Life returns to normal at Regalridge

It is Wednesday - and a week later than the last blog.  Lee has been in Winnipeg so activity at Regalridge has been high and running short handed.  The highlight of the week was Chantelle's successful week end at the Cobequid Dog Club shows.  She and Ken managed to spend two days in very very cold conditions and finished a championship on Jessie Rachel, put two more points on Clint (who decided that dog shows are good places to show off) and started little Viola (who decided that she would take a page out of Clint's book).  A handful of ribbons and two happy campers greeted Lee's return.  There were lots of challenges in Winnipeg (not the least of which was Lee's appointment as Interim Chair of the Canadian Kennel Club) and it was a bedraggled and slightly off center woman who came off of the plane.  One comment on Winnipeg - it is a lovely city, the weather was great and the people are tremendous.  The fact that you have to be at the airport two hours early to ensure you get on a departing flight has absolutely nothing to do with the hospitality of the city!  The Project moved forward with the door into the feeding room becoming a Dutch door thanks to Tom's ingenuity and Clem's disgust (how the heck is she supposed to surreptitiously  get to the feed bins with a door knob and no opposable thumbs?

The kennel has sorted itself through a sea change of dogs.  Jack the Airedale arrived for a long visit and is settled in as a companion for Sophie.  She is delighted to have a male Airedale to boss around.  Dossen was here for a visit with the usual Bernese enthusiasm and intent.  Barrett arrived to shore up Trebia's lagging spirits and the game was on.  Kirby stayed until early in the week - and has decided that chicken pot pie is among his favourite menu items.  Heaven help his owners!  Allan (Jack's brother) is here while Heather is gone to warmer climes and has decided that a good spin a couple of times a day does his constitution well.  Kirby decided that if Allan could do that, he could do it as well.  Barrett departed after his week end shenanigans and Kirby waved good by early in the week.  Dossen is home and life is settled in the kennel. 

The house dogs are doing well.  All are eating and taking the potion.  May is getting the spoon at the end and is enjoying the addition to her day.  Scout went to Agility Class and in Chantelle's mind was the star - would be interesting to hear Brenda's version of that . . .  He also has learned navigator skills as co-pilot - Chantelle is going to have to give some serious thought to crates in cars or learn how to be smarter than a Welsh Terrier (new television show theme perhaps?!).  Piper is delighted and a bit relieved to have Lee home.  She tried out Chantelle's lap on the week end and pronounced it a lot shorter than the one she is used to.  Einstein has decided that if Lee is going to go away for any more weeks, he is going as well.  Life for a cat is boring without anyone in the office - hunting those pheasants under the chestnut tree is pointless if there is nobody to hear your best hunting terms as you sit in your cat bed in the window. 

Dinners were eclectic given Lee's absence and dog show timing.  Costco supported meal times with pumpkin, chicken and meat pies and wings and garlic bread (or at least that's the rumour).  Lee's return brought a sigh of relief and a turn over of the reins.  Bar B Qued chicken was last nights' offering with smashed potatoes and peas, cranberry sauce and mustard pickles.  Life will go on . . . 

Ken is off and running and the rest of us are trying to keep up

It was Monday and a day of comings and goings.  Ken had meetings in Truro so organized his day around leaving.  That always offers those not leaving Regalridge an interesting perspective.  Lee is making small attempts to get organized to leave for Winnipeg (where it will be minus 20 this week) and finally called Passport Canada with the admission that her passport has gone missing.  After communing with the federal disembodied voice, the real thing came along and Lee, with head hanging, said "I have to confess" pregnant pause then response "Confess what madam?"  Lee's head droops a bit further and replies "I have lost my passport" earnest young man's reply "It is not that serious madam that you must consider it a confession".  And on we went to the point when earnest young man enquired "where did you lose the passport madam" to which Lee felt compelled to reply "If I knew where I lost it, it wouldn't be lost"  And on we went.  We received word from Digby that Scout's Agility A Frame is almost ready and thank the lord and pass the ammunition, Chantelle has ordered the tunnel and the torture on that little item is over except for the angst of the wait. 

The kennel is moving along with comings and goings and visits in between.  Liard and little Maggie departed as the cutest  Bernese puppy arrived.  Khyver is only here overnight - a good start for any dog who will be occasionally in a boarding situation.  He is so much the happy Bernese - he rolled and ran around the big run, then came in and squeaked his many toys.  Shadow is insistent that his time with his girlfriend Sophie should continue through the night so rather than hop into his outside run to go through to the inside, he runs in with her and ends up in her inside area with her toys.  He likes that a lot - Sophie not so much.  Kirby had his outside perimeter run and zoomed - had a wonderful run and a wagging tail - a great indication that the old Welsh is enjoying his change in the country.  Folks came later in the evening to see the kennel and property in preparation for a first visit from Rudy the Border Collie mix.  He will be coming to see us in April - and we can look forward to another herding dog to look after the wayward retrievers and terriers.  

The house dogs are doing fine with a little blip with our Piper.  She will be going to see Eric tomorrow, we think, so that Lee has peace of mind during that lovely 7 hour flight.  The little crew is bouncing around creating their usual havoc and the Welsh are doing fine.  Scout had a great agility session at suppertime - learned the chute and is as proud as punch of his accomplishments.  

Dinner was lovely strip loins a la Ken;'s hunting and gathering on the week end Withrow's was open and we had potatoes, squash, peas and onions just to wash it down.  All is well and we are on to tomorrow.

A Sunday outing

Sunday dawned bright, clear and warm.  It was in the mid-teens in Hants County but didn't reach the double digits on the South Shore.  Lee had a meeting so the van left the driveway with Ken driving and Nick acting as ballast.  There were lots of folks on the highways on this beautiful spring day and as we drove on the country roads, there were walkers everywhere, all having  forsworn winter garb in favour of sweaters and, in several cases, shorts.  We enjoyed our meeting with the members of the South Shore kennel club; lots of laughs and the wonderful fudge for which they are renowned.  Then it was home to Regalridge where we were greeted like long lost voyagers.  Chantelle spent the day trimming dogs and managing the inmates.  There may have been the odd movie that found its' way into her schedule as well. 

The kennel is becoming quieter as spring break draws to a close.  Jasper and Maddie departed among waving paws.  They are so seasoned that the week in the kennel is something they take in stride.  Reese departed with her spring coiffure and Ruff kicked his heels and ran to the gate late in the afternoon.  That leaves Liard and little Maggie (the big and the small) and our Sophie and Shadow.  Shadow would like to bunk in with Sophie.  When they come in from their yard, he trots right in through her door and into her inside run, appearing to have decided that he should sleep in her bed - Sophie demurred.  Little Maggie is the enthusiasm of the kennel - enjoying her ability to bounce in the big outside run.  Liard continues to feel his best trick is to make Chantelle jump, and on a good day squeal - Liard is Liard. 

