Great weather and a list - what could be better

Life unfolded and Our Ken's agenda grew.  There were dogs leaving, meals prepared, Lee made it to a Sanction Match with Lily and a conference call took up the evening into the night.  Dull was not a word in the vocabulary. 

There were waves of Good by from the kennel.  Little Maggie gave Nemo his final instructions and departed after her breakfast.  Nemo is yearning for Lucy.  Mickey the Sheltie left later in the day.  And Micah and Sadie continue to rule the double run.  Mischka watches the activity level drop and claps his OES paws.  Ruff encourages all who will listen to do their best. 

The house dogs are well and happy.  Piper had a rest in Lee's lap - keep in mind Lee returned home with the scent of Eau de Malamute - a scent that Miss Piper does not enjoy and feels must be expunged asap.  The rest of the dogs shake their heads as they watch the machinations which result in Piper curled up and around Lee. 

Dinner was a lovely grilled salmon with the remaining risotto and fiddle heads from last year's efforts.  And we are on to another suitcase . . .

Of weather, dogs and food

Saturdays are busy at Regalridge.  The weather was great - sunny and cool.  The dogs are happy and the birds are plentiful.  The full flock of Grosbeaks is with us augmenting the colour of the Jays and Phil the Pheasant and a good backdrop for the red heads of the woodpecker and the black caps of the Chickadees. There are generally extra boarders and additional coming and going as folks visit the dogs, visit with us and we catch up from the week.  There were visits to admire the Airedales - and the Airedales were mighty impressed with the visitors.  There was a visit to review ears on a youngster.   There was a little coming and going and Lee had a meeting.  Our Ken began the work of organizing the garage (remember the spill last week?) and progress was made, apparently.  The new snow blower was out for inspection.  And CKC work was moved along.  All in all, life was normal.  The adventure of the day was the meeting.  At Fetch, Barrett the Gordon Setter greeter landed on Lee's shoulders on her arrival and then offered up his best tricks, spending much of the meeting on top of one table or another including the meeting table.  Looking up at a Gordon Setter as he looks down at your meeting notes is an interesting sensation.  But that was not the adventure.  You see, on arrival, Our Brenda was standing in front of her office door, a perplexed expression on her face and a hand on the locked office door.  Apparently the folks who had used the facility locked a door that had never been locked and for which there was no key.  Contemplating her options between torturing Mark, a decision was taken.  At the end of the meeting there were sounds that approximated a chicken laying an egg, some laughter, a comment from Mr Mcdonald that 'yes' he would push but  'where do I push'.  Ah, the quandaries with which we are faced.  All is well in Virginia as they brace for yet another storm - there was actually a discussion of whether or not snow blowers could be purchased in the best state in the South, the efficacy of the machine and it's attributes when properly chosen.  Did we mention that earlier in the week there was a distressed message on the answering machine from the youngsters in Monson, noting that there is so much snow in western Massachusetts that the Airedales can simply walk over the top of the fencing in the exercise yards!  The youngsters appear to find this situation a bit off-putting and may have been looking for sympathy - they got the wrong number.  And it continues to rain in Victoria - who says the weather is changing!

Little Maggie is busy.  She enjoyed the good weather, ate her meal and managed Nemo.  Sophie and Micah had a great day in number three yard. The two are great pals and when they settle for a snooze, little Micah curls up almost inside Sophie the Mastiff.   Ruff had a good expression of his thoughts and thoroughly enjoyed it.  Mischka is well and managing to stay interested in his companions, but perked up noticeable when it was explained that things would quiet through the week. 

The house dogs are well and enjoyed this good weather.  Patti kept the yard in good order and Clint did his best to upset that.  Our Ken was well supervised in the garage.  Billy and Atlas met and greeted the visitors with typical Airedale aplomb.  The Welsh were less welcoming.  JR is in season so less than sociable and Scooter did not consider visitors a bonus to her world of ball playing.  The settling in for the night went without incident.  There was a great movie on television - we hadn't seen Philadelphia - that kept all occupied until midnight.  Atlas liked that.  Piper didn't.  You see, the line up for the bedroom parade occurs at 9:30 and keeping one's position for almost 3 hours is a trick. 

Dinner was late (Lee's meeting was late) but worthy of note.  There was a lovely shallot Parmesan risotto to accompany  the fresh smelts in corn meal crust and the squash from Our Ken's garden that he had cut up earlier in the week.  Dessert was Hagen Daz strawberry ice cream - a nod of the head to things to come. 

