Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Up to my ankles in b...

So what do you think I'm up to my ankles in? B..... well in one area, it totally is the stinky, rotten, bull produced stuff. Some people are just spewing it around right now and man does it smell. It's almost to a point of making me ill. The term my s**t don't stink, seems to be applying to this situation.

But really, it's up to my ankles in b....... basement water! Yes once again, my interpid sump pump had a hissy fit. Not the pump exactly, just the float which got stuck and wouldn't let the pump cycle.

Alec was getting up at 3:30 to go to work, came upstairs and said-basement flooded. After a little jiggling and moving the pump around, it's now working fine. My feet, prunes. My toes, no feeling in them. Basement, less than 1/2 inch of water. Now before you all go OMG, the floor isn't level, so it's only 1/2" here, some on this side wall, under the pile of dog crates and under the freezer. Few other spots too. Got a lot of it squeeged up, soaked up and the fans are running as well as the two dehumidifers. Yes we have two of them.

Few things to wash, not much. But have to alternate between the washer and the dehumidifer as they are sharing the same electrical outlet.

Add in that I had a meeting last night, got nothing done. Meeting tonight till late, so nothing will get done. Tomorrow night, pack for show, wash dogs, pack the Big Tow. Friday-gone till Sunday night.

At least the basement doesn't smell, it was simply ground water. Sigh, but this other stuff, it's kind of like that skunk smell when you run over one, it just never seems to go away. This stink will be following a couple of people around for ever. Hope they learn to like it.


Later gators...
C

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Recovery mode

I so wish I had new photos of the gerbils but this last weekend was spent trying to get a handle on what the heck is wrong with G-G Grandma Phoebe's injury.

Short pupdate before I go into the rest, all but Ringer has his eyes open, but I do suspect that his will crack open today or tomorrow. Their ears are well opened and they now rustle awake at the sound of the door opening, human footsteps towards the pool and a rousing chorus of "pup, pup". Chalice was the first with eyeballs shining, and the first to attack the toys in the box, the first to growl at her sibling and the first to bite and do that oh so funny head shake on the siblings butt. We now have real puppies and not gerbils! It always amazes me just how much changes in 24 hours once the eyes and ears are open. I promise, photos will be taken before we leave for the show this weekend, but has to be done betweek 4-H dog class, kennel club meeting and battling the mud.

On to Phibbers.

Cervical collar was causing more pain issues. Took it off. Still having issues with significant muscle spasms and panic attacks. She even stopped eating on Saturday night. So what do we do? Investigated getting her a thundershirt or anxiety wrap. Figured we'd start with the ace bandage wrap first.

No need!!! We took her off the tramadol as of yesterday morning and that's the issue. It was causing her episodes. She still hurts, but is wagging her tail now, eating again and actually running around outside. She can't go up and down the stairs, so until the ramps go in, she'll get carried. Man, what a relief.

Weather update----forecast for mud..... ugh.

Later gators....
C

Friday, February 24, 2012

Impossible

Isn't it always the case that when you need something, you can't find it!

We had one, dogs, I think, destroyed it.

No pharmacy or medical place in town carries one! RRRRR

Oh, I'm on the hunt for a youth cervical collar--for the dog.

Later gators....
C

Pupdate

Sorry, no photos, been busy dealing with great great grandma Phoebe.

But a quick note that the kids(aka Gerbils) have all easily doubled their birth weights-did that earlier in the week and very close to that 2lb mark! I think that will happen by Sunday. Eyes are just about to crack open and Momma Dove decided to finally eat-the trick? Scrambled eggs. Thank GOD for having the poultry aisle right out the back door.

Will have 2 week photos up on the website on Sunday afternoon and some candids for the blog on Monday.

Have an awesome weekend(ours is forcasted for MUD)

Later gators...
C

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Pain in my neck

And Phoebe's too.

Sigh, it's been one of those weeks. When it's not one thing, it's definately another.

Pete's in season, the boys are driving me NUTS! Shall we create more chaos? Cora is in too--so for those of you keeping track, yes Eddie's so happy too.

Tulis and Phoebe were wrestling outside, not unusual around here. Unfortunately, this time around it ended up with a hurt grandmother-of-all dog. Phoebe is dealing with a pinched nerve and/or a muscle strain in her neck. Doc put her on some good drugs for the pain and swelling, but every time she turns her head the wrong way we hear a shreak that goes right through ya. So as of tomorrow, she's also wearing a child's cervical collar to keep her from turning her head to far or too fast. This is the same dog that as a puppy had a sensitivity to her neck, so I can just imagine what this is like for her to be really hurting. The collar has to be worn for 6-8 weeks. And then it's simply rehab and a harness to wear the rest of her life.