The house dogs are doing well.  Lori is not pregnant to our dismay.  This is the last time we will go through the process with her - it is too fraught for all concerned.  We have our hopes pinned on Marguerite who was bred in late February.  The rest of the dogs are doing fine.  The little crew prefer having folks around all day to keep their barking skills sharp but they cope with the odd day when that isn't possible. 

Dinner was ham with a lovely potato scallop - a bonus given that Lee was out all day.  The fact that we ate with The National coming on in the background may be a bit telling. 

Tony doesn't want a chestnut tree any time soon

Well, it was a Saturday with lots of activity.  The dogs had their teeth set for company early in the morning and had Chantelle and Lee going at an unreasonable hour - thanks Bob!  That offered the opportunity to get kitchen activity underway and life a bit more organized.  That meant breakfast for the troops - Ken and Chantelle were tickled.  It's not a week end without a formal breakfast.  Chantelle had grooming lined up that would fill a month of Sundays.  Included was a visit from Tony and Karen to put the finishing touches on young Anjin.  Ken did a bit of work on the areas that Susan had started and repaired her little mistakes. Tony and Karen's arrival is always an event - with treats for the grooming room to get all who pass through it set for the day.  But today's arrival was different - in addition to the grooming room bounty, Tony arrived in the office to visit with Lee, replete with bacon, ice wine and Lakka.  We can't think of anyone who has brought bacon as a Regalridge 'last day of winter' offering but then, Our Tony is pretty unique.  There was some work done on a DVD player in the kennel (we won't go there will we Tony) and the next we all saw of Tony, Ken had appropriated him and turned him into 'Ken staff'.  Chantelle and Lee breathed a sigh of relief - Our Ken likes staff and Tony filled the bill taking the pressure off of those who live here.  At one stage, Tony came down the hall noting that spring cleaning of the big front yard is like dealing with the Taliban.  To a raised eyebrow, he continued that just when you get rid of a few hundred chestnuts, a hundred more pop up.  Our Ken ran his new tiller, turning over soil in as wide a swath as he was able and grinning from ear to ear (not a common and a somewhat frightening countenance on Ken).  He has now bonded with the machine and the stars are properly aligned.  At dinner, there was a big sigh and the day was pronounced as a great one. 

The kennel continues to empty.  Abby, the Wal-Mart greeter departed as did Briggs and Brady.  Only the  little Dachshund thought that staying here might be the best option available.  He was the most concerned of the three on arrival and the most reluctant to leave on departure.  Sophie and Shadow are enjoying the space in their big yard.  Ruff had a yard to himself and enjoyed that as a change.  Maddie and Jasper are doing well, are in the double run and are as content as they can get.  Reese began the hair trimming procedure with Chantelle.  Little Maggie is thriving and is communicating with Chantelle after learning that lesson from Liard. 

The house dogs are doing well.  Patti is thriving - she went to see Ken and Tony yesterday at full throttle and looked like a two year old flying around the yard.  The little crew is doing great - noisy and rolling around the floors, looking for trouble in all the right places.  The Welsh are ready for Truro shows, with lovely trimming. 

Meals were good - sausage and scrambled eggs with rosemary, caramelized onion and cheese and oatmeal-grated apple muffins.  With our great latte machine offering up the best coffee in NS, it was a memorable meal.  By early afternoon, though, Our Ken needed sustenance once again (and Tony needed a break from raking acres of chestnuts).  Lunch was cold chicken, pumpernickel bread (with graham flour, coffee and cocoa), salad with fresh fruit and Olive Garden Italian dressing (Lee has a new cookbook), coffee and the muffins yet again.  Tony and Karen enjoyed the meal with us and we all relaxed for a while in the kitchen, telling Susan and Shirley stories to gales of laughter - Tony is still not over the pellets!  Dinner was a lovely bar b que with pork chops from across the road, potatoes and snap peas (spring is here).  And we are ready for Sunday, we think.

It is a black day for breeders in Nova Scotia

Fridays are always interesting and this was no exception.  Ken continues to work on The Tiller - today with its' paperwork, DVD (you need a DVD to turn dirt over - who knew) and lots of back and forth from garage to house.  The Project trundled along - you know we are still doing steps.  The treads appear to have been completed but today was touch ups and work overs and heaven knows what else.  And he's eyeing the banister . . .  Surely with the advent of spring, the hall will be done.  Is it normal to take three months to paint a hall - it's a big house and two stories of hall, steps, trim and a lot of doorways but surely we can move to an actual room soon.  There was baking going on in the kitchen.  Bread was the order of the day with both rye and herb being produced for Ken's dining pleasure.  And there was a drop in the freezer level with Ken's tomatoes turning into a meal.  The challenge of the day was the receipt of the dictum from the NS Veterinary Association advising that their Executive has decreed that as of April 1 they have taken from their members (mandatory membership for all veterinarians in the province or a loss of license) the right to perform the procedures of tail docking, dew claw removal and ear crops on any species except cats.   There is a six month moratorium on the implementation of the ban.  Interestingly, dew claw removal in dogs is a procedure done at two to three days and not invasive.  Tail docking is the same - a quick procedure done by our vet with local anaesthetic, a check of the newborns and back with their mothers without any negative impact in the 30 years we have been breeding wonderful Regalridge dogs.   This is a disaster for breeders in this province.  Almost half of the CKC breeds are impacted in some way by this decision.  Our breeders who are responsible, who raise their puppies with the care and stewardship that we all hope will be the case, who carefully select homes appropriate to their breed and who provide guarantees and extensive follow up, who are there for questions and simply to listen to the stories of our puppies as they progress through life are the people impacted.  We have chosen our breeds with care.  We are their champions and their supporters.  We know them and we have supported their standards.  And integral to our breeds is their appearance.  That is the purebred dog.  The form follows function argument is an important one but function these days applies to fewer of our breeds since most are pets, valued for their characteristics and their look in families around the world.  Losing the look by removing the balance of the Airedale or the Doberman will change the focus of the breeders, at the very least.  Will they now have to choose breeding stock for a tail that doesn't curl to the exclusion of balance, coat or overall type?  Will they even continue in the breed?  And who will want our dogs that no longer conform to our breed standards?  Our primary export market in Canada is the US - the inability to crop and dock dogs in NS will certainly end our ability to show in the US at a competitive level and will also mean that folks who enjoy particular lines and who have traditionally purchased puppies from Nova Scotia breeders will turn to their viable alternatives in Ontario or the US.  We have lost our market for puppies to a whim of our vet community.  We have also decreased access to the gene pool for these breeds by restricting their viability throughout the remainder of North America.  And yes, there are bans similar to this in Europe.  But folks, we are not Europe.  In countries with an area comparable to NS there are thousands of dogs shown on every week end.  Their population is far greater and their management of dogs far different from North America.  The FCI recognizes 400 breeds (the AKC and CKC less than 200) and our demographics vary in ways impossible to compare.  We are a small country in  population density and huge in area.  That impacts our shows and our breeding programs.  For decades we have, in our little part of the world, produced some of the continent's best dogs in our breeds.  We win national and internationally significant shows with our Airedales, Pomeranians, Boxers and Manchester Terriers and many more.  With the implicit threat from the Vet Association that they would support the SPCA in charging breeders who perform these practices, many of us, the responsible, knowledgeable dog fancy will be marginalized or will simply stop breeding.  So what does that leave?  It leaves commercial breeding facilities who supply pet stores and sub standard breeders, puppies sold at an excessive cost and who generate high vet bills with their many health issues.  These folks do not care about breed standards and validation of breeding stock,  know or care little about gene pools and the health issues impacting their breeds.  Will your next puppy come from one of those facilities or from people who raise puppies solely for the pet store impulse market?  And please don't think this is an extreme view.  We have been living in dread of this decision, knowing it would come because of the lack of understanding or respect for breeders from many young veterinarians being graduated from our vet schools.  They don't know us, haven't met us and have strong opinions with respect to our practices in spite of those facts.  They are the majority now, in our clinics, and as such are able to influence the associations.  Most will never meet a responsible breeder since they do not welcome them in their practices.  Breeders tend to use veterinarians who treat them with respect for their knowledge of their breeds and their commitment to their breeding programs.  And we have now been marginalized by those who have opinions of procedures they know nothing about and have never performed.  Will the country be a better place without Regalridge Airedales and Welsh with the alternative being commercially bred or back yard bred dogs from others?  What exactly has been achieved by this veterinary association? 