Adventures abound

 There was a trip to NB in this week's plans - a three day marathon for Lee that included many hours of driving and many meetings.  It was an easy drive to the neighbouring province, with trucks as the main source of entertainment.  Words to live by - empty logging trucks require a particular breed of individual behind the wheel and you are unlikely to meet them in the normal course of life.  The day of meetings went along and then there was the debate - to return or not to return, that was the question.  You see, there had been snow in the hinterlands - not in Woodstock and not at Regalridge - so we were in a quandary.  The weather folks assured us that there had been snow but we couldn't really see it so did it really happen - sort of that tree falling in the forest thing.  In the end, Lee re-entered the little Toyota and set off.  The first 40 miles were fine.  The next 40 had their moments and then there was the challenge.  The empty logging trucks were on their return trips - what exactly are they doing running up and down highways with empty trucks and swinging jaws?  And there were lots of others keeping the little Toyota company.  The Toyota looked like the family pet in a sea of giant trucks.  As our convoy moved along, the snow deepened on the roadside, the slush became a constant and the passing lane became a rutted ice cover.  Moncton was a mess.  There were many transport trucks on their sides, including the Canada Post mail delivery 18 wheeler.  Paper was everywhere.  And there were cranes pulling yet more trucks upright.  There were no logging trucks overturned.  The convoy carried on - far too late to turn back and the accidents had been the day and night previous so hope for the best and stay with your friends, Lee reckoned.  NS was fine.  In fact, the little Toyota found its way to the Exit in record time after leaving NB and all was relaxed, Our Ken had been paged to do the gates and it was 3 minutes to go.  Or not.  A car three vehicles ahead stopped for on-coming traffic, turn signal on to turn across the highway.  Behind it was a truck.  Behind that a car.  Then Lee.  The truck stopped, no tail lights.  The next car had no chance.  It was the back of the truck, on coming cars or the steep ditch.  In what appeared to be slow motion, the driver opted for the latter.  Lee stopped to help.  The young man crawled out the window and up the bank, white faced and shaking.  He silently crawled back down and pulled open the back door, handing children up to Lee who corralled them.  Children in tow, she moved them to a safer haven, the little boy looking up with tear filled eyes and saying "Whatever will we do - our car is broken in two".  Yet smaller, the little girl took her cue from the brother and tears started.  Lee figured explanations were in order.  "Everything will be ok.  Your Dad is a hero and saved your life.  And now a big truck is going to come and pull that car right back up on the road".  And Our Ken had been called to get a tow truck there asap.  The little fellow looked up at Lee "You mean, just like in my book?"  And all was well in that little world.  The tow vehicle arrived in record time and Lee quickly and without comment  paid the driver before leaving (there was real doubt that these folks could have done that).  And the adventures continue.

The kennel is filling for the February breaks.  Little Maggie has settled in for the week end, kicking up the little Maggie heels and feeling very at home.  Mischka has lots of company and is always pleased to see dogs to keep him entertained.  Ruff is good entertainment value and Mischka likes the Golden.  Mickey the substantial Sheltie is in residence, taking life in his stride.  As Our Ken notes, Mickey is such a good fellow.  And the big fellows are here.  Sophie, the Mastiff from last summer has returned - maintaining order in the double run as her pal Mica watches carefully.  Interestingly, last summer the Mastiff was a bit concerned with the whole situation.  This second visit is much easier, as is so often the case.  Once the dogs understand that the owners will return, they seem to settle in and take the change in life in their strides.  Sophie now takes the lead, trots (lumbers actually) out to the big exercise yard and returns to the correct door to go back to her kennel when the exercise period comes to an end.  It is a bright and tractable group, with each dog able to find his/her own outside run door and working with us as he/she moves between the kennel and the play areas. 

The house dogs are fine.  There was the usual delight in having Lee home and lots of stories to be told by the Norwich, Piper and Nick.  Patti had a comment about Our Ken's cooking but is back to her self and marched her way to the bedroom to sleep - a barometer of Patti's health and wellness.  Paula is well and the puppy is thriving.  Growing like a weed, he continues to be the apple of Paula's eye at a very mature two weeks of age. 

Dinner was chicken pot pie and peas with cream horns from Maine for dessert.  When you grow up with the Maine pastries, they are a treat of significant note lo these many years later.   And we are ready for yet another week end of frivolity . . .