Let's top this off with being pulled into the middle of something so common sense that it makes the mind spin at where the situation has ended up. Sometimes I think helping is overrated. Shame too-makes you wonder what would have happened had nothing been done in the beginning? It's also made me really step back and reanalyze some of my plans for the future and current relationships. Some things have come to a streaking halt-it will not nor ever will happen now. Some of those relationships are done, no longer have a place in my life for those attitudes, or behaviors. I'm honestly ashamed to be associated with some of those involved. Really, it's such a shame.... sigh.

This weekend, thank GOD it's the weekend, we'll be meeting with an old high school friend who is getting started in the dog show biz. Laundry-that's never ending. Clean house--I must, I will find my table in the study(and take it's broken self down to the basement for repairs). Hum, I think some baking is in store as well as getting ready for a short vacation to MO for a dog show!!!!

Oh and puppy breath-eyes should be opening up, which means I have to have the puppy pen ready for Hubby. I have a feeling when we are gone to MO, they'll start escaping.

Later gators.... oh and hug your puppies....
C

Monday, February 20, 2012

Trimming trees

I did not take my camera, but will the next trip. We spent Sunday morning at a local greenhouse/garden center/orchard, helping the current owner figure out what was what. Basically, the owner's daughter is trying to get the place cleaned up and ready for sale. Her parents closed it in 2003, literally shut the lights off, locked the door, and left it as is. And for those of you who know, I spent about 15 years in the landscape and garden center industry, so this was AMAZING for me to wander through.


So we talked about how to trim the fruit trees, wandered the now defunct greenhouses, talked about the old coal fired boilers and opened door upon door with stacks of clay pots, upon clay pots. I'm hoping we can get some of the usable materials to the local community college horticultre program as well as set up an auction/tag sale in the near future.



I hurt today-back, arms and shoulders. I've got to go get my wrist checked out that I hurt back in January, lacking a lot of strength as the pruners were not doing their job properly.


Other then that on Sunday, we didn't do much. Okay so I did bake bread, update the puppies photos on the website, few loads of laundry, a huge pot of black eyed peas and ham shanks, and tried my hand at making my own roasted red pepper and garlic hummus. Alec was in Des Moines for the shows-I'll save that commentary for a post tomorrow. We did manage though to snap this cutie of the gang taking a siesta after dinner....

Later gators...
C

Friday, February 17, 2012

weekly round up

This is a muttled post trying to catch up on the weeks events, pass on some information and give shout outs to a few great people!

First off wanted to send healing vibes to Kathy and Kim. Little birdy passed on that things were a little rocky the last few days. Let me know if there's anything we can do from up here.

Gerbils, er, uh, puppies are doing great. Continue to gain 2-3 oz a day. Poor Dove looks like they are sucking the life out of her. Picky eater as she is, she's just maintaining herself which means I'm road tripping it to IC for some Honest Kitchen, will pull a couple of the chickens out of the freezer and makes some more broth and stuff for her. I'm also having fun picking on the pups. Did you know if you scratch them behind the ear, they start reaching up to scratch that itch with their back legs. Then they get all pissy when you quit!

Alec's in Des Moines with Connor for the Central Iowa specialties. Hoping things all go well for him and the blonde dog. Last night we were watching the Big Bang-one of the funniest episodes I've watched. I was doubled over laughing, Connor got way too excited and it ended with me having a 10 min giggle fit with an 85 lb collie dog bouncing on my lap and head butting me. Silly boy.

Rebecca came all the way over from PA for the show this weekend, so between grooming hairy collie dogs and showing, she's got the gang all mustered to paint wooden shoes.
Yes you read that right, wooden shoes. The theme this year for the Collie National is Pennsylvania Dutch-hex signs, wooden shoes and tulips. I sent along the paint for the shoe project, have to find some tulip garland this weekend and then I have another list of things that Rebecca needs me to get. I can't wait!!! This is our first Collie National and I can't wait!!!

What else, what else? Besides tulip shopping, it's a cleaning weekend. We've got great weather coming up which I'm hoping means no wind so we can burn. Lots of clean up to do-chickens, ducks, dogs and I'm itching for it to start greening up--is it too early for that?

