Good weather and a new project

The weather has returned to it's clement state and the snow is melting.  Given that the ground had not frozen, the melting may be a bit slower than might have been expected.  Forecast show double digit days early next week with the potential for 10 on the week end as well.  It has been a sunny and mild November, almost making up for the wet and cool summer.  Thank goodness for the hiatus in France where weather seems always to be perfect.  The melting snow on the roof of the kennel brought surprises.  The overhang on the East side requires immediate attention so the van meandered off to the welcoming arms of Rona.  Alex is setting aside his studies to come out and give Our Ken a hand with the repair project.  There was a continuation of the Christmas wrapping project and another foray into the storage room for the glass tree that shines in the kitchen throughout the season. 

The kennel is busy.  This has been the theme in recent years with folks visiting before Christmas and returning home for the season.   Naomi and Moses are in residence and settled.  Capine and Chopper have welcomed them.  Finn is amazed at all of the ankles that are trotting past his eye level.    Barrett arrived with a song for Trebia.  The little Cirneco does not like snow so it took Barrett's Woo Woo Woo encouragement to lure her out for the chase.  Once there, all was well and the game was on.   Little Bella departed with a wave and Lola is considering her options.  Ruari and Finn have a little estate built in their pen with blankets, beds and sundry comforts.  All is well in their world.  Baylee Airedale arrived for a spa day and ear treatment.  She is stunning.  A sister of Breezy, she is a strapping girl with a head that breeders die to produce.  What a lovely Marguerite puppy and what a great job her owners are doing with her. 

The house dogs are conflicted.  There is snow so it is wet play but warm weather and sun lures them outside.  Then there is the fire, dog beds and sun coming through the great room windows.  Choices, choices.  Patti opts to sleep as long as the correct bed is available to her.  Charlotte delights in seconding that particular bed, to torture Patti as much as because she watns it.  The little Norwich enjoy one of their little couches and Piper shadows Lee.    Marilla and Dolly are restless - it is hunting season and the gunshots are unsettling for these two in particular.  Breezy has graduated to the big Airedale pack and is tickled with her upgrade.  Still, there is the draw of teh playing puppies and her part in the young Airedale games so the occasional foray into the puppy pen seems somehow necessary to her mental well being.  Gabe and Izzy are growing and thriving.  They are the sweetest pair of Airedale puppies in a long while - totally taken with each other, never a cross word and with perpetually wagging tails. 

Dinner was on the grill - burgers and oven fried potatoes.  The accompanimant was an interesting decision.  Our Ken was offered potato chips or fries.  "Whatever is easiest' was the response.  Lee headed to the pantry for the chips only to hear "I guess that would be the fries".  Now, consider - opening a chip bag or preparing potatoes, adding the herbs, roasting and finding condiments.  Yup, Our Ken must have wrestled a mighty recalcitrant chip bag at soem point in his life to have determined that fries are easier than those challenging potato chips.  Dessert was a cupcake, divided, from Margot's birthday party for Lee.  Having missed a day or two of blog, the party has missed mention.  Our great friend Margot has a birthday celebration for Lee each year - oddly, always at about this time.  This year it was (at Lee's choosing) gourment pizza and cupcakes.  What a spread!  From carbonar to Greek and several kinds in between, champagne (Lee's drink of choice at any occasion) and a tiered plate of candle laden amazing cupcakes.  Life doesn't get a lot better than an evening with friends and the perfect food groups.