narrow it down - what colour do you need?" "They come in colours?!" responded Lee thinking furiously "Do you have pink?" Murray came off of the step and put his hand on the windowsill. "Who sent you?" "My husband and he forgot to mention size or colour" "Humph" - that most telling of male responses when they are not amused. "But he sent a picture" Lee quickly offered, hauling the flyer out of her purse. "Did he call these shingles? These aren't shingles, they're shakes and they don't come in sizes or colours, but if he doesn't know the difference between shingles and shakes he should be picking up his own supplies so he can learn." Murray responded with some force. He indicated where to park and said someone would come, get the bundles and load them in Betsey for me. There didn't seem to be anyone in the indicated area so when a fellow with a Kent sweater came out, the fullback pose was in evidence so he couldn't breeze by. Pointing, because while Murray appeared to be certain of their nomenclature, Ken had been pretty certain, too, and loyalty is important, after all, the fellow looked at the pointing finger and said "You want shingles, just a minute, Joe will get them for you". Ken was validated. This guy chatted as Joe loaded, (seems he is the manager/owner) he didn't think he would lift the shingles but was happy to entertain our Lee while they watched Joe work. Bundles loaded, it was back to Murray whose parting shot was that "Customer service is their motto and some customers need a lot more service than others." Lee has educated Ken on the difference between shingles and shakes.

The kennel said good bye to Savannah last night. She left admonishing Bear to remember all she had taught him, noting several times to all who would listen that Bear is in charge. Willie yawned. The circus is the circus.

The house dogs supervised Ken and Tom. Patti enjoyed that and kept good order all day. Piper continues on and is happy to be getting lots of attention.

Lamb resurfaced for dinner with the wine sauce and roasted vegetables. The end of the birthday cake was seen, polished off by all in attendance. Tomorrow will bring more Christmas and some planning for Woodstock, since Ken and Lee will be off to Ottawa and will see her Dad on the way. Allan Thoren is looking forward to the visit.