I'm anxiously awaiting a package in the mail. Someone's sending me runner eggs! Hoping either Mrs Roadrunner can hatch them out or that I get that inncubator today. Can't wait!

Speaking of mail, yes Pam I do still have something sitting on the table to send you. It's a matter of packaging and I thought I had it all figured out. I didn't. This weekend, I promise.

Oh forgot. Steve, if you happen to catch this today, I do have a FB account but am very very rarely on it. I really do want to talk to you, so follow the links on the side bar to the website and my email and other contact info is on there. As noted above, I'm not at the shows this weekend and would really like to catch up with you!

Hope everyone has an awesome weekend!

Later gators...
C

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Milestones

Woo hoo! The "gerbils" all cracked a pound at today's weigh in! Well, the big brindle boy was there yesterday, but the rest caught up with him. They are motating all over the whelping pool, even standing up on their toes when the buffet comes to visit. They want that prime eating spot.

We usually have a nickname for the litter(other then the theme). The 12 Abbey x Russ kids were the Dirty Dozen. Russ' litter was the Six Pack and ended up with an alcohol theme. The Eddie x Merlot kids were and still are the Monsters. This time around, not sure what to call these guys yet. Dove's covey? We'll just have to wait and see what kind of chaos they cause. But for now, they just look like gerbils.

Later gators....
C

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

First photo session

Now a few things to mention....I'm not a professional! And it's my trusty digital where the flash has issues, but for the most part, I think you'll be happy with the results. All the puppies are gaining well with our brindle boy being the first to crack 1 lb!!! Hum, 3 days old? WOW! Couple other things, the lighting is also a little weird because of where the pups are at in the master bath. We keep the lighting low, not a lot of bright lights, making it very den'ish for the mom.


So here we go.....


Two girls-left is Chalice and right is Splash. Right side Splash(black/white or black brindle female)
Splash-left side
Splash head shot
Chalice-right side(brindle female)
Chalice-head shot
Brindle girl-left side







Brindle Girl-head shot

Now for the boys....


Ringer-black and white male right side

Ringer-head shot

BIG brindle boy-right side

Brindle boy-head shot

I'm going to work on getting the website page updated tonight or tomorrow. That's if I can pull myself out of the whelping pool! The Ms did mention that she's officially been the first one christened by the pups-her hoody got pee'd on. And tomorrow, their first road trip to Doc's for dewclaw removal.


Later gators...
C



Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Live and learn

We lost one of the black and white boys yesterday. Not exactly sure the cause but thinking it might have been some sort of infection from aspirating something or a defect. What ever the cause, you can't dwell on it. As I was talking with Kim this morning, I said you have to learn from it and move on. If you dwell on any aspect of breeding, you have no reason to be doing so.

On a lighter note, Dove has broken her hunger strike. Always the picky eater, this has been an up hill battle all through out. So I hand feed her the grossest stuff last night. Knowing she hates sweet, we got Greek yogurt as it's tangy. Some Ensure. And lastly, 1/2 a can of her favorite Pro Plan canned food. Mix it all together and hand feed-oh it was soooo gross. But she ate. And this morning caught her with her head buried in the food bowl of kibble and wet food, licking it clean.

The rest of the hoard is doing well. All have gained 1-2 oz in the last 24 hours and I suspect that they will hit the 1 lb mark before they are a week old. The Ms already has her favorite, the big brindle girl we call Chalice(have to see her markings to understand).

The litter theme this time around is Scary Thoughts. We don't have call names yet other then b/w boy, big brindle girl, shoulder splash girl, brindle boy and Chalice. Those will come as their personalities come out.

Registered name options are: Bump In The Night, Something's Under The Bed, Monsters In The Closet, Monster Mash, Fright Night, Scared Out Of Yur Wits, Too Scared To Sleep, Running Scared, and Green Eyed Monster.

If you have any other good suggestions, let me know. I couldn't convince the kids to use a Grammy theme since that's the day they were born. Oh do I have some good ones for that--I'll have to save them for down the road. Pete's litter already has a theme as does Eddie x Cora. Hum, wonder who I can use it on?

Later gator....
C

Monday, February 13, 2012

Toilet paper bandit



Emmett, whom we miss every day, is now Buster and well, up to his old tricks again.

Thanks to his mom, Luanne for this photo.


