Saturday, May 14, 2011

CANINE BELLES

ROSEY, your name for AnnieBelle brought back fond memories for me. Back when my DD#2 was high chair age and # was still a busy pre schooler, DH was in need of a new bird dog as his long time huntin' buddy was retired. Just prior to Christmas when he'd been working out of town and was scheduled to get home for the holidays I went shopping. Read that reading the ads in the local shopper rag. Lots of dogs for sale but the Springer/Brittany cross litter was available for (hold your breath) $7 each pup. I went to the house and surveyed the mass of squirming pups and chose one because she had freckles on her nose which was a requirement for me. Al was tickled and he named her Belle. She was a fine bird dog, guardian of the children and a lap dog when she got the chance. She kept me company while I sorted socks and teased the girls just as a big brother would. She'd steal a toy and if the kid didn't notice she'd parade in front of her until she did. The kid would chase her and I ended up dealing with a screaming kid and having to drag Belle, mouth full of toy, out from under my bed. I could almost see a grin on her face. Whereupon Belle would shake herself off and with tail wagging furiously run off to find some other way to get the attention of everyone in the house. She never damaged a toy except for eating some crayons and some pegs from the kids' peg board game. That latter item was the dumbest toy my not so dear MIL gave them. She was a master at giving them inappropriate toys. I was glad Belle succeeded in destroying it. When my beloved Belle was 10 years old she contracted heart worms. There was no preventive in those days nor was there an effective treatment so we had to say goodbye to her when the cardiac symptoms were making her miserable. I'm a bit wet in the eye as I write this.

One more Belle memory - when DD#2 was in the 4th grade and showing some signs of depression that had me concerned (but couldn't get the attention of the pediatrician or DH) I discovered that Belle was sneaking upstairs from her bed and sleeping with DD. One day DD told me that she loved Belle and she told her all her secrets. I assured DD that I told Belle my secrets too and that was no lie.

Jane

Friday, May 13, 2011

Well, Jane,

You know what they say: there's no fool, like an old fool.
I calculated my age; spoke to a breeder here in Ontario about what if, would she take her; I do Aussie Rescue and I know how careful they are in placing dogs, so, I decided that I could as easily slip on a banana peel as wait for the grim reaper to come knockin' at my door and purchased Miss AnnieBelle trusting to the good Lord not to take me away too soon in her life. She's a sweetie. The only thing I hadn't factored into the equation, as I have the energy to deal with training her and I go to Curves thanks to Jean in Mill Bay who suggested I try it and can get up and down off the floor without too much trouble, groaning and expelling of breath....that my fibromyalgia has kicked up with my upper limbs as a result of lifting the pup and carrying her up and down stairs at night. She's now mastered five stairs coming down but going up more than two stairs has her flummoxed at the moment. More Curves...thank heavens for that. I know without it, I wouldn't be able to move as well as I do. So, thanks, Jean.

Gorgeous day here in southern Ontario, warming up and it will rain later on. But meanwhile, we are blessed that the lawn tractor started up as it should after a long winter in the garage and the grass is like an emerald green carpet at the moment; soft and intense. Neighbour Lou is complaining that the deer have topped off all his tulips overnight. Tasty treat for them; but the rhubarb is coming up and about ready to pick. I'll be lashed to the oven for a few days baking rhubarb bread for the Bed&Breakfast.

Rosey

Thursday, May 12, 2011

BEE

You beat me to it. I usually make two trips a night. I know I shouldn't have that last mug of tea (decaffeinated) after dinner but there are so few rules left to break at my age.

ROSEY, that is one adorable pup. Of course the ugliest one I ever saw was pretty cute but Anniebelle rises to the top. My Rocky is the household kisser here. Both Kit and I are daily recipients whether we want it or not. He virtually washes Kit's face every morning as she closes her eyes and lets him lick away.

You are as simple minded as I getting a pup that, barring a tragedy, will outlive you. My neighbors are all in love with Rocky but Kit is so high maintenance I'm not sure about her. My dog crazy neighbors with the four Boykin Spaniels have indicated that they will make sure she never sees the inside of a shelter. Kit is four years old. I'm trying hard to help her get comfortable with them. Rocky hikes very challenging hikes with them. I'm afraid he'd go along with Jack the Ripper.

Gotta get back to my round robin which is due in the coming week. I've learned to not let it go until the last day. Inevitably I'm embarrassed by my crude work because my grand scheme turned out at the eleventh hour to be much more difficult than I'd planned.

Jane sweltering in the mountains (mid 80sF)

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Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Rosey

She is gorgeous and I can see very kissy. What fun to have a new pup, about time I was wondering when you were going to fall for another Aussie. You had better send her over here it sounds as though our bladders are about the same. LOL Hugs Bee in NZ .

Meet Miss AnnieBelle







Born Jan. 20th, this little pup came to live with us in early April. She's an Australian Shepherd, just as our other dogs. She's a cute little monkey. Her reg. name is Thornapple Day of Reckoning; her dam's call name, Bell, thus, the AnnieBelle. She's crated at night beside my bed and isn't sleeping the night through as yet....her bladder wakes us both up.

Rosey

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Sunday evening.

Love to photo of the dogs ! Should be labelled "happiness is..."

Rosey, I hope you enjoyed your day of pampering ! Well deserved I'm sure, and something that some of the rest of us should try to work into our week from time to time !

Laura, so good to know that you are safe. I see that now there is potential flooding to worry about in some areas..

Here's some useless information which may be of interest to some.... 8,000,000 tonnes of rubble have been removed from the city since the Christchurch quake and 500,000 tonnes of silt/sand. It is hoped that65% of residential waste and 85% of commercial waste will be recycled in 5 to 6 years time...

This week we went to an event in the city. A book launch, held in a new bookshop in the suburbs. The original Bk shop is still cordoned off in the CBD. The owners have not been able to remove any of their stock so have had to buy in new for the new shop. They hope to retrieve stock from the old shop when they are allowed back. This might happen this week but they have to have an engineer with them when they go, at a cost of $400 an hour... Sounds to me as if some people are doing quite well out of the earthquake... The book which was being launched was written by the daughter of a friend. It is her fourth novel. She's a talented writer but lives on the smell of an oily rag (do you know that saying ?) in Berlin. It has taken her five years to research and write this book. It's set in Leningrad in the 1940's. All about Shostakovitch and his Leningrad Symphony. (a CD of which comes with the book.) I'm really looking forward to reading it, just need a day to myself, sitting by the fire with the music on in the background. Doesn't that sound like a perfect way to spend a day ?

Today we have been out looking at properties in the district. We have an "interested party" wanting to buy this place. She owns adjoining land and is keen to secure this place. DH thinks we should consider her offer carefully. We are surrounded by Dairy farms and on an unsealed road and that doesn't appeal to everybody. We looked at a lovely place (still rural but closer to our small town) . This needs some thinking about...

Hope the week-end has gone well. Here's to a good week .

Marion.