The kennel is emptying out as March break comes to a close.  Briggs and Brady continue to be star boarders.  They love their bedtime milkbones and accept them with alacrity, Dachshund first.  Jasper and Maddie run out of their outdoor doors, tear off to their own exercise yard and return happily when it's time to come in.   Liard is being Liard - trying to make Chantelle levitate on any occasion.  Sophie and Shadow had a good time in yard four.  He herds her and feels vindicated when she plays with him.  Ruff and Abby are now a team - Labrador and Golden playing hard and retrieving whatever can be retrieved then starting all over.  Little Maggie is playing her own games and ready to help Chantelle with final chores.  Ziggy departed among waving paws - lots of folks could take a page out of the book of those owners - he is a tremendously well adjusted German Shepherd Dog. 

The house dogs are doing fine.  Patti and Clem enjoyed their potions and their meals (Clem managed to hoodwink Tom and got her noon hour meal).  The rest of the crew are happy with the weather and the time of year and are enjoying their time outside. 

Dinner was Friday night pizza - yahoo.  Lunch, though, was a lovely homemade tomato herb soup with herb wheat bread.  Life is good.

Catching up is so very hard to do

It was a day of catch up and organization after the week of parties and guests.  Paperwork called and lots was accomplished.  You can't beat a new filing cabinet for making life easier.  Ken managed the busy kennel and put together The Tiller.  He has been contemplating, focusing, fussing and finally ordering the machine.  That has been his primary extramural activity through the entire winter.  We have had tiller pamphlets, tiller order forms, tiller booklets and tiller propaganda in every corner of the kitchen for months.  It is almost a relief to have the darned thing here.  Now we await the stories of its' prowess and efficiency.  Given the weather, he should be able to use it very soon.

The dogs in the kennel waved good by to Maddie the JRT and Raggs the OES as well as to Dossen the Bernese.  Raggs received the 'most improved' award for the week with her movement from a worried Old English to a happy member of the herding and  retrieving yard.  Briggs and Brady are happy to see any of us as we move through with kennel chores.  They have now decided that they have a stop and go button - they let us know when it is time to go out and when it is time to come in - we are only human after all and can't think for ourselves.  Thank goodness we have dogs to keep us in line.  Abby, Sophie and Shadow have their big yard and have their own routine.  Shadow continues to practice his herding and has his sights set on Chantelle as the next member of his pack.  Sophie is practicing her Piper-learned tricks and is taking control.  Maggie is getting closer to her terrier side and practiced her earthdog routine.  Abby is her usual happy, waggy self.  Her favourite game these days is to run to whoever comes to get her, jump up and offer a big slurp that covers our faces.  She will receive the 'happiest camper' award this week.  Ruff arrived late in the afternoon and settled in to his usual procedure of reminding us that he is a Golden and he knows what he wants.  Jasper and Maddie are living in their own universe and have no idea that there are other dogs on the property.  Ziggy is doing remarkably well, now has control of one of the exercise yards for extended periods (he is a big boy) and loves the time outside as well as the attention he is receiving.  What a nice GSD he is. 

The house dogs are doing well.  The little crew are returning to their normal routine but are still missing Shirley and hoping she will be back soon.  Piper went out after her dinner for a while and for some reason known only to Piper decided that was just wrong.  She came flying back in the door, jumped on top of Lee in the recliner, stretched out on top of her and stared and complained, telling her that that should never, ever recur - casting long and challenging looks at Chantelle in the process.  Who knows what goes through those minds!  Clem and Patti are doing well, taking the potion and bouncing around as old dogs can when they feel well.  We bless Linda every day for her knowledge and support and for bringing the Budwig protocol to the house.  Viola is much improved with the return of her mother - Paula should bring up every puppy, we think.  She is an incredible little Welsh. 

Dinner was simple - Ken grilled burgers.  And the week end looms. . .

There were waving paws at the gate today

There was a celebratory breakfast of maple scones with fruit salad and latte.  Then Shirley and Susan were off with a reservation in Bangor for the night.  All was well as the van turned in the correct direction out of the driveway.  Whether Ken had to point the way or Susan was under her own steam is the question.  And the timing for reaching Bangor will offer the answers of the extent of their adventures through NS and NB.  Yes, it is a straight road with only two turns from here to Bangor, one could have taken them to Cape Breton (it has been done, right Chantelle and Dawn?) and the other would carry them on to Hartland (and that has been done as well, right Susan?). 

