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 . . .