Later gators.....

C

Common sense prevails

I must give a thumbs up to Yahoo for posting this article and scrolling it in their daily snippets. Too often after events such as in Colorado, people go on the war path about "aggressive dogs".

I love one of her very first comments that any dog can be aggressive-and that making the right dog choice for your family is one of the most important things to having a great dog.

http://shine.yahoo.com/breed-dog-best-212900033.html

Now she needs to do a follow up article about the next steps in making your new companion into a great one-training, socializing and love.

Later gators...
C

Wake up call

Pete's at it again, in a good way. 3am Sunday morning she alerted me to a new squeaking noise in the house--puppies!


Dove started whelping way too early in the morning. Though she'd been a little restless on Saturday, I put her to sleep for the night, with an ear turned in her direction. I must have been really tired, as she wasn't going to wait for the humans to help.



Proud to announce she easily delivered 7 puppies between 3am and 8:30am Sunday. Unfortunatley the first pup was a HUGE girl and we think Dove either sat on her or she was born still born. What we are ever thankful for is that Dove actually natural whelped big puppies, all weighed between 11 and almost 14 oz. Her mother, Marg, had just as big puppies but was not big enough herself to naturally whelp and had two c-sections.


Dove, for a first time mom, is doing just about perfect. Clean babies, full tummies and she's so careful with them.



3 boys-2 are black and whites, 1 is brindle. 3 girls-we aren't sure if we have a black brindle or black and white, but the other 2 are definately brindle. No mismarks, lots of chorme on some and a couple of the boys are the darkest black with just a touch of icing.


After the last two litters being c-sections, it's so nice to deal with a momma dog that is "with it", puppies who aren't dealing with the after affects of anthestic and take right to mom. Not having to put anyone on a tit, make sure mom doesn't lay on one, or worry that a puppy isn't thriving.


Here's a couple group photos.


I need a nap now!


Later gators.....
C


PS....
I need to add a couple side notes--this is officially Ms' first litter of puppies, as in her own bitch and helping to pick out the stud dog. Dove was shown to some big wins in the classes by the Ms and though loves the guys' laps, her favorite is the Ms'. She got up as soon as it was time to start the puppy watch, sat with Dove the entire time, caught puppies as they were coming out, ripped sacks, helped tie cords and rubbed and shook them alive. I can't be more proud of her! I think she even had to help pull one of the big boys out. Now comes the fun part for her with evaluations and deciding which one we keep!

Friday, February 10, 2012

and we wait.....

Still no puppies. Dove is miserable. As I feared, she's a carbon copy of her mother. Breeding towards day 13 and 14 of her heat cycle, hormonal "egg white" discharge the entire time she's in whelp and looking like a puppy barge on her last few days. The pictures from a few days ago, she's gotten even bigger.

Now the good part would be that she whelps during the weekend-yeah, no vacation days used. Bad would be like her mother, the 2am emergency c-section at Doc's. Good, nice big healthy puppies. Bad, a lot of them. Okay, that's not really bad, but after the Dirty Dozen, a nice small 5-6 is all I dream about.

....and we wait.

Later gators...
C

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Not sure what she ate?

A basket ball?


Or a bowling ball?


Her mother was routinely called the puppy bus and went to the vet's for whale watch when no one was able to stay at home and watch her.


Anticipating she'll be whelping before the weekend is over, I think. Thanks Kim for the wide window of delivery dates-ugh.


Later gators...
C

Monday, February 6, 2012

Weekend nothingness

I did loads of muddy dog laundry, cleaned muddy dog printed floors and waited. So did Dove.

Later gators...
C

Eye see U


I'll be uploading some great pastels that the Ms is currently doing of the dogs. She's taking photos of their eyes then drawing them. They are all really great and one is being framed for a certain special person in WI.

Later gators...
C

The joys of being Pete


She reigns from her throne....


...that is until the Ms says it's time to share.


Later gators....
C

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

You know you're committed to your dogs when...

Email from Hubby after I gave him the all clear to go to a movie this weekend:

File this under, " You know your committed to your dogs when:"

1. You schedule a night on the town around the possible delivery date of a litter
2. You stop noticing the hair covering everything.
3. You know how to process Breeders Dog food rebate checks better than the cashier at the pet store.
4. Planning on getting a washer dedicated to the dog's laundry.

Anyone else got things to add to the list?

Later gators...
C