All is well in the kennel.  Briggs and Brady are the life of the party.  Last night, it was the big bone on the bed with both dogs chewing on it.  Life is fine for them - toys, big bed and the big yard keep them happy at all times.  They keep us smiling with their good humour.  Maddie and Jasper are eating well, are enjoying their big dog beds and love their exercise yard.  They love each other and do not stoop to fraternizing with the others.  Yard four is Shadow, Raggs, Sophie and Abby.  Shadow is delighted that his herd is expanded by one.  Abby loves an addition and kisses anyone who comes near, just to let us know that she approves the OES addition.  Sophie will take any addition as long as it isn't Piper with her rules.  Raggs is braver now and is enjoying the change in circumstances, with a much brighter look in her eyes and improved posture as she moves among her new friends.  Shadow brings everyone in when the time comes for the re-entry to the kennel.  We may have to keep the old fellow - a herding Sheltie can be a very good thing and he does enjoy his job.  Heidi arrived today and went out in a yard by herself next to Darryl who was only back for an overnight.  Both like their yard time.  Darryl is so well socialized and so responsive he makes us laugh out loud.  Calling his name brings a blur of black, tan and white, running full tilt to your voice.  Ziggy was out in the big yard for a good spin and is still amazing us with his ability to adapt to a kennel routine- so unusual for a GSD.  Little Maggie is now the kennel assistant.  Her run door is opened and she runs around the perimeter with Chantelle, verifying the locking of outside run doors after all are in from the yards.   Liard is here and has his exercise up and down  the walkways.  He goes in and out the doors quickly and loves to keep Chantelle on her toes. 

The house dogs are back in a normal routine with the guests departed.  The little dogs miss the extra activity and were hoping Susan might just have made a circle and would be back for dinner.  Not to be, I'm afraid.  Clem had a good day with a little self-feeding that went on at noon - don't you love dogs that are old and still can get ahead of you?  Nick and Ken went hunting and gathering and returned home with The Tiller.  Tom continued The Project with yet another coat of something or other on the stair treads.  They must be at least an inch higher than when this whole thing started.  With luck, that is the end of that phase but Tom was muttering something about the railing as he left. 

Dinner was the start of the sorting of the refrigerators after parties and big meals.  It was prime rib that first appeared so that was the order of the day, with potatoes and peas followed by the end of the shortcake.  We will see what tomorrow will bring.

Wasn't it a party

Company occasions parties.  The day unrolled with 'dog talk' dominating conversations and pedigrees becoming the center point of discussions.  From the early fruit salad to lobster rolls at lunch, Shirley and Susan manned the kitchen table, surrounded by Regalridge dogs.  Shirley's popularity increased as bits of bread floated to the floor at regular intervals - when she thought Lee wasn't watching.  After a bit of contribution to the local economy, dinner became the focus of activity.  Ken performed a few circus tricks as he maneuvered three different gas tanks around the bar b que in an attempt to find one that suited his requirements.  It happened with only one fall down the stairs, tank in arms, and a bit of juggling of burners.  How we lived through this adventure without burning the house down or calling an ambulance, we are still not quite sure.  Tony and Karen, with Anjin, arrived to enjoy the evening with our American guests.  Newfoundland meets New England is a highly entertaining confluence, just in case you are skeptical.  Best to stay out of the line of fire, we discovered and simply enjoy the proceedings.  And if you are wondering about the Canadian shortfall in wood pellets, well, now Tony has the answer.  Scout and Chantelle went to Agility and learned new tricks of the trade.  They have new and different  practice sessions to be added to the routine this week. 

Briggs and Brady are thriving, managing their run and enjoying spring.  It was the warmest day yet and every dog on the property thoroughly enjoyed the sun and beautiful weather.  Maddie the JRT and Liard arrived in the morning.  Maddie is adorable and her owners get the March prize for best communication surrounding her booking and drop off.  Timing is everything.  Liard is not getting any smaller and is his usual outgoing self.  Sophie, Abby and Shadow looked after number four yard and played much of the day.  They are great friends now and really seem to enjoy the company of the others, an interesting triumvirate.  Jasper and Maddie are the tag team and keep a close eye on the new GSD Ziggy.  Ziggy is doing amazingly well - a person in a dog suit we have decided - easily sorting the routine into something that works for him, enjoying the weather and the comings and goings in the kennel.  Raggs the OES is a bit tentative but relaxing slowly.  She is easting well though so isn't all that concerned about her changed circumstances.  Little Maggie is looking after her corner of the kennel, watching out for her buddy Nemo and keeping a close eye on the people moving around her. 

The house dogs are delighted with company.  More hands to pat them and extra food to be handed out.  Shirley is highly popular with the crew.  Nick is so enthralled that he was unable to accompany Ken on his hunting and gathering afternoon trip.  Clint is delighted with the visit and now lives in hope that every arrival may bring him a new friend.  

Dinner was Chantelle's bruschetta (excellent), beer can chickens,  homemade cranberry sauce, asparagus with asiago and balsamic reduction and baby potatoes with sea salt finished on the bar b que.  Dessert of individual cranberry apple crumbles didn't go to waste.  All is well and we look forward to another bright and shiny day tomorrow . . .

Monday and the city calls - lobster anyone?

Susan and Shirley are enjoying the offerings of Nova Scotia.  They are amazed at our spring weather and deigned to wear jackets as we went from stores to restaurants in Halifax, our beautiful city by the water.  A visit to the vet resulted in another progesterone test for Diva and Susan's approval of the shopping at Four Feet On The Ground.  Then it was on to Costco for the levelling out of the height of the pantry - replete with 20 kg of flour, milkbones and Cesar, vegetables, fruit and Susan's Breathe Right strips (at Shirley's behest) we loaded the van and set off for Jim's for lunch on the water.  It was a beautiful day, the water was sparkling and the Ocean Limited chugged by on its' way to Montreal, evoking lots of memories of trains come and gone.   From clams to seafood chowder, all was pronounced fare fit for a king, and it was back to the hotel for a rest prior to the return to Regalridge.  Ken and Lee got home to Tom's next phase of The Project - coat one of polyurethane on the treads - Lee lives in hope that the hall will not continue to be a spring project and might be finished by the end of the month. 

The kennel is almost full.  Briggs and Brady have a big round dog bed and the two were curled together asleep after dinner.  They are just great dogs that bring a daily smile.  In number four yard, Sophie, Shadow and Abby held the fort, with Shadow herding the big dogs who look at him indulgently and go through the motions as they hoot 'Game On'.  Maddie and Jasper have number two yard and know the routine inside out.  They are very attentive, respond to any call we use and do very well.  Ziggy the German Shepherd is doing amazingly well.  Not the norm for this great breed, Ziggy has settled in immediately, goes in and out without question and enjoys his bed inside as he watches the coming and going.  That is absolutely amazing for a first time German Shepherd Dog in a boarding environment and we tip our hats to his family who have him so well socialized.  Barrett departed much to Trebia's dismay, leaving his pink bone for his next visit - never fear Barrett, we value those bones and will keep that one just for you.  Susan was watching out the window as Barrett departed and commented on the lovely Gordon - not a usual sight.  Little Maggie is doing well.  She has a new game with Chantelle, knocking on her door from the inside to the outside when she wants to come in, then changing her mind and waving.  Raggs the OES is lovely.  She is well trimmed and carries herself like a herding dog.  On this, her first day, she was out by herself but we are thinking Shadow would enjoy her so will make that introduction tomorrow.

The house dogs are ticking along.  Patti is eating well as is Clem and Clint is delighted with his changed fortunes, vocalizing that delight through the evening as he serenades his new girlfriend and all else within hearing range.  Nick was not amused that Diva had his place in the Regalridge van and suggested that didn't need to recur.  The little crew found their way onto Shirley's lap before dinner and highly recommend it to anyone who finds it in the future.  In fact, the Regalridge dogs have all adopted Shirley and have told her that she is just the best person they have ever met and that nobody understands them like she does . . .  Gotta love loyalty.

Dinner was an East Coast occasion.  Lee made bread early in the day before the van left for the city.  A salad of nectarines, spring lettuce, almonds and snap peas accompanied the lobster dinner and the artisan bread, lovely wines and a chocolate dessert that Susan approved highly followed.  The lobster was outstanding - hard shelled and full.  Ken supports the meal by cracking the shells for all of us - that makes it just darned perfect when eaten at the dinner table.  There was even a quiet moment or two as we all savoured the fine meal.  It's going to be difficult to top this one - we can only try.

Party Day

It was party day and the house benefited.  There was lots of kitchen activity but other rooms benefited and things got sorted yet again.  While Lee cooked, Chantelle and Ken worked with dogs.  Those to be shown are getting polished while others are simply having spring cleaning.  With guests as audience, Scout showed off his Agility routine - enjoying the accolades as much as he enjoys the equipment.  Susan and Shirley arrived, after a little tour of NB, and enjoyed dinner and the company.  They were in good form after two days travel and have weathered another New England winter.  Dawn and Jimmy joined us for the evening - always a pleasure. 

Jake departed much to Abby and Shadow's surprise.  He had such a great time with these two that his reintegration to the city could be a little longer than usual.  There has been a new set of alliances.  Sophie needed friends so she is going out with Shadow and Abby.  Being herded seems to suit Sophie - she thinks Shadow is charming.  Abby loves everyone so a change is a good thing in her world.  Jasper and Maddie have their own yard and work as a team.  They enjoy their big beds.  Briggs and Brady are doing amazingly well.  They are such a different combination and are best friends.  As is always the case, dogs boarded in pairs really do thrive.  Little Maggie is looking after her run and keeping an eye on the kennel.  She runs out to say hi to her friend Nemo and is doing well.  Barrett is enjoying his days with Trebia.  He is insistent that his little friend come with him.  They just add to the odd combinations this week. 

The house dogs are going along - always happy on the day of a party to help in the kitchen and remain under foot, avoided as much as possible as they stand behind us or settle under our feet.  The little crew are as troublesome as ever - barking us through our days and critical of many of our activities. 

Dinner was lovely and we all enjoyed the prime rib, Yorkshire pudding, roasted squash, onions, roasted potatoes and turnip followed by a nectarine shortcake with blueberries and cream.  Nobody left the table hungry.

A tough day but a host of great memories and a strong legacy

Saturday was eventful.  It was the day of the Christmas lunch so we were off to Kentville.  If that sounds a bit off, it is the lunch during which we choose names for the  Christmas stockings.  That gives nine months to accumulate items for the person whose name you drew.  These are serious Christmas stockings.  At the opposite end of the scale, we are saying good by to Sophie.  Only on her last day was she unable to play ball.  It will be a different house without this wonderful old dog.  She offered us much in her consummate dignity, zest for the outdoors and for life.  She was so much part of the fabric of Regalridge - with never a cross word for a person or another dog.  We hope you might raise a glass to her at dinner tonight. 

The kennel is busy.  Jasper and Maddie arrived with their gear and smiles on their faces.  They know the routine, trot out of their runs to the number three yard and take off with gay abandon to sort out who has been there and what is needed in the way of their ministrations.  Shadow is in herding mode - Jake and Abby Labs are her flock and although somewhat bemused are humouring the Sheltie instinct.  They are, all three, having a huge time outside.  The resident Golden has decided that all toys belong in the exercise yard so all have taken the trip from run to grassy area.  One is larger than the Dachshund who is highly supportive of this exodus, lugging the biggest of the stuffed animals as best he can.  Barrett found a lovely pink bone that belongs to Piper and was left in the yard when she returned to the house.  He is delighted with the treasure and hopes his owner has gone somewhere to find many of them for him.  He chases it when thrown and then pounces on it to kill it, returns it to the general area of the throwing arm and waits for the next throw.  He kind of missed the part where he is a Setter that 'returns to hand' but he is Barrett after all and marches to his own drummer, fitting right in at Regalridge.  The little Cirneco is not a retriever of any sort so while her pal chases the bone, Trebia jumps up and down trying to sort out what Chantelle is doing to make her buddy go away from her.  Maggie, the diminutive, is here, replete with her own house.  Some days she goes out with Nemo and others she declines that honour.  She sits in her doorway able to keep a Yorkie eye on both the inside and outside activity and that suits our Maggie just fine.  Sophie is managing her yard and looking forward to spring.  She has heard a rumour her people are to return in the spring and is sort of wondering where they are because it has been spring since they left. 

Clint has a girlfriend arriving from Massachusetts this week.  There were frantic phone calls through the noon hour as their progesterone tests were returned to them with a recommendation that they gas up and get driving.  We look forward to the visit - as does Clint.  Patti is doing very well and Clem is back in action, living under Lee's feet until Chantelle surfaces - at which point Lee is toast.  Scout is working hard at this exercises in anticipation of Agility class on Tuesday.  He has perfected push ups and walking around a stool on his hind legs - interesting activities for a dog.  Nick made the trip to Kentville and communed with Rascal and Daisy while we had lunch.  The little crew are being the little crew - bouncing and barking their way through the day, happy puppies all.  Paula is back in the house and firmly in charge of her errant daughter.  Viola is much better behaved when her mother is in the house. 

Dinner was a light casserole - after the Chinese lunch.  With apple pie and ice cream, we were ready for the curling semi-final and a new day.

Friday was travel oriented yet again

It was Friday and an interesting one in the world of Regalridge.  Lee was up and running at 6, making Mrs Field's chocolate chip cookies to take to Tatamagouche for Shelagh.  Chantelle was off to Elmsdale and Ken tried to get ten hours of work in to the two he had before the van had to be out of the driveway.  Ken also had a meeting in Tatamagouche so there was a time mandate - always a challenge.  There was a quick side trip to McDonald's for a milkshake to accompany the cookies and then off through the wilds of Nova Scotia's heartland, over the mountain and on to the care facility.  It was a challenging day with Shelagh.  She is deeply stressed and terribly unhappy with her circumstances.  These are not easy days.  On a brighter day, Ken's meeting went well and the Tatamagouche residents were given a better understanding of emergency care in Nova Scotia.  While we were away, Tom applied another coat of oil stain to the stair treads - that, of course, meant shingles by bedtime on the steps and that lovely scent of stain to accompany us to bed.  And The Project continues. 

