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?