Packing, and other things...

I admit it, I've been very bad.  Lately I just haven't felt like blogging.  One piece of me feels guilty and the other just figures that not blogging when you don't really feel like blogging is a good policy.  I'm going with it.

So, let me catch you up on my life...

Currently, it is 4:47am and I am supposed to be sleeping.  Normally I am working at this time, but I took tonight off because on Saturday morning Lilly, Whitey, and I are headed for an adventure.  I'm supposed to be sleeping because I need to get up bright and early in the morning to begin tackling what amounts to about a month and a half worth of laundry.  It's frightening.

Our big adventure consists of traveling first to Woodstock, IL to cheer on one of our favorite Berners - Miss Dora (Whitey's mom) - in the veteran class at a regional Berner Specialty.  Then, we are headed to Pigeon Forge, TN for the Samoyed Club of America National Specialty show which lasts for an entire week.  We're all very excited.  Well, everybody except for Bailey - he HATES it when I pack because he knows something is going on.  Bailey does not crave adventure, he likes things predictable and calm.  This is why he is staying with Grandma and Grandpa while we are gone - he LOVES visiting Grandma, and outside of Grandma getting a little overzealous with her clapping and cheering during Packer games, it's a calm place to be.

Packing has been a week-long project of list making and minor accomplishments.  I can't wait to just get on the road so there is no more opportunity for second guessing and over-analyzing of everything.  I tend to be a light packer, but I also tend to worry I'll forget something important for the dog.  (I never really worry about stuff for me because, well, I can just suck it up and go without - something I would generally never ask my dogs to do)  

Whitey has been coming along fantastically with learning people aren't so scary.  Here are some pics from various dog park trips.

Lilly LOVES to hunt at the new dog park

Occasionally Whitey helps

Making new friends...

Lilly currently has what I assume is a skin infection on the left side of her nose/face.  Talk about bad timing.  I've got her on cephalexin and it appears to be getting better.  Lord help us if we end up having to go to a vet in Tennessee.  That would be very annoying.


I can't help but wonder if THIS has something to do with the condition of her face.  Yes, she stuck her face in that hole, and I'm sure a number of other holes I didn't notice.  Who knows what she might have encountered in these holes.

(I don't know if there was something on my lens or what, but for some reason these pictures turned out terrible.  I'm sure part of it was that I didn't really care how they came out, I just thought they were funny)

I have also been working my little fingers to the bone with my new project.  I have decided to start making grooming table aprons (among other things) and seeing if I can sell them at dog shows.  So far I have some very happy customers, so I hope they help me spread the word.  I have "stocked" myself well for the trip to Nationals:

You can check out my brand new website here!

You can also "like" me on facebook if you wish.  I would love it if you did.  :)

Photo 51

Promote Your Page Too

In the midst of all the packing and list making and sewing, I did manage to take a few minutes out of one day to take some fall pictures.  Overall my fall picture taking was terribly lame.  I'm hoping to get a second chance in the Great Smokey Mountain National Forest.  That will probably make for better pictures anyway.

This view is one of the reasons I like this dog park. 

Late last winter two dogs drowned after falling through the ice on this creek.  

It's strange how such a beautiful place can rear it's ugly head in an instant.  Nature demands respect.

 

I did really like the way these pictures turned out.  These are stones that are placed at the Oneida Nation War Memorial Wall that we drive past every time we go to this particular dog park.  

The stones each have a different war on them and some information about the involvement the Oneida people had in the war.  I noticed that you could see the trees behind me as a reflection on the polished stone so I thought I'd try to capture it.  It worked fairly well.

 

 

 The other side of the wall.

 A beautiful Eagle sculpture, also at the Memorial Wall.

I was hoping to attempt some brokah here, it didn't work.  Oh, well.

Oh, and one last thing before I force myself to go to bed...

ALLELE IS PREGNANT!

That's right, the breeding appears to have produced at least 3 puppies.  Every finger I have is crossed in hopes that everything goes smoothly and Bailey and Lilly have a new little brother or sister in a few months.