The kennel is ticking along.  Lord Tippy departed, palace in tow, early in the day.  We anticipate that his regular subjects may pay a price for having decamped - look out folks.  Jake, Abby and Shadow had a great day with the sunshine and good weather supporting their management of their exercise yard.  They are a great trio, love the exercise and the opportunity to keep an eye on the changing complexion of the surrounding fields as spring arrives and colours change.  Sophie is managing her area nicely, still relieved that Piper's educational period is finished and beginning to put into play all that she has learned - look out for a new dog, folks!  Briggs and Brady are happy with whatever comes their way as long as they are together.  They are neighbours to the two Labs and the Sheltie in their own exercise yard and are still exploring the nooks and crannies.  That little Dachshund nose is determined to root out any varmints it unearths while the Golden watches overhead for errant birds.  All is protected as long as those two are in the area.  Trebia and Barrett relieve Sophie in yard four and have set up a race track around the perimeter.  Barrett is pretty sure he needs a passing lane on the straightaways but so far the little Cirneco is leaving him in her dust.  He finds that endlessly fascinating and at the end of each race, tells her so to her absolute delight.  Their songs are things to be documented, with Barrett crooning and Trebia providing percussion.  She desperately wants to find his timbre and emulate it but alas doesn't have the pipes.  Still, Barrett repeats the refrains so that she can try - they are fast friends after all. 

The house dogs are doing well.  Sophie continues to soldier on, played ball with Tom and had a good long sun bath in a lovely sheltered area of the property.  Even during these difficult days, she loves to be outside - always our greatest outdoor lover.  She had a spa evening with Chantelle, thought it a particularly odd ending to what had been a good day and harrumphed her way to the house.  Patti is bouncing along and Clem is doing better - that potion is a wonderful thing.  The little crew is the little crew - in charge of their universe and happy to take on the job.  They are barking all of us through our days and nights, keeping an eye on the birds and encouraging them to clean up the mess they are making under the feeders - or at least that is our interpretation. 

Dinner was take away - Lee is fond of Fridays for that reason alone.  And we move into the week end . . .

Thursday was productive and spring seems to have arrived

Thursday was a good day with lovely weather, happy dogs and lots of activity at Regalridge.  Our Ken's lament at noon was that it was too warm to work outside with a jacket on - think about that.  Lee continued to root through the storage room, coming out with bags to be taken to the Kidney Foundation and a lot more available space in the big house.  Coupled with a conference call and some administrative work, everyone managed to keep busy.  We heard from Tom in Massachusetts as he was leaving the Veterinarian's office last night.  Ginger is indeed pregnant and Atlas will be a Dad in April.  We are all looking to that.  Susan and Shirley have phoned a couple of times and are packing to come to visit Regalridge in the next couple of weeks.  We are looking forward to some good laughs. 

Sophie is being Sophie.  She is very happy in the exercise yard by herself - she is an only child after all.  Barrett and his friend Trebia had their yard.  Neither needs a lead since they are so happy to see each other, trotting together to the number four yard and then zipping around getting their lungs expanded in readiness for their latest rendition of a popular song.  Briggs and Brady are great dogs.  The little Dachshund is as cute as it can be and is a great partner in crime for the patient Golden.   Shadow, Abby and Jake own number three yard and are best friends.  Jake thinks he is in charge - yeah right.  Jake is first to be let out and herds the other two to their yard.  Abby is the speediest of the three and leads the way, keeping a close eye on Shadow knowing that Jake will bring up the rear.  Little Shadow is well looked after between the two Labs and seems to delight in their company.  Tippy is packing for his return home but has settled in, prefers his blue dish and will eat all he is given as long as it is served properly in that blue dish.  Tippy has lots of rules and we are learning them - in his opinion a bit slowly, but nevertheless we are making progress.

The house dogs are doing fine.  Sophie is still with us and although she is resistant to eating, she is still playing ball and enjoys her time outside on these sunny and warm days.  That is the norm for Sophie and we are pleased to see that.  Clem has perked up and is eating well - a relief as we work with Sophie and Patti.  The little crew is being the little crew - on alert and ready to rumble.  Paula is back in the house and Viola will be back under control immediately.  Scout and Chantelle are practicing their Agility Olympics and are adding more and more complexity to his routine.  He is happy to be working and now considers the jumps, chute, tire and seesaw his job. 

Dinner was a beef stew followed by Chantelle's addition of a lovely apple crumble pie and ice cream.  Curling was on the agenda for late evening so all is well heading into the last work day of the week.

Spring is coming to Nova Scotia

Mid-week arrived and it was time for a visit with Reg in the city.  After sorting out the next stage of the income tax (there has to be some benefit from the darned project) we were off to Halifax for lunch and a little shopping update.  Armed with cat pan liners (essentials unavailable in Belnan) and a new toy for Charlotte (to enable a higher degree of taunting of the human population) we were returned to Regalridge by mid-afternoon.  Chantelle was in Elmsdale for the day so home early and it was on to trimming dogs and readying the population for the upcoming shows. 

The kennel is doing well - busy and happy.  It is an excellent group of dogs.  The two B's trot to their big exercise yard without the need for leashes and enjoyed their freedom in the 1/2 acre that has become their domain.  Jake, Abby and Shadow took over number three yard.  This was Shadow's first foray out with friends and with the plethora of big dogs the two Labs seemed a good bet.  Abby adopted Shadow, thinking the old Sheltie would want a thorough and careful tour of the area.  She showed him all of her best places and Shadow dutifully followed, inspecting spots and nodding in agreement.  Jake was perplexed at this mentoring process but tagged along just to see if he had missed anything.  Sophie had a yard to herself for a change of pace and that made her very happy.  She is an only child, after all!  Barrett and Trebia were the second shift in yard four and the two are working on their harmony.  We're pretty sure last night's rendition was Ode To Spring - but we are hoping for a repeat performance tonight to be certain.  Practice makes perfect.

The house dogs are delighting in the warm weather and sunny days.  While the winds are chilly, the bright and cloudless skies buoy the spirits, even after our non-winter.  Sophie continues to struggle but is still with us and is playing ball each day.  Patti is thriving under Ken's care and Piper is repatriated - deciding that Lee was the cause of her woes and giving her the cold shoulder with a backward glance to make certain it is being noticed.  That's our Piper.  Clem is slowing as well (another of the ancient dogs) so we are compensating as best we can for the failing eyesight and slower ability to get around.  Chantelle is not much of a seeing-eye person and Clem apprises her of that fact on a regular basis.  She also is highly perturbed when Lee collects her from the front gates that she is dutifully waiting beside for Chantelle to come home - now the fact that it is 9:30 pm and Chantelle has been home for 4 hours has escaped her but she feels that is incidental to her loyal and purposeful wait.  The geriatric ward is expanding.

Dinner was a lovely meal of garlic chicken. potatoes and fresh asparagus.  Spring is coming as is Daylight Savings Time and St Patrick's Day.  Lots to look forward to . . .

The week is unfolding with spring like weather

It was Tuesday and there were things to do - late in the day when there should not be things to do.  We are an early morning crowd and since our creatures of habit are - creatures of habit - they were up at sunrise.  And our day started.  The great coffee maker gets us going - latte is the order of the day followed by good strong coffee to give us a little boost.  We spent the day as gate attendants - letting dogs in and out at their whim on a lovely spring day.  Mud is surfacing everywhere so the Airedales are happy and the Welsh delighted. Ken managed to get some trimming done and the raspberry patch got more attention.  Lee worked on the ATA Specialty advertising and on her meeting for the evening.  Scout and Chantelle began their next foray into the world of Agility, this time with Brenda at Fetch.  Lee had a meeting in the same area at the same time so stopped in to collect Barrett late in the evening, in time to watch the end of the class.  Dogs working on exercise balls make for an interesting sight, late at night when you're quite weary.  Out of body experiences come in many ways.  Barrett was happy to return to Camp Regalridge in the PT Cruiser and marched down to his run, checking out the new arrivals and having a bonding moment with his Cirneco before he could go into his run.  With his all weather coat and jaunty step, he looked the part of the urbane gentleman out for an evening stroll as he cantered along with Ken offering words of encouragement to 'say hi to your friend because it's bedtime and you have to go to sleep so you can go out with her tomorrow''  They are the funniest combination, the little smooth coated pointy hound and the very large full coated Gordon Setter and they have become fast friends. 

The kennel is rocking along.  Ken announced at lunch that this is the best crew of dogs, as a group - that we have had with us.  None requires a leash to be walked out to the yards.  The Golden and Dachshund march out to their yard, tails wagging and grins on those faces.  They love the country space and the exercise.  The two Labradors walk in lock step from their runs to their yard and are delighted to be anywhere that is a prelude to a meal because that's what life is all about in the mind of a Lab.  Sophie, of course, knows the routine and tears madly to her run hoping desperately that Piper is behind her rather than ahead.  Tippy has sorted out the indoor outdoor concept and while the castle and rug are the preferred spots, the outside does now hold some allure.  All are eating well, including out little black lord of all he surveys, and tuna is no longer required with every meal. 

The house dogs are doing well in this lovely weather.  Old Sophie is in decline but does love the outside and is still up for a game of ball.  The rest are wagging and happy.  The little crew are doing well with lots of coming and going to keep their vocal cords in shape.  Patti is sleeping in the big bedroom these days since she is taking her potion after Chantelle's parade has gone to bed.  That will be an interesting dynamic when Piper returns to the fold. 


Dinner was America Test Kitchen's pot roast - and it was excellent with a few minor changes including the change out of dark beer for the red wine. 

Two days in one - sorry for the blip

Sunday and Monday were spring-like days with warm temperatures and lots of sunshine. The dogs are delighted and our Ken spent Monday in the garden shoring up the raspberry patch. It is hard to reconcile how very happy that made him. Chantelle did some trimming and spent Sunday with the dogs in the kennel followed, by Monday in Windsor. All is ticking along in her world with high anticipation for her new start in Agility at Fetch Inc. Bob and Luella departed after two days at the Briar, lots of new friends made and a different sense of Halifax than had heretofore been their experience. They are enthusiastic supporters of curling and thoroughly enjoyed their experience thanks to Chantelle's Christmas gift of the tickets. They were a little less enthusiastic returning to Digby to deep snow and a frozen lake after having enjoyed our warm temperatures and clear yards. Linda reports that Richmond is back to normal, there is no snow in the forecast and the temperatuers are in the 60's (apologies to Canadians thinking in Celsius but we are reporting US temperatures after all).

The kennel is busy and the dogs are happy - the weather doesn't hurt. Briggs and Brady are doing particularly well. The Golden remains the leader of the pack of two, with the Dachshund close on his heels as they march to and from their exercise yard. They are separated into two runs for feeding and little Mr Dachshund advises anyone who will listen that A. The Golden cannot exist without him for even a moment and B. that he has to be with him to keep him protected at all times and C. a report needs to be provided immediately because he fears his big brother has forgot himself and eaten everything when he should be finishing up his food! Jake the Lab arrived for another visit and needs no assistance in moving from his run to his exercise yard. He has discovered his best friend that he has never met - Abby, a black Lab. Abby is in control as most females are and Jake is in her thrall. That took about 1/8 of a second. Her wish is his command. Tippy is settled in. His palace is in place and he prefers to spend his time enjoying it, with occasional breaks to go out and survey his environs. He is eating well after a rocky start, needing his canned tuna to assure him that his entire life had not gone to heck in a handbasket. He is suspicious that his owners have lost their minds in leaving him behind but has resigned himself to his memories of home and hearth - with the Christmas rug providing particular solace. Sophie is doing just fine. Piper is due to return to the house this week and Sophie has a party planned - break out the champagne.

The house dogs are doing fine although with a little downturn with ancient Sophie. She is not eating as well as previously in the last couple of days but with a good ear cleaning by Lee and a brushing out by Ken, she managed to choke down some of her mac and cheese and a garlic cheese finger. We are hoping that will turn her attitude around because an attitude it is. As she is offered plate after plate (notice we are not describing dog dishses because those definitely do not suit her majesty) her head raises higher and higher until she is pointedly gazing, with intent, at the ceiling. The rest of the Regalridge crew are doing well. Potions are being dispensed to Patti, Sophie and Clem and all are taking it with greater or lesser enthusiasm. Ken and Luella agreed that their Ellie needed the potion so Luella went home with a good supply of flax oil and seed and reported in that Ellie loves it.

Dinners the past couple of nights included bar b qued pork chops from the hunting and gathering mission to the fruit stand, turnip (a fruit stand acquisition as well, potatoes and gingerbread followed the next night by the meatloaf and mac and cheese (Sophie agreed to share). And we are on to Tuesday . . .

Saturday was an easy day at Regalridge

Saturday was unusual. Luella and Bob were here until noon and lots got fixed. Bob is a fixer and Ken decided we were to be the fixees. All electrical issues or potential issues or could be issues or might in the future be issues have been addressed. The men have reigned supreme and tamed the power beast. Then it was off to the Briar and a sleep over with friends for the Marshalls and a day of small victories for the rest of the household. Ken went hunting and gathering across the road. The fruit stand opened for the week end and our Ken could hardly wait to go foraging. We will not need to go meat shopping for several months. Billy Withrow has decided that opening on a week end during March is profitable - Ken saw to that. Chantelle spent the day in the kennel trimming dogs and updating the house crew. Ears and nails were done and all were well.

The kennel is ticking along. Sophie has determined that Piper must surely be out of heat and can go back to wherever it is she came from. 'Lola - where are you' is her refrain at the moment. Brady and Briggs are having a great time in number three yard. The Little and The Big march around in single file, surveying the country and ensuring all is moving along well in the country. Tippy has a kingdom. He arrived with a palace to be set up in his run - bedding, his house and the ever present Christmas mat. Tippy is a soul mate - Christmas year round is a strong possibilty at Regalridge as well. Rascal and Daisy are in charge of number two yard. They like Camp Regalridge, have been to the spa for an appointment with Chantelle and are new dogs ready for spring on their parents return from the Briar.

The house dogs are well. Sophie is eating - with some encouragement. Patti is eating with alacrity. The little dogs are torturing all of us at every opportunity and are delighted that curling has started and laps are plentiful.

Dinner was meat loaf from America's Test Kitchen and mac and chees with gouda and cheddar. Mac and cheese is Sophie's favourite so has to appear on a regular basis. And we are on to Sunday.. .

Friday ushers in the week end

A day of coming and going with the coldest wind this side of the north pole resulted in Ken having a successful hunting and gathering day  at Costco.  More bulbs were sandwiched between dog food bags and Pine Sol.  All is well in Ken's world.  Bob and Luella arrived early afternoon and are keen to be off to the Briar opening tomorrow afternoon, with Ellie happily in the guest room, Daisy and Rascal in the kennel.  It was Agility closing night so pizza was the order of the day.  Sophie was treated to the accompanying garlic cheese fingers and is eating happily once again.  Luella accompanied Chantelle to Truro and came home to report that Scout is the 'best of the bunch' with his Welsh enthusiasm and joie de vivre eclipsing the rest of the crowd by light years. 

The kennel has restructured itself, with Sophie the constant and others circulating around her sun.  Piper and Marguerite are still there but becoming increasingly certain that a terrible mistake has occurred and we should be aware of that fact.  Briggs and Brandy - the big and the small - arrived to great fanfare and settled in happily. 

The house dogs are fine.  Sophie is eating, Patti is eating and taking her potion, the little crowd is firmly in charge (in their own minds), Clem is ensconced in the most inconvenient spot possible in the kitchen and darned proud of it and Charlotte and Lori are enjoying themselves as Airedale girls do.  Lori is having a dickens of a time choking down her meals so we live in hope that she is well and truly pregnant.  That means Airedale babies in the house after a long hiatus.  We couldn't be happier.

Lee will have to work on a dinner for tomorrow after the pizza event tonight.  She did manage to make brown bread and gingerbread today.  And we work into the week end. 

We must move on and return to a normal schedule

We are in "Olympicwithdrawal". It is a condition that manifests in considerable walking in circles, forays toward televisions that result in head shaking and a downturn of the mouth, listlessness and a brightening of expression only when a radio mentions gold in any context. It was a day of revolving doors at Regalridge - helping us fill the day were comings and goings. Guess what - after six visits, the refrigerator is fixed. Now, that was an interesting journey. The ice maker stopped in November so we phoned the repair people. And the adventure started. The fellow who arrived regularly is a gem. On the first visit, he assessed the problem, rattled the ice maker around, sorted out some hidden ice that had found its' way to an area it didn't belong and said that a part would have to be ordered. Two weeks later he returned, with a part. It didn't fit but it sure was shiny. A commitment was made that when he came back after Christmas he would fix the handle that was loose (it takes a special wrench) and would bring a part to fix the broken holder for the meat tray. This is a three year old high end refrigerator, remember. Before the return in January, the ice maker decided on its own that it should be re-employed so began offering up ice once more - but only crushed ice. It made cubes and dutifully crushed every one of them before letting them escape out the door and into the glass. The great repair fellow arrived the next week - without the ice maker but with a replacement part for the tray - the wrong one but a pleasure to look at nonetheless. And off he went with his usual smile and note that he would return. The next visit - another wrong part, but we were getting closer. And then the next iteration of the story - the ice maker began to once more offer ice cubes when asked and crushed ice on demand and water as it should. It was a miracle of inanimate appliance-ness. The repair fellow arrived on schedule with the correct parts, replaced the meat tray in a second, had the correct wrench and fixed the loose handle and was ready to install the new ice maker when we showed him the change - he was darned impressed with a self-repairing fridge. We hope we will continue to enjoy his visits but also hope that the fridge will carry on for a while without more incident.

The kennel is working along and is busy. Naomi and Moses are thriving, used to the routine and showing a bit of age. They love their big yard and are able to offer assistance in supporting our failing memories by reminding us when they should be moved about. Darryl and Moses speak to each other as they go in and out of their yards. Darryl lost his two buddies as Jake returned to the city and Ruff departed. Ruff and Darryl were great pals and played hard and long through these warm days. Piper has managed Marguerite well and has her in much better shape than when their kennel stays started. Marguerite is about ready to be repatriated to her usual spot but we would hate to rob Piper of her enjoyment in that project so will let it continue until Piper comes back to the house. Sophie is doing well. She is happy to be part of Piper's pack but has her individuality intact. She does the front down, bum in the air routine when she sees her helper Chantelle and encourages her to play and stop working so hard. It is the season of mud and the bathtub is busy. Paula wants to come back to the house - now!

The house dogs are fine. It was a big day for Abigail. We had anticipated that Janet would not be able to drive from PEI to Belnan given the weather forecast through NB but the phone rang mid-afternoon and there she was. Abby was parcelled up and off she went to be the Australian support to Piper, Janet's male Airedale. We have heard that her trip home was uneventful and that she would be a good navigator, watching the road carefully and staying vigilant. Next she will teach Janet the ways of an Australian. We look forward to the stories.

The pheasants are here in great number. Big Phil is back under the chestnut tree with his harem and Little Phil is on schedule when the big guy has departed. There were different birds at the feeders - a harbinger of spring perhaps but more likely those that were blown off course with the high winds of the week end. Flowers are coming up in the garden - who has seen that in February in Nova Scotia - and Ken is ready to start caring for them by covering them at night. Another project emerges. Tom worked on the stairs yet again and there is some hope that that portion of The Project may be finished this week - don't get too excited now because it may not happen but we live in hope that the sanding at least is done.

Dinner was spaghetti, salad and garlic bread - Lee is quite certain that March 1 is not yet the end of winter. And Tuesday